Great news!

I’ve been added to the team of contributors on the Global Community Forum for ForwardMetrics!

The facilitators of this forum describe it as “a global community of forward thinkers”.

Contributors range from current and former C-Level executives to business coaches, senior consultants and facilitators who guide the development and execution of strategy.

Material ranges from topic overviews to checklists to expressions of professional opinion from experts in their fields.

There are tons of useful articles on the community forum and fresh content is added almost every day.

My First 2 Cents: My first post on this forum is about resistance to change.

I offer 8 Ways Change Agents Can Deal With Resistance to Change.

The article can be found here – or by clicking the picture below:

Stop by and give it a look…

I’d love to hear your feedback on the article.

Thanks again to everyone for reading my stuff and make it a great week!

-Steve

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Nineteen years ago this month, Nelson Mandela assumed the presidency of South Africa.

His inauguration in Pretoria culminated Mandela’s self-titled “long walk to freedom” that had wound an incredible path across his country and the tapestry of global history.

A Humble Hero: The nation’s first black President had left his childhood village of Mvezo in Umtatu to become the first member of his family to attend school. He worked his way through law school. He became a political activist during the most tumultuous, racially-divided time in any nation’s history.

His activism landed him in prison for decades. The tide of history eventually turned in favor of freedom through his struggle and the efforts of millions of like-minded blacks and whites within and beyond the borders of South Africa.

Nelson Mandela wasn’t just an agent of change.

He fully embodied the purpose, the actions and the results of real and lasting change from within.

Respect or Revenge? One quote from Mandela’s many writings holds particular meaning for us as Change Agents. It’s about how he was to deal with those who had suppressed black South Africans prior to his rise to power. 

He was asked; now that he had the authority to rule the nation, would he take revenge?

Would he drive out the former white oppressors and risk a collapse of the South African economy as their wealth fled with them?

Or would he work directly with the whites as partners and risk appearing weak or capitulating to the millions of blacks who had placed so much faith in him?

His answer was clear, practical and loaded with political risk from every angle.

Not only would he tolerate his enemies, he would directly engage them.

He reasoned:

“If you want to make peace with your enemy, you have to work with your enemy. Then he becomes your partner.”

Mandela’s quote may sound similar to these words attributed to Sun-Tzu, the dispenser of timeless advice regarding the craft of war, politics and power in “The Art of War”:

“Keep your friends close and your enemies closer.”

But Sun-Tzu’s admonishment should be considered within context.

He was advising warriors in the unforgiving art of battle. Some would argue that politics are unforgiving too – and they also involve life and death. But the biggest difference between the two fields is that, in most cases, political struggles allow more room for non-lethal engagement.

So do our change situations, unless something has gone terribly wrong of course…

Change Agent Take-Aways: I suggest Change Agents take Mandela’s approach when dealing with strong opposing forces of resistance to your change. Especially if those forces are gearing up for a fight.

Our goal as agents of change is not to defeat an enemy or overpower the weight of resistance. It’s to guide people through a transition and help along the process of change adoption. In that spirit, we should consider ways to partner with those who disagree with us.

Consider these five guidelines for this challenging task based on Mandela’s direct engagement approach:

1.  Commit to Progress Rather Than “Victory”: Remember that the chances of the adoption process moving forward improve if there’s give and take, so avoid entrenching your positions. Reach out to the other side and establish a forum for dialogue. Value the progress higher than “winning” on behalf of your position in the argument.

2. Be Principled: Successful change may at times involve compromise within the confines of a clear set of principles – so take the time to identify what those principles are for your team. For example, the new President was committed to a non-violent approach, so he tried to maintain a pace of change that would not set off unwarranted altercations.

Detractors screamed that he was rushing the social change process even as supporters argued that he was dragging his feet. Both groups felt they were right from their frame of reference. Mandela’s perspective needed to encompass all positions, so he adopted a guiding principle of engagement and consideration over bending to the critics on either side.

3. Define Expectations: Decide in advance if there are non-negotiable expectations you’ll need stakeholders to meet. In Mandela’s case, he insisted that ALL South Africans deserved economic and political opportunities, so any proposed issue resolution that restricted this freedom was a non-starter.

4.  Avoid Fruitless Confrontation: Direct engagement is meant to head off direct conflict and avoid some of its negative consequences. Direct conflict will often lead to unnecessary collateral damage. Especially if we over-react and use a much stronger force than the situation calls for.

Do your homework before you confront people. Only use the strongest language to address resistance after more considerate overtures have failed to achieve results. This is not to say that you won’t sometimes need to confront stakeholders who are stalling. It’s just to say that you shouldn’t call for tanks in the street at the first sight of slow change adoption.

5.  Your Friends are Still Your Friends – Even if They Occasionally Question You: Be prepared to answer accusations of weakness from your strongest supporters. This doesn’t mean they’re getting ready to flee or they don’t share your goals. They may just question your motives, pace or approach.

Keep the lines of communication open within your team. Listen to their concerns and adapt where you feel it’s appropriate, but avoid the urge to promise confrontation with “the enemy”. You don’t need to convince every single team member to fall in love with the engagement approach, you just need to keep them working together and moving in the same direction.

Conclusion: As Nelson Mandela frittered away endless years in captivity, he could have developed a bitter, revengeful sentiment for those who eventually became his political opponents. He could have taken out that revenge when he became President of all South Africans.

Instead, he chose to represent the broadest definition of his stakeholders – all South Africans, black and white – and he guided them through one of history’s most unlikely transitions. 

The next time you find yourself in a potentially bitter battle over a change, open your mind to the idea of direct engagement.

You may be surprised to learn that your “opponents” are open to dialogue as well.

They were just waiting for you to go first…

-Steve

Questions for Chatter:

1. In what way do we introduce unnecessary risk when we refuse to engage those who disagree with our positions?
2. How can we deal with the perception of weakness that may arise when we chose to engage “the other side”?

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Incoming search terms:

• consequences of trying to make peace with your enemies
• nelson mandela freed

Today’s ‘Link-O-Rama’ has a distinct focus on advice about how humans interact. 

There’s arguing, listening, situational awareness and all the drama of a street fight.

Read on to learn more about authenticity, transparency and how people can actually conflict in a constructive way.

-Steve

1.  I Can See Right Through You: In this short article, Janet Louise Stephenson offers definitions for three characteristics of great Change Agents: “transparency”, “authenticity” and accountability”.

Even when we think we’re “being real”, she suggests that we might be covering up our true needs and perspectives. She argues that once we consider the amount of social conditioning everyone goes through, our knee-jerk responses may not be as authentic as we think!

2.  How to Really Understand Someone: I enjoyed this piece on interpersonal dialogue by Mark Goulston and John Ullmen. Harvard Business Review posted their article as a part of a running series on “High Impact Influencers”. 

The premise of their work is that we can get beyond the superficial layers of conversation and get into some real dialogue if we patiently consider the human/social process of connecting. In this third of four steps along that process, the authors suggest that there are three layers of awareness that really sum up the path to truly understanding someone:

• Situational Awareness: Show the other person(s) that you “Get It” and see the larger context for the dialogue.
• Personal Awareness: Demonstrate that you “Get Them” and understand their personal needs, frame of reference and limitations.
• Solution Awareness: Show that you understand their approach to solving the problem at hand… you “buy in” to at least part of their logic.

I recommend the entire series so click around the links once you get there.

3. Conflict is Good – So Let’s Fight!  Only kidding.  Finally, I ran across an article this morning about how effective teams actually encourage a degree of conflict. They reach higher levels of interaction by letting things flare up a little from time to time. Once the juices get flowing, they enter into a stage of beneficial “sharpening” of ideas through worthwhile criticism. Lisa Kohn of Chatsworth Consulting Group suggests that there are 5 ways to improve how we conflict:

a.  Remember What We Really Want: I’ve always believed that it’s hard to get what you want if you haven’t honestly described a perfect outcome. You can always work toward a compromise postion if you know the basics of what you need in order to be satisfied. But it’s hard to reach contentment ina conflict situation if you don’t clearly capture what would make you happy.

b.  Take a Step Back: Try not to be reactive. Consider the overall context for the engagement. Try to keep from burrowing into only the areas that bother us or excite us.

c.  …But Not Too Far Back: Stay engaged. It can be dangerous to appear disinterested or unwilling to stand up for your opinion.

d.  Get Into Their Shoes: listen to their side with a goal of truly understanding where they are coming from. We can all learn a bit from listening, right?

e.  Get on the Same Side (of the problem) Look for common ground related to solving the problem – not making sure the right person takes the blame, etc.

That’s a Wrap: As long as humans need to interact in group settings, there will be conflict and a need for better problem-solving interactions. We have all seen what happens when we are left to our own devices to figure out how to reconcile competing interests, and the results are typically not that good.  So check out these articles and keep sending your ideas for future posts here on theBigRocks.

