What happens at the end of a project or a change process? Too often, the major players (team members and champions) have moved on to other initiatives and priorities by the time that a project comes to a close. This is a group that has built a lot of insight and understanding of organizational dynamics […]
Looking Back to Move Ahead Read More »
Let’s say that you have received an unexpected grant to your organization. It’s a large sum of money – equivalent to your annual operating budget! And there are no strings attached to how you can use these funds. This unimaginable scenario is real. It has happened in over 1,600 organizations around the United States and
Making the Most of a Windfall! Read More »
Gardening, like leading change, is hard work. If you’re not bending over to till the soil and remove stones, you’re on your knees caring for seedlings or removing weeds. From this position, it’s really easy to lose sight of the big picture. That’s why a key change leadership action involves getting on the ladder!
Get on the Ladder! Read More »
We all have them. They are all around us. We are talking about… stakeholders! And if they will be impacted by your change initiative – for good or bad – then you need to take time to understand them! While the work of identifying and assessing stakeholders can be done on an ongoing basis
Assessing your Stakeholders Read More »
What does growth in an organization look like? It isn’t unusual to imagine this as a never-ending upward trajectory, like a rocket fired into space. You quickly realize though, that this isn’t realistic or sustainable. Once the initial momentum fizzles out, things can quickly go off course. Or even come to a grinding halt. Searching
Leading Like a Gardener Read More »
There’s a very good chance that the project or change initiative for which you are responsible will fail. I’m sorry to be the one bringing this unfortunate news. However, if it is helpful for you, your project is unlikely to fail catastrophically. Instead, like many other initiatives, it will fail by falling short of expectations:
Uncover the Hidden Risks in Your Change Initiative Read More »
Raise your hand if you have made a plan for your team’s work. Or if you are following a plan at the moment, guiding the implementation of your project. Now read what General Dwight Eisenhower said when he was responsible for the preparations for the D-Day invasion of Occupied France in 1944…. Remember to stay
Are plans worth it? Read More »
Louis Pasteur, the French scientist, is best known for his breakthroughs on vaccination and on – well, pasteurization, the process of stopping the contamination of milk. 💬 He also famously said “In the field of observation, chance favors only the prepared mind.” 💬 Updating this statement for today, I offer the idea that “Chance
Are you prepared for change? Read More »
One of the issues that comes up in almost every change initiative is that of Resistance. How will people respond to the planned changes? Will they be resistant? What can we do to address resistance to change? Thanks to my training in Gestalt approaches to change and development, I’ve come to discover that we can
The Creative Force of Resistance Read More »
I thought you might be interested in this short video that looks at the origins of Kurt Lewin’s famous 3 stage model of change (Unfreezing – Changing – Refreezing). [vcex_spacing size=”30px”] I was intrigued to find out that Lewin did not actually summarize his thinking about change in such simplistic terms (my respect for him
What did Lewin really say about change? Read More »
This blog series looks at how you, as a manager transitioning into a new department or team, can use the opportunity of the transition to foster stronger teams. The first post served as an introduction to why having stronger teams will help you be more effective as a manager. We promote the idea of real teams that
Using Managerial Transitions to Build Stronger Teams – Part 4 Read More »
This blog series looks at how you, as a manager transitioning into a new department or team, can use the opportunity of the transition to foster stronger teams. The first post served as an introduction to why having stronger teams will help you be more effective as a manager. We promote the idea of real teams that
Using Managerial Transitions to Build Stronger Teams – Part 3 Read More »