Improving Things That Are Great
“If we habitually focus on how to improve things that are already great, can you see how this spirit can transform ourselves, our organisations, families and communities”.
by Tony Robbins
Tony reminds us that we should also consider change in the areas we are doing well in, rather than focussing our efforts on challenges, threats and opportunities alone.
What things are you and your business doing well that you could improve upon?
Improving what we already do well
Change Tool – Force Field Analysis
What are the drivers for change? What’s compelling us to change? What is the urgency? These are all great questions to ask during the development of a change strategy. Have you also considered, beyond the obvious obstacles, the forces that may prevent or limit change? These can often be process and practices we are proud of.
Force Field Analysis (FFA) was developed by social psychologist, Kurt Lewin. This tool will help you to identify ways to strengthen the forces that are supporting your new approach and also find ways to diminish the impact of any restraining forces.
According to Lewin “an issue is held in balance by the interaction of two opposing sets of forces – those seeking to promote the change (driving forces) and those attempting to maintain the status quo (restraining forces)”. Lewin viewed organisations as comprising a dynamic balance, or equilibrium, of forces working together in opposing directions rather than a static form. He believed that for change to occur, the driving forces must exceed the restraining forces to shift the organisation to a new equilibrium.
The tool can be used at any level – to consider an organisational change, a project, program or even an individual change. By creating a diagram we can visualise the tug-of-war that can occur between the various forces for and against change. Below are the ten steps involved in undertaking a FFA.
Creating your Force Field Analysis Diagram
Step One – Describe your current situation.
Step Two – Describe your proposed change, or ideal situation. Summarise this in the centre of the diagram in a large rectangle. What is it you are trying to achieve?
Step Three – Explore what will happen if nothing is done to change the current situation. What will the consequences and effects be?
Step Four – consider the forces that may influence your change – including the people, groups, customs, attitudes, behaviours, processes, systems, habits, rituals, culture and so on. Sit and reflect on all the different forces at play that may affect the move from the current to the desired state.
Step Five – List the Driving Forces on the left hand side. What forces within your organisation will drive you forward to the desired situation?
Step Six – List the Restraining Forces on the right hand side of the diagram. What forces may oppose the change from occurring or diminish its success?
Step Seven – Explore each of the forces. Are they real? Which are the most important? Can the forces be changed?
Step Eight – Rank the impact of the forces using an 11 point likert scale from 0 (extremely weak) to 10 (extremely strong).
Step Nine – Evaluate the net effect of the forces to determine whether the change is viable and achievable. Is it worth progressing any further with this change?
Step Ten – Analyse whether the restraining forces can be diminished and how. Similarly, can the driving forces be strengthened? Be sure to recognise that any changes to the forces may create new driving and restraining forces.
Once you have completed the Force Field Analysis and Diagram you are in a position to determine whether change is feasible and viable. If the answer is yes, the diagram provides you with a range of areas in which you can develop strategies to support you and your business to move to the new desired equilibrium.
6 Steps to Change Success
With so much change happening in all aspects of our work and personal lives we can sometimes lose sight of the key ingredients of success. What can you do improve your effectiveness and sustain the change you are seeking? Our six steps to success will help ensure your change efforts achieve your goals.
Review and Reflect – look back at previous change efforts. What can you learn from these experiences? What worked well? What would you differently? Ask yourself how this learning could be incorporated into your current change initiative.
This will help you ensure that previous change efforts are not overshadowing your initiative and also provide some additional input to the change strategy.
Employ a Fair Process – when seeking input from your internal and possibly, external, stakeholders use this fantastic process. Engage people and openly seek their input and feedback on the challenge or opportunity. Once you have gathered their input and made a decision Explain it to the stakeholders. Mention their feedback and how it contributed and why it may or may not have informed the current approach. Then most importantly, take the third step and provide clear Expectations. Make sure people know what they can do differently to support the change. Make it individual so they know their part.
This process has proven to gather significant support for the change, even when the stakeholder proposed an alternative or opposing way forward. You will be respecting them and their ideas.
