Should you stay connected with everyone you have met?

LinkedIn has a feature that I haven't used, until this week. It is the "See Who You Already Know on LinkedIn" utility that offers to send invites to people whose email addresses are stored in your email account. 

A way to conveniently extend your LinkedIn community to people you know seems like a good idea. Why not send invites to people you have emailed in the past?

On Saturday, I decided to investigate this function. I was curious about how it worked and whether I could filter my email connections for those I wanted to connect with.

I hit "continue" in the pop-up menu and instantly had second thoughts--what about all the people who are copied on business emails? I decided to exit the window, no harm done.

Immediately, I noticed the red email indicator light up on my Blackberry. I looked at my email (a Pavlovian response) and saw two acceptances of my LinkedIn invites. Oh no. I was mortified. 

I had sent LinkedIn invites to everyone who has been copied on an email in my Gmail and Outlook accounts since the beginning of time--presidents of client organizations, professors, dentists, plumbers, you name it.

The acceptances kept coming in. How many invites were sent out, I wondered. How many were ignored? It felt like a popularity contest. 

The more the acceptances arrived, the more relaxed I became about my invitation bonanza. It's only an invitation to connect, I rationalized.

Most people I recognized and was glad that we were now connected. I was surprised that I wasn't already connected with others. Some I wouldn't have sent invites to because either I didn't have relationships with them or the invites might be viewed as requests inspired by personal gain. 

In total, I have received 60 acceptances in 6 days, a 4 percent increase in my total LinkedIn community.

Knowing what I know now, would I do it again? Absolutely. Like change management, my personal goal is to positively influence people to change how they think and act to be more successful. Influencing more people extends my influence, even if it has pushed me out of my comfort zone to achieve it. 

Helping someone decide whether to use a LinkedIn feature may seem like a small thing, but it might be more important to some readers, and that's what makes writing this blog meaningful to me. You never know what influence you can have.

So should you try out this LinkedIn feature? The meaningful connections you gain might be worth it. They were worth it for me.

Phil

The Importance of Year-over-year Results

Yesterday, I gave a talk at the HRPA Conference, Canada's largest annual human resources event.

After my session ended, I visited the conference bookstore to sign copies of Change with Confidence. As I was chatting with a bookstore employee, I realized I had done the same thing one year ago almost to the day. 

I am a fan of measuring year-over-year results, both professionally and personally. Finances, running statistics and adherence to guidelines get year end reviews.

What I hadn't reviewed this year was the progress of my book. I reread a blog post I had written after the last conference for clues about what I was measuring. This was little help since my focus was on how I got to the conference in a three-day snow storm in New Jersey.

I do remember that the number of sales was very important to me. As a first time author, it was a tangible measure of acceptance, or the importance of my book. I checked often.

Also important were the number of reviews, interviews and the number of articles I got published. More concrete measures of approval.

As the year progressed my focus changed. The biggest accolade was a reader who emailed me to say how much my book had helped him. "Just what he was looking for," was what he wrote. Also, a few professors had added it to their reading lists and a company believed in it enough to create an online course on the content, which meant a lot to me. 

My focus had changed from acceptance to influence. 

I hadn't realized that my change in focus has affected my promotional efforts. It had become part of my decision making criteria for speaking engagements and the businesses and institutions I approach. 

I feel good about my progress and the types of results I will make this year.

Phil

Is photographing ourselves more important than the photo?

I have been spending a lot of time lately digitizing old family photos, slides and 8 mm films. Boxes and boxes of them.

Many images haven't been looked at in decades, which feels like a missed opportunity.

Could it be that the desire to capture these moments is more important than the captured images?

I have come across many series of multiple photographs of the same moment. And this was before the days of no cost smart phone photos. Why spend so much time getting the photograph just right?

I think the process of picture taking signifies that the moment is special and worthy of capturing. Taking multiple photographs of the same scene reinforces the importance of the event. The importance of getting it right is a message in itself--this moment matters.

For many years, I would ask teams working on organizational changes if I could take their picture. I would do so for both project teams and workshop participants. The photo taking process was always a social activity that lightened the mood no matter how immersed in content they were. It was an up beat event.

 For these work teams, the photo shoot implied that they were creating important outcomes that were worthy of being acknowledged. They were building the future.

