Professional Development – Page 167

May 27, 2010March 22, 2023

A Definition and Implementation of Organizational Change

Executive members discussing about implementing an organizational change

Every now and then I gift myself with the luxury of time available for reflection, and I “mine” my own learning of what existed? What made that effort a successful change process? Why did that one and that one work well? First of all, my experience is that organizational development work is a very fragile enterprise.

People run out of energy
Key executives change positions
Consultants burn out from their constant marginality
Timing is everything: Marv Weisbord talks about “harvesting” as a stage of readiness.
LUCK often plays a large role.

Patterns in The Process

So in this fragile endeavor, there are patterns, which I have experienced, which are repeatable and above all very cyclical. And they are all combinations of action and learning. See the model, “Definition and Implementation of Organizational Change.”

To work with a client you have to develop an inquiry relationship, together you have to be able to diagnose the situation and look at alternatives. All of this work comes down to the consulting relationship and our ability to build a mutual and collective capacity to do inquiry: into individual, group and organizational conditions requiring the focus and the attention of the work. This joint inquiry results in a vision, a sense of what the leadership feels it needs to do.

Learning It By Doing It

The vision is the trigger of the Design and Start Up phase. When leaders start to public their vision they discover the implications of the change and as they discuss these, there are additional values that get clarified and the vision has to clearly define the intent of the effort.

As the leadership group starts to involve others, the focus shifts to: Evolving the Intervention Strategy. I always talk about this as “the trip planned” and “the trip taken”- there are always differences between what I expect and how we need to capitalize in the moment to shift an understanding of what might be needed to support the change. When we are clear about this we move forward with the design into Implementation, we execute the process, we do it and we learn and adjust the change and only then does the momentum change from cycling backwards in feedback loops, to moving forward and looking downstream.

Adjustments Along The Way

As I experience this I have learned that through each of these phases we see ourselves and others and the problem before us in different ways as we move through the change process. It is the inquiry relationship that is the foundation of the work that follows. Who has done serious inquiry and not come out changed? Through this we learn to see things we had not previously appreciated and we realize that much of what we thought we knew was based on assumptions, which I now see. There is no going back from that. If done well, it provides the courage to begin design and start up of a needed constructive effort, which involves influencing others in system change.

What do you think?

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For more resources, see the Library topics Consulting and Organizational Development.

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Jim Smith has over 40 years of organization development experience in a wide range of organizations. He can be reached at [email protected]

May 25, 2010March 27, 2023

Free Shred Day – How a Bank and Records Management Company Team Up to Help the Community

Email Marketing Takes a Twist in Nashville Tennessee

One surprise email fought 64 others that day for my attention – and won, hands down. The subject line: “Free Shred Day”.

I thought, “Hmmmm, “FREE” – really?” and clicked on it. Sure enough, it looked like they meant it.

WOW. No limit? Don’t remove clips? That got me excited – so much that I forwarded the email to TEN friends. One of them was storing fifteen years’ worth of very old business files. I couldn’t wait for him to open this email.

And since I help companies market themselves online and offline, I knew that these smart business managers had a viral marketing success story here. I wanted to hear more about it.

We Head to the Shred

So I packed my truck, and we headed to Civic Bank & Trust, where they set up an amazingly efficient and secure operation. Since we had so very many boxes (they said we were their biggest load yet), they directed us to the Richards & Richards secure straight truck trailer, which they unlocked – and formed a brigade to unload us, smiling the entire time.

A Marketing Success?

After they relieved us of our doc boxes, sipping on their lemonade, I offered my business card and asked Sheila Gilliland, Marketing Consultant for Civic Bank, to fill me in. How did this event get started? What were their marketing objectives? How was it going?

Sheila’s answers were a marketer’s dream. Richards & Richards, an office records management firm, is a client of Civic Bank, and they just started talking about it. The bank is always on the lookout for a great way to help the community. They are a community-based bank, and so their marketing is really all about community outreach. If the community wins, they do too.

Positive Word-of Mouth

The bank relies on positive word-of-mouth and places only one solitary paid ad in its entire marketing plan. Way to go.

