Rebels with a Cause: Creating Positive Change

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Rebels with a Cause:Creating Positive Change at Work

Feb. 18, 2015

@RebelsAtWork

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Our stories, our rebel calling

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Why is change so hard?

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Why is being a change instigator so hard?

POLL #1

My biggest challenge in creating change is: (choose one)

1. Afraid I might hurt my reputation/career

2. My boss is resistant to most new ideas

3. Unclear how decisions really get made

4. My ideas go against the culture of my organization

5. I hate dealing with conflict and controversy

6. Working through approval processes makes me crazy

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What are you up against?

POLL #2

The top reason my organization resists change: (choose one)

1. Execs will never agree to it

2. Not enough resources/too expensive budget

3. Like the way things are

4. Working through approval process exhausting

5. We’ve tried that before and it didn’t work

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Mindset Skills Self-care

BONUS: Managing rebels

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You have more power than you realize.MINDSET

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Bad Rebel Good Rebel

Complain Create

Me-focused Mission focused

Pessimist Optimist

Problems Possibilities

Anger Passion

Alienate people Attract support

Assertions Questions

Pinpoint fingers Pinpoint causes

Lecture Listen

Worry that Wonder if

Obsessed Reluctant@Rebels at Work

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What assumptions mightbe getting in your way?

WHAT IS THE THINKING STYLE?

Self-esteem from Validated thinking Goals achieved Celebrated ideas

Known for Minimizing risk Getting things done Coming up with new approaches

Needs Information, data to understand meaning of things

Rules, structure to guide processes and organize things

Options, flexibility to imagine new outcomes

Driven to Know Organize Change

Life appears Rational Ordered Emergent

Lives Cautiously Practically Spontaneously

World view Measured Practical Big picture

Looks for Meaning Usefulness Opportunities

Believes in Truth Harmony Hope

Works best with Data Processes Ideas

Guided by Rationality Practicality Intuition

Past Thinking Present Thinking Future Thinking

To get a free, personalized analysis of your thinking style:http://www.mindtimemaps.com/start/corporaterebels/

Source: MindTime

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Don’t go it alone. Find your rebel wild pack.

The 10% Superpower

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Work out loud

Ask for help

Informal influencers

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Questions

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SKILLS

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Understand the organizational

landscape

• What is most valued?• How are decisions made?• What are the business cycles?• Who influences what and whom?• What’s getting talked about?

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Earn credibility and trustFind trusted advisors

Think about right steps

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Make friends with BBB’s

Bureaucratic Black Belts

Masters of the organization’s rules and culture.

They can help or kill your idea.

Manage your outbox. Who are 3 BBB’s you should have lunch with?

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6 reasons bosses say NO

1. It’s just not that important

2. I can’t understand what the “it” is

3. Bad timing

4. Uncertainty makes me nervous

5. I don’t like the idea and can’t tell you

6. I love the way things are

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That’s interesting.Tell me more.

Key in on what’s at stake. Show how the idea relates to what people want.

Paint a picture of what could be. Make the status quo unappealing.

Show the idea can work. People support ideas they think can work.

Be positive and pithy. Keep it short!

Frame your ideas, communicate value vs. “how”

What do people in your organization really want? Is it stated or unstated?

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Connect to what’s understood

It’s a new magazine that combines the best of Rolling Stone and Harvard Business Review….

It’s an executive car service with wings…

It’s the love child of Sharepoint and Facebook…

Framing your idea

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How will things be differentwhen the dream comes true?

Paint a picture of the future..

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Prove it can work. Earn more trust.

• What’s needed to realize the dream?

• What might impede progress?

• What preparation is needed?

• How will you evaluate progress?

• What can team stop doing or do less of?

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There can be no change without conflict.

Invite conversation + listenWhat’s the real issue?Ask for alternative solutionsMaster the meetingStrategically address bullies

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Overcoming obstacles

• Be open to other thinking• Keep connecting to values• Take small steps to prove value• Turn to wisdom of rebel pack

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Questions

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Gratitude: what is going well. Write down 3 things each week, share with team.

Penalty boxes: If you end up in penalty box for pushing boundaries for positive intent, know you’ll recover. Use the time to observe.

Friendships: outside of work friends = priceless to sanity, well being.

Get outside: all adventures are easier when you you’re healthy, fit, rested.

SELF-CARE

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Should you keep going?

• Rate importance• Is the energy waning?• Is it performance objective

worthy? • How much are your colleagues

willing to help? • Are you becoming not yourself?

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If you’re thrown under the bus…Beware your angerGo under radarThink of it like a divorceAvoid failure languageFind a new bossPerspective: work – lifeShould you quit?

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Know when to quit

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POLL #3

What’s the best use of our remaining time?

1. Open up for Q&A

2. Share advice for when you’re the boss of rebels (or project lead with rebels on the team))

3. Do another Webcast about leading rebels

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When you’re leading rebels

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Make it safe

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Most goals and visions feel like this.

Hard to connect new ideas to fuzziness.Hard to evaluate decisions.

Hard to know if you’re making progress.Easy to get lost.

Easy for rebels to get in trouble.

Be clear about expectations

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Create new organizational habits

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It’s a shame. He has some interesting ideas but doesn’t know how

to fit in..

She has great potential but she needs to learn how to

be more corporate.

Value, hire for differences

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Teach how tonavigate organizationalpolitics and processes

(Especially the invisible)

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www.rebelsatwork.com

@RebelsAtWork

www.facebook.com/RebelsatWork

lois@rebelsatwork.com@LoisKellycarmen@rebelsatwork.com@Milouness

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What was most helpful?

What areas do you want to learn more about?

Let us know! @RebelsAtWork