This acknowledgement also happens in our personal lives. For example, the setting up and taking of a 'selfie' signifies that our image at that moment is important and worthy of being captured. The actual selfie is a byproduct of the event―the  recording is more important (and valuable) than the record.

For the last few years, in workshops, my camera has been focused on capturing flip chart notes versus the teams that created them.

I now realize that I have stopped performing an important function for the team and its productivity. Teams are important and they need to be acknowledged. Their work around change builds the foundation for a better organization. 

Regardless whether anyone looks the picture, the process of taking it represents productivity, progress and promise. People and the good work they do are worth capturing because they matter.

Phil

10 Tips on How to Hold a Meeting in a Coffee Place

More and more I work with clients remotely, which is changing how I work. Email, phone, Skype and Google Hangouts are our modes of communication. I only meet my clients in-person when I am leading key meetings or workshops.

Since my face-to-face meetings are at my clients' offices or their chosen off-site locations, I have no need for commercial office space. This expense would only add a commute to my life, reducing the amount of time I could work on my assignments.

I do have a need to meet with other consultants and contacts to work on projects or to network. For these meetings, coffee places are excellent. Chains like Starbucks, Costa and Tim Horton's and independents offer a dynamic space with ample room and refreshments. They are inexpensive too. 

Here are some tips to make the most of your coffee place business meetings:

• Pick a location that is easily accessible for all parties―commuting time is a cost for everyone
• Visit the cafe before scheduling a meeting around the time you plan to meet―is there enough seating, is it too noisy, is it conducive to collaboration and conversation?
• Check for wi-fi access―invariably someone will need to access something on the internet
• Arrive early so you can find the best spot to sit―this week, I arrived second and five minutes late, which is bad form
• Pick a spot away from the door―weather and constant traffic can be distractions
• Offer to buy your meeting attendees coffee―it's good form
• Tip those who take your order―it's a small recognition for the use of their space
• Ask if you can check the time―it's difficult to do surreptitiously and I always go overtime if I don't
• Offer to dispose of everyone's cups, etc.―it's a courtesy
• Ask others if they liked the cafe as a meeting location―this could become a regular meeting spot or somewhere you won't return to

Coffee places are excellent business meeting spots. This week, I had a meeting in a converted book store that had the old world charm of its 88 year history. It was a perfect backdrop for our conversation.

Phil

3 Words to Guide My Actions and Behaviours in 2015

The holidays is a perfect time to plan for the new year. I spent mine thinking of the three words that will guide my actions and behaviours to achieve my goals and live the life I want to lead.

An assessment of my use of last year's words (Purposeful, Groundbreaking and Global) helped make my selection—when I used them well, when I didn't and when I forgot them altogether. 

This year, I have vowed to use them for all substantial decisions on how I spend my time.

I realize that every decision impacts whether or not I am progressing against my goals. Everything counts. For example, if I agree to do something that is unplanned, the benefit must be greater than doing something else. It's a choice. That's why my first word is 'Choiceful'. It will remind me of the implications of my decisions before I make them.

This year I want to grow by taking on new opportunities and challenges. This will require limiting the amount of activities that are repeats of things I have done in the past. New experiences and challenges are what I am motivated by this year.

My first two words will have limited impact if I don't leave room in my schedule to seize opportunities. Michael Hyatt calls this creating margin. That's why my third word is 'Flexible'. I must keep enough room in my schedule so I can choose take on new experiences.

I felt the pain of zero margin over the past 3 months when I over-extended myself well beyond capacity. My cost was working non-stop, day and night, missing out on other parts of my life. I did it to myself and don't want to do it again.

I am excited about my 3 word selections and how I will use them over the next 12 months. They are posted by my computer so I don't forget them. I also plan to conduct a couple of check-ins over 2015 so I get the best use of them.

So what do you think? If you chose 3 words to help guide you in 2015, what would they be?

Phil

Why It's Important to Take Stock of 2014

Media is filled with best and worst lists of 2014—best business books, worst movies, best "best of " lists, etc. Although they are momentarily appealing, they only share one person's subjective view of what good (or bad) looks like for the year. 

What is more valuable is a comparison of results to goals. This is the only meaningful way to measure success and learn from the process.

Measuring your yearly accomplishments allows you to assess whether you achieve your goals. It also allows you to reflect on what what worked and didn't work and which approaches you should start, stop or continue to achieve next year's goals.

