Eight Educational Experiences with Emotions
I am feeling joy. I am feeling encouraged. I am feeling… grateful.
The above three emotions were the result of a short future focused self reflection for me, using the Emotional Culture Deck (ECD). How are you feeling today? How are you really feeling? What emotions are you connecting with today?
Misaligned Leadership & the Passive Resistor
Ever wondered how it would feel if you could box up all your emotions and hide them away? It’s strange how we are driven, led or even coaxed down pathways we wouldn’t normally travel, just because of an emotion? We can decide the excitement of the new is greater than the fear of the unknown. We move the limits of confidence because of commitment, and we peer into the uncomfortable because of the joy the result may bring.
Opportunities, Emotions and the Benefits of Forced Choices
I’ve seen emotions in myself that lifted me and also disappointed me. I have seen others demonstrate almost caricatured alter egos as they wrestle with the bubble to the surface of their inner turmoil.
Emotions Fuel Cultural Fire
Emotions are funny ole’ things… but it seems more frequently we hide, cover, stop, or push them aside.
The Future of Change Management Lives Outside the Box
This ever-growing portfolio of transformation needs change professionals to keep adding capabilities to their toolbox, developing deeper intervention practice and broader approaches to engage in…
Change Practitioners should now be supporting Change Recovery
I am very aware that change has significantly affected everyone this year. It’s been a tough 2020. The conversations I’ve been having, discuss how so…
The Change Community needs to take a step forward now!
This is a very personal take on the current state of the world. I do not apologize for its content but respect differences of opinion.…
Daring to look to the future … New Decade, New Directions and New Dimensions Ahead
I recently shared my thoughts on the change space, via video, with the audience at https://www.forandringsledning.com/konferens – a Swedish change management conference held earlier in…
2019 was my VUCA-filled Culture focused extravaganza of change!
I’ve started this blog post 3 times already but playing with the ups and downs of the year is a big challenge. We are now…
Be Agile, Be Ready, Be Bold and Change!
September 30, 2019
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For some time, I’ve been having this conversation that an agile organization, is an organization that is much more resilient and ready for change. Although…
Communications – sometimes…
Sometimes the role is confusing… Sometimes we mess up… Sometimes our communications fail… Sometimes we get it right… Sometimes we just don’t know… Sometimes we…
R³ – Resisting the Resistant Resistor!
Verb, adjective and noun – which sends the greater shockwave through the mind of the change practitioner? Why is the change facilitator only called in…
My Agile Awakening – an Adventure towards Cultural Agility
About 6 years ago I first starting consciously noticing the Agile word coming up in many of my professional social feeds. I think it had…
Eight Lessons Learned as I Reflect on 2017
As I come to the end of the year I have chosen to reflect back on the journey I’ve navigated, the people I’ve engaged with…
Leadership & Change – Part 3: The Personal Journey
August 4, 2017
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Leadership & Change – Part 2: Leadership teams, egos and humblebragging
I’ve faced several challenges writing this second article in the series about leadership and change. To fully explore this next area, I’m going to need…
Leadership & Change – Part 1: The Leadership Word
May 1, 2017
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Revisiting Change Agents and their Networks
Its been a little over 2 years since I first posted about Change Agent networks, the role of Change Agents and their relevant benefits. They…
Brain Bursting in Berlin
I’ve recently returned from the great Berlin Change Days event. An awesome couple of days over a weekend focused on exploring the art of disruption,…
The Double Layer Conference
I attended the ACMP Regional Conference Canada in Toronto just over a week ago. It’s probably taken that much time for me to let the…
Change Management is not one size fits all
Far too many times I have conversations that start by asking what methodology I use for change management. Typically, this comes from a client but…
Having the Courage to Embrace Change
How many times have you fallen off the workout wagon? “Tomorrow” you say. “Tomorrow I will get back on track. What’s one day?” And before…
Change and the Emotional Bank Account
I’m always interested in exploring the true human elements of change management. I regularly have the conversation with others whereby I explain that change is…
Disruptive Change and the 3Rs
Big bang or slow n steady change – which do you prefer? For most people they say that incremental is easier to deal with, not…
LinkedIn – A Change Management Review
I’ve been watching with the interest a recent up tick in comments about LinkedIn losing its MOJO. It generally stems from a relaxation in their…
Exploring a Curiosity in Mindfulness
I’ve seen a lot of chatter about mindfulness recently. It seems to be “in fashion” right now. I have seen it referenced recently for change…
Appreciating Someone’s “A-ha!” Moment
Recently I’ve had a few people ask to meet with me to understand what I do. Now beyond my initial response of “a heck of…
Change Leadership or Change Management?
I’ve been playing with this conundrum for some time: “Do change managers make good change leaders or do change leaders make good change managers?” The…
The Real Reasons to become a Certified Change Agent (CCA) – maybe!
September 16, 2015
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So my last post was a little saccharine coated in terms of the reasoning to do the certification but having had some feedback I decided…
Seven Reasons to Become a Certified Change Agent
Since I launched my certified change agent (CCA) program one of the most common questions I get asked is “why should I do this”. I…
What’s in a Name? (Part 3 of 3)
My previous two blog posts have very much focused on the negative frustrations, ambiguities and misrepresentations of words and phrases. I don’t want to dwell…
What’s in a Name? (Part 2 of 3)
Continuing the conversation from my last post, I will begin with a statement that will probably annoy the most people and no doubt cause some…
What’s in a name? (Part 1 of 3)
Have we short changed ourselves? Have we undervalued or underplayed our hand of cards? Should we be rebranding? What am I talking about? Change Management…
Failure Can be Successful
We’ve all been there when something hasn’t gone quite as expected. In our personal lives we accept misfires, setbacks and curve balls as part of…
Grow your organizational change capacity through high quality change agents
I repeatedly hear that change is getting more and more complex, more and more frequent and more and more rapid. The constant demands are for…
The Benefits of Change Agent Networks
I’m still amazed how many times I have a conversation with a potential client that includes some or all of the following phrases: “But doesn’t…
I’ve been made a Change Agent – what now?