-Steve

Questions for Chatter:

1. Have you ever been the victim of someone refusing to even try to understand your position? What did you learn from that interaction?
2. Describe the best facilitation of conflict you’ve ever witnessed. What techniques might you be able to add to your toolkit from that experience?

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That’s a pretty impressive accolade considering that many people – including some of these same peers – believed his business model was destined to failure when he launched Amazon (as Cadabra) not even a decade ago.

Yes, He Built That: Bezos incorporated his dream company in July 1994, and the website now known as the world’s top internet retail destination went online as Amazon.com in 1995.  Amazon now employs over 88,000 people and generated annual revenues of over $60 Billion in 2012.

The hallmarks of Bezos’ leadership style have been innovation, customer service and maintaining a long-term focus.

A Radical in a Suit: I believe he’s one of the world’s premier Change Agents and we can all take a cue from him.

Today’s discussion introduces one of my favorite Jeff Bezos quotes and offers a few insights Change Agents can draw from it.

His quote refers to the addictive power of shiny objects:

Change Agent Take-Away:  There’s a common negative phrase that often pops up during failed change initiatives.  It’s called “Flavor of the Month”. This disparaging term is meant to describe a shiny new idea that “the boss has fallen in love with”. The problem is that the boss falls in love with some new idea every month – and these ideas rarely get fully implemented.

With “flavor of the month” changes, there could be a lot of loud and impressive rhetoric shared at the launch event, but not a lot of clear rationale. The flash of attention and hand-waving can mask holes in the business case.

Even though the shiny new idea is made to sound super-important and everything else is shoved aside to make room for the new concept, everyone knows the romance won’t last.

It Won’t Last: The track record of follow-through is all the average employee needs to see in order to decide to postpone jumping on the bandwagon. Of course the results of this type of change are usually poor. Worse yet, people start to ignore future changes in hopes that they will just blow over like a spring rain shower.

The boss will lose focus. Other priorities will crowd the change out. A different hot idea will catch the leader’s eye next month – so the shiny change can safely be ignored. 

Avoid the Shiny Trap: To avoid getting hammered by the hazards of hollow hoopla, Change Agents should:

2.  Expect to Measure: Define how that benefit of this change will be measured in tangible terms that stakeholders will recognize.

5.  Work the Plan: Ensure that the organization follows through on the work behind the change.  (“Work the Plan”)

 

6.  Collect Data: Insist that you be allowed to gather real data on change adoption. (Here’s an earlier post on this subject called “Data is King”.)

1. Have you been a victim of “flavor of the month” change?
2. What has worked for you as a Change Agent to ensure that your change doesn’t stall out before the implementation is complete?
3. Have you ever found it intimidating to question the “boss” about the logic behind a change? 

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Incoming search terms:

• collecting buttons rocks and shinny objects
• raise red flag

In some years, that joy is magnified by the experience of a harsh winter.

Such is the case for a lot of my friends in the Northern United States this year. They had one of the longest, most miserable winters in recent memory. For some reason, this winter seemed to linger way beyond its normal duration.

Storm after storm rolled through, dumping down unwelcome snow and ice.

People started to wonder if their calendars were lying to them.

Judging by the flurry of candid Facebook photos my friends posted this past weekend – showing people bike-riding, picnicking and doing just about anything as long as it’s done outdoors – I’d say they appreciated the arrival of Spring 2013 a little bit more than most.

In dozens of blog posts over the past several years, I’ve talked about something called the “change curve”. It’s a well-worn theory that people go through a process as they adapt to change.

Sometimes that adoption process moves along smoothly, but many times it stalls out in a “pit of despair”.  Sometimes all progress toward change adoption hits a brick wall when a person recognizes the true impact of their pending choices. Eventually that realization leads people toward a decision whether to adopt the change or just plain leave.

As a Change Agent, you’ll often be asked to help guide people through dark, chilly times like that.

So bundle up and dig in, because it won’t be easy… At times it will feel like a blustery season of discontent.

But the satisfaction you’ll feel when your stakeholders “make it through” that curve will be worth it.

It may even feel a bit like the warm, welcome sunshine my friends up North enjoyed this weekend after a long, cold winter.

-Steve

Question for Chatter:

• How can you help someone who’s struggling to face a difficult change?

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I encourage you to wander through these tips and pick a few to try.

Before I jump into today’s final list of things Change Agents can do to help their planet, here’s a recap of the week:

Monday: Ten Ways to Save Water

Tuesday: Five Ways to Use Less Electricity

Wednesday: A Dozen Ways to Reduce Heating & Cooling Costs

Thursday: Five Transportation Corners You Can Cut

Friday: Five Ideas for Recycling & Reuse

Today, I’ll close this series with a nasty topic; the amount of chemicals we pour into our environment.

Chemicals, Chemical, Chemicals… Yuck!  We all enjoy the convenience provided by “a better life through science”. But the downside is a dangerous one. Our society produces a lot of toxic waste and that mess needs to be treated with caution.

I’m neither a medical professional nor a scientist, so I’ll leave the study of the negative impacts of environmental pollution and rampant chemical use to the experts. Either way, I think it’s probably a good idea to keep nasty products far from the water we drink and out of the air we breathe.

Below I offer you a handful of ways we can all contribute to lowering the amount of dangerous toxins that flow into the ecosystem:

1.  Ditch that Drawstring Bag: Buy clothes that don’t need to be dry cleaned. Think of the money and time you’ll save!

2.  If You Must…: Consider patronizing “green cleaners” if you absolutely must dry clean items.

3.  Clean Up Your Household Cleaners: Consider using natural, non-toxic cleaning products where you can.  We use vinegar and water around the house with good results and we use this stuff called ‘Simple Green” to wash outdoor items like patio furniture.

4.  Mix It at Home! Check out this great list of homemade cleaning products from Earth Easy that includes basic ingredients like baking soda, alcohol, borax, lemon and corn starch.

5.  If It Really Bugs You: This site from PioneerThinking.com has a ton of natural ways to control bothersome garden pests without resorting to dangerous chemicals.  

6.  Avoid Tossing Electronics into your regular trash. They typically contain mercury, which is a known cause of all sorts of health problems in the general population. Donate them or look for recycle bins at your local electronics retailer or hardware store.

7.  Safely Dispose of Florescent Bulbs: The phosphorus and mercury inside some florescent bulbs can be dangerous, so recycle these at your hardware store or city recycling center. In some municipalities, you can actually get in trouble for placing items like this with toxic heavy metals in with your regular trash.

8.  Clean Up Your Trash: Instead of dropping wicked chemicals onto your trash, click this link to Earth911 to find where you can drop off toxic stuff in your community. This is the most comprehensive recycle site I’ve seen – it even tells you how to safely dispose of aerosol cans, pesticides, paints and old medications!

There You Have It! During this Earth Day week, I’ve tried to make the point that taking care of the Earth is not just some big idea that’s so huge the average individual cannot have an impact.  In fact, a series of small decisions and simple acts repeated by millions of individuals thousands of times can and will make a difference.

Next week, I’ll get back into more standard fare for theBigRocks. (…fun stuff like teamwork, leadership, communication, change agent skills, resistance to change and the like…)

Until then, thanks for reading and keep sending me your ideas for future articles!

-Steve

Questions for Chatter:

1. What can you do if your community doesn’t have a chemical drop-off point?
2. Do you have any favorite natural cleaners or simple substitutes for harsh chemicals?

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Incoming search terms:

• in the end are all mortal

Earth Day was Monday and I’ve spent this week offering ways that Change Agents can go beyond impacting their work for the better by contributing to protecting the environment.

Here’s a recap of the week:

Monday:  10 Water-Saving Tips

Tuesday:  5 Ways to Save on Your Electricity Bill

Wednesday:  12 Heating & Cooling Cutters

Thursday:  5 Earth-Friendly Transportation Tips

Today, we’ll consider a few easy things that anyone can do to reduce the amount of junk they pile into their local landfill:

1.  Think Before You Toss It. Stop yourself each time you pull out the wastebasket. Consider if the item you are pitching could be recycled. Recycling is almost always a good idea with paper, cardboard, clean plastics and glass.  It’s best to rinse out all bottles and cans before recycling them.

2.  Say Hello to the Big Green Bins: Sign up for community recycling program if your community offers it.  Usually its free – or included in the cost of your trash collection.

3.  One Exception: Most recycling programs don’t accept packaging that has food stuck to it. A pizza box is a great example of an item that might look like a perfect candidate for recycling, but the embedded food can mess up the recycling process, so most recyclers advise that we do not mix them with our recycling.

4.  Can It Be Reused? If you think about it, almost everything we throw away could have a potential secondary use. Food scraps can go into a compost pile, empty containers can be used in the garage, egg cartons make great mini-pots for starting plants, etc.

