Leading Leading ChangeChange

A Class for A Class for Nonprofit Learning Point, Nonprofit Learning Point,

March 27, 2015March 27, 2015

Conducted by:Conducted by:Susan B. Wilkes, Ph.D.Susan B. Wilkes, Ph.D.

Wilkes ConsultingWilkes Consulting

Goals for the Session:For participants to:

1. Apply a change model and tools to nonprofit organizations;

2. Understand the human resistances people often have to change; and

3. Identify strategies for fostering positive change and managing transitions.

Session Agenda

Overview of Organizational Change Tools for Advancing Strategic

Change Lunch Influencing Change Navigating Resistance Managing Transitions

““The very concept of multitasking The very concept of multitasking is a myth. Our brains don’t do two is a myth. Our brains don’t do two things at once. Instead, we rapidly things at once. Instead, we rapidly

switch between tasks, putting switch between tasks, putting burdens on attention, memory and burdens on attention, memory and

focus.”focus.”~Psychology Today, Jan/Feb 2014

(Please limit use of electronic devices to the breaks and lunch.)

IntroductionsIntroductions

NameName JobJob OrganizationOrganization What’s a large What’s a large

change change happening in your happening in your organization?organization?

How would you describe the amount How would you describe the amount of change at your nonprofit?of change at your nonprofit?

1.1. MinimalMinimal

2.2. A little bitA little bit

3.3. ModerateModerate

4.4. SubstantiveSubstantive

5.5. MassiveMassive

How strategic are the changes at How strategic are the changes at your organization?your organization?

(e.g., part of a well thought out plan to move (e.g., part of a well thought out plan to move the organization to a desired future state)the organization to a desired future state)

1.1. Not at allNot at all

2.2. SomewhatSomewhat

3.3. Very much soVery much so

4.4. I’m not sureI’m not sure

In general, how much resistance In general, how much resistance is there to the change(s)?is there to the change(s)?

1.1. MinimalMinimal

2.2. A little bitA little bit

3.3. ModerateModerate

4.4. SubstantiveSubstantive

5.5. MassiveMassive

A “Strategic Approach” to Change

Based on a profound knowledge of your organization and related

external trends

Where areWe?

Where areWe?

Now

Where do wewant to go?

Future

How do we get there? How do we get there?

Pathway

Challenge the Process: Challenge the Process: One of the key practices in One of the key practices in The Leadership ChallengeThe Leadership Challenge

Search for opportunities Search for opportunities by seizing the initiative by seizing the initiative and looking outward for and looking outward for innovative ways to innovative ways to improveimprove

Experiment and take risks Experiment and take risks by constantly generating by constantly generating small wins and learning small wins and learning from experience from experience

Challenging the Process:Involves change and

movement In the research on exemplary

leaders, participants often talked about times of change.

Most frequently used words: challenging, rewarding, and exciting.

Words signifying passion (dedication, intensity, commitment, determination) and inspiration (inspiring, uplifting, motivating, energizing) also appeared regularly.

95 percent of cases were described in these terms.

The practice of Searching Out Opportunities

1. List the things which are “the way we’ve always done it around here”. Ask:

How useful is this in helping us become the best?

How useful is this for innovation?2. Make idea gathering a priority: focus

groups, brainstorming, evaluation forms, visits to other agencies, talking with clients and volunteers and other staff.

3. Renew yourself and your team through conferences, training programs, visits to colleagues, classes, etc.

To what extent does your To what extent does your organization have a culture of organization have a culture of

innovation and idea generation?innovation and idea generation?

1.1. Not at allNot at all

2.2. SomewhatSomewhat

3.3. Very much soVery much so

4.4. I’m not sureI’m not sure

A Key Skill is “Outsight”A Key Skill is “Outsight” Staying sensitive to and informed Staying sensitive to and informed

about about externalexternal realities realities 60 to 80 percent of important 60 to 80 percent of important

innovations have been in response innovations have been in response to market demands and needsto market demands and needs

High performing teams have High performing teams have significantly more communication significantly more communication with people outside their group; with people outside their group; low performing teams cut low performing teams cut themselves off from external themselves off from external informationinformation

The critical “OT” in “SWOT”The critical “OT” in “SWOT” Requires a good external network Requires a good external network

and learning about best practicesand learning about best practices

Lack of “outsight” can come Lack of “outsight” can come from perceptual biases, from perceptual biases,

“change blindness”“change blindness”

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““Stimuli do not simply Stimuli do not simply flood into our brains. We flood into our brains. We selectively let them In by selectively let them In by

regulating attention.”regulating attention.”

““Inattentional Blindness” Study at Inattentional Blindness” Study at Harvard Medical School (2013)Harvard Medical School (2013)

83 % of radiologistsmissed the gorilla when told to look for cancerousnodules

This wasn’t due to eye movement but to the way the brain frames what it sees

The SWOT Analysis:a method for conducting an

organizational scanInternal Strengths — what we do well Weaknesses — where we need to improve

External Opportunities — trends and events

outside of the organization of which we can take advantage

Threats — trends and events outside the organization that could jeopardize the organization’s success

Partner DiscussionWith your partner, please discuss:1) Generally speaking, how well do you

do with staying abreast of external realities? What do you do on an ongoing basis to seek out new perspectives?

2) A single opportunity and threat you are aware of related to your organization

3) One positive change you can envision for your organization (an existing change or new idea, large scale shift in strategic direction or smaller programmatic change) in response.

