THE TRAINING PRACTICE | 04 472 6267 | OFFICE@TRAININGPRACTICE.CO.NZ
Change
Constant change and occasional crises are energising for some. For others, they are wearing and potentially stressful
The only thing that is constant is change
Ancient Greek philosopher Heraclitus recognised that change is constant over 2000 years ago. American inventor Benjamin Franklin updated the idea over 200 years ago.
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“But in this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.”
Change has always been inevitable; new technology and shifting expectations mean it’s happening faster than ever.
No successful organisation can stand still for long and expect to be successful. New products, new services, and new ways of working mean we’re always learning new skills and adapting to change. So if you’re a people, project, or thought leader — there’s no escaping that you are a leader of change.
Whether you’re dealing with a planned initiative, a volatile industry, or an unexpected situation, your success depends on how well you lead yourself and others through it. And change is deeply personal for everyone, so you’ll need to be prepared for a spectrum of reactions.
And that’s where we come in. We’ll work with you to understand and fill the gap between where you are and where you need to be.
Preparing for change
Change is inevitable. But not all change is the same. Leading yourself, your team, and your organisation through change takes preparation. As consultants, we help you chart a course.
Some useful first questions:
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What type of change is this?
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How will the organisation, teams, and people be affected?
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What is the change capability of my organisation or team?
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What is the leadership capability of my organisation or team?
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What experience of change have my people had?
Leading people through change
There’s no escaping change as a leader. Being able to effectively lead others through change is a key leadership capability. When people can adapt and manage change effectively it means the organisation is more agile and is better placed to quickly respond.
How people react to change at work is deeply personal. There is a diversity in people’s experiences with change, personal feelings about change, and where people are at when the changes happen.
Our consultancy, learning, and coaching increase leadership capability so leaders can recognise:
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Where people are at in their change journeys
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What losses people will experience because of this change
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How this change is meeting or threatening people’s basic needs
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The different hats they’ll need to wear for change
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How to make changes stick
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How to lead structural changes
Communicating change: telling the change story
When people are going through change they need as much certainty and clarity as possible. The way change is communicated is vital to whether people engage or resist it.
Change leaders need to think about how they’re communicating on multiple levels:
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Articulating the vision
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Creating a line of sight
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Coaching individuals through change
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Answering tricky questions authentically and honestly
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Providing updates and on-going throughout the process
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Recognising and managing resistance
Leading in the new environment
So, you’ve now ‘gone through change.’ We can work with you on approaches to work through the future you want to create. When thinking about the future, ask yourself:
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What should we preserve from the past? What should we discard and recreate?
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How will our team work in the new environment
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What skills do my people need to be effective?
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How inclusive is the environment you’re creating
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What’s the future of your role?
Change resilience
On planes we're told to "put your own oxygen mask on before helping those around you." So take this advice when leading and going through change and take time to concentrate on your own resilience and wellbeing.
Change is an emotive time. That’s why focusing inward is a great first step. Building your change resilience means you are your teams are looking after yourself and have strategies and methods to bounce back from adversity.
Change in the wider State sector
The Government is proposing changes to the structure of the State sector. The focus is on providing joined-up services for customers - that means taking a system-wide view. To do this successfully, agencies are being asked to collaborate.
Leading in the State sector means putting customers at the heart of what you do, and demonstrating a spirit of service to New Zealanders.
Our expertise in models and priorities of central and local government informs our services in this area. Working with us means you can better understand and meet the SSC’s expectations of organisations and leaders.
