s4 - change leadership and teams Flashcards
change manager.
Change managers connect with many people who perform different functions surrounding the change process.
The Change Management Institute describes the role of the change manager as the application of their ‘deep change knowledge, strong facilitation and co-design skills, empathy and compassion and skill with data.’
The change manager needs to develop and maintain relationships with the variety of people surrounding a change initiative. We can refer to the network of people involved in a change as the change team. Let’s consider the other important roles in the change team.
The role of the change agent can be summarised into seven functions:
● To build strong networks across the organisation
● To connect line leaders engaged in change with others in similar positions
● To ensure effective communication takes place up as well as down the hierarchy
● To observe and spread ideas, information, stories and learning
● To advise sponsors, line leaders and implementers where they see opportunities to add value
● To smooth access to resources needed by various groups, knowing where to go for help, and
● To help sponsors, line leaders and implementers to fulfil their own roles well and to avoid taking over others’ roles.
Peter Block described a set of guidelines for change agents to create effective working relationships with line leaders and other colleagues.
Firstly, they should listen attentively to line leaders to appreciate their needs and, requirements, as well as their concerns regarding the change initiative.
Secondly, they should try to understand any pressures and influences on the line leader, such as differing agendas of colleagues and senior leaders.
A third guideline that Block offers to change agents is to be authentic and clear as to their own role and any affects that it may have on them personally.
Next, the line leaders may be concerned about the impacts of the change on their position and reputation.
The change agent should assist them in identifying how the change can enhance their reputation, or at least, minimise the risk of any potential negative impacts.
Lastly, the change agent should be cautious about ensuring that they don’t try to take over any aspects of the line leader’s role, or even be perceived to be doing so.
To gain the active support of this critical mass, the Change Management Study Guide suggests the following activities that should be employed.
These are:
1. Engage with line leaders early to get a critical mass of support
2. Give privileged access to the thinking that has led to the need for change to help them to understand what is driving the change
3. Involve line leaders in developing proposals and plans that make change practical and effective, and
4. Respond to their concerns and communicate copiously with line leaders, in order to enable them to communicate credibly and directly to their teams.
Carl Rogers, identified three core conditions which must be present to support personal growth, these are:
Integrity
● Respect, and
● Empathy.
Yes, integrity is being authentic and genuine in relationships, so that other people can trust that what you say is what you mean. Real authenticity requires leaders to have insight into their thoughts and feelings and to be able to control these.
And respect is about the acceptance of an individual as they are, without judgement or conditions to make them acceptable. They are accepted as they are, not as they might be if….
Paul:
Empathy is the willingness to understand another person from their point of view rather than your own. Not necessarily to walk in their shoes, but at least to understand what walking in their shoes means.
Another prominent contributor to studies on psychological safety is Amy Edmonson. She describes psychological safety as follows:
“Psychological safety is a climate in which people are comfortable expressing and being themselves. When people have psychological safety at work, they feel comfortable sharing concerns and mistakes without fear of embarrassment or retribution. They are confident that they can speak up and won’t be humiliated, ignored, or blamed. They know they can ask questions when they are unsure about something. They tend to trust and respect their colleagues”.
Carolyn Taylor describes three mechanisms through which messages are communicated, namely:
- Behaviours
- Symbols, and
- Systems.
Steph, can you please describe what Taylor means by behaviours in this context?
Steph:
Of course Marijne. It’s about the link between the leaders’ behaviours and the culture produced. For example, if the leaders demonstrate humility, it can result in openness and willingness to learn amongst the staff.
Marijne:
Dan, what about symbols?
Dan:
Symbols are significant events, artefacts and decisions. These could relate to patterns in how leaders make choices about the use of time and resources.
Symbols can include rituals such as frequent gatherings and storytelling about the defining moments of the organisation.
Marijne:
Thanks Dan, can you also describe systems?
Dan:
Yes Marijne. These include systems such as HR systems, performance measurement, customer processes, and the general hierarchy of the organisation, such as how easy or difficult it is to access senior-level people.
Marijne:
Thanks everyone. So, to summarise, in any change that touches on culture, attention should be paid to all three of these mechanisms.
Another name for this is organisational climate.
There are six dimensions of climate according to the consultancy, Hay McBer. These are:
● Flexibility – freedom from red tape
● Responsibility – having real authority to act and to be accountable for their actions
● Standards – the level of expectations people have of themselves and others
● Rewards – the suitability of rewards, and the accuracy and consistency of feedback on performance
● Clarity – around the organisation’s mission and values, and
● Commitment – a sense of shared commitment to a common and meaningful purpose.
Change agent networks can offer a number of benefits, these include:
● One dedicated person to assist in the information flow from the change team to each specific business area and back
● A network of people across the organisation who have the ability to break down silos and look at the effects of the change and possible solutions across different departments
● A manageable sized group with which to develop and test ideas, approaches and solutions
● A source of information and a feedback mechanism for affected staff which is trusted and ‘one of us’
● A group of users with in depth knowledge about the change, who can challenge, constructively criticise and suggest best ways to approach the change for their particular areas, and
● Expert users for new processes or systems brought about by the change.
There are many team development models.
One of the most popular is the Tuckman Model.
The five stages of the model are:
● Forming
● Storming
● Norming
● Performing, and
● Adjourning or Mourning.
The first stage is forming. When a team is formed there will initially be a high dependence on the change manager for guidance and direction.
Team members may ask questions that provide direction, while individual roles and responsibilities may be unclear.
Change managers will need to be directive in answering questions about the background to the initiative and the team’s purpose, objectives and links to the business units.
The second stage is storming as there typically follows a period of uncertainty as team members attempt to establish themselves in relation to other team members and the change manager.
Patrick Lencioni, identified five dysfunctions typically recognisable in an ineffective team.
He then noted five positive characteristics to aim to develop in a team to address these dysfunctions, and contribute to a high performing team.
The five positive characteristics build on one another.
The first of these positive characteristics consists of building trust and creating psychological safety. Lencioni’s description of psychological safety supports Amy Edmonson’s views which we discussed earlier.
The second positive characteristic encourages constructive conflict. When there is an absence of psychological safety, people tend to fear conflict.
However, in an environment characterised by trust and psychological safety, people can be encouraged to take the risk of speaking out with different ideas and debating these to find the best solution.
The next characteristic involves commitment and follow-through. Building on the previous characteristics of trust, psychological safety and constructive conflict, high-performing teams create a positive climate for achieving consensus on decisions.
Consensus does not necessarily mean unanimous agreement, but rather that the individuals in a team agree to fully support the team’s decision, even if it wasn’t everyone’s preferred course of action.
Following on from the team’s commitment and follow-through, the individuals in the team hold each other mutually accountable for the commitments that they have made, both in terms of work outcomes and the behaviours displayed within the team.
The fifth and final positive characteristic outlined by Lencioni addresses the dysfunction of inattention to results. The positive characteristic is focused on delivering results.
In times of change, the impact on team performance should be factored in, and where possible, high-performing teams should be kept intact at least for a period of time, and perhaps given new missions as a team to support the change.