I tried a new goal setting approach this year based on a blog post by Chris Brogan written on January 1st. He recommended choosing three words "that sum up what you want to work on changing/improving in the coming year". It's a simple and effective way to prioritize, make decisions and keep track of your progress.

I chose my three words over two weeks. It was important that each one connected to my purpose of helping people and organizations  be more successful by working in new ways. My three words are: purposeful, groundbreaking and global. I used them as guides as I choose how to invest my time.

Here's my assessment of my ability to achieve each one:

 Purposeful

I had a purposeful year. The assignments I took on had meaningful goals, both for the organizations and people working on them—there were no 'change for change's sake' initiatives. Also, I took on many speaking engagements that provided immediate, positive approaches for attendees, including people going through a downsizing initiative, managers trying to motivate not-for-profit volunteers and specialists seeking to have a voice during constant change.

Groundbreaking

This was not a groundbreaking year. I did do a few new things this year including working in new industries and partnering on a keynote presentation with another author. Both broke new ground and were successful, but didn't reach the 'earth shattering' expectations I had set. I have learned that being groundbreaking in itself is not the goal, although things may be groundbreaking to achieve other goals.

Global

I had a global year, both from business and mindset perspectives. Ninety percent of my assignments were with global organizations working on global projects. They all held fascinating challenges (and rewards) of working across multiple geographies and cultures. I have also developed many new international relationships. It's a global world and I feel good about my presence in it this year.

My analysis has taught me a lot about how choosing three words each year can guide my actions and behaviours. Taking stock at the end of the year is informing my next year's word selection too. More on them later.

Phil

How to Minimize the "Get it done before the holidays" Syndrome

Christmas is my favourite time of the year. I get the opportunity to reconnect with friends and family, reflect on the year and plan for the next one. 

That's my plan every December but it never seems to work that way. This is one of the busiest times of the year. Whether it's achieving yearly goals or completing projects before the holiday, schedules are full and people are overloaded.

This year has been no different; projects have been sped up and one was even pressed to start before year's end. Beyond the personal impact of working around the clock, there is a business cost to this rush: people aren't doing their best work. 

Efficiency becomes the goal at the expense of effectiveness. Getting things done is more important than doing things well. The closer you get to the office closing, the more short cuts are taken. At worst, commitments become check box exercises with the intention of reviewing them after the holidays. 

If the pre-holiday season is an environment where people don't do their best work, how do you avoid this "get it done before the holidays syndrome"? Here is a checklist to minimize the effect:

• Assume that 25 percent of your time in December will be spent on last-minute requests
• Avoid scheduling important meetings one weeks before the holidays
• Don't schedule training sessions two weeks before the holidays—attention is low and attendance is a challenge
• For meetings that you must hold just before the holidays, send action items out within 24 hours along with an invite to review them in early January—people will forget them
• Ask when people are returning from holiday—it might not be the first day back
• Be patient with your colleagues and yourself—most are caught up in the holiday rush. 

Following these practices may even give you the opportunity to reconnect with friends and family, reflect on the year and plan for the next one. Happy holidays!

Phil

10 Questions to Ask When Starting a New Change Project

I just started an exciting change management project. The goal is to enable a global roll-out of a new cross-functional process. 

The 'what' and the 'why' of the project are clear but the 'how' needs to be defined after internal capabilities--resourcing, skills and culture--are assessed and understood.

The 'discovery' phase of this assignment includes interviews with key stakeholders and a deep-dive review of documents. In addition to learning about the business strategy and how it is being delivered, we need to understand how people work together.

Triangulation, the technique of comparing different data sources to distinguish between facts and fiction, is helpful to create an accurate picture of the organization. This is needed before determining how to position the change and develop the best transition process.

Interviewing is the most effective and interesting part of the discovery process. Asking a set of questions to a diverse group of people will give us the puzzle pieces to assemble the organizational picture. Triangulating the answers will help identify the ones that don't fit.

Here are 10 questions that create a good picture of an organization:

• What does success look like to you about this change?
• What are people struggling with (pain points) without the change?
• How will the organization and operators benefit from the change? 
• What changes were successful in the past? Why?
• What changes failed in the past? Why?
• What should I know about your culture? How so?
• Why might people resist adopting the process?
• How would you roll-out the change?
• How would you get people involved in making the change?
• What last thoughts do you have about making the change?