5.  My Personal Favorite ReUse Story: Coffee grounds provide a great source of additional organic matter for your flower beds. Starbucks actually gives used grounds away for free. Look around next time you’re getting a mocha-frappe-half-caff-latte there. You’ll see a box, basket or pail with basketball-sized bags of used coffee grounds tightly-wrapped in their original packages. 

They will be labelled “Grounds for Your Garden”. Sprinkle the used coffee grounds liberally over your soil and work them in with a small hand rake. I’ve turned this little trick more than once and each time it makes our garden smell great for several days!

Let’s Do It! Being a Change Agent for the planet not only helps put change back in our pockets, it helps us improve the world around us and feel better about the way we interact with our environment.

Tomorrow’s final post of this “Earth Week” will get into a nasty subject: Chemicals – and how we can reduce the amount of harmful pollutants we allow into the air and water systems we share with those around us.

-Steve

Questions for Chatter:

• What can you do if your community doesn’t have curbside recycling?
• Do you have any other unique recycling tips for us?

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Incoming search terms:

• free images of recycled glass

So far we’ve looked at three areas where we can easily make a positive impact:

Monday: Ten Ways to Conserve Water.

Tuesday: Five Simple Tips to Trim Our Use of Electricity.

Wednesday: A Dozen Ways to Reduce Heating & Cooling Costs.

Today, I’ll address another area where Change Agents can adjust their habits and really contribute to the world around them: Transportation.

Let’s Get This Show on the Road! Consider the following ways we can use personal transportation to a lesser degree.

By doing this, we reduce pollution, save money and change the environment in a good way for everyone around us.

Here are 5 transportation tips that might work for you:

1.  Queue up your Errands. Instead of running out 2-3 times a day to get one or two things, plan to go out just once per day – or better yet, just a few times per week. We keep an index card or a scrap of paper on the kitchen counter and build a list of what we’ll need and then knock out several errands in one trip.

2.  Make a Loop: Arrange your stops in a circuit so you don’t waste gas or time by back-tracking.

3.  Phone It In: If your job allows it, telecommute when you can. I regularly use NetMeeting, WebEx, Skype and the good old Conference Call technology to join my clients in meetings from my home office.

(I’ve heard that MeetingBurner and OmniJoin are very good too, so check them out if you get a chance.  I’m not sure if DimDim is still around but I used it a lot a few years ago.)

Do the math: Just one day of telecommuting per week should reduce your transportation costs by 20%. Depending on your situation, this approach might also save you money on parking, car maintenance, lunches and highway tolls.

4.  Take a Bus, Train or Subway. This doesn’t work for everyone, but plenty of folks are so good at it don’t even bother owning a car.

5.  Ride a Bike or Walk. This is another tip that might not work all the time, but it might apply to some of those short trips and situations where you don’t have to carry lots of heavy stuff. We live near a university and we’ve noticed a regular flow of bike-riding commuters who live in our neighborhood.

Bike-to-Work Month! Several cities are participating in the National Bike-to-Work Month during the month of May. Some communities will focus on biking for a day, a week or the entire month. Apply a little Google Magic and you can find out what’s going on with that in your neck of the woods.

Check out National Bike-to-Work Month

Two Birds. One Stone: In addition to the cost savings and the obvious environmental positives, biking and walking are among the most efficient ways to exercise!

So Let’s Get Movin’! Being a Change Agent for the planet not only helps put change back in our pockets, it helps us improve the world around us and feel better about the way we interact with our environment.  Try a few of these locomotion tips and see if you feel better about your transportation habits in no time.

Our Next Stop is Greenville! Tomorrow’s article will touch on an area where you can feel pretty good by changing just a few simple habits every day: Recycling and Reusing.

-Steve

Questions for Chatter:

In what other ways can we reduce our transportation costs & environmental impact?

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Change Agents can do more than impact their places of work. They can change the world – starting in their homes and communities.

In recognition of Earth Day, this week, I’m sharing a few simple tips that each of us can take to contribute to sustaining the planet. In Monday’s article, I listed ten ways to save water. Tuesday’s post included five simple ways to cut your use of electricity.

Today I’d like to get into the single largest area of energy use for most of us: heating and cooling.

Check out this list of a dozen straight-forward ways to reduce the amount of energy we use keeping our spaces warm in the winter and cool in the summer:

1.  Check Your ‘Stats: Most of us only look at the thermostat when we feel a need to change it. So it’s easy to get complacent about how much AC or heating energy we actually use. Heating and cooling costs make up 54% of the typical home energy bill according to the U.S. Department of Energy. Start by taking a few minutes to understand how your thermostat works. 

2.  Program Your Thermostat. If your thermostat has a programmable feature, use it to save energy when you are out of the house or asleep.

3.  Let Your Thermostat Program Itself! Better yet, check out the Nest thermostat. We bought one a few months ago and it’s freakishly programmable. It comes with an iPhone app that allows you to control your home environment remotely. It even “learns” when we’re away, sleeping or otherwise less likely to need heating or cooling. We’re well on our way to saving enough cash on our energy bills to pay for this cool gadget. According to this article, many homeowners are saving up to 20% using just the built-in features of the Nest.  I highly recommend it.

4.  Check your filters. Decreased airflow = extra run time for your system, so keep air flowing freely. We swap our filters out the first weekend of every month as a habit. Seems like a no-brainer, but I had an Air Conditioning service guy once tell me that he often sees units break down in half their expected life span just because they were unnecessarily overworked due to dirty filters. This is the single easiest way to prolong the life of your HVAC system.

5.  Clean your vents and ducts regularly. Also make sure nothing is blocking the intake or output vents so air circulates more readily.

6.  Try Reusable Filters: We invested in a reusable filter for our main intake vent and we wash it monthly. This cuts waste and saves money over the long run.

7.  Bundle Up! Toss on socks and a sweatshirt in the winter and set your heat as low as you can.

8.  Keep a Blanket on the Couch. You’re more likely to keep the heat down it if it’s handy.

9.  Open Wide! In winter, keep the shades or curtains on your south-facing windows open during the day to let in natural sunlight and heat. Close them at night to reduce the radiating cold effect of the windows.

10.  Chill Out! In the summer – wear shorts and go barefoot around the house – and set your AC as high as you comfortably can.

11.  Be More Shady: During the summer, keep shades or curtains closed during the day to block the sun’s heat and open them at night to take advantage of the cooling effect of the exposed glass.

12. Lemme Upgrade! Finally, when you replace appliances and heating/cooling systems, look for energy-efficient models with higher “Energy Star” ratings.

Start by checking the settings on your heating and cooling system this week and determine where you can save. Try a few more of these tips and you’ll soon be cashing in. It will not only pay off for you personally, but it will contribute to your work as a Change Agent for the planet.

Tomorrow we’ll get into transportation as a source of savings and a topic of environmental awareness.

-Steve

Question for Chatter:  In what other ways have you cut your Heating and Air Conditioning costs?

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Incoming search terms:

• cost of Nest

It saves money.

It’s also good for the environment.

In honor of Earth Day, this week I’m sharing a few easy ways we can impact our world for the better.

Today’s focus is on saving energy.

Here are 5 simple tips to cut your electricity bill:

1.  Use Smarter Light Bulbs: The basic operation behind the incandescent light bulb is largely unchanged since it was invented over 100 years ago. I’ll bet Thomas Edison wasn’t thinking much about cutting his light bill when he flipped that switch on the first marketable filament bulb. 

Even though the technology is far more efficient today, it pales in comparison to that of Compact Fluorescents and LED’s. Of course the new bulbs are much more expensive per bulb to install, but they pay off in the long run.

If you find the cost of these new high tech bulbs a bit steep, consider buying one package of CFL’s or one LED bulb per month and gradually swapping out those heat-generating incandescent dinosaurs.

2.  Kill the Vampires! Unplug stuff when you’re not using it – especially cords that plug in with those big black cubes. These “vampires” suck a certain amount of electricity even when idle, so unplug them in between charges or only use them with a “smart power strip” that senses when energy is not needed. 

It’s kind of like whacking a wooden stake through their energy-wasting hearts…

3.  Nuke it! Use your Microwave to cook instead of using the oven or stove top. The microwave is far more efficient and obviously faster.  

Avoiding the oven all together also keeps your house cooler in the summer.

4.  Lighten Your Laundry Load: Line dry your clothes as much as possible. Consider getting a cheap clothes rack or hanging stuff over chairs, towel bars or a shower rod to dry overnight. Line-dried jeans might start out a bit stiff, but you’ll feel good stretching them out because you’ll know you did the right thing…

5.  Keep Your Eye on the Ball: Use dryer balls to keep the clothes you do toss in the dryer from clumping up and taking longer to dry. Yes, they actually work.

Try a few of these energy-saving pointers this week. You’ll save a bit of money and contribute to the larger cause of saving the planet. That’s the kind of impact a Change Agent can be proud of.