How are you Developing Change Agents in your organization? You know those people placed to support a change, but continue doing the day job as…
Shakespearean Transformation
I was recently fortunate enough to visit Stratford Ontario for a couple of performances in their Shakespeare Festival. This got me thinking that for stories…
The Adolescence of Change Management
“Has change management hit puberty?” An interesting comment made at the recent ACMP Global conference ‘Change Management 2014’. When I heard this statement, it prompted…
Reporting the Organizational Culture?
What is the best method of describing the organizational culture? You’ve got all the information, positive and negative comments, qualitative and quantitative data and various…
Assessing the Organizational Culture
September 14, 2012
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Last time I talked about organizational culture and what it means. Now, so many times senior managers in an organization will ask for a description of their organization’s culture. Great ask, but how can we get that picture of the culture?
What is Organizational Culture?
I have had a few conversations recently where the culture question has come up. Now I am not talking diversity, ethnic representation or the arts.…
Three pigs, goats, a wolf, a troll and the musketeers!
I was recently thinking about fairy tales, legends and other fantasy type stories. It crossed my mind that not only is the rule of three…
Change in China – 10 Tips for Success
I recently worked on an engagement in China. The core activity was an analysis of the companies HR and organization to recommend changes. It was…
What is PRINCE2?
March 10, 2012
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Guest Post on “Change Whisperer” – Gail Severini’s Blog.STRATEGY EXECUTION METHODOLOGIES SERIES. POST 3Click here to read more
Spring Forward or Fall Back – Changing Time
It is that time of year when most of us will soon be going through the ritual of the Bi-annual Clock Change! Thinking about the…
Picturing the Change (Part2)
Pictures can be created in the mind. Sometimes I like to relate change experiences to something the audience can relate to and paint a picture…
Picturing the Change (Part1)
I was recently reminded of the number of graphics and particularly things like change curves, charts and other line or bar charts. Any discussion about…
What is a “Change Enabler” ?
I was involved in a brief twitter exchange today and it got me thinking how we define a change enabler. Do we really know what…
Sometimes it’s Good Not to Talk about Change
December 24, 2011
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So the festivities of the holiday season are now upon us and for many people this will be an opportunity to take a break from…
Change Management Disney Style (Part 2)
December 7, 2011
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Following on from my previous blog post, I am now going to share more insight from the magical wonderland that is Disney. Well actually the…
Change Management Disney Style (Part 1)
November 30, 2011
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I have been away on vacation. Yes even I take a break from work. Part of the trip away involved a week in Disneyland Paris.…
Change Management and its precarious relationship with human resources
November 10, 2011
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Although there are many definitions floating around for change management, I have found myself frequently referring to change management as a bridge between projects and…
How Change Management Affects Project Management
October 27, 2011
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Anyone who chats with me about change management and is aware of my career background should be well aware that I moved into Change Management…
Change & The Small Guy
October 21, 2011
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What an energising and enlightening experience I had this week. I had a booth at the Enterprise Toronto small business forum at the Metro Toronto…
Trust & Change
October 13, 2011
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A longitudinal study of 400 Chicago elementary schools shows the central role of relational trust in building effective education communities. Important consequences play out in…
Arts, Culture & Change
October 7, 2011
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A week ago I did the all night cultural extravaganza that is Nuit Blanche. For those who don’t know, it’s a sunset to sunrise event,…
How FaceBook Poorly Managed their Latest Change
September 22, 2011
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I, like many other people have been challenged this past week with the way Facebook has changed its layout and styling – yet again. It…
Managing Change Saboteurs (or Destructors)
September 12, 2011
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I always consider the words destructor and destroy from which it is derived, as extremely emotive words and evocative of violence and physical threat. Now…
Managing Change Resistors
September 9, 2011
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If only it was as easy as saying “resistance is futile” [Star Trek fans will be familiar with this phrase]. This is the group of…
Managing Change Acceptors
September 6, 2011
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These people are the change reactors are like the best. I know you shouldn’t have favourites, but these are the people I like to deal…
Managing Change Enthusiasts
August 29, 2011
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Whenever a change comes along there are those people who are very happy to see the change and are very encouraging of the change event.…
Four Reactions to Change
August 22, 2011
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Whenever a change activity is announced there are four ways that people can react to the news. Enthusiastic Accepting Resistant Destructive or Saboteur There may…
The When of Change Management (Part2)
August 17, 2011
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Change Management properly focuses on the people of the business experiencing change. That is ensuring they are ready for the change and in the right…
The When of Change Management (Part1)
August 15, 2011
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Thinking of all your standard questions, how, what and why is probably best followed by when. I’ve done recent posts about how to change (Kotter)…
Why you should use Change Management
August 9, 2011
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I have been asked a number of times to describe what a business gets from using a change management professional. Often they see the role…
Reflecting on Symphonic Change Management
August 3, 2011
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Last year I did a short piece comparing change management to conducting an orchestra. I was fortunate to get some really positive and constructive feedback…
Catching up with Kotter
July 26, 2011
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It’s been a while since I’d refreshed my mind with the wonders of John Kotter and his 8 steps for managing change. Our Iceberg is…