How to Assess Your Strengths

 

This post's podcast episode is available on Sounder, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher and Spotify.

When you are short of time, here is the one action that will give you 80 percent results in 20 percent of the time.

 

DO THIS

Identify your best change-related skills.

BY DOING THIS

–        Recall what you did during past changes.

–        Read past performance reviews.

–        Ask the people you worked with for feedback.

Everyone goes through a personal transition when their company goes through a business transition—it's normal. Most cope with the stress by busying themselves with change-related tasks, and often become overwhelmed from having too much work to do in the too-little time available.

A better approach is to first take stock of what you do well. Knowing (and using) your strengths is an antidote to fear and an amplifier of abilities.

Reviewing actions you do well is a good start to creating your inventory of change skills. Examples of actions are planning, motivating people and problem solving. Your past performance reviews can reveal patterns of these types of actions and behaviours that have served you well. Your network is another source of feedback on strengths. Ask people for two inputs: what you do well, and what your “watch-out” areas are. Most people will give you balanced views.

Once you have completed your research, pick your best three strengths to leverage when completing your tasks, knowing they will assist you in any situation.

KNOWLEDGE BITES

ADAPTATION STRENGTH ASSESSMENT TOOL: What skills have I demonstrated?

Skills I've observed:

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

Skills my managers have observed:

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

Skills my team members have observed:

_____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

SUCCESS TIP

Ask your peers to validate each of these three sets of responses.

To learn about the Change on the Run book go to http://www.changeontherun.com.

What 3 Words Will Guide You to Success in 2021?

Have you noticed that many recent articles discourage people from setting yearly goals because they often are abandoned? I don’t think year-end goal setting is the issue; it’s the absence of mechanisms that keep people focused on achieving them.

This is my eighth year using Chris Brogan’s “My Three Words” approach to personal goal achievement. It’s a simple and effective way to honour your aspirations for the year. Here’s how it works: After setting your goals for the year, select three words to guide your thinking, actions and behaviours to accomplish them. Keep these words visible and refer to them often, especially when deciding how you spend your time.

I place my three words on my monitor stand, so they stay top of mind. Last year, I experimented with writing my words every morning on a Buddha Board canvas that my son gave me. The daily kinesthetic connection with the words significantly increased their utility. I realized this when I skipped this step for a few days and was more easily distracted. I regained my concentration once I re-established this morning ritual. 

My primary goal for 2020 was to finish writing my second book, Change on the Run, and prepare it for publishing in 2021. The three words I chose to guide me to achieve this goal were precision, forward and enjoy.

Precision was related to the quality of my writing. My book is about 80/20 solutions to common change challenges, and being economical with words was a must.  I needed to make every word count and delete the ones that didn’t add value. Thinking about being precise was a tremendous help. It forced me to push past good sentences to create better ones. I remember reviewing chapters and saying to myself, “you haven’t nailed it yet.”

Forward was about making continual progress. It can be challenging to write while completing work assignments. When they overlapped, I didn’t stop working until both were moving in the right direction. After a setback or delay, I would ask myself, “Okay, how are you going to move forward.” It was tough at times, but I knew I had no option.

Enjoy was a new type of word for me. I intended it to remind me that my path can be as fulfilling and pleasurable as reaching my destination. I have a habit of focusing on a goal and missing out on the enjoyment of achieving it. Although this word helped me occasionally pause to appreciate the writing process, deadlines consumed my thinking.

My primary goal for 2021 is to create awareness of Change on the Run so that everyone who needs quick advice to survive their workplace uncertainty can see if it is right for them. The publishing date is March 2, so goal delivery starts today.

The three words to guide me to success for this year are reach, partner and share.

Reach will push me to maximize my book’s awareness for people who have a role in a change initiative, have little change experience and even less time to learn. “How else can I spread the word” will be a daily consideration.

Partner is a prompt to be on the look-out for potential partners so I can make the greatest positive impacts. This ambition spans beyond Change on the Run to consulting assignments, peer communities and school collaborations. Before the holidays, I had an engaging conversation about how change management will shift in the future, and I am keen to help shape it.

 Share is a reminder that I am happiest when helping others. I want to reserve time to mentor and teach so others can progress on their paths. I am determined to make time to share my knowledge and experience through mentoring and teaching.

I hope you try the “My Three Words” exercise. If you do, take your time when picking your words. It’s an excellent way to confirm the goals you want to achieve.  

So, how about it? The end-of-year goal-setting articles don’t have to apply to us. What three words will guide you to success in 2021?

How to Reset Team Behaviours

 

This post's podcast episode is available on Sounder, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher and Spotify.

When you are short of time, here is the one action that will give you 80 percent results in 20 percent of the time.

 

DO THIS

Review observed behaviours against ways of working agreements.

BY DOING THIS

–        Gain agreement that a reset of behaviours is needed.

–        Conduct a “start, stop, continue” exercise.

–        Review behaviours (against agreements) weekly as a team to ensure adjustments stick.