Design with Implementation in Mind – once you’ve successfully diagnosed the situation and developed an effective strategy, invest some time in considering implementation. What can you anticipate as a driver or positive force for change? Similarly, what obstacles or constraints to change might arise along the way? Find ways to incorporate these insights into the implementation plan.
By thinking forward you may be able to anticipate ways to more effectively implement the change and hopefully reduce cost and time involved.
Develop and Assign Roles – many changes forget to consider the specific roles of the change leaders – from the CEO, to the Executive Sponsor and even the Change Project Manager. How will each individual role model, signal and reinforce the change. What key messages will they promote and where. Weaving these messages into any relevant opportunity is important. Are there key actions they could do that are symbolic of the new way? What stories could they share about their own journeys and why this change is important?
Not only will people relate to the situations they will also be reminded on a daily basis of the new way of working.
Active Exploration – identify ways for people to be part of the change; to feel what the new approach is like and to experience the benefits on a personal level. Rather than informing people of what the change will mean, help them to be part of the change. Find them a role and a way to relate their work and experiences to the change. Many change announcements inform people of the change, very few find ways to get people involved. The result is that people walk away thinking it’s your change and
As most adults learn experientially you will create greater ownership of the change through individual experimentation.
Aim for Internalisation – many change efforts only succeed in reaching compliance, where employees and other stakeholders perform the role you had hoped. Ticking the box. By aligning the change with personal values and individualising the change through stories you can appeal to the individual. You can help each person to move beyond compliance and past identifying with the change. When a change benefits us and supports our values we internalise the change. It becomes something we value and appreciate at a personal level.
When individuals internalise a change and feel good about the outcomes at every level – business, team and individual – they are significantly more likely to embrace, sustain and often, even promote the change to others.
Focus and Productivity – working effectively
Do you reach the end of the day and question what you have achieved? Are you constantly working on multiple tasks that leaves you questioning the quality of your outcomes? Is there a regular queue of people at your door or phone calls that interrupt your day? If the answer to any of these questions is yes, then you may benefit from enhancing your focus and concentration at work.
So how can we increase our focus in the midst of so many competing demands? Well, we can start with you and the interruptions you allow. Do you have your email on and phone ringing when you’re trying to focus? Research shows that people who work with their email system running when concentrating lose 10 IQ points, the equivalent of losing an entire nights sleep. So why not turn off this interruptions and look at them periodically?
What about how you work? Do you work for hours on end and look up only for lunch or a visitor? By working for bursts of 60 to 90 minutes you could achieve more in a shorter period and possibly increase the quality. Think of some of your most productive moments, they’re often during bursts of focus. So why not create this intentionally and regularly?
Like physical athletes, business athletes need to invest in breaks, rest and re-energising. Scientists have shown that our concentration diminishes after 60 to 120 minutes. Do you actively refuel throughout your day? By doing this your bursts of focus will be even more effective. Try going for a walk for 15 minutes, getting a coffee, meditation, breathing or stretching exercises, some yoga poses, or even chat to someone who energises you. Break each burst with this 15 minutes to refocus and refuel.
Finally, do you think that stress is one of the most significant challenges for you? If yes, then consider the positive effects of stress. It is often what stretches and drives us. Could it be that the stress is helpful and that what is happening is a lack of time to recover between bursts? Are you resting enough to fuel your concentration?
So why not shift your thoughts and imagine you are a business athlete and try the interval training with deliberate time to refuel? Ideally you should be able to get more done in much less time and you may even enhance the quality of your work.
Yes AND versus Yes BUT
The word ‘BUT’ has crept into our language in a way that has now become overpowering and overwhelming. We use the word ‘BUT’ extensively; even to join sentences without realising the impact this might have on others. By using the word ‘BUT’ we focus on the exceptions to the point raised, rather than building on the conversation.
Imagine yourself sharing a revelation you’ve recently had with a friend or colleague; something you are very passionate about and keen to explore with a good friend. Then imagine your friend saying “Yes, BUT I think … “. How do you feel? What effect does this response have on the conversation? How do you feel about the topic you wanted to discuss? How do you feel about your friend?
