Surviving and Thriving in Times of Constant Change

Transcription

1 Surviving and Thriving in Times of Constant Change Brought to you by the Schedule 2 Employers Group October 9, 2013 Workbook & Tools

2 Table of Contents Taking Stock Circle of Influence Four Common Responses to Change Personal Resilience Exercise Action Planning TOOLKIT: p3 p4 p5 p6 p8 p9 Common Beliefs in Times of Change and Transition Kotter s Eight Steps to Transforming your Organization The Coaching Conversation Leading Change in the Work Place: Self-Assessment for Leaders Leading Change in the Work Place: Planning For Organizational Change Notes and Reflections p17 2 P a g e

3 Taking Stock of the Changes That Are Affecting Me Affects me What is outside my control What I can influence What s in my control Global economy Changes in how I do my work Technological changes Budget restraints Changes to how I do my work Back to work legislation Changes in my health or physical abilities Changes in my family status (new baby, new partner, etc.) Empty nest syndrome Looking after aging parents/spouses New pets in the house Moving homes or locations Changing jobs New colleagues New boss 3 P a g e

4 Circle of Influence I have no control over I have influence over I have control over ME 4 P a g e

5 Four Common Responses to Change BEHAVIOURS VICTIM Resisting change Feeling angry or depressed Reverting to old ways of doing things Isolating oneself Failing to ask for help CRITIC Looking for reasons why change will not be successful Failing to see any positive outcomes from the change Questioning and challenging whether change is appropriate or necessary BYSTANDER Acting reluctant to get involved Waiting for others to make decisions and take the lead ATTITUDE Why is this happening to me? Why can t things stay the way they are? This won t work This won t improve anything. If I ignore this change, it will go away. I won t jump in until I know it s safe. I ll wait until more experienced people have paved the way. NAVIGATOR Looking for ways to help minimize negative reactions Exploring the causes of or reasons behind the changes Finding ways to be useful and valuable in implementing change Looking for opportunities for improvement Forming nurturing relationships with others affected by change The business response presents opportunities to do things differently. It s a change to make things better and refocus to what s important. I m bound to make mistakes, but I m going to learn from them. 5 P a g e

6 Personal Resilience Exercise Imagine each spoke on the balance wheel ranging from a low level of satisfaction the closer you get to the centre of the wheel to a perfect level of satisfaction on the outside rim of the wheel. Now think about the biggest changes in your life whether it is business or personal - to what extent are you satisfied that: POSITIVE WORLD You see the future from a positive and upbeat perspective, focussing on opportunities POSITIVE SELF You believe that your actions can influence a positive result you demonstrate a cando attitude FOCUSSED You have a strong sense of purpose, are able to set priorities that distinguish between critical and trivial information and get quickly back on course after disruptions FLEXIBILE THOUGHTS You are able to look at situations from multiple points of view, avoid black and white thinking, seek others opinions, and suspend judgement while considering the alternatives FLEXIBLE SOCIAL You draw on external resources for support; value ideas as they are presented, and continue to build on interdependence rather than independence ORGANIZED You quickly analyze information, choose a direction, and plan concrete steps toward your goal PROACTIVE You actively engage in change, take decisive action in the midst of uncertainty, take calculated risks and invest your energy in problem solving 6 P a g e

7 Personal Resilience Chart Positive World Positive Self Proactive Focused Organized Flexible Thoughts Flexible Social 7 P a g e

8 Action Planning Short Term between now and next 2 weeks Medium Term 2 weeks to 6 weeks Longer Term 6 weeks to 3 months WHAT do I need to do? WHY do I need to do this? WHO do I need to involve? WHEN do I need to complete this by? WHO is my accountability partner/support on this item? 8 P a g e

9 T o o l k i t : t h e follow i n g p ages provi d e s o m e t o o l s f o r yo u t o s urvi ve a n d t h r i ve d u r i n g t h e s e t i m e s o f c o n s t a n t c h a n g e 9 P a g e

10 C o m m o n B e l i e f s i n T i m es of C h a n g e a n d T r a n s i t i o n i n the Workplace S o m e t i m e s w e h a v e b e l i e f s t h a t m a y h o l d u p o u r a b i l i t y t o m o v e f o r w a r d. T h e s e b e l i e f s c a n o f t e n a p p l y t o p e r s o n a l c h a n g e s a s w e l l - h o w m i g h t y o u a c k n o w l e d g e a n d a d d r e s s a n y o f t h e s e b e l i e f s t h a t y o u m a y h o l d? Belief #1: This will go away Belief #2: It will help if I get upset about it Belief #3: This is a bad thing for my career Belief #4: I can just keep on doing my job like I have been Belief #5: Management knows a lot more than they are telling Belief #6: Management doesn t care about us/me Belief #7: I m not in a position to make a difference Belief #8: Management/others are responsible to make the changes Belief #9: The changes aren t really necessary Belief #10: I am going to lose my job if I don t just go along with this change. 10 P a g e