Questions are powerful tools to gain understanding of how an organization and its people operate. Doing so in a structured way with the right questions will help you help them to change their picture for the better.

Phil

When Decision Making is Clear, Change Follows

I have been working with organizations that are changing their operating model. Their new structures, processes and approaches have been designed to make them more focused, faster and efficient.

There are many drivers of this type of change including new mindsets, roles, relationships, skills, behaviours and systems. A focus of change management is to help people understand and commit to new ways of working so they can fulfil their new roles.

The change management plan answers the question, "How will people understand what is changing, why it is good to do so and how will I work differently under the new operation model. Town halls meetings, written and video communication, new team awareness sessions and process and skills training are common activities to achieve this objective.

It became clear this week is that decision making is the most important aspect of the transition that needs to be decided and communicated--who makes them, who is accountable for providing inputs, what process will be followed and how they are communicated. All other aspects of the change are connected to this aspect of organizational governance.

Some organizations have shied away from clarity on decision rights. The momentary harmony of ambiguity is more compelling than executional precision. An initial false sense of alignment is created until opposing positions arise and the organization slows down. Without clear guidance, outcomes are determined as much by personal power than organizational design.

Many organizations are now identifying  the need for clear decision making governance. They are investing time and resources to define and communicate how decisions will be taken on everything from strategic priorities to expense approvals.

For each key process, they define: 

• What decisions need to be taken?
• Who owns the decision (who makes the final call)?
• Who participates in making the decision--who provides input, is consulted and is informed?
• What forums are they made in?
• How are the decisions acted upon?
• How will they be measured?

These details may seem obvious but often they are missed, especially the forums in which decisions are made. When this is unclear, decisions can be made to early, without proper input or participation. 

The most important aspect of new ways of working is decision making. When that is clear, people know how to get things done. When that is clear, the other drivers of change quickly follow.

Phil

When People Want the Same Thing, Give it to Them

This week, I interviewed people who will be taking on a newly-created role in the new year. I wanted to get their input on how to design a workshop for them to define their ways of working. 

The questions I asked included:

• What does this role do and not do?
• How could they collaborate together? 
• How could they effectively work with internal partners?
• What behaviours are most important to succeed in this role?
• What does "good" look like for the first 90 days?

After a few interviews, I realized everyone was in their late 20's. These 'Millennials' were all intelligent, articulate and digitally social. Their feedback was consistent too: direct, candid and optimistic.

Historians William Strauss and Neil Howe believe that each generation has a common character derived from common traits. My interviews supported this theory. Feedback was consistent across business areas and geographies. Although the phrasing was different, the themes were the same. 

The last question I asked became my test of commonality among the interviewees: "What would make a successful workshop?" Most comments were consistent too:

• Social connectivity
• Variety of ways to interact
• Clarity on expectations and next steps
• Definition of what "good" looks like
• Understanding the level of autonomy
• Support to move the organization forward

My sense is that Millennials take pride in their input and expect it to be used. It's clear what they want. All I need to do is give it to them.

Phil

Can you stop the train after it has left the station?

With most change initiatives, there is a desire to quickly get set up and make traction. A new team is formed, a charter is written and a timeline is set.

There is a pervasive feeling that we are behind, though we haven't yet started. Gaining momentum and pooling organizational energy are good things; people notice activity, new news is interesting and new projects can invigorate those involved.

There is a dark side to speedy project beginnings. Often (and more so now than in the past) the desire to show progress is stronger than the desire to set the foundation for success. Evidence of this: plans are created before the change has been fully defined, meetings are scheduled with no agendas,and solutions are declared that are not supported by facts.

Speed becomes the currency of change: process equals motion. The cost of this approach is that it results in delays, rework and additional costs in the future. A quick step forward is followed by two slow steps back.

The biggest risk the mechanisms of speed cause the strategic aspects of the change to be passed over for the warm comfort of project planning. Benefits are not substantiated, measures are not validated and the drivers of change--mindsets, skills, processes, relationships and systems-- are set with little rigour or interrogation. 

If you witness this phenomenon, it might make sense to return the train back to the station to complete the strategic work that was missed. Technically, it is the best solution but practically it isn't feasible. Momentum is a greater force than logic. 