Tomorrow we’ll continue the Earth Day theme by taking a stab at that Air Conditioning and Heating bill.

-Steve

Question for Chatter:

What other energy-saving tips have you tried?

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Monday is Earth Day in the United States. 

I’m not positive, but I think the original purpose of Earth Day was to have us take one day each year to step back and appreciate the beauty and fragility of our planet – and then commit to doing something to preserve it.

Hip, Hip, Hurray!  I’m not exactly a hippie – but I am hip on saving a few bucks on my bills. So today’s post is not about the usual change agent stuff.

It’s about a different type of change… the kind that jingles in your pocket.  It’s also about changing the way we interact with the planet so we can each leave this place better than we found it.

Over the course of the week, I’d like to reinforce the notion that we are each agents of change within our communities. We can make small choices that are not just good for our pocketbooks, but good for everyone.

Today’s focus: Change How We View Water. Doing so can change how much water you consume and how much you pay for it.  Considering that only 1% of the Earth’s water is actually available for humans to use, you might want to change your thinking and try some of these 10 water-saving tips:

1.  Ditch Bottled Water. Get an aluminum or hard plastic water bottle and fill it with purified/filtered tap water.  Most community buildings have water fountains of course, but did you know that many airports are adding filtered water stations for passengers who carry containers in lieu of buying little $5 jugs of H2O once they’ve cleared through security?

2.  Get a Rain Barrel. Collect natural rainwater for watering gardens and flowerbeds. The ones with screens and devices that filter the rain on the way in are good for reducing the risk of developing icky algae in your free water supply.

3.  Choose Drought-Resistant Plants & Grasses when you design your landscaping. They’ll be less thirsty and look good with minimal upkeep.

4.  Bath or Shower? The average bath takes about 70 gallons of water. The average shower takes 12-25. Looks to be an easy call.

5.  Time your Showers. Then Cut Off 1 Minute. Shorter showers obviously use less water – but they can also dramatically cut your bills by reducing the money you pay to heat that water.

6.  Try a Low-Flow Shower Head. It might not be for everyone, but it can decrease your use of shower water by as much as 75%, so it could pay for itself in no time. The water department in one town where I worked even gave these gadgets away for free.

7.  Fill ‘Er Up! Only do full-sized loads of laundry. The average washing machine uses 40 gallons to do each load. With many machines, the amount of water used is nearly the same or even higher with small loads.

8.  Same Goes for Your Dishwasher – Only run it when it’s full. Tests show that most people rinse their dishes way too much while they load the dishwasher too. Rinsing can be drastically reduced for most machines with a savings of 10-20 gallons per load.

9.  Wash Your Clothes With Cold Water. As much as 85% of the energy used to wash clothes with hot water is eaten up by simply heating the water!

10.  Get Some Big Air! Finally, check that you have aerators on all of your faucets. If the water flow hisses slightly and the stream is white, you probably do. If the flow is dense and clear, you might not. The aerator is that little device that injects air into your water as it comes out to increase water pressure and provide a more full stream while using a lot less water. If your aerator gets gunked up, pop it out and replace it or soak it overnight in vinegar to break up corrosion. Here’s a self-help guide on how to do that.

Water is a precious resource and using it wisely isn’t just good for the planet, it makes good financial sense.

Be a Change Agent for the Planet and try a couple of these tips this week.

Tomorrow I’ll share several easy ways to save money by changing our habits around the use of energy.

-Steve

Questions for Chatter:

• What other water-saving tips have you learned?
• Is saving water such a big deal? Isn’t there plenty of water to go around?

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• earth days waTERING PLANTS
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Most of his tales of the Hundred Acre Wood involved characters such as Tigger, Eeyore and Christopher Robin, but some of the most memorable lines are exchanged between best friends Pooh and Piglet.

Milne’s writings may have been directed toward children, but they contain embedded insights of great value to adults as well.

Some of my favorite Milne references involve being less impulsive and reflecting fondly on one’s friends and the comforts of life.

Milne’s works even became the subject of a popular book a few years ago called “The Tao of Pooh” which encouraged people to slow down and take a more introspective view of life and relationships.

Today I’ll share six quotes related to Milne’s work. 

Each quote has a message for Change Agents.  

Enjoy!

I’ll start with my personal favorite from “The Tao of Pooh”:

“You can’t save time. You can only spend it. But you can spend it wisely or foolishly.”

This one is pretty self-explanatory. We each start the day with the exact same time resources. Even if half of our day is already defined for us before we wake up, as Change Agents we should always remember that how we spend our time is – and always will be – the collective result of the choices we’ve made based on our values and our priorities.

If my statement makes the hair on the back of your neck stand up, please take a deep breathe, re-read it and try again.

“Don’t underestimate the value of Doing Nothing, of just going along, listening to all the things you can’t hear, and not bothering.”

Early in my career, a boss introduced me to an old rule of thumb based on the number of holes in my head. He called it Cardinal Rule 2.2.1 and it goes like this: “You have five holes in your head and they are meant to be used in proportion. Spend 40% of your effort using your two ears to listen and another 40% using your two eyes to watch. Spend the other 20% opening your mouth to talk.”  

I encourage Change Agents to listen first, talk second and continuously watch for the telltale signs of stakeholders in need.

“Weeds are flowers, too, once you get to know them.”

As a Change Agent, I can almost guarantee that you will eventually bump into someone who doesn’t think highly of you. In fact, they might express outright disdain for you. Sometimes this is because you represent a change that is going to be difficult for them. Sometimes it’s just because of the way you look or speak. 

Rather than confronting the person or seeking to “defeat” them or “fix” them, try listening to their needs without absorbing the negative blow. This will not be easy, but it can be done and the payoff can be great.

I still remember the first time that I handled this type of situation well. Someone blasted me without mercy – mostly because I of what I represented. I calmly and respectfully allowed him to vent (in front of a large room full of people) and he eventually caved in to peer pressure and started contributing in a more productive way. It opened new doors of capability for me to be able to help people who genuinely disliked me.

“You’re braver than you believe, and stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.”

Don’t shrink from your role as a Change Agent. You have more influence than you may realize and your knowledge of the overall situation gives you a unique perspective. Even if your natural inclination is to be more introverted than extroverted, you can still represent the change in a way that positively influences others.

 “Rivers know this: there is no hurry. We shall get there some day.”
&

 “The things that make me different are the things that make me.”

Each person brings unique skills and experiences to the change process. Instead of trying to squeeze everyone into the same mold, Change Agents should consider leveraging different “champions” to reach different stakeholders and allowing stakeholders to adapt at their own pace (within reasonable limits). Listen to the experiences of others as they go through the change and share these potentially helpful ideas with others. Most of all, don’t try to “hammer” people through the change adoption process. Instead take the approach of providing them with the resources and time to adapt on their own where possible.

It turns out that Pooh Bear had some pretty sharp insight for a stuffed animal…

-Steve

Question for Chatter:

1. Which of Pooh’s ideas for Change Agents sound like they might work for you?

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• winnie the pooh on change

Today’s article is written by a guest blogger named Robert Blaga.

Robert is a full-time trainer for a European based multinational company and he’s passionate about leadership, communication and learning.

I highly encourage you to check out his blog for internal trainers at http://robertblaga.com/. There you will find useful materials and great insights from someone who is working “in the trenches” – but also has a great eye for how to make things better for his team.

In the article below, Robert shares a simple, effect technique to address a common problem Change Agents face when good ideas are rejected because they represent a threat to “business as usual”.

The Trojan Horse Inside the Walls of Change

Last week I received this question from a friend involved in a major change effort:

“How can I implement my ideas when I have no power? What I think we should do to support change is not how business as usual is conducted.”

His challenge has also been my challenge over the years and I’m sure if you have ever been asked to make change happen in your organization, you have faced similar uphill battles.

Those in positions near the bottom of the organizational chart often have great ideas to improve how things work, but they lack the authority and resources to make these changes happen by themselves. And when they propose things to upper management, very often they are shut down by excuses like “that’s just not the way we do business around here”.

Sound familiar? I’m guessing it does.

What can we do about it?

To answer this question, first we must understand the reason behind rejections based on “business-as-usual”.

Often, upper management gives the impression that they have other, more important things to deal with than new ideas that originate within the employee base. So they don’t really listen – and by doing so, they fail to recognize an idea’s potential. They use this “gentle” approach to reject something they don’t fully see as an opportunity.

When this happens, Change Agents have two options:

1.  Forget about it. Let your good idea wither on the vine.

2.  Fight for it. Prove to the organization that your idea is solid.

If you chose the first option, you should stop reading right now.

If you chose the second one, I’ll offer a tactic I’ve been using successfully for the past five years. I call it “The Trojan Horse”. The idea may sound familiar, however, unlike the wooden horse that brought down the city of Troy, this approach is used to make things better, not worse.