A handy little exercise taught to me by the Institute of Executive Coaching helped me to change my ways. Stand facing a friend or colleague (let’s call this person Joe). Now imagine you are giving Joe a gift – whatever gift comes to mind. Pass the gift to Joe. Joe now is required to start his response with the two words “Yes BUT …”. From then on both of you must continue this conversation starting each sentence with the words “Yes BUT”. For example, I give Joe a brand new hat and say “Joe I have this wonderful hat to give you” and Joe replies “Yes, BUT I don’t really like to wear hats as they give me hat-hair”. Then I reply “Yes, BUT you can carry a comb in your bag to fix your hair after you take off the hat”. Then Joe replies “Yes BUT I rarely carry a bag and like to travel light” and then I reply “Yes, BUT maybe you can use the hat for those cold days when you walk your dog” and Joe replies “Yes, BUT I already have a lucky hat that I love to wear to the park” and so on. How does this feel? What happens to the conversation?
Now try this exercise again with one change – use the two words “Yes AND” instead of “Yes BUT”. What’s changed? How did it feel?
For me the ‘Yes BUT’ conversation was strained and somewhat combative, trying to prove my gift was a good one. While the ‘Yes AND’ conversation gathered energy, was happy, light and felt like we were spiraling upward. We were building on each others thoughts and respecting each others opinions. What was your experience?
So listen to the language you use each day. When do you use the word ‘BUT’? What effect does this word have on others? More importantly, when do you use the words ‘Yes AND’. When are you listening and building on the conversation of others?
Effectively Communicating Change – Use your frontline managers
In most organisations a new initiative is first announced with a rousing introduction from a senior executive. But is this the most effective way to introduce and lead change? Research suggests (Larkin & Larkin 1996) that the opposite is true. Employees are more likely to adopt or participate in a new approach when information is received from a credible and familiar source. In fact, introduction from the top can have the opposite effect – it can create resistance and frustration with employees and those managers that were unaware of the new approach.
What is the most effective method to communicate? Face-to-face in smaller groups is by far the most effective means. Employees are able to see the verbal and non-verbal communication clues. They can ask questions and they are in a setting that encourages discussion. This is not suggesting that businesses should avoid videos, emails, letters and large group presentations. These communication mediums can form part of any approach, however, sustained change is more likely when these methods follow frontline face-to-face discussions.
Think back to times when change was announced in your workplace. What changes were best introduced to you? Were they the large scale formal top-down led meetings? Or were they when new approaches were first raised with you by your direct Manager – the person that you have built greater trust and rapport with in the organisation?
So how do you lead this type of change? Here’s a few tips to get you started:
- Ensure that all managers are part of introducing a change.
- Brief the managers in smaller groups.
- Explain the individual, group and business benefits from doing something new.
- Explain why the current approach is less desirable and why the new approach is more desirable.
- Provide stories they can tell to explain the change and how it will affect them.
- Skill the managers with ways to communicate effectively – small groups, face-to-face, visual aids, sharing their own stories.
- Assist them in determining how the new approach will directly and indirectly affect each person.
- Identify ways in which each person can contribute and be part of leading the change. By acting they are more likely to be engaged in the change.
Considering your change communication options
So before you announce a major change think about involving the people that are most trusted and familiar to your employees. Take advantage of the trust and rapport they have developed with people and recognise that as Managers they are seeking to be part of leading new approaches.
Thinking and Feeling – exploring both
Are we expected to adopt the culture and values of the businesses we work for or truly be our authentic selves? Or is there a blend in between? This was a question I confronted ten years into my career – yes, a little later than I had hoped in reflection.
For many years I was a chameleon. I would leave myself at the door as I proudly adopted the work style and persona I thought was expected of me. An approach that was adopted or exhibited by most senior executives. It was only through the cajoling of an executive coach that I started to explore my personal approach. Who am I and what are my strongest strengths and values?