What you can do is slow the train down so that the strategic work gets done in parallel to the planning and execution of set up activities.

You do so by asking questions that expose gap in thinking and areas of risk. Here are some questions that have worked for me:

• Can you explain the change to me?
• What must we change in order to realize the benefits? Does everyone agree? How do you know?
• Have we reviewed our assumptions with leaders?
• What are our metrics? How will they be measured?
• Have you considered other options? What were they? What about this one?
• Have we tested our approach with what worked well (and not so well) during past change projects?
• What are the risks of moving this quickly? What can we do to minimize them?
• Are you confident that we have done our due diligence before setting our plans?

Speed is important as long as you know where you are headed and have adequately prepared for the journey. A slower train can lead to a better ride and faster arrival.  

 Phil

10 Ways You Can Benefit from Speaking at a Conference

This week, Jocelyn Bérard and I presented a keynote address at the Canadian Society for Training and Development (CSTD) Conference entitled Future-Proofing Your Organization Through Change Agility.

We knew that a keynote is a different game to leading a workshop. The audience is bigger (700+), people are physically distanced from you, scripting is required for pace and flow and engagement is more difficult (especially at the end of a day at a conference).


Another challenge is that we had never worked together. Learning about our styles and choreographing our movements was a must. It would take continual revision and rigorous practice to get it right.

As with most important events in life, this one flew by. I will always remember exchanging confident nods with Jocelyn as we launched into our presentation. Delivering our work was as exciting as I hoped it would be.

The best part of the day was when people approached us afterwards to say they appreciated what we had to say. What a feeling!

There are so many benefits to speaking at a conference and only a minority of people choose to do so. Here are the ones that have meaning for me:
 

Crystallizes your thoughts on a topic

Establishes your reputation as an authority in your field 

Builds capability (public speaking, communication, etc.) 

Broadens experience base

Helps people become better 

Meet new people (Jocelyn and I met at a conference)

Promotes what you have to offer

Scares you and makes you overcome the fear

Ups your game

Provides a sense of accomplishment

All of these benefits have one thing in common: growth. The best part of my CSTD keynote was working with Jocelyn. I learned so much from him and our partnering. We combined our knowledge, experience and styles to create something better than what we could have created on our own.

Immediately after our session, we shook hands and both said, "Let's do another". That's what most people say after leading their first conference session. You might too.

Phil

How to Get Change Buy-in with an 80 Percent Solution

For many years, I believed creating the best plan would lead to successful adoption of change--the better the plan the better the outcomes. 

What I now know is that the goal isn't to create the best plan; the goal is to create a good plan that people will own and implement. The problem with the 100 percent "perfect plan" is that there is no room for people to contribute. Without providing inputs, people often feel that change is being done to them. This can lead to resistance, or worse, indifference.

I remember defending one of my perfect plans to the detriment of its execution. Being technically right increased my ownership and decreased it in those who were being tasked with implementation. My inflexibility contributed to lukewarm execution. I had sabotaged the plan without knowing it.

It is essential that people are given opportunities to provide input into change programs and implementation. People must see their fingerprints on the change before they devote themselves to following it. The 80 percent plan creates room for participation and co-creation, which leads to a pride, confidence, capability and ownership.

Here are some tips on how to gain buy-in for change through contribution:

• Refer to your plan as a "draft"
• Set up a team to review the plan
• Include a member of each group that is adopting the change
• Demonstrate you are actively listening to feedback by asking open-ended, clarifying questions
• Explain why some points of feedback will not improve the plan—don't make a change that will not improve the outcome
• Acknowledge when an approach is better than yours—it's a win for the person who came up with it
• Identify contributors by name: "Alka suggested that teams that work together should attend training together."
• Attribute success to the team—this encourages future contributions and successful changes

Buy-in and ownership are essential for successful change. Providing room for reflection, creation and contribution build a sense of purpose, commitment and resolve to do things differently. People must want to change themselves.

Phil

Using 5W Questions to Navigate Any Situation

Last night, my brother, Steve, and I took my dad to the hospital emergency ward. At 91 years old he had fallen. 

Our dad seemed okay after the fall although his left eye and the top of his head were red and swollen. Nurses at his seniors' residence were monitoring him throughout the week and noticed his abrasions were getting worse. An appointment with the doctor prompted the precautionary visit to the hospital.