Bad behaviours (e.g., verbal attacks, not sharing information or not honouring commitments) derail teams and their performance. It's important to reset how people should work together when bad behaviours occur because they quickly become established and form new norms.

To realign behaviours with the ways of working agreements set by the team, engage members in a productivity review exercise. A “start, stop, continue” activity invites people to weigh current behaviours against those they agreed to use, and the impacts the gaps have had on performance. After gaining commitments to what behaviours to keep, eliminate and begin, hold short weekly check-ins to help keep people on track. All team members must attend the ways of working review session and agree to the reset terms. If not, they won’t change their behaviour, and team morale and productivity will continue to drop.

KNOWLEDGE BITES

"STOP, START, CONTINUE" MEETING AGENDA: What changes to behaviour will make the team successful?

Setup (5 minutes):

"Given our ways of working agreements, which behaviours do we need to start, stop and continue?"

Activity (20 minutes):

Create three areas on a whiteboard, if virtual, or separate flipcharts if in person, titled “Start,” “Stop” and “Continue.” Ask participants to think of the agreed team behaviours and other behaviours they have observed on the project, and have each participant assign them to the designated areas.

Debrief (35 minutes):

–        Review each behaviour.

–        Agree on the placement of behaviours in one of the three categories.

–        Agree to monitor the top three in each category weekly.

SUCCESS TIP

Noting how many “continue” items appear reinforces that some things are working well.

#change #changemanagement #changeleadership #leadership #business #management 

How to Create a Vision for a Change

The podcast episode of this post is available on Sounder, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher and Spotify.

When you are short of time, here is the one action that will give you 80 percent results in 20 percent of the time.

 

DO THIS

Describe a different, better and compelling future.

BY DOING THIS

Identify how the post-change world is:

–        Different

–        Better

–        Compelling

Provide a compelling picture of a better future, a future that aligns with this leadership question: “What does the company aspire to become?” Once this is set, it acts as a North Star to align goals, strategies and the resources to achieve them.

Effective visions paint a picture of a different, better and compelling future that the organization and its employees will benefit from. Presenting the business need for these desired outcomes is necessary because it justifies the changes required to achieve it. People also need to know how the changes will affect them. Without this information, they’re likely to believe and fear worst-case scenarios and make faulty assumptions.

Outlining people’s roles (attending training sessions, testing a new process, etc.) in adopting the change is important when sharing the vision. Being clear about what they need to do for the change to be successful gives them a sense of purpose and reminds them that their contributions are important.

KNOWLEDGE BITES

CHANGE VISION PLANNER: What's my change vision?

SUCCESS TIP

Describing how people will work in the future helps them conceptualize the benefits they will gain, and the changes required to make it a reality.

#change #changemanagement #changeleadership #leadership #business #management #changeontherun

How to Create a Change Champion Network

The podcast episode of this post is available on Sounder, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher and Spotify.

When you are short of time, here is the one action that will give you 80 percent results in 20 percent of the time.

 

DO THIS

Make membership desirable to trusted and respected peers.

BY DOING THIS

–        Ask leaders to appoint trusted and respected representatives.

–        Position the network as a leadership group.

–        Reward participation by including it in personal annual objectives.

Change champions (or agents) are respected and trusted people whose views and actions influence their peers. They help shape how people see the company.

A Change champion network organizes these highly regarded individuals into a team to support the change through spreading information, articulating benefits, role modeling new ways of thinking and providing feedback on how people are feeling. Through regular briefings, they act as your arms and legs throughout the organization as you implement a change plan.

To attract the best, you need to make the network a group that people want to be part of. Ideally, you will have leaders nominate members, so they buy into the network and support the time required to participate. Profiling this group to all employees and acknowledging their efforts by including membership in personal annual goals motivates members to fulfill their role with enthusiasm.

KNOWLEDGE BITES

CHANGE CHAMPION NETWORK PLANNER: Who needs to be a member of my change champion network?

SUCCESS TIP

Ensure all groups affected by the change are represented to maximize influence and avoid a slight that could cause resistance.

How to Create a Change Plan

The podcast episode of this post is available on Sounder, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher and Spotify.

When you are short of time, here is the one action that will give you 80 percent results in 20 percent of the time.

 

DO THIS

Describe how people will get prepared for the change.

BY DOING THIS

–        Concisely summarize what’s going on.
–        State your views on the best path forward.
–        Suggest the next step or two to put that path into action.

A good change plan describes how people will be able to adopt the change. There are three sections of an effective change plan: communication, training and engagement.

Communication describes how people will get information, e.g., through emails, town hall meetings, newsletters, etc. Training captures skill-building activities, including learning sessions, coaching and process walkthroughs. Engagement includes feedback opportunities such as plan review meetings, interviews and surveys.

Resist the temptation to make your plan long and complex. Many people believe a big plan is better, but the longer and more complex it is, the harder it is to communicate and implement. The best plans are easy to understand and follow. The worst response to a plan is, "I don't get it.

KNOWLEDGE BITES

CHANGE PLAN: How will I prepare people to do things differently?