Many personality and psychometric tests and indexes had provided insights throughout my career. However, it was posed to me by my Executive Coach that my Myer Briggs Type Indicator was incorrect. Rather than doing the test at work, as had been done on six occasions over the years, I was encouraged to do the test in the comforts of my own home. No longer an ENTJ (supposedly the perfect result for an aspiring CEO), the test revealed I was a strong EN … F … J. Highly Feeling! I had been hiding this and rarely using these skills in the workplace.
So what happened next? Well it was time to explore this split personality of mine. Using a questioning technique I explored the different responses to thoughts and emotions simply by asking someone “What do you think about this?” and following that question with ‘How do you feel about that”?” The responses were wildly different. On the thinking side the responses were generally brief with facts, logic and rationale. When it came to the emotions and feelings the discussions were lengthy, more intimate and revealed a rich layer of depth to each person. How had I missed this information and understanding at work for so long? How could I be so proud of being a very different person at work? Well, once I practiced this approach I discovered a whole new world and vast opportunities to deepen relationships and build stronger trust and rapport.
Striking a balance between thinking and feeling
So why not try this technique yourself? Explore the varying responses to thinking and feeling questions. The richness of the feeling responses shifted my approach to work for the positive.
What did I take from this mindset shift and learning?
- The power of words and language – you get what you ask for. I had been asking for logic and facts.
- The potential for human bias in personality and psych tests based on where you undertake the test. By being at home I was more relaxed and out of work mode.
- That feelings are no longer a wishy washy area to avoid in business. In fact feelings can underpin relationship building.
Hopefully this post helps you to explore thoughts and feelings more in your career and workplace and ensure you are bringing your very best ‘authentic’ you to your role.
Stakeholders – 5 ways to improve engagement and build support
Most projects require the support and possibly the buy-in of key stakeholders to ensure success. So how do you engage these key stakeholders and ensure your project or change is well received and sustained in the long term? Stakeholder analysis mapping is a great first step and will ensure that you have reflected on the drivers, issues and relationship with each stakeholder prior to proceeding. Here’s a few tips on how to get started:
- List your key stakeholders.
Who do you need to support your project? Who could affect success? Who will be impacted by the change? Who has the most to gain from the outcome? Who is likely to feel they lose as a result of the change? Answer these questions and compile your list of key people. They can be from within and outside your business.
- Draw a stakeholder analysis map.
First start with you in a circle. Place key stakeholders in their own circle. The size of the circle would indicate the level of power and influence they have over the project. A big circle means they have significant influence. the placement of the circle (i.e. the distance from their circle to the circle with your name) should indicate the frequency of their involvement. The more regular the involvement the closer the circle should be to yours. Then draw a line that indicates the type of relationship you currently possess. No line means you have no current relationship with the stakeholder. A solid line suggests a positive relationship. The thicker this line the stronger the relationship. A double line reveals a strong alliance. A line with breaks reveals a relationship conflict. A jagged line suggesting a negative relationship and the bigger the jagged edges the more challenging the relationship. Then see if you can connect each of your stakeholders to each other. This map will help you identify relationships you need to improve; the key challenges; the alliances and support you could access; the potential for new relationships. An example is shown below:
How to construct your Stakeholder Analysis Map
- Prepare a Commitment Chart.
List each stakeholder individually in one column. Assess their current level of commitment to the change or project against these four categories ‘no commitment’, ‘let it happen’, ‘help it happen’ and ‘make it happen’. Then consider what level of commitment you require to be successful. In the final column develop a strategy to obtain the level of commitment you need from each person. For some you may need less involvement. For others it will be important to align your strategy with their key issues, priorities, drivers and motivations. Identify the best ways of working and engaging each person.
An example of a Commitment Chart
- Evaluate the benefits.
How will each stakeholder benefit? Once you have identified the benefits at the individual level why not consider the team and organisational benefits? How are you conveying and reminding people of these benefits? How are you ensuring that each stakeholder understands and finds the benefits of change desirable; more desirable than the current situation?
- Customise your communication.