It took a couple of hours for my dad to be admitted and we spent the next six hours watching as he progressed through a series of tests. 

The '5W questions'—Who, What, When, Why, Where—are primary tools of journalists, researches and problem solvers. They are the first to be asked and create an overall picture of a topic or situation.

The 5W's are excellent change management questions too. Each question requires factual answers and cannot be answered with a "yes" or "no". They help to gain perspective, develop hypotheses and support decision making on how to move forward.

Here are the questions we asked (and ones we wished we had):

The tests are ongoing, far longer than we thought. More questions are required. This time, I will write them down in advance so there are none in the 'should have asked' column.

Phil

What triggers your performance mindset?

Last week, I ran a half marathon. I wasn't in the best shape given I was battling a cold and had missed a couple of training runs. As I approached the starting line, I didn't feel like this was my day to break any records. 

A fun part of runs is reading the humorous posters that people display along the course. Even the most popular phrases―"Chuck Norris Never Ran a Marathon", "Worst Parade Ever"--continue to inspire smiles. 

There is one sign that I look out for at every race: "Touch Here for Power". I always take the opportunity to veer off the path to hit the star-burst on the poster to receive my motivational power charge. 

I used to do it because it was fun. Now I do it because it has become a trigger for my performance mindset. Immediately after I hit the target my mind focuses, I take stalk of my physical condition and what I need to do to maximize my speed. 

Within seconds I have formed a game plan. I may decide to rehydrate at the next water station, eat a snack, change my stride, run faster or slower. I am confident that I am improving my performance regardless of the action. 

I also have tricked my mind into believing that I am getting energy from the sign. It gives me a psychological edge when battling pain, exhaustion and ever-depleting resources. Performance is a mental and physical pursuit.

The same phenomenon holds true in business. Before I give a presentation, I call on my triggers to focus my mind, survey my environment and maximize my performance.

Here are the triggers I have developed:

• Introduce myself to everyone in the room―for large groups, meet everyone sitting at the front three tables
• Angle my body so that it is squarely facing my audience
• Control my breathing―breathe in, hold my breath and exhale for three seconds 
• Smile
• Begin with an open-palmed welcoming gesture
• Share a story that either relates to the audience or my topic

Two kilometres before the finish line I saw another "Touch here for power" sign. Again, I veered over and hit the star-burst, triggering my performance mindset. 

Although my legs were starting to cramp, I sped up at the end to pass a few runners. 

It felt like a good race but nothing spectacular. When I got home I was surprised to learn that I had achieved a personal best time, 1:13 faster than my fastest half marathon.

I will continue hitting power signs and activating my business-related triggers. Having a performance mindset helps me to be my best.

Phil

8 Tips on How to Roll Out a New Process

Lately, I have been helping organizations roll out new global processes. They require people in different geographies and functions to work differently than they do now so that they can work similarly in the future.

This requires people to take on new ways of thinking, tasks, skills, behaviours, relationships, and sometimes systems.

Many years ago when I led my first global process project, I assumed that people would be as excited to operate consistently across the globe. After all, they would speak the same business language, do the same things, easily share best practices and become more efficient. What's not to like?

What I quickly realized is that there are many reasons why a business area would not want to adopt a global process. The more common ones are:

• Not customized to the needs of the business area
• Unproven locally
• Unknown
• Confusing
• Being forced upon them
• More costly
• Longer to execute
• Someone else's success
• Created by unknowns
• A disruptor of the current success formula
• Hard and looks like work 
• Similar to something that was mandated in the past that failed 

I realized that rolling out global processes happens incrementally over time. People must understand how it can help them before they become interested in learning what it is and how to do it well. 

Teams also need to discuss how it can work for them and be able to make modifications that make it more effective without compromising important areas of commonality. This is when they fully support the new approach and call it their own.

Not providing time and space to reflect on the process and how it can fit with other practices leads to avoidance, bare minimum adoption, outright abandonment and, at worse, sabotage. 

