Friday 25 July 2014

It's Good to Revisit the Past, Just Don't Stay Too Long

I am helping a business prepare for a structural change. Although the material changes to employees are minimal, the psychological ones may be big; people who have worked for separate companies for many years will be joining their parent company and taking on its name.

A leader predicted that the announcement would cause people to reminisce about their pasts. He asked if it was okay for people to revisit what they hold dear from their current company.  

Absolutely, I said. It is healthy to honour where you come from and the things from years ago that have personal meaning. Those experiences have helped form who they are today. Honouring the past does not mean not letting it go.

Ben Watt --Toronto, July  17 '14
I went through a similar experience last Thursday. In the morning, I read that Ben Watt, a musician who greatly influenced me in my mid-twenties, was playing that night. I had closely followed his career as a solo artist and as part of Everything But the GirlMy friends were busy, so I bought a single ticket. 


Throughout the day, I thought about something from my past that I held dear. In 1988, I decided to leave my job to go back packing in Europe. I felt I wasn't  achieving my goals and needed to make some changes.

I had planned on spending three months traveling by Europass.  Other than flying into and out of Amsterdam, I was free to discover my own path.


The Quest
The only must-do commitment I made was to visit a small resort town in northern England called Scarborough. That was where Ben Watt had taken photos for the cover of his North Marine Drive album. 

My quest started as a whim, but grew in importance as I made my way through Europe. It became a symbol of my decision to actively define and achieve my goals. I could do anything in life and it was up to me to decide what that would be. 

When I got to Scarborough it was deserted. It had been a rainy summer and vacationers had opted for other, perhaps warmer, destinations. For me, it was perfect.

I walked North Marine Drive and took photos near where Ben had taken his. I had achieved my goal. When I got home I sent a photo of me by the sea to him, with a letter about the insights I realized on the road.    


The Postcard
A couple of months later, I received a thoughtful and kind postcard from Ben, talking about the time he had spent at university in the area.


Twenty-five years later, I was five feet away from Ben on the stage, listening to his songs from my personal soundtrack. He also played his excellent new album, Hendra.

As I left the show, I thought about my time in Europe. I also thought of the people I was going to work with who would be thinking of their pasts.  It is important to respect and encourage remembrances of what people hold dear. It's healthy, grounding and inspirational.

Looking backward can lead to moving forward as long as you don't stay too long in the past. Hendra is at the top of my playlist.

Phil. 

Friday 18 July 2014

If You Have Something to Say, Make Sure You Can Be Heard

One of the best parts of participating in a charity run is the cheering on of others just before the finish line. 

For runners, it's a 'so close yet so far' experience. They can see the finish line, but it is still far away. Exhausted they draw upon every ounce of strength they can muster to achieve their goal. Thirty seconds is a long time when each one feels like an eternity.

This is when runners need the most support. Motivational phases like "you can do it" or "you are almost there" can help someone push through their pain to do their best.

Reactions from runners are varied. Some run past, oblivious to the well-wishes, others look at you but say nothing and others smile and say thanks. My favourite response is when someone speeds up, giving it their all. 

Last Sunday, I saw an athletic man who was running with a backpack on. I said, "Your finish is going to be great." He looked at me, smiled and blasted off to the finish line like an Olympian. Great stuff!

Midway through my cheers, I noticed a teenager behind me and to my side. He had joined in on the cheering.  His encouragements were more specific and better than mine. He said thinks like "start kicking your feet now" and "200 hundred metres to go." Encouragement is like a compliment: the more specific the better.

Unfortunately, his calls were barely audible. I could hear him but the runners, many wearing headphones, couldn't. Also, he was standing about six feet away from the path, out of the line of site of runners. He wasn't noticed and his great encouragements didn't have the impact he intended.

I asked him if he wanted to come closer to the runners, but he said no. 

This happens so often in business, especially in organizations going through a lot of change. People are doing great work to support the change but it is not noticed. Sometimes the reason is cultural, where standing out, even if you have the right answer, is discouraged. Other times, people avoid being the focus of attention.  Either way, their work doesn't have the impact that was intended.

Part of good change management is to catch people doing good things that are aligned with the direction the the organization has chosen. It is the change leader's role to identify, recognize and reward these efforts so they positively impact the organization and advance the change.