Here’s the strategy:

1.  Scale It Down: If upper management rejects your initial proposal, the first thing to try is to take your idea and scale it down.

For example, a few years ago I begged a training manager to allow me to completely redesign a leadership course I was being asked to deliver. The concepts and the method within the original material was “old school” – as in 250 words/slide and the trainer is a presenter rather than a facilitator. My suggestion to improve the material was initially rejected. The explanation?  The material was written in the company’s “official training style” because it was important that everyone deliver consistent training. So I scaled down my idea, and instead of thinking about the whole training, I decided to focus on introducing only one new concept.

2.  Just Do It: The second step is to completely ignore the rejection and implement the scaled down idea. In my case, I took that new concept, delivered it to the group and collected feedback on it. In this case, the feedback was great.

3.  Report Back: The third step is to report back to the manager what you’ve done and the results. They might be upset with you, but you can play innocent since you only implemented a tiny fraction of your idea. And besides, you have data to prove the effort was worth it.

4.  Ask Again: The fourth activity in the Trojan Horse approach is to humbly ask for permission to continue with this small idea of yours. It has been my experience that in 9 cases out of 10, the person in charge will say yes because this time you don’t just have an idea, you have data to prove the opportunity.

What you’ve just done has opened the gates of Troy for the Trojan Horse that is your great idea. You’ve also proven the value of the idea with facts and data. Now that you have permission for a small change you can take further steps to implement the big change.

The Rest of the Story: It’s now a couple of years later and the leadership program that I wanted to redesign is now 90% changed because I chose the Trojan Horse path. It took a while, but as I returned from time to time to report new “tiny” but successful changes in the program, the discussion became easier and the approval rate for my ideas grew.

Robert offers a free Manifesto for Internal Trainers on his website.

The keys to successfully implementing The Trojan Horse strategy are to choose your approach carefully, to strive for a steady rate of progress, engage in small steps and to take your time.

Keep it Real: Finally, as you discover and test out new ideas, it’s very important to be true to yourself!  For example; if, while testing a new change, you discover that the idea is actually bad for the business, let business as usual continue and choose to attack another castle.

Summary: Change Agents can choose to abandon their great ideas when faced with the familiar management rejection tactic called “business as usual”. 

Or they can choose to storm the castle of resistance using the Trojan Horse approach I’ve described here. I’ve used it successfully to implement incremental improvements in my organization and I believe it could work for you.

Questions for Chatter:

1. Have you experienced the kind of internal resistance to change that Robert describes?
2. How well do you think a “Trojan Horse” approach might work in your organization?

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• trojan horse

Thomas Jefferson loved to write – not only because he was good at it, but because he knew it to be one of the most effective ways to motivate people toward social progress.

Prior to serving as the third US President, he was was entrusted by the Founding Fathers to draft the Declaration of Independence – the most focal document of the young American Revolution.

Jefferson’s writing style was direct, yet eloquent. His mark on history is undeniable.

I love this Jefferson quote on brevity:

With a nod toward Monticello, here’s a rule of thumb I try to follow when drafting written communication:

1.  Brainstorm everything that might be a part of the message.

2.  Organize the ideas into a crisp outline. Include a context-setting intro, a logical flow of content and a brief summary.

3.  Edit down the content. My goal is to try cutting the word count in half. (Per Jefferson’s suggestion to never use two words when one will do…)

4.  Review the material with someone you trust. Insist on independent feedback – especially focus on the message’s clarity.

Jefferson knew the power of words well written. 

He also knew the incredible impact of brevity.

The most effective Change Agents follow his example every day.

-Steve

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Major League Baseball returned this past week signaling the official end of winter.

Most fans don’t start to pay attention to baseball until the games count in the pennant race. But the 30 Major League teams have actually been practicing and playing for well over a month now.

Today’s post is about an idea that comes to my mind every year around this time…

It’s the notion that teams – whether they are business teams trying to implement change or baseball teams trying to win the World Series – need to prepare before “taking the field”.

The Sounds of Spring! Consider all the familiar rituals baseball teams go through each spring as the season approaches:

-  Players report to training camp early to stretch out and get their wind back before “real” games begin.

-  Coaches run players through intense drills to reinforce fundamentals.

-  Managers experiment with different lineup combinations, pitching rotations and batting orders.

-  Pitchers test out new pitches and batters adjust hitting techniques.

-  Even the TV and radio announcers gather details about new players who’ve moved around during the offseason.

And of course, everyone sharpens their skills by actually playing under the lowered pressure of Spring Training games.

All of this preparation was done in March so players, coaches, managers and announcers could perform at their best starting this week.  Everyone knows the upcoming schedule will include playing almost every day, so there will be little time to make adjustments without risking a dip in actual on-field performance during games that count!

Time to Prepare: The same ideas about preparation hold true for Change Agents. You’ll want to have a clear plan.

You’ll want to have your lineup set. You’ll need everyone working together from Day-1.

Once your transition begins, the activity level could get so high that it will be difficult to introduce new plans.

In the spirit of a manager preparing a baseball team for the upcoming season, Change Agents should start getting people ready for their change initiative well in advance.

Before you launch your big change, decide who will be on the roster for your Change Team and who will play what roles. (Sponsors, champions, activity coordinators, project managers, communicators, trainers, support roles, etc.) Identify the key skills your team members will need and have your team practice these skills before you have to count on them in real situations.

What’s the Plan?  Lay out your team’s game plan by identifying these 15 things:

1.  The rationale – exactly what your change is about and how to explain it to those who are affected.
2.  The specific measurable achievements your team should expect to accomplish (and what you’ll do if you miss those milestones!)
3.    What big decisions need to be made and the timing of these decisions.

4.  Who will be impacted by the change.
5.  The degree and nature of the change impact – especially if it varies by different parts of your organization.
6.  How you’ll measure change readiness among your stakeholders.
7.  What activities will be needed.
8.  Who will do the work.
9.  The timing and sequence of change-related activities.

10.  Resources, money, materials and access to equipment you’ll need over the course of the change initiative.

11. How inter-team communication will be accomplished.

12. What specific “gives & gets” you’ll need from sponsors, champions, trainers, etc.

13. How you’ll communicate with stakeholders about learning opportunities, progress of the change and where to go for help.

14. How you’ll support people through their transition.

15. The specific activities, outcomes, and deliverables needed from any vendors who are helping with your change

Take the time to gather this information before your project starts. Review commitments and plans with those who will be involved just to make sure your team is on the same page before the first pitch.  Verify the skills your team will need and practice prior to launching into your change.

Borrowing this approach from the ball field could potentially help you avoid a change shutout! 

Who knows, if you do your Spring Training drills and diligently prepare your team for the upcoming “season of change”, you might find yourself winning the pennant!

-Steve

Questions for Chatter:

-       Have you been part of the change that failed to adequately prepare before diving into the work? 

-       How did a lack of preparation impact the final results for your change?

PS: Read another baseball-themed article about the preparation needed to be successful with your change by visiting another post I created on this topic called “Turn the Promise of Spring Into a Ring”.

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• Which team will play ball today

So today’s post celebrates the work of one of the game’s great mentors.

As a young man, Ray Miller was a baseball pitcher – and a good one.

He was talented enough to get drafted out of High School and rise to the AAA level of minor league ball.

Although he never made it to the Big Leagues as a hurler, Ray Miller did find his calling as a pitching coach.  He served in that role with the Baltimore Orioles and Pittsburgh Pirates where he helped several young stars reach the 20-win plateau. Three of his staff members even won the coveted Cy Young Award which is given to the League’s best pitcher each year.

It’s safe to say that Ray Miller knows a thing or two about throwing a baseball.

Coach Miller boiled down his gift for teaching the art of pitching into a simple six-word mantra which he pounded into the minds of his pitchers for decades:

“Work fast.    Throw strikes.   Change speeds.”

Based on his results, I’d say he got it right.

Change Agents can take a cue from Coach Miller as they work to help people adapt to change.

Here’s how:

Remember that as a Change Agent, people will be watching you! They will be looking for leadership, communication and assistance. Don’t let the team down!

1.  Work Fast: Come out of the gates with a bang and you’ll get the attention of those you seek to help.  Establish a rhythm as you work and you’ll be in the game.

-  Communicate the basis for the change.
-  Explain the rationale.
-  Give people a place to go if they have questions.
-  Once your change initiative gets rolling, you need to maintain momentum.
-  Execute the work of guiding your change – show up and get the activities done.
-  Don’t let your work as a Change Agent get lost among the other priorities of your week. Keep plugging away and track your progress.
-  Seek feedback on how the work of change adoption is going.
-  Provide regular status updates to your leadership team and your stakeholders.

