Recently I was sent an email from a past client, asking me for some advice, team building activities and programmatic ideas about developing programs for change within an organization.

Below is the gist of my response; This person hired me to facilitate a 3 day workshop on Instituting a Successful Change. The follow-up reported the project is operating fully and the resistance has been minimal.

3 ideas for change based activities:

  1. Transition Phase Solution Focus
  2. Solutions Future Focus Process
  3. Planning a Change Model with Processing and Action Sequence

1. Transition Phase Solution Focus

I deal with change constantly within my facilitation programs. Here are some ideas of processes that may prove effective, while not specific activities the process works;

1st example – working with a large technology firm that was about to roll out a new product. Generally in the past with new tech products the transition phases created problems therefore people were unlikely to fully accept the change. Here is the suggested program I sent to my client (I eventually lead the program for 3 days with ~100 people, some minor changes to the original plan). This is the idea….

“I wonder what are “transition phases” ….

My idea is something like – Breaking the group into 4-6 people teams.

Assigning each group a “transition phase”…(duplicate the phases in needed)

Supplying each team with a one page handout with bullet points of the solutions and requisite steps to move through each transition phase.

Ask each group this question, “when challenged with a similar scenario dealing with change of IT and processes; How, what in the past proved successful for completion? What else? What else? How can you do that with this transition?”

Ask each group to read the handout and answer the question in the following way;

With words – 1 flip chart explains words only answering the questions above – specific to the transition phase assigned that group

Visual mapping – another flip chart is a visual (pictures only) map answering the questions – specific to the transition phase assigned that group

Allow for 20-30 minutes…then ask each team to hang both flip chart papers in the sequence that the IT transition phase will be instituted.

Allow time for a “gallery walk” where the attendees take time and walk through the  process and examine other people information in reference to their own.

Then (if time allows) facilitate a discussion of each phase, how the team has succeeded in the past and how they can apply that to now and the future.

Also type up and take pictures of the information and now the team has solutions to transition phase problems.”

Links of images and groups in action:

 

2. Solutions Future Focus Process

Another idea:

Solution Future Focus Process.

 

3. Planning a Change Model with Processing and Action Sequence

Final Idea – Planning A Change…Model and Process questions

A process of planning for a change. Before and while involved on projects and exploring areas of challenges with existing clients I often look to this chart.

By setting a model for you to place objective thoughts into. As a leader you will be better equipped to determine areas of success and which areas to proceed into next with your Micro-Decisions.

question please contact me.

mike cardus is create-learning

 

Change happens and new knowledge + intellect ensure successful completion…Contact Mike to institute successful change within your organization, team, and self.