You can be sure that I will be saying "start kicking your feet now" and "200 hundred metres to go" at my next race. Phil

Friday 11 July 2014

Approach a Computer Set Up Like a Change Project

My New Computer
This week, I set up my new computer. I had been using my son's old computer after he had upgraded to a "gaming" model four years ago. 

My rationale for an upgrade was productivity. Internet pages weren't loading quickly and documents were, saving slowly; it was time to invest in speed.

I am not tech savvy, but usually I can get things to work. I took a "just get it done" approach to setting up my new toy.


Set Up Wasn't This Easy
First, I transferred files from my old computer. No problem. Then I started loading software programs. Some weren't compatible with my Windows upgrade. Also, setting up one of my printers was a hassle. The driver wasn't even listed in the set up menu. 

My challenges continued. When I thought I was up and running, I was slowed down by what seemed like endless adjustments to factory default settings. Nothing looked the same as before. For example, while writing this post, I found that I was missing my cropping function for pictures. Where did it go and how do I get it back? 

As my productivity continued to dip I found myself longing for the good ole days when I was using my old computer. That's when I realized I was struggling with change, just like the people I help lead and manage change at work. 

What would I say to myself to get out of the 'valley of despair' of change? I would:
  • Remind myself of why the change needed to happen and the cost of using my old computer
  • Keep the main benefit of the change front and centre: increased productivity
  • Set realistic expectations for the transition period  - I am not a technician, so it will take me longer to diagnose and fix problems, and some will not be solved
  • Create a sequenced plan and realistic timeline to complete the project
  • Enlist people with the skills I don't have - computer technical skills would have been good
  • Celebrate small wins: I eventually transferred my Outlook data across versions of Office - high five!
I have a few more programs to load and settings to change before completing my transition to stress-free computing. I will have successfully transitioned to a faster computer. I will also have learned many tips for my next upgrade. My last piece of self-advice is to take a few minutes to write them down.

Phil

Friday 4 July 2014

How Infographics Can Help You Communicate Change

By Customer Magnetism
Often, organizational changes fail because leaders don't explain why the change is needed and how it will benefit the organization and its people. 

Without rationale that makes sense and an emotional connection to the benefits, people keep doing what they have always done and the initiative fails or only achieves marginal benefits. 

Not all attempts at explaining the "why" behind a change are effective. Long emails, articles and presentations are difficult to absorb and often ignored, leaving people uninspired to change how they work. 

Infographics provide an effective way to motivate and engage people around the need for changeAn infographic is a visual representations of information that is quickly consumed, easily understood and engaging.  All important criteria for effective change communication.

I was introduced to infographics by a friend who was creating them to support a large technology upgrade. They were clear, easy to understand and memorable. 

Here are some statistics that support the power of these graphic tools:
  • 90 percent of information transmitted to the brain is visual
  • 65 percent of the population are visual learners
  • 40 percent of people respond better to visual information than text
  • Visuals are processed 60,000 times faster than text
  • Infographics are 30 times more likely to be read than text articles
  • People are 3 times more likely to share an infographic than a document

There are many examples of infographics on the internet to give you ideas on how to design your own. Here are some tips to get you started:
  • Start with your purpose - what is the message?
  • Consider the point of view of your audience - what images are meaningful to them?
  • Select an attention grabbing title
  • Focus on one theme
  • Use 'real' data - Relatable, Exciting, Attracting and Legit
  • Reveal the data at several levels of detail, from broad overview to the fine structure
  • Encourage the eye to compare different pieces of data
  • Use colour to instill different moods and emotional connections
  • Provide references to the data presented

Click here for 5 free infographic templates from Hub Spot
Creating infographics is becoming easier thanks to predesigned templates. Hub Spot has created five templates that can be downloaded for free.

Communication is an essential part of any change initiative. Sharing why the change is needed is an important step to creating committed and engaged individuals who have the power to make it successful. Infographics is an excellent way to do so.

Phil

Sources: 
http://piktochart.com/not-just-another-infographic-8-steps/
http://www.customermagnetism.com/infographics/what-is-an-infographic/
http://unbounce.com/content-marketing/why-do-infographics-make-great-marketing-tools/
http://www.business2community.com/infographics/5-top-tips-creating-infographics-0828627#!7mUZc