Here are some tips to enable people to take on new processes:

• Explain the 'why' before speaking about the 'how'
• Back up the benefits with hard facts. If you don't have any then realize that the process will be viewed as an untested hypothesis
• Define the principles and components that need to be the same across the business; everything else is negotiable
• Realize that people are emotionally attached to the current ways they do things, which can be sources of pride, expertise and accomplishment 
• Invite teams to make the change better. Assuming that you have a perfect solution is naive, creates a source of resistance and negates opportunities for co-creation
• Focus your efforts on making a pilot business area successful. Peer testimonials hold the most credibility and value
• Build in time for absorption of new ways of operating—thinking, actions and behaviours 
• Recognize and reward the business areas that adopt the process first. This is the best way to create demand for new things and replicate successful transition paths

Rolling out new processes takes awareness building, interest, knowledge, skill and practice. Most of all, it takes people who take on new ways of working that they have co-created, ones who say, "We did this."

Phil

10 Tips for Forming New Teams During Change

When riding on the subway this week, I noticed that the guy beside me had placed his bag on the seat between us. How rude to take an extra seat.

I scanned the subway car and saw other people doing the same thing. There were also people who held their bags on their laps not imposing on prime sitting real estate. 

Why were some people taking extra space and others not? Were some rude and others considerate, or were some just unaware of the impact of their actions? 

It is easy to judge people you don't know. This is what happens when new teams form during change. New relationships are formed between people who have different expectations and do things differently. Some team members attribute these differences as premeditated disparities while others see them as natural diversity.

The first approach assumes negative intent while the second assumes neutrality. One interpretation leads to division and entrenchment while the other leads to discussion and inquiry. 

Here are some tips to avoid misunderstandings and negative perceptions:

• Immediately schedule a meeting for people to connect
• Ask people to share their backgrounds including roles, accomplishments and aspirations—people forget
• Acknowledge that it is normal for people to do things differently given their different leaders and experiences
• Align people around a common purpose or goal
• Do something social. New and fun experiences leads to shared memories and fresh bonds
• Ask team members to create rules of engagement based on their values and definitions of high performing teams
• Insist on team members who are located in the same city to sit together
• Use video conference technology to engage remote team members—conference calls are not good enough
• Celebrate early successes as team accomplishments
• Hold frequent team meetings to align on goals, share information and manage any challenges

Change management is about helping people move from where they are to where they need to be with minimal disruption. Managing early team dynamics is essential for minimizing misunderstandings and tensions that get in the way of this transition and better performance.

The guy beside me on the subway stood up to give his seat to a senior citizen who got on our car. Maybe he wasn't so rude after all.

Phil

7 Ways to Manage Expectations During Change

Last Friday night, my back seat passenger window refused to go up. When I investigated, I could hear the motor mechanism clicking, but the window didn't move. It was probably jammed, I thought.

The next day, I went to my car dealership and was able to get a technician to take a look without an appointment—things were looking up. He said it was probably a faulty cable. It would cost $500 to repair and take about two hours install the new part.

"$500!" I exclaimed, with a look of horror on my face. "Couldn't it be something else?" I pleaded. 

"I hope it's not the motor" he said. Motors must be more expensive than cables, I thought.

My car repair experience is similar to most activities in life: we evaluate how well things are going based on our expectations. Often these predictions are not based on fact but rather wishful thinking.

Organizational change operates in the same way; exceptional performance can be perceived as sub-standard results when compared to unrealistic expectations. "I was expecting X," is a common comment from leaders whose perceptions are higher than reality.

Here are six ways to manage this bias when managing a change project:

• Build awareness up front that the project plan (or outcomes) will need to be adjusted if conditions change or the agreed level of support is not provided—not doing so leads to impressions of mismanagement or failure
• Brief leaders and their teams on changes (and how they will impact them) as they occur—delaying communication only make gaps appear worse
• Compare progress with similar change projects—either internal or external—facts and data are the best defense against guesses
• Build in room for variances in your plan—provide timing ranges when specific dates are unknown (e.g., week of September 29)
• Identify contingencies you can activate quickly if your original plan is no longer possible—minimize the gap
• Stay connected with stakeholders, especially those managing the business, to proactively test and adjust assumptions
• Remind people that it is normal for a change plan to be updating—people often forget

Setting realistic expectations is critical to the success of any change project. Without them, some people are going to be disappointed regardless of the benefits of the outcome.

My window repair cost $479.25 and took one and a half hours to complete—slightly better than my informed expectations. The dealership washed my car too, which was a bonus. As I opened and closed my now working car window, I felt lucky.

Phil