This very successful shred event was a first for the bank, but not for Richards & Richards. Andy Moon, Richards’ Security Consultant, informed me that they hold free shred days at least twice a year. Their last event yielded 337 vehicles and unloaded over 53,000 pounds of documents. They saved a bunch of trees, I might add.

Richards and Richards, also a locally-owned company, smartly uses Facebook, Twitter and email blasts to attract shred day participants.

New Client Acquisition

According to Andy, the shred days yield new customers, typically anything from a small florist to a huge hospital.

Sheila reported a few days later that the event was fruitful for them, too, with at least one new client and seven inquiries – in just two days after the event – likely more now.

See the full story and details on how to get a Free Safe Box from Civic Bank in Nashville TN.

What innovative marketing campaigns have touched your community?

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For more resources, see our Library topics Marketing and Social Networking.

. . ________ . .

ABOUT Lisa M. Chapman: With offices in Nashville Tennessee, but working virtually with international clients, Lisa M. Chapman serves her clients as a business and marketing coach, business planning consultant and social media consultant. As a Founder of iBrand Masters, a social media consulting firm, Lisa Chapman helps clients to establish and enhance their online brand, attract their target market, engage them in meaningful social media conversations, and convert online traffic into revenues. Email: Lisa @ LisaChapman.com

May 25, 2010August 17, 2022

Cows Can Be Purple

Diverse children drawing and painting together

My grandmother was born in an ethnic neighborhood of Chicago in 1900 and had never seen a live cow growing up. In first grade her class was given cut-out farm animals and told to trace and color them. She had a cow to draw and painted it purple because she liked the color purple. The teacher ridiculed my grandmother for coloring a cow purple and exclaimed that ‘cows aren’t purple’. The teacher ripped up the cow in front of the class and told my grandmother to start over, this time painting the cow brown or black.

Luckily for my grandmother, at age ten her best friend convinced my grandmother to take an art class with her. From there my grandmother found a deep life long passion for art. She went on to study in France and become a professional painter, and later in the 1960’s, she became a pioneer in the field of art therapy. My grandmother’s biography, written when she was in her 80’s, was called “Cows Can Be Purple”. My grandmother was able to move past the message quite clearly given to her that she should not be creative in what she drew.

Were you ever given messages of what you can’t do? Are you still carrying around those messages? Perhaps when you were young, adults you trusted or respected squashed a dream or stifled your ideas. You may know people who have had their dreams stepped on or who put a box around their ambitions because it wasn’t accepted by others. Too many times we carry those messages of what we can’t do with us for years, never examining or questioning whether they are true for us or not. What a waste of potential talent, energy, and joy.

I will write several blogs about the self-limiting beliefs we carry and how those hold us back from fully living and being true to our passions and purpose. For now I want to invite you to step into the potential that awaits you. What possibilities are there that you’ve been waiting to explore?

Here are some suggestions for looking at the world through the lens of potential and possibility. First, challenge your mental framework by asking yourself – What If?

* What if I didn’t buy into a self-limiting belief about myself –that I’m unmotivated, not smart enough, unloved etc.

* What if I stopped seeking other people’s approval or stopped worrying about disappointing others?

* What if I was infinitely supported by the Universe to follow my soul’s calling?

* What if I believed I was talented, loved, lovable, creative? How would I live if that were so?

Try these questions out for a while and see what bubbles up for you. Maybe you’ll hear that inner calling to try something that you’ve been thinking of doing for some time. Perhaps you’ll feel the nudge that’s been pushing you to step out a bit farther into the unknown. See if there are things rumbling in your soul that you feel you need to discover. Answer these questions and sit with what stirs for you.

I leave you these words from the poet Rumi:

Be melting snow, wash yourself of yourself.

A white flower grows in the quietness,

Let your tongue become that flower.

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For more resources, see our Library topic Spirituality in the Workplace.

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May 25, 2010March 23, 2023

Assessing HRD Needs

A team of three assessing their HRD needs

Here is a little case study on HRD needs, I thought you might like to do a little challenge and see what answers/solutions you all come up with…Enjoy….