2.  Throw Strikes.  As a Change Agent, you’re only going to get so many opportunities to get your point across – so make every pitch count:

- Make sure your team gets aligned and stays aligned on what the change means and how it will unfold.
- Take the time to develop your messages before communicating.
- (See my earlier posts on how to develop good change-related communications)
- Explore how the change will impact different people in different ways.
- Target your training and communication efforts based on the various levels and types of change people will face.
- Seek out questions from those who are impacted.
- Find out how well individuals are adapting and stay focused on their needs because that’s your strike zone!
- Answer stakeholder questions in an honest and straight forward way.

3.  Change Speeds. Avoid getting stuck in a rut when it comes to helping people adopt your change. Even a .250 hitter will eventually hit your best fastball if that’s all you throw!

-  Mix it up a little. Read up on innovative ways to help people adapt and try something new when things get stale.
-  Don’t forget to reward people for trying to adopt the change! Many work settings are so devoid of recognition that even a simple “thank you” will be met with great appreciation.
-  Use multiple channels to reach your impacted audiences.
-  Try different training and communication techniques. People respond to different adult learning methods and messaging approaches.
-  Take into account that some folks are self-starters while others may need to be dragged forward!
-  Don’t guess what people are thinking about the change – go ask!
-  Fill in the gaps based on that feedback.

Bring in the Closer: One final thought: Avoid assuming you’ll win the game of change just because you have talent and you tried hard. Whether you realize it or not, you can check the score of your game at any time by gathering data.  One sure sign that you have lost momentum for your change is when you hear people asking:

-  “Whatever happened to that big change?”
-  “It seemed to make a lot of noise initially then it fell off the radar…”
-  “Is that still a big deal?”

Don’t let this happen to you!  Fire a fastball over the plate with your first pitch and keep your momentum up from opening day until the playoffs. Mix up your techniques and stay focused on the key points that drive the rationale for your change.

Give people a place to go for help and never forget that the game is on your shoulders. Throw every pitch as if it matters – because the game is yours to win or lose.

Now settle down and get back out there Kid! …And throw strikes!

-Steve

Questions for Chatter:

1. What creative techniques have you seen for “mixing it up” as you help people adapt to change?
2. Have you witnessed a Change Agent “throw strikes” by delivering a helpful message that was right on target for you?

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In order for her retail enterprise, called Ciliac Supplies, to avoid the fate of Borders Books or Blockbuster Video, her store started to charge people who “just look” at products a fee of five dollars. The fee would be refunded – if the customer bought something at the store that day.

She reasoned that the time and expertise it takes to advise consumers ought to be worth something. The $5 collection was the only way she could think of to gather some revenue in this case since the clandestine “customer” wasn’t actually a customer at all. They fully intended to buy the product – just not from her. They would use her knowledge to snap it up for the cheapest price on the Internet.

Worse yet, if this practice of helping these information freeloaders was allowed to continue, her store could become known as the best place in the region to get no-cost counsel. That was unacceptable. She argued on behalf of brick and mortar retailers around the world: “I had to wake people up. Everything in life is not free”. 

While the intention seems sincere, I fear that this practice might not work for most retailers. In fact, it might have the unintended side effect of driving some consumers away.

Rather than imposing a fee to help people make buying decisions, I think it might be more profitable in the long run to help them AND compete with other sources like internet, big box stores and warehouse clubs. This would take a lot of effort and a bit of crisp differentiation.

But I’m getting ahead of myself.

Resistance to Change Can Be Fun! It sounds like Ciliac is at least a bit resistant to the change in consumer shopping habits. So in the spirit of a Change Agent wanting to help a retailer adapt to their new external reality, today I’ll suggest nine tongue-in-cheek ways that Celiac could raise more revenue.

I’ve also added one serious recommendation that might help them survive if they eventually have to deal with the same market forces that others already face…

Top Ten Ways for Celiac Supplies to Raise Revenue While Combating The Evils of the Internet

1. Be Yourself – Or At Least Be Your Future Self: Re-label your store as a Museum of Dead Business Models and charge $5 to enter.

2. Hey! That Was Our Idea! Set up a gate on the sidewalk and charge $1 to walk past the store – after all, customers might be viewing your adverts to get ideas of things to buy elsewhere!

3. Live and Breathe Your Strategy: Charge $1/liter to breathe the air in and around the store. After all, the oxygen in “your” air ends up in “their” brains and indirectly fuels all of this deadbeat research. Might want to capitalize on that…

4. Learn to Love the Internet: Leverage the viral publicity you’ve generated! Launch a website to sell concrete blocks online at “BrickN-Mortar4Ever.com”. Charge $10 each to ship your bricks anywhere around the world.

5. Demonstrate Visual Commitment to the Strategy: Build an actual brick and mortar wall between the customers and the products to match the customer service wall you’ve just erected with your new browsing policy. Add a door and you could charge people $2.50 to walk in and $2.50 to walk back out!

6. Go All In! Save electricity and maintenance costs by replacing your current POS system with an abacus and a change drawer.

7. Be Jammin’ Mon! Install a limited-range cell phone jammer and charge people $4.75 for a code that unlocks it for 30 minutes while they’re in the store.  You’d only need a couple victims per month to start showing some real profit!

8. Be Green to Make Some Green: Declare a rule that all customers need a $5 eco-friendly shopping bag to enter the store. They could also rent the bag for $10 and get a $5 refund when they return it after not buying anything.

9. Hire a Band! Serve free drinks, but have a $5 cover charge. Just like on the Titanic, folks could listen to them play “Nearer My God to Thee” as your store sinks to the bottom of the retail sea after hitting that undetected iceberg they call the Internet!

10. …and finally, Raise Your Sails to Raise Your Sales: My only serious suggestion of the day is to lean into that tailwind you just stirred up. Go on Radio and TV to explain your marketing plight. Tell us that you were scared and frustrated, so you felt like you just had to do something. Then while you have our attention, recant your ill-conceived strategy and introduce a new one where you:

   – Acknowledge that you have real competition and it’s everywhere.

   – Provide real live people who know their products as well as anyone.

   – Encourage comparison-shopping by offering reasonable price matching. (You’ve already admitted your prices are close to those of your competition.)

   – Tout your local expertise and local accessibility to local shoppers.

   – Leverage your website and beat them at their own game! Aggressively market those unique products shoppers can get from you and no one else.

   – Advertise your red-blooded employee’s ears and eyes as being better organs of customer service than anyone could hope to come across if they were to buy the same product from the sorry raft load of fly-by-night, rented warehouse, basement-operated, drop-shipping, big-box desperate, internet commerce hacks that they would potentially subject themselves to if they blindly bought something off the web based solely on price.  In other words – get to know and exploit your competition’s weaknesses even as you respond to their strengths!

   – Serve your true customers while attracting new ones by actually meeting their needs for good products at a reasonable price with an emphasis on (free) value-added human interaction.

Summary: I know adapting to externally-driven changes like this is rarely easy, but these techniques do seem to be working for the stores who are leaning into this new form of competition.

The challenge might be getting past the urge to vilify people who naturally do what’s in their own best interest and dig a little deeper so you can make a profit by fulfilling a new unmet need.

-Steve

PS: I’d love your comments on this story!

       Use the “leave a reply” feature below to tell me what you think!

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It tells the story of how one retailer refuses to face a huge external force for change. 

Or better yet, how a small store approached the new change with a glaringly outdated strategy that reminded me of the old, hopelessly sarcastic motivational poster that read:

“The Beatings Will Continue Until Morale Improves!”

Here’s the Scoop: An Australian retail store will start charging people $5 to “just look” at products. 

That’s right.

Charging a “service fee” to display stock and answer customer questions is their response to the customer-driven trend of comparison shopping that includes seeing and touching a potential purchase in a genuine brick and mortar retail store before buying it online.

In a previous post, I admitted being guilty of this practice.

Here is the actual text of the window sign at Celiac Supplies in Coorparoo near Brisbane:

It continues:

“Why has this come about?
There has been high volume of people who use this store as a reference and then purchase goods elsewhere. These people are unaware our prices are almost the same as the other stores plus we have products simply not available anywhere else.
This policy is in line with many other clothing, shoe and electronic stores who are also facing the same issue.”

Lots of other stores are doing this?

Really?

I haven’t noticed that trend anywhere on this side of the globe. It sounds more like resistance to a nearly inevitable change.

The owner (named Georgiana) went on to say:

“If you’re going to be asking bucketloads of questions, you’ve got to pay for the information”. “I’m spending my time … my effort. I’m not a charity.”

“I have to wake people up. Everything in life is not free.”

I almost busted a seam from laughing when I first heard this. 

The owner defiantly insists that this $5 charge will have very little impact on sales – but I wouldn’t advise other retailers to follow this example.  

In case you’ve missed it, a change has overtaken the average consumer. They have access to tons of information about every imaginable product directly on the web. And they can buy these things directly from their mobile phones.

And retailers have learned that they can do it while standing in their store looking at their product display.

