January 22, 2013
(1) COMMENT
I’ve talked about our “character/presence package,” and how it affects clients, as well as the overall results we all want to achieve in our work. I feel strongly that it is the heart of who we really are as change practitioners. In this series, I want to explore how we can cultivate our character to increase the impact our presence has with clients.
October 9, 2012
(1) COMMENT
This is the final post in my series on victimization. The victimization syndrome can be compared to a virus that has infected not only clients, but our profession as well. Transformational change intensifies existing victimization and brings any latent tendencies to the surface. No one—advocates, agents, targets, or sponsors—is immune from its destructive power. In this post, I review some perspectives I’ve found helpful with clients, other practitioners, and myself as we all contend with our own vulnerability to victimization.
July 31, 2012
(1) COMMENT
When professional facilitators of change use the term “contracting,” they aren’t referencing a legally binding document. Instead, the word describes the process used when two or more people reach agreement on their expectations about a situation, and each other, in a serious manner…that is, pursued carefully and reinforced by consequences. In this post, I outline the basic principles involved.
July 24, 2012
(4) COMMENTS
In this series, we’re facing the ugly truth that we have inadvertently contributed to the dismal 70% failure rate of change initiatives. In this final post, I take a hard look at what role we have played, and what we can do about reversing it.
May 24, 2012
(3) COMMENTS
In this series, I will talk about how to respond to a client who wants you to give him or her a straightforward, broad perspective of what an organization will have to do to fully realize the goals of a large change initiative. I will share my responses to two hypothetical questions: “What is a realistic set of expectations I should have about embarking on this change?” and “Can you give me some general DOs and DON’Ts that will likely apply to what we’re facing?”
May 15, 2012
(1) COMMENT
Recently, I was asked three separate questions by change practitioners (in three different settings) that I feel are linked. Those three questions, addressed in this post, are all tied to the same thing—practitioner confidence—which is a subject I suspect many of us can relate to.
March 13, 2012
(3) COMMENTS
From time to time, both internal and external change practitioners are asked to help select key leaders who will have critical roles as an organization embarks on a vital transition. Unfortunately, many practitioners don’t give enough thought to what might be included in a change leader’s selection criteria. They toss something together quickly or access a generic list someone else has published that doesn’t take into account the particulars of the organization, the demands of the changes at hand, and the personalities involved. Leader appointment is an important aspect of change success and, as professional change facilitators, we are obligated to be as prepared as possible when asked to participate in the selection process.
In this series, I will share an extensive list of criteria I consider when asked to provide parameters for change-related leader selection.
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