11 Kotter s Eight Steps to Transforming Your Organization ( f r o m J o h n K o t t e r s b o o k L e a d i n g C h a n g e ) Steps to consider when introducing change : 1) Establish a sense of urgency Examining the current reality of the industry and key business drivers 2) Form a powerful guiding coalition Assemble a group with enough influence to lead the change effort. Encourage the group to work together as a team 3) Create a vision Create a vision which will help direct the change and focus the strategies to achieving the vision 4) Communicate the Vision Use different ways to communicate the new vision, the key drivers, and the strategies. Teach new behaviours by leading by example. 5) Empower others to act on the vision Get rid of the obstacles to the change by changing systems or structures that are not aligned and/or do not support the new direction. Encourage risk taking and non-traditional ideas, activities and actions. 6) Plan for and create short term wins Plan for visible improvements and recognize and celebrate the improvements 7) Consolidate improvements and keep the momentum going Use the increased credibility from the short term wins to align systems, structures and policies to the new vision. Reinvigorate the process with new projects that support the direction the organization is going. 8) Institutionalize new approaches Ensure internal systems support the new approaches 11 P a g e

12 The Coaching Conversation The GROW Model: You might consider using this model to coach yourself or others through change. For more information, go to John Whitmore s book Coaching for Performance. Goal: What would you like to accomplish in this conversation? Reality: In your opinion, what is the issue? What is preventing you from achieving your goal? Options: What are some of the ways you could resolve this issue? Will: What will you commit to doing today/this week/by a certain date? 12 P a g e

13 Leading Change in the Work Place Self-Assessment for Leaders During times of transformative change, it is critical that leaders pay attention to change leadership principles to help staff and each other successfully transition into the new reality. There is a responsibility to facilitate and enable change by helping people understand the reasons behind the changes and then interpreting, communicating and supporting others while the shifts in business occur. The questions below relate to characteristics and skills of successful leaders of change. Use the questions to evaluate your change readiness and where you might focus to strengthen your leadership skills. Yes 1. I understand and support the need for the changes No 2. I am able to clearly articulate the new direction and vision of the Industry/organization 3. I am aware of how I may react to change 4. I am able to act on the best information I have (rather than waiting for all the information) 5. I am constantly looking for new ways to get things done 6. I seek out other people when I have a challenge to solve 7. I embrace learning and constantly challenge myself 8. I look for things that I can change or influence and don t spend time and energy getting frustrated about what I can t change or influence 9. I am comfortable with taking calculated risks 10. I am comfortable with a moderate level of disruption and conflict 13 P a g e

14 11. I am prepared to manage change by leading by example 12. I am able to see and diagnose an issue from various perspectives 13. I am aware of how my own patterns of behaviour impact on others 14. I am able to motivate and coach others through the changes 15. I am able to provide focus and direction when there is disruption or conflict Yes No 16. I have credibility with my staff and peers 17. I am comfortable answering I don t know and seeking the answers at a later date 18. I remember to live by my values and incorporate them into my day to day work. If you answered yes to the majority these questions, you possess many of the characteristics and skills needed to be a successful leader of change. If you answered no too many of these questions, you may want to consider seeking out resources and others to further develop these leadership skills and attributes. 14 P a g e

15 Leading Change in the Work Place Planning For Organizational Change As you know, responsibility for leadership in times of change lies with all of us, and in particular, the leaders of the organization. Now that you have had a chance to assess where you are personally, take some time to think about the following: How prepared am I? I am prepared to examine my assumptions and beliefs that may limit my ability to move forward. I understand where the overall organization is going. I have a basic understanding of different parts of the organization. I understand why staying the same is no longer an option. I am prepared to ask myself what do I need to change and what I need to leave behind for the benefit of the organization. I can think of the key people in the organization who I feel comfortable talking to about what is happening. I understand the phases of transition (i.e. Bridges model of change) and how to recognize each stage in myself and others Questions to ask yourself: How will I generate support for the change throughout the organization? What are the potential barriers and what will I do to remove them? What have I learned in the past on how to lead in times of change? How will I involve my staff and colleagues in the change process? How will I prepare my staff for the change process and continue to support them through the process? What do I need to watch for in terms of reactions from staff (emotions, stress) and how will I support staff through the changes? Where will I get information? How will I communicate to my staff, throughout the change process? 15 P a g e

16 Who are the stakeholders who need to know about the changes? What tools or resources do I need? How will I use my values during these times of change? Who are the practitioners with the skills sets and credibility whom I may draw on for support? How will we celebrate and recognize achievements? What will I do to model new behaviours that support the change? My thoughts: 16 P a g e

17 Notes and reflections 17 P a g e