Opening case study – HRD programs can be key components when an organization seeks to revitalize itself and change its organizational culture. For instance, Cathay Pacific Airways is an international airline based in Hong Kong that serves over eighty-five destinations on five continents. In 2003, Cathay Pacific carried over 10 million passengers, and also maintained a considerable cargo operation. Worldwide, approximately 14,000 people work for the airline. A survey in the 1990s revealed that travelers felt that Cathay Pacific service was good, but not as warm and friendly as customers desired. Some even described the service as “robotic.” This led to a reexamination of how the company recruited, trained, and managed its employees.

One major change that Cathay Pacific made was in its in-flight training department. In the past, trainers devised and followed careful lesson plans. This was intended to provide a set standard of service on all flights. However, to increase customer retention, especially among business travelers, Cathay Pacific decided that something more was needed.

Questions: Assume you are a training manager at this airline. First, how would you go about designing a needs assessment for the airline? What methods would you use to design training that emphasized exceptional customer service? Second what type(s) of training would you recommend for flight attendants, if the new goal was to provide exceptional customer service? How might the training programs themselves have to change in order to promote innovation and collaboration among flight attendants, as well as from the trainers?

Have Fun, and Live Large and in Charge…

Leigh

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For more resources about training, see the Training library.

– Looking for an expert in training and development or human performance technology?
– Contact me: Leigh Dudley – Linkedin – 248-349-2881 or 248-277-2966
– Read my blog: Training and Development

May 25, 2010August 17, 2022

Coaching Tip: Four Question Method for Proactive Problem Solving

Does your mind ever go around in circles or do you loose sleep trying to come up with a solution for a problem? As a coach, I find that my clients benefit by following this four question problem solving method.

1. What is the problem?

2. What are the solutions for resolution of the problem? (Include advantages and disadvantages of each solution)

3. What is the best solution with supporting rationale?

4. Once a decision is reached on the best solution, when will you act on it?

Try it out and let me know what you think!

For more resources, see the Library topic Personal and Professional Coaching.

May 23, 2010August 17, 2022

How Do You Screen a Media Trainer?

[This supersedes and is a greatly expanded version of a post originally published on May 14.]

Retaining someone to provide a service about which you know little yourself can always be tricky, whether it be an auto mechanic, a lawyer, a plumber, a computer tech or — the topic du jour — a media trainer.

Below are a list of questions to ask any potential media trainer. The answers should provide you with insights critical to making an informed decision about using his or her services.

Have you been a working journalist yourself?Good answer: Yes! It’s much harder to understand the workings of the media if you haven’t spent any time on the “inside,” at least at the collegiate and/or intern level.

If yes to #1, what type of journalist were you (e.g., anchor, investigative reporter)?Good answer: Investigative or feature journalists are much more used to “digging” for a story and hence ask more of the tough questions for which you need to prepare. Some anchors engage in investigative reporting as well, but not all, so be sure to ask if the answer is “anchor.” You want a trainer who knows how to “dig.”

If no to #1, what is the basis for your understanding of the media?Good answer: I made a point of spending part of my PR career actively networking with working journalists.

Does your training include how to deal with non-traditional media, e.g., social media?Good answer: Yes! If the answer is no, say goodbye. Traditional media is no more than 50% of the media that will impact you and/or your organization.

Do you teach us how we can maintain the skills we have learned from you? Be specific.Good answer: Yes. I do that by coming back to conduct refresher training twice a year, teaching you how you can practice on your own, etc. One or even two days of media training, alone, are insufficient to maintain the new skills you’re learning; practice is essential.

Does your training prepare us both for routine interviews and for crisis-level interviews?Good answer: Yes. We focus __% of the time on routine interviews and ___% on crisis-level interviews.Then you decide if that balance represents your needs.

How long have you been a media trainer?Good answer: 10 years (or more). That said, everyone has to start somewhere. You may find a very skilled trainer with less experience and correspondingly lower pricing, but check their references carefully.

Could you show me anything you’ve written about this topic, and/or articles in which you’ve been interviewed?Good answer: Yes, and I’ll get you copies or links right away. If someone’s really good at what they do, they understand that they need to both publish in that field and make themselves available as media interview subjects.