That’s the new retail reality.  Most retailers have adjusted by offering price-matching, offering free shipping on the same product from their website and dishing out free product advice as a way to build customer loyalty. …But not this retailer! They are doing the exact opposite.

Before we throw Ciliac under the bus, there could be an explanation for how they can ignore changes that most retailers cannot simply write off:

- Ciliac may have a relatively captive market of consumers who will buy from their store even if they could get better deals elsewhere.

- Last I checked, Australia was a free country and it is Georgiana’s store… so she may simply have no desire to help customers who also shop the Internet.

- It’s her prerogative to avoid dispensing “free” advice – even if that practice may build the kind of loyalty that generates long-term repeat purchases. Maybe repeat business isn’t as big a deal for them as it is for most stores.

- Finally, I noticed that Ciliac has a sharp website. This made me wonder if Georgina is actually a savvy new age marketeer who’s pretending to be an angry Luddite to generate web hits.  So while us geeks freak out, maybe she’s happy to swim in a ocean of free publicity?

Meanwhile Back in the 2013 World where the other 99% of retailers live… This consumer research / browsing trend could be deadly if ignored.

In our fast-moving, consumer-driven social media age, retailers know that their public reputation could drift from helpful to selfish in a matter of hours. Doubling down on an anti-customer approach to raise revenue the way this store has seems a little bit like learning to juggle by shoving three little bean bags into your pocket and picking up five chainsaws instead. There seems to be so many better ways to go about this…

Celiac Supplies may not have to serve “browsers” – but most retailers eventually will have to deal with this change head-on.

So instead of offering themselves up for ridicule as a poster child for bankrupt retailers who kept their collective heads in the sand while missing this turn – I suggest that retailers embrace reality and fight for their slice of the market.

In short: sell up their strengths – instead of selling out to their fears.

Tomorrow I’ll share ten less-than-serious ways that Celiac might consider to raise revenue without charging $5 to browsing customers.

-Steve

Question for Chatter:

• So what’s your opinion of the shopkeeper who charges people to browse?
• Is it better to resist the trend of giving free advice to browsers or lean into this change in consumer behavior?

Incoming search terms:

• australian dollar bill
• Australian five dollar bill image

We’re rewarded for doing.

We’re rewarded for results.

The unfortunate flip side of this prejudice for action is that leaders are not typically rewarded for stopping and thinking before taking action.

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I’ve also noticed that as a Change Agent, sometimes the most effective action to take is to step back and exercise a little patience.

I snapped this picture of Rodin’s “The Thinker” a few years ago in the sculpture garden of the Rodin Museum in Paris. There are several copies of “The Thinker” there – and more in museums around the world. 

The thing that struck me about this version of Rodin’s most famous work is that the subject isn’t sitting alone. 

He’s embedded in the freakish cacophony of Dante’s Inferno. He’s surrounded by noise, anguish… and fruitless activity. His patience stands in stark contrast to his surroundings.

I’ll bet a lot of leaders have felt like this character at times.

So when things get crazy and everyone is screaming at you to take action, consider doing the opposite.

I’m not promoting inactivity as much as I’m reflecting on all the times when I paused in the middle of a huge screaming mess and exercised a little patience before taking action.

I can’t think of a single time I’ve regretted the decision to exercise patience as a form of action.

Just a thought.

-Steve

Incoming search terms:

• whose patience and effective action

Today’s collection of articles range from tips on how to be more creative to a pair of lists of self-limiting things we all need to quit saying. 

Enjoy the insights and pass along any links you think would be worth sharing here in a future post.    -Steve

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1. Work Out Your Brain – Change Your World: BBC Science offers some solid tips on how the brains of humans (and hence Change Agents) can be more creative. Here’s the summary of things we should all be doing to keep our brains sharp:

Do things differently. (Yes, we do have a choice.)

Cut distractions. (This is progressively tougher in the era of 24/7 iEverything.)

Take on a few mundane tasks. (I know this one works for me as a way to clear my head!)

Improvise and take more risks. (A particular area of the human brain is actually built to improvise and this portion can atrophy without regular exercise)

Let your mind wander. (It builds “white matter” in the brain which is critical to our creative capacity.)

As Change Agents, we might consider applying these recommended brain-building techniques as we seek to break through those tough change conundrums. OBTW: According to Dr Oz, women are much more collaborative than men because they typically have more “white matter”.  We’ll probably need another article to get into the implications of this discovery…

2. Stop Saying That! Here are 8 words and phrases health care communicators should outlaw. According to Ragan’s Healthcare Communication News, terms like “state of the art” and “patient-focused” are typically not accurate as they are used. They raise expectations and set communicators up for backlash as reality plays out. 

Most of the jargon probably confuses the conversation more than it helps while adding limited value.

3. The Case for More Office Parties! Inc. Magazine is usually a gold mine for fresh, field-tested business ideas – especially ideas that apply to entrepreneurial leaders. This past month, they made a great pitch for why it’s not only OK to have office parties – it’s actually important to encourage them. Their suggestions range from setting up routine celebrations to sponsoring field trips to build teamwork and rapport.

Inc. argues that the benefits of this informal social interaction and stress-reduction can fuel more productivity.  I agree. I’ve been inside a few fantastic companies that used events inside and outside the workplace to build and maintain amazing, highly productive cultures. 

I’ve also been embedded in many organizations that totally discourage this practice and suffered mightily for it.

4. Self-Limiting Words = Self-Limiting Thoughts: I’ve recently struck up an email conversation with a talented European blogger named Robert Blaga who writes about leadership, communication and learning.  He works in the field of internal training and has great insights into the roles and processes of adult learning and workshop facilitation. 

His blog for trainers is called “The Internal Trainer” and one of his March blog posts was titled “5 Things You Should Never Say Again”.

Here’s Robert’s short, yet powerful list of thoughts that should never again pass your lips:

•  “I have a deadline.” (The term “deadline” has a surprisingly morbid origin!)
•  “I’m going to a team-building.” (Such events are often fun and useful – but far from adequate.)
•  “That’s just the way I am.” (I once had a client HR Chief tell me that “can’t” is really just a lazy way of saying “won’t”.)
•  “Yes, but…” (It’s a falsely supportive thing to say when disagreeing with someone.)
•  “This is never going to work.” (Sets your team up for failure before you even kick off.)

On that note… I’m pleased to announce that Robert will be writing a guest blog post here at theBigRocks in the near future!  I hope to return the favor by posting an article on “The Internal Trainer” later this Spring.  I highly encourage you to go visit his site for some interesting training ideas.

-Steve

Questions for Chatter:

• Have you been a part of a socially-active business culture that encouraged parties and outings to build rapport and teamwork? If so, what benefits and risks have you seen to this approach?
• What words and phrases empower your work or drain you of productive energy?

Incoming search terms:

• brain exercise

Do You Tweet?

If so, you are in the distinct minority of Americans.

Are you a liberal or a conservative?

Are you young, old or middle-aged?

It turns out your answer to the second and third questions may influence your answer to the first one…

To Tweet or Not to Tweet? Some good lessons for Change Agents can be found within a recent Pew Research Center article showing how the reaction of people in the Twitter community to events of the world is often at odds with overall public opinion.

We might chalk up this difference to the skewed demographics of the Twitter community and the instant reactive nature of Social Media.

Pollsters might say that Twitter uses a very “unscientific sample”.

Consider these numbers, according to Pew:

-  Only 13% of American adults have ever read a tweet.

-  Only 3% have ever posted a tweet.

-  Those who post items on Twitter tend to be younger than the overall population: (50% of posters are younger than 30, compared to only 23% of the actual population).

-  Many critics suggest that “the Twitterverse” is far more liberal than the general population. (I’m not sure if a definitive study has been done on this, but 57% of US Twitter users in the Pew study identified themselves as Democrats compared to 46% of the population.)

The study suggests however, that even while Twitter samples may be skewed, they may still offer value based on their quick-turn nature – as long as they are not treated as balanced data samples.

News Flash: “Flash News Is Often More Flash Than News”: You may have noticed that many news organizations have started to include Twitter opinion trends as a part of their regular reporting process. However, broad, fast-developing trends within the Twitter community don’t necessarily tell the whole story of public opinion. Often the plugged-in crowd moves very quickly to take “majority” positions based on whoever happens to be online at the time that an event occurs. (Time zones actually play into this as well…)

Read more about the Pew Twitter study by clicking the logo above.

Also, even if the avalanche of early reaction goes in a given direction, one should not assume that all Twitter users are a part of the instant majority. There will still be detractors to every belief and opposition forces under the surface of every trend.

For example, not everything you read on Twitter comes with a liberal bias nor is it all oriented toward the sub-30 crowd. Sometimes it takes a while for these opposition forces to catch up.

What does this mean for Change Agents?