Brief BreakBrief Break

Please return in 10 minutesPlease return in 10 minutes

possibilityfor

change

lossthat

results>pathways

to thefuture

dissatisfactionwith the

status quo

clarityof the

future vision( )x x=

Change Formula

Dr. Martin Luther King, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speechspeech

One of the greatest One of the greatest instances in U.S. history instances in U.S. history of change leadership. of change leadership.

Identify the specific Identify the specific aspects of what makes aspects of what makes him effective as an agent him effective as an agent of change. How does he of change. How does he work the formula? work the formula?

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The 8 Step Process of Successful Change:

John P. KotterJohn P. Kotter Professor of Professor of

Leadership, Emeritus Leadership, Emeritus at the Harvard at the Harvard Business SchoolBusiness School

Expert on leadership Expert on leadership and transformationand transformation

40 years of research 40 years of research shows that 70% of shows that 70% of major organizational major organizational change efforts failchange efforts fail

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John Kotter’s Latest on John Kotter’s Latest on ChangeChange

Accelerate, Harvard Business Review, November 2012Accelerate, Harvard Business Review, November 2012

Experiencing ChangeExperiencing Change

Resistance…. A natural opposition to shifts in the status quo A normal reaction May stem from fear of loss of control May come from ambiguity of what is new May come from habit and fixed neural

pathways Key leadership skills are

Identifying key stakeholders for the change Analyzing perspectives they may have Identifying strategies for exerting positive

influence with high leverage stakeholders

LunchLunch

We’ll begin again in 30 minutesWe’ll begin again in 30 minutes

Stakeholder Grid: Strategy for influencing change

1.1. Consider a change you think would benefit Consider a change you think would benefit your organizationyour organization

2.2. Consider the key peopleConsider the key people

3.3. Plot where they currently are with regard Plot where they currently are with regard to desired change (x = current). to desired change (x = current).

4.4. Plot where individuals need to be (o = Plot where individuals need to be (o = desired) in order to successfully accomplish desired) in order to successfully accomplish desired changedesired change

5.5. Draw lines to indicate an influence link Draw lines to indicate an influence link using an arrow to indicate who influences using an arrow to indicate who influences whom.whom.

Stakeholder Grid ExampleStakeholder Grid Example

Name Current position Unfavorable neutral favorable

Chair

ED

Gov Committee Chair

Board Member 1

Long Term Board Member

Other Board Members

Brief BreakBrief Break

Please return in 10 minutesPlease return in 10 minutes

Change vs TransitionChange – Situational shift, the

external event. Leader’s task is to determine outcome, process to get there; remind people of change and its importance.

Transition – Letting go of the way things used to be and taking hold of the way things are becoming; the internal process. Leader’s task is to lead people through it.

These roles overlap…Effective leaders must manage both!

Bridges Stages of Transition

Ending

Neutral Zone

New Beginning

Stages of Transition – Ending

A time of letting go of the way things used to be

A time of letting go of how and who we used to be

Often characterized by symptoms of “DABDA”

Transition is more significant when it has major impact on our roles, relationships, routines, and assumptions

Ending

Reactions to Endings

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Response to Change Perceived to be positive

May catch leaders by surprise Starts with uninformed optimism May move to informed pessimism Leader’s job is to move people to

informed realism and optimism It still requires people to “let go” of

what they have known before

Stages of Transition – Neutral Zone

The in-between stage of confusion and uncertainty

Creates anxiety and is psychologically uncomfortable

Is a necessary part of the process

Creativity can be at its peak

Neutral Zone

Stages of Transition – New Beginning

Must begin to behave in a new way

Focused on new course of action

May still be some cautions

Feeling of growth and adaptation

Looking for next challenge

New Beginning

Applying the Stages of Transition

Ending

Neutral Zone New

Beginning

Think about a major change in our own life. Reflect on the transition as you experienced it. Give a brief description of what you remember about each stage. What was it like? What reactions where you having? What aided you in getting to the next stage?

Stages over Time

Change Leadership in ActionChange Leadership in Action

What do you notice about What do you notice about leadership and change?leadership and change?

Compare and contrast the Compare and contrast the “team” at the beginning and at “team” at the beginning and at the end.the end.

What does Whoopi do as a What does Whoopi do as a change leader that makes her change leader that makes her effective?effective?

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Managing Endings Sell the need to change Understand what they are

losing Get resistance on the table Mark “boundary” events Acknowledge value of the past Give lots of information Set timelines and priorities Protect from further change

or cluster the changes Create temporary structures

and solutions

Communicating the 4 P’s through the Neutral Zone

Purpose – Why we have to do this

Picture – What it will look like when we get there

Plan – How we are going to get there

Part – What part others need to play to aid in the change

Creating New Beginnings

Articulate new attitudes and behaviors needed

Provide resources and training for those attitudes and behaviors

Celebrate forward movement

Express appreciation Reassure people of

their role

Small Group DiscussionPlease work on your assigned

case scenario.1. Review the case scenario.2. Discuss which leadership

ideas from the previous three slides might apply to this situation.

3. Agree on about 5 steps (in sequence) you could take in leading through transition in this situation.

4. Write those on the flipchart.5. Be ready to share your one

best idea (the most important leadership action)

Goals for the Session:For participants to:

1. Apply a change model and tools to nonprofit organizations;

2. Understand the human resistances people often have to change; and

3. Identify strategies for fostering positive change and managing transitions.