If the stuff hits the fan, can you also provide us with spot advice on what we can say?Good answer: Yes, I can help craft messaging as well. You want a trainer who is more than just a trainer, but someone you can call on when “the real thing” happens.

Are you an experienced media interview subject yourself — i.e. do you practice what you preach?Good answer: Yes.

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For more resources, see the Free Management Library topic: Crisis Management
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[Jonathan Bernstein is president of Bernstein Crisis Management, Inc. and author of Keeping the Wolves at Bay – Media Training.]

May 22, 2010August 17, 2022

Is Transformational Leadership Overly Heroic?

In Cater McNamara’s blog entry from earlier this week (“Are we Really Just Looking for Leaders to Save Us from Ourselves?”) he asks how much consultants are fantasizing when they come up with all the “wondrous traits” that the leaders of today are supposed to possess. I am not sure if it is fantasy, but certainly agree that it is not based in reality. I would like to keep in mind this question (i.e. is it fantasy?) in mind as we explore the theory of transformational leadership.

Introduction to Transformational Leadership

James MacGrgeor Burns was the first to talk about transformational (and transactional) leadership theory in 1978. It is relatively evident to me that the research, training, and academic teaching on transformational leadership have outpaced that of any other theory of leadership in the past twenty-eight years. There is an interesting phenomenon in the way that transformational leadership is almost never discussed, at least not at length, without differentiating it from transactional leadership. I will lend support to this claim by doing just that.

What is Transactional Leadership?

Transactional leadership is grounded in the notion that leaders lead through social exchange. That is, they offer rewards to followers, financial and otherwise, for meeting productivity and performance standards, and withhold rewards to followers if productivity and performance are considered deficient. These transactions are established by leaders specifying with followers the rewards that are available for meeting expectations.

What is Transformational Leadership?

The theory of transformational leadership views the transactional leadership style as appropriate in certain circumstances, and even as an extension of transformational leadership, but believes leaders must also attend to the sense of self-worth of followers and the garnering of full-fledged commitment to individual, team, and organizational objectives. In conducting a quick scan of the literature the following attributes and qualities of transformational leaders emerged: charismatic, inspirational, challenging, persuasive, intellectually stimulating, considerate, supportive, respected, risk-taker, coach, mentor, consistent, ethical, enthusiastic, encouraging, and personable. It is a long laundry list of worthwhile qualities and roles. But does it cross some line, intimated by Carter, which has the theory flirting with foolishness? I say “yes”, “no”, “maybe”. In my mind it depends on whose version of transformational leadership you embrace. I like the way that Bass delineates the main components by stating that transformational leaders should:

Inspire followers to extraordinary performance and to a shared sense of commitment to a vision for the organization
Encourage and challenge followers to be creative and innovative in their efforts to solve organizational problems
Focus on the development of the leadership skills of others through coaching, mentoring, and other forms of support

Conclusion

While the proponents of transformational leadership, of which there are many, may excessively romanticize the theory at times, it is my opinion that the central components of the theory are just tangible and relevant enough to make it a valid and valuable leadership model. In future blogs a more in-depth description and analysis of transformational leadership will be provided. In the meantime, what are your thoughts? Is it too much, too little, or just right?

May 21, 2010August 17, 2022

What’s a Nonprofit “Program”? Really?

Volunteers participating in a nonprofit reading program

Too Often, What We Call a Program, Really Isn’t

If you spent the day guiding old ladies across the street and someone gave you a dollar for doing it, would that mean you’re delivering a “program?” What many people call a program is too often just a sporadic set of disconnected activities — it’s not really a program.

So What’s a Real Nonprofit Program?

A program is:

A highly integrated, ongoing set of activities,
Aimed to meet a verified unmet need in the community,
By accomplishing certain outcomes among clients and
Using sufficient evaluation to verify that it’s meeting that need.

The quality of the program depends on

How well resourced the program is with people, funding, facilities, etc.
How well the nonprofit responds to results of evaluations to improve the program

A program closes the loop — it hears back from its clients to verify if the program is indeed meeting the needs of the clients AND the needs of the community.

