Presentation Change Management
Heart of Change Step 2: Build the Guiding Team
When the Team is Not a Team: The Blues versus the Greens
Two companies merged and had trouble adapting to one culture and organizational identity
Individuals from both sides undermined each other and had trouble getting along
Management was unwilling or unable to make changes or meditate to benefit the teams
Business politics and issues began to slow company growth and sink stock prices
Senior leadership finally intervened and hired a respected facilitator to get teams on the same page
Both leadership teams began to find common ground and started to build trust with one another
The Blues versus the Greens: Recognizing Team Related Issues
Seeing
Credible source confirms issues between members of both merger teams. Absence of change leadership or integration between team members
Individuals begin to speak on the issues honestly with team and senior leadership
Feeling
Shock sets in and individuals start to feel the issues, but take an optimistic approach. Frustration and anger begin to subside because of increased communication and honesty
Changing and Seeing It
Guiding team slowly begin to make necessary changes and speak honestly with individuals on the issues
Feeling
Distrust between teams decreases and optimism begins to ramp up
Changing
Guiding group in charge of leading change begins to to create a cohesive team between the two involved in the merger
The Blues versus the Greens - Recognizing the Issues at Hand
The individuals tasked with driving change were not doing their job, both sides of the merger were undermining each other, and senior management did not want to confront the issue
Leadership at the top was fragmented and left the company with no cohesive force to drive change
The dynamic shifted after facilitation, which allowed individuals within the company to show emotionally honest behavior, speak on the difficult subjects, connected the feelings of others, and did so without being criticized or shot down.
Large scale changes cannot happen without a strong, cohesive guiding force leading the change
Putting Together an Effective Guiding Team
Effective Guiding Teams Have Two Characteristics
Made up of the right people for the task or project
Individuals on the team demonstrate the ability to work effectively in a team setting
Individuals that possess appropriate skills, leadership capacity, organizational credibility, and the connections to handle specific types of organizational change
Individuals who show the capacity to highly perform in a team-oriented situation
Contributing Factors to Putting the Wrong People in Charge
Historical factors
Mergers/acquisitions
Too much success
Company politics
Senior leadership indifference
The New and Diverse Team - Real Life Example
Company kept purchasing competition and relied on a culture of growth through acquisition and assimilation rather than organizational change
This method required the company to change and focus on organic growth because they had acquired most of the competition in the industry
Senior leadership and the chief operating officer created the framework for organic growth by assembling a diverse leadership team
The team represents various departments, experiences, skills, and background which had been lacking from their leadership teams before the shift in company culture
The Creation of the Guiding Group
A single individual who feels sense of urgency pulls in the first few members
Individuals are selected by possessing the right combination of abilities
Relevant knowledge
Credibility
Valid information
Formal authority
Leadership skills
Team is formed by pulling good candidates in and occasionally pushing people out
Pulling means showing potential candidates the importance of being chosen for the team and helps them understand the privilege it entails.
Usually works to inspire and motivate the individual
Pushing is the steps necessary to rectify the issues or problems presented to the group. This can be firing a person or undertaking other emotion-packed actions.
Formation of guiding group at the top will often create additional groups at lower levels
Teams lower in the hierarchy help foster change within their units/department and help drive the overall change process
General Mollo and I Floating in the Water - Real Life Example
South African armies joined forces to create the National Defense Force
Each commander of their respective force had reservations about joining forces with other armies for fear of change
Each commander began to voice their opinions and concerns with one another which started to establish some trust between each individual
De Vries and Mollo were on a boat together that capsized and threw both overboard
Mollo could not swim and De Vries held on to him until help arrived
The two shared stories with one another while they waited for help
They began to establish trust during this “moment of truth” situation
Methods for Establishing Trust
Show individuals what is needed through modeling or taking the lead
Act with emotion and conviction
As trust begins to be established, add new activities and new settings to test the foundation
When the group hits a “moment of truth” event, hold on to the story and share it as vividly and dramatically as possible. This act will reinforce to others what the individuals and group have endured together
The Issue of Trust in a Team Setting
Although having the “right” people on the team is important, the group must also work well together and foster trusting relationships with one another
Trust is often a missing piece to guiding groups and senior management teams
Low levels of trust can be acceptable if work is routine and changes are small in scale
With big changes in a fast moving world, the need for high levels of trust are a necessity if the proposed changes are going to be effective
Mechanics of a Meeting
Thing to Consider When Conducting a Meeting
How often do teams meet?
How long do teams meet?
What is the typical agenda?
Who has control of the session?
Who has access to the meeting and in what capacity?
Key Points of Meeting Mechanics
Wrong/incorrect formats can be ineffective and lead to frustration and mistrust
Poor structure will particularly hurt newer teams
Trust/goodwill allow teams to discuss the real issues and work towards a solution
Get the format right and the guiding team can turn into a powerful force for change
Meeting Down Under - Real Life Example
50 individuals from a company were gathered at conference to lead their company through an organizational change
The individuals were geographically dispersed and none of them work in close proximity with one another
Their first few meeting sessions went well, but were unstructured which led to confusion and frustration between the group
Team leadership created session agendas for each meeting where one topic would be discussed during that time which helped focus their energy and thoughts into one issues each time
Teams became more efficient and created reporting plans for subgroups and identified solutions to company-wide issues
Meeting Down Under - Key Takeaway
The new formatting and scheduling methods for their meeting sessions took almost 9 months to become truly effective because of the vast geographic location of each team member
The changes made to the meeting format made a big difference and was an overall positive change for the company
The key to an effective meeting is focus/discipline. One topic or focus per meeting is considered efficient
The new format fostered better discussions which reduced frustration, supported teamwork, and helped build trust between team members
Build the Guiding Team - What Works
Showing enthusiasm and commitment (or assisting someone else in this) to draw the right people into the group
Search for individuals that have the right mix of leadership capabilities, credibility, connections, and appropriate skills
Modeling trust and showing a commitment to teamwork
Structuring the format of meetings of the guiding team to emphasize trust and minimize frustration or pessimism
Lean on the principles from step 1 (raising urgency) if you cannot take on the step 2 challenge or if the “right” people are unwilling or unable
Building the Guiding Team - What Does Not Work
Guiding change with weak task forces, single individuals , complex governance structures, or fragmented senior teams
Refusal to confront a situation head-on when momentum and entrenched power centers undermine the creation of the right people
Leaving out or circumventing the head of the unit undergoing change because he or she has become “hopeless” with the process
Questions?