Changing and Succeeding Under Any Conditions Tammy Aagard University of Wyoming
Session Overview Story time The Eight Step Process of Successful Change Building the Team Using Strengths to Build and Manage the Team The Role of Thinking and Feeling in the Change Process Implications for Your Organization Safeguarding your Penguins Questions
The Fable of the Penguins
Eight Step Process of Successful Change Set the Stage 1. Create a Sense of Urgency 2. Pull together the Guiding Team Decide What to Do 3. Develop the Change Vision and Strategy Make it Happen 4. Communicate for Understanding and Buy-in 5. Empower Others to Act 6. Produce Short-Term Wins 7. Don t Let Up Make it Stick 8. Create a New Culture
Create a Sense of Urgency Help others see the need for change and the importance of acting immediately Gather and Present Your Facts
Pull Together a Guiding Team Make sure there is a powerful group guiding the change one with leadership skills, credibility, c ommunications ability, authority, a nalytical skills and a sense of urgency
Identifying the Penguin Team What strengths does each member bring to the team? The Head Penguin Respect from the colony Decision-maker Delegator Enough experience to be wise Patience Not easily flustered Smart (but not intellectual heavyweight)
More Penguins Alice Practical Aggressive Makes things happen Doesn t care about status and treats everyone the same Impossible to intimidate so don t even try Smart (but not intellectual heavyweight) Fred Younger Amazingly curious and creative Level-headed
Still More Penguins The Professor Logical Well read Fascinated by interesting questions Not the most social of birds Buddy Not the slightest bit ambitious Well trusted and liked Relates well with the average bird
Managing to Strengths Executing Influencing Relationship Building Strategic Thinking Alice Fred Buddy Professor Professor (No-No) Alice Head Penguin Source: Rath, T., & Conchie, B. (2008) Strengths-Based Leadership. NY: Gallup Press.
Decide What to Do Develop the Change Vision and Strategy Clarify how the future will be different from the past and how you can make the future a reality
Make it Happen Communicate for Understanding and Buy-in Make sure as many others as possible understand and accept the vision and the strategy Don t Rely on Facts Alone Speak to the heart and dispel rumors
Make it Happen Empower Others to Act Remove as many barriers as possible so that those who want to make the vision a reality can do so Enough with the talk, let s do something
Make it Happen Produce Short- Term Wins Create some visible, unam biguous successes as soon as possible Recognize the quiet heroes along with the visible ones
Make it Happen Don t Let Up Press harder and faster after the first successes Be relentless with initiating change after change until the vision is a reality
Make it Stick Create a New Culture Hold on to the new ways of behaving, and make sure they succeed, until they become strong enough to replace old traditions
The Role of Thinking Thinking differently can help change behavior and lead to better results Collect data, analyze it Present information logically to change people s thinking Changed thinking, in turn, can change behavior
The Role of Feeling Feeling differently can help change behavior MORE and lead to even better results Create surprising, compelling, and if possible visual experiences The experiences change how people feel about the situation A change in feelings can lead to a significant change in behavior
Implications for Your Organization Follow the 8 Steps What is the most challenging for you? 1. Create a Sense of Urgency 2. Pull together the Guiding Team 3. Develop the Change Vision and Strategy 4. Communicate for Understanding and Buy-in 5. Empower Others to Act 6. Produce Short-Term Wins 7. Don t Let Up 8. Create a New Culture Dealing with No No s in your Organization
Don t forget to safeguard your penguins!
Questions?
Kotter, J. & Rathgeber, H. (2005) Our Iceberg is Melting: Changing and Succeeding Under Any Conditions. NY: St. Martin s Press. Rath, T., & Conchie, B. (2008) Strengths- Based Leadership. NY: Gallup Press.