What do you think?

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For more resources, see our Library topic Nonprofit Capacity Building.

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Carter McNamara, MBA, PhD – Authenticity Consulting, LLC – 800-971-2250
Read my weekly blogs: Boards, Consulting and OD, Nonprofits and Strategic Planning.

May 21, 2010August 17, 2022

Are You Doing OD? Training? Consulting? Coaching? All of These?

OD vs. Training – Or Is It?

I’ve watched over the years as various fields and professions form firm interpretations of others. For example, many Organization Development practitioners almost look down on training as scoped to working only with individuals and not the broader context of organizations as does OD (by the way, we OD’rs prefer that you capitalize the name of our field 🙂

Yet when asked for definitions of OD, they seem loathe to scope the role of OD at all. If definitions of OD are offered, they usually assert that OD is based on changing systems, especially through use of systems principles. They’ll even assert that OD can include training, as well as many other “interventions,” such as coaching and facilitating.

Coaching vs. Consulting – Or Is It?

Similarly, many coaches see consulting as being limited to giving advice. When asked for definitions of coaching, they assert that coaching is always being other-directed and based primarily on questioning. They might add, “So coaching is not consulting. It’s coming from people, rather than at them.”

Do We Tend to Glamorize Our Own Work?

Yet trainers are some of the most systems-based people I know – those skills aren’t limited to OD. Effective trainers in a group setting can transform a group of people. So, if the trainer is especially effective, is the trainer now an OD practitioner? Also, OD can include training, but does that mean the practitioner is no longer doing OD when he/she is merely “training”?

Similarly, an effective consultant can have a big bag of tools, just like an effective coach. A consultant can use questioning (“coaching”?) and advice (“consulting”?), depending on the needs of the client and the context of the project at the time.

I’m not claiming we always have the wrong definitions of these fields. I think the ongoing exploration of each field is to advantage of ourselves and our clients.

However, I am suggesting that we be as fair when describing other fields as when describing our own.

What do you think?

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For more resources, see the Library topics Consulting and Organizational Development.

May 20, 2010August 17, 2022

“Core” Coaching Skills — The 20% That Get’s The 80% of Results

from guest writer Carter McNamara of Authenticity Consulting, LLC

Many Coaching Models Have Certain Approaches in Common

About 15 years ago, I had the privilege of studying a variety of coaching models. When people asked me which model was best, I always answered that it was the last model I had studied.

Each model seemed tremendously powerful — because each had certain practices in common. I came to realize that those common practices in coaching seemed to make the biggest difference for those being coached. I came to call them “core” coaching skills. Since then I’ve incorporated them into a process I call “peer coaching groups.”

“Core” Coaching Skills — The 20% That Gets 80% of Results

I had realized that the experience of having someone —

Ask me what’s important to me now, what do I want to accomplish.
Ask me questions about how I came to identify that priority.
Ask me what success would look like if I addressed my priority.
Ask me about my nature, how I like to work on priorities in my life.
Ask me what relevant and realistic actions I might take to address my current priority.
Ask me what I’m learning as I’m working to address the priority.

— was extremely powerful. All of the models seemed to include this or a very similar sequence of questioning.

Core Coaching Skills Are Accessible to All

The process is so clear and straightforward to apply that almost anyone can be of tremendous help to another person, to members in a group — or to him/herself by posing those, or similar, questions.

That’s one of the features that makes the coaching process so very powerful. I’ve watched 100s — if not 1,000s — of people around the world use core coaching skills to help others transform themselves and their work.

Many people might strongly criticize me for suggesting that coaching is a simple process. I’m not suggesting that. I’m suggesting there’s a central set of techniques is very powerful. Certainly, these can be embellished in many ways — and an explosion of coaching schools have done that.

I’ve watched as the field has become a profession for many, including codes of ethics and credentialing. I look back very fondly on those early years where so many people watched this wondrous new field become so popular to so many — and for good reason.

What do you think?

For more resources, see the Library topic Personal and Professional Coaching.