Different stakeholders communicate using different mediums, vocabulary and style. Someone in the sales team will have different preferences to a person in finance or engineering. For someone in finance you may focus on the numbers, budget, the forecasts, the results for efficiency and effectiveness. For the sales team you may focus on how they will promote the changes to clients and the tools that support them to be the first promoting the change. Try and adopt the language of the team and individuals and flavor your communication with the style, words and mediums that they prefer.
These stakeholder engagement methods will help you build the trust, rapport and support to make your change and project successful while improving key relationships in your work environment. Yes, they will take some time and thinking, however, you will be delighted with the results from this small investment of your time, thinking and planning.
Stumbling Blocks or Stepping Stones?
This wonderful poem was written by R.L. Sharp in the early 1800s and recently shared with me by Tal Ben Shahar. This poem evokes such vivid images for me about how we build our lives. The choices we make. They way in which we interpret the experiences that we encounter and share each day.
Isn’t it strange how princes and kings,
And clowns that caper in sawdust rings,
And common people like you and me,
Are builders for eternity?
Each is given a list of rules;
A shapeless mass; a bag of tools.
And each must fashion, ere life is flown,
A stumbling block, or a Stepping Stone.
These thought-provoking words remind us that we have choices; we can even look back and re-author or re-interpret moments that were perceived as stumbling blocks. We in turn can look to each day as a stepping stone and carve out the life we desire. We all encounter ups and downs throughout our lives, many of which are beyond our human control. Yet we do have the ability to interpret these situations. We can choose to learn and grow each day. Much of my greatest growth and personal development can be related to the crises or darker moments in my life. Fortunately I learnt from each one and see how these moments have shaped me and where I am today.
Look back across your life and the significant moments and events, were there stumbling blocks or stepping stones? If you find blocks can you re-tell the event as a stepping stone and help shape your future?
Wishing you many stepping stones and much growth!
Resistance is Natural
Looking for signals that your change initiative is underway? Resistance is one of the first responses you will observe. Too often businesses try to prevent resistance or respond defensively. Why not see it as a positive and develop strategic responses? Think back to the last time you were asked to do something new at a time when you were busy – most of us resist taking on extra work. Often our first reaction to anything new is to resist while we consider the impacts for ourselves and most importantly, the benefits. What’s In It For Me (WIIFM)? Will I be better off as a result of this new approach?
Being ready to respond to resistance is as important as identifying it. So what are the key types of resistance you can expect. Here are some of the most common forms:
Way too busy – when people are already feeling stretched to their limit with work we can greet anything new negatively. The person can’t even imagine taking anything additional on.
Too much change – change inertia can occur when too many ‘new’ projects and changes are happening around the same time.
Losing control – most of us want to feel in control of what we’re doing. If a change is imposed we can simply react to the lack of control we have over the situation.
Looking silly – if a change requires people to accept that they way things were done in the past was less desirable or wrong this is certain to generate resistance; especially if we were part of the team that created or supported the old ways.
Increased uncertainty – people can resist because they don’t understand what the change means to them and what the next step involves.
Being surprised – there are few people that like things sprung on them. The shock and surprise of an unexpected change can make people feel threatened or under-prepared.
Questioning routines – change often means that we need to re-examine some of our familiar and much-loved routines and habits. People prefer the familiarity of routines and can resist unfamiliar surroundings and ways of working.
Competency concerns – some changes can introduce elements that make people question their future competency. For example a new system or method may cause people to be uncertain of their skills and ability to cope with the change.
Change on change – sometimes a change generates change in other areas – flow-on effects. For example a new product promotion may significantly increase phone calls to the business and place pressure on the team managing product stock.
Previous resentment – sometimes people are harboring concerns about previous change efforts. They can simply resist based on the concerns they felt weren’t addressed in the past.
Real loss – for some people the change will mean they lose something – job, role, office, power, money, even location.
So greet resistance with a smile. Know that it is a sign that people are reacting. Have your resistance responses ready and start to respond proactively and sympathetically to this very human and natural response.