SUCCESS TIP

Showing how the three people-support elements align leading up to the launch date will help leaders and their teams feel confident that they’ll be ready for the change.

How to Remain Calm Under Pressure

 

The podcast episode of this post is available on Sounder, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher and Spotify.

When you are short of time, here is the one action that will give you 80 percent results in 20 percent of the time.

 

DO THIS

Take control of the action.

BY DOING THIS

–         Concisely summarize what’s going on.

 –        State your views on the best path forward.

–         Suggest the next step or two to put that path into action.

Change projects are natural pressure cookers. Multiple teams, working on different activities with different timelines, often conflict over resources. Misunderstandings and frustrations happen. Anticipating these moments of tension is half the challenge of remaining calm through them.

The secret to keeping your cool is to control the action. It gives you strength and influence and puts you ahead of the crowd.

First, replay the facts of the situation—this will stop you (and others) from being drawn into the emotional drama of the moment. Next, recommend a solution. If others agree, suggest the next step to put the solution into action. If they don’t take your recommendation, facilitate a discussion around other options, summarizing where people are aligned and what they need to resolve.   

KNOWLEDGE BITES

ROLE MODEL PROFILE: How will I physically convey calmness when under pressure?

Think of a leader on the project who demonstrates calm under pressure. (Take 30 seconds)

How do they look (posture, gestures, etc.)?

____________________________________________________________________________

What are they saying?

____________________________________________________________________________

What are their eyes focused on?

____________________________________________________________________________

SUCCESS TIP

Emulating a successful leader subconsciously gives you the strengths you associate with them. 

How to Empathize with Those Who Are Changing

The podcast episode of this post is available on Sounder, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher and Spotify.

When you are short of time, here is the one action that will give you 80 percent results in 20 percent of the time.

 

DO THIS

Understand their fears.

BY DOING THIS

–         Meet people in their workplaces (in-person or virtually).

 –        Ask them what they think about the change.

–         Restate their concerns and fears to demonstrate that you’ve heard them.

Managing change is about enabling people to do things differently with the least amount of disruption. Leaving tried and true routines can be more difficult than taking on new ones. Current ways are predictable, comfortable, easy and often linked to past successes. The more threatening the new ways appear, the more people will resist giving up the old ones. 

Change management often fails when there’s little understanding of, or empathy for, the people who are changing. Without deep knowledge of the environments in which they work, “ivory tower” assumptions guide change planning and lead to generic and ineffective support programs.

Spending time with people where they work will give you a good sense of their needs. They know their challenges better than you do, and they know what help they need to overcome them. Ask people about their concerns and listen to how they phrase them. This gives you insight into how to support them best as they adopt the change and reduce their resistance to it.

KNOWLEDGE BITES

AUDIENCE PROFILE TOOL: What are my audience's communication preferences?

SUCCESS TIP

Check that people have accurate information about the change before you ask them about their perspectives. Some don’t.

How to Manage the Unknown

 

The podcast episode of this post is available on Sounder, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher and Spotify.

When you are short of time, here is the one action that will give you 80 percent results in 20 percent of the time.

 DO THIS

Identify the information needed to understand the situation.

BY DOING THIS

–         List the information you already know.

 –        List the information you need to know.

–         Identify sources of expertise (internal and external) for what you need to know.

People struggle with unknown situations. These events are challenging because we can’t rely on our experience to guide our thoughts, actions or behaviors; we don’t know what to do.

The best approach is to make the unknown known by taking stock of what you know and don’t know. Creating lists for each forms a clearer picture that often looks like something you’ve seen in the past.

Start by listing what you know and what you need to know to understand the situation. Next, identify sources for the information you need to find out, including internal and external resources. Often, people in your circle have experienced similar challenges, and will have views on details and potential solutions. You now have the beginnings of an action plan to follow.

KNOWLEDGE BITES

AUDIENCE PROFILE TOOL: What are my audience's communication preferences?

SUCCESS TIP

Sharing a draft plan is the quickest way to identify more information sources—including those whom you share it with.

How to Communicate Effectively

The podcast episode of this post is available at Apple Podcasts and Google Podcasts and Spotify.

DO THIS

Always be the best source of information.

BY DOING THIS

–         Communicate early and often.

 –        Speak from the audience’s perspective.

–         Share everything you can, honestly (don’t spin).

Communication is the most important form of support people receive when going through a work transition. It’s also one of the biggest enablers of successful change because it aligns everyone on their understanding of what’s changing, why it’s necessary, how it will affect them and what they must do to adopt it. 

Setting up a frequent and consistent communication schedule creates the expectation that people will receive regular updates from leaders and the project team. Communicating honestly in ways that your audience can relate to creates the perception that these messages are the best sources of information. You must regularly communicate even when there is nothing new to share. If you don’t, rumors and speculation fill the void, and such counter-narratives will seem credible, distract people and increase anxiety.

KNOWLEDGE BITES

 

AUDIENCE PROFILE TOOL: What are my audience's communication preferences?

SUCCESS TIP

Test your messages with a few members of your audience to avoid (or at least be prepared for) adverse reactions.