Be Careful What You Treat as “Facts”: Pew points out that the Twitter reaction to a given news event might not occur in proportion to its real-world impact and that the millisecond reaction may vary from the collective real-world opinion that solidifies over time. The same things can happen when we try to measure the level of adoption and resistance within our stakeholder communities.

Five Points for Change Agents: The Pew article isn’t about change adoption per se, but we can draw a few useful nuggets from the study.

1. The Accuracy of Overall Trends Can Depend Upon the Sample: Change Agents should double-check their sample to make sure they are getting the full range of inputs before drawing broad conclusions. For example, don’t assume the overall trend is positive if the data in your sample may be skewed toward a few locations or roles. 

Likewise, don’t assume the sky is falling because a few loud voices are convinced this is the case.

One of my favorite client stories in this regard involves a Change Sponsor who assumed that everyone was on board with his change because the online survey results indicated that folks heavily supported it. The only problem: a number of stakeholders were not part of the sample because they didn’t have access to the online survey. Some didn’t even have Internet access to read the email invitation!

When we visited the field, we found that the majority of people in a few locations had not even heard that the change was coming. In this case, the overall sample didn’t include some important data so the overall trends were not accurate.

2. Outliers Matter: Be aware that the general trends in your readiness data may not apply to every corner of your stakeholder community. Pockets of people may have a very good reason to oppose a given change from their unique frame of reference.

Watch for micro-trends and be sure to respond in a tailored way rather than assuming the same shoe fits everyone just because it fits many or most. One rule of thumb that I have used before is:

“If they can think it, they can sink it.”

In other words, if a person or a group of people can coalesce a clear opinion with regard to your change, Change Agents should probably assume that impacted people could act on that opinion. This is true whether the opinion is favorable or resistant with respect to the change. Leverage the support or address the gaps accordingly.

3. Check Yourself Before You Wreck Yourself: Just as one should take the initial Twitter reaction to global events with a grain of salt, so should Change Agents be patient as they collect information about change adoption.

Don’t overreact to the initial poll numbers or the loudest early reactions. There will be individuals offering strong expressions of support and/or resistance. Some such voices can drown out quieter groups of stakeholders. Take all inputs as just that: input. 

Unplug the emotional component as much as you can. Remember that those who hold the strongest opinions are more likely to take advantage of the opportunity to express them! (Tweeters will Tweet, right?)

4. Be Methodical: The rules of real data are still basically true. I’d advise you to avoid over-relying on the approach taken by the tragically up-and-down, freaked-out, 24/7 reality show drama that is Social Media. Let it play out as one source of information. Apply old-fashioned diligence when you consider the needs of the stakeholders involved in your change.

Don’t get me wrong, these tools still have value as communication/input/listening channels. Just be careful how you read the results you get back.  Go ahead and tweet your change. Share it on Facebook if that works for you. Collect data through Social Media tools too, just treat it as input data, not finished fact. The very things that make it great could also introduce serious flaws.

5. Stay Open-Minded: Finally, listen to the range of ideas regarding your change regardless of the source. Don’t toss out potentially helpful suggestions just because they come from new angles. Honestly consider adjustments to your approach on their merits. Don’t brush them aside just because they clash with your initial plan. 

Don’t ignore social media inputs just because you’re among the 93% that doesn’t tweet. Your change approach can often benefit from unsolicited, even reactive adjustments.

Summary: The Pew Research Institute study of Twitter trends offers some insight into the limits and benefits of listening to Social Media. Change Agents should consider leveraging the potential to reach their stakeholders very quickly for feedback using these tools, but be careful not to over-react or read too much into the loudest and fastest reactions to change.

Get a true representative sample of stakeholder opinion before drawing broad conclusions and dig deeper into pockets of opinion to make sure you account for true stakeholder needs when dealing with change adoption.

-Steve

Questions for Chatter:

1. Do you recognize the loudest voices in your organization? Do you allow them to get an over-sized amount of attention?
2. Do you have a clear strategy to reach the “forgotten corners” of your stakeholder map?
3. How do you employ “quick-turn” feedback tools like Twitter when rolling out change?

Incoming search terms:

• effect of twitter on communication
• twitters effects on communication
• the effect of twitter on communication
• thetwitter effect

In a recent article, I suggested that Change Agents need to answer eight critical questions when they plan for communication. Today I’ll dig a bit deeper into the first of those 8 questions: “What’s the context for this communication?”

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Change Agent Tip #63: Communicate in Context.

Why is Context So Important? Most of us have experienced the modern phenomenon of communication overload. We get bombarded with messages from people, computers, televisions, phones and a host of other screaming devices.

Day-to-day life has gotten so noisy that we often find ourselves begging for a bit of peace and quiet whenever we get a chance to jump off the rocket ride to information overload.

Give It A Chance! If your communication is to have a chance of being picked up by your target audience, it will need to arrive with as little confusion as possible.

That’s where the idea of “context” comes in.

Context for communication is something like the root system that holds a tree upright – you can’t see it, but you’d sure notice if it were missing!  It gives your message a firm foundation that you can build upon.

Messages without a firm contextual foundation are often confusing and raise more questions than they answer.

Providing a basic context for your message is a simple idea that we need to paint the background before laying out all of the details.

First Things First: Consider these context-setting questions you may need to address before you get into the nitty-gritty:

• What’s this message related to?
• Why is it important?
• How does it fit into other things going on in my world?
• What have I heard about this topic before?
• Who’s involved and who needs to pay attention to this stuff?
• How does this message fit in with previous messages you have communicated to this group?

Clear the Air: Context lays the foundation for the heart of the message to come. Context can catch people up if they have been out of the loop.

It paints the background before we dive into the details.

So before you start the hard work of crafting a change-related communication, I suggest that you spend a minute or two verifying the context for that message. Don’t grind away at it as if it’s the main thing you have to get across, but do spend enough time on the context that you don’t cause confusion when you release your message.

Answer the questions above and you should be well on your way.

A Final Point: If it’s your first message on a given topic, context is even more critical. Take the time to fully describe what’s going on and why. Summarize your logic and the background that sets up the message and you’ll give people a “hook” upon which they can hang the rest of your story.

-Steve

Question for Chatter:

Have you ever received a message that caused confusion because it lacked context?

What other questions might be included as a part of setting the context for your message?

Incoming search terms:

• Cartoon Roots Underground
• communication the context of a message
• communications is going in context
• context communication
• tree roots underground
• TREES COMMUNICATE UNDER GROUND
• trees showing the roots underground

Sometimes it takes a lot of tolerance to be a Change Agent.

Expect to Face Some Heat: As people go through their natural reactions to change, we get bombarded from time to time with negativity, insecurity, doubt and frustration.

We might be surprised to hear these emotions from people who had previously been quiet or even supportive of the change. Even more shocking might be the strength of their reaction to what’s going on around them.

It’s hard to guess how people will react to change.

Sometimes they’ll roll with it.

Sometimes they’ll panic.

Sometimes they’ll get emotional. 

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I’ve even encountered stakeholders who’ve expressed outright disdain toward me because I represented a change they didn’t particularly care for.

I’m sure they didn’t intend for it to be personal – but without a little context and preparation, I could have easily taken it that way!

Fill ‘Er Up! I’d like to imagine that we each have a big tank filled with tolerance for situations like that. We need to draw deeply from that reserve when the fires of emotional resistance flare up.

We also need to constantly refill that tank so we can be helpful to struggling stakeholders, regardless of how their struggle is manifested. We can refill it by learning about others, listening to a range of opinions and opening our minds to new ideas.

When we recharge in this way, we are more capable of seeing things from other frames of reference and using that knowledge to process resistance. 

Open ‘Er Up: Keeping the doorway of communication open – even when my heart tells me to be offended – can yield unexpected levels of understanding for the situations faced by others. This in turn yields downstream opportunities to help them successfully adapt.

If I had not opened up the faucet of tolerance for the way they expressed their frustrations, their doubts or their concerns, I might have missed an opportunity to help.

The PayOff: I’ve also learned that weathering the storm of emotions without lashing out in return can help build Change Agent credibility.

Where There’s Smoke, There’s Fire! Remember: If you can’t sort out the emotions from the data, there’s a good chance you’ll have a tough time helping stakeholders adapt. If you over-extend yourself, you could drain your tank and be unprepared to help.

The Bottom Line: As a Change Agent, I’ve learned to exercise tolerance for a wide range of opinions, emotions and reactions to change. I believe that even the nastiest expression of resistance has some kernel of change-related truth buried deep within it. 

Without an open mind and a thick skin, I might miss those clues.

So keep learning and listening.

Keep your cool and keep things in context or you may risk walking into a dangerous (and useful) situation with your tolerance tank on “E”. 

-Steve

Question for Chatter:

• How do you recharge your tolerance tank so you can be fresh and ready for the heated situations you may face as a Change Agent?

Incoming search terms:

• frustration

Sometimes it’s best to just quit.

Why do today what you can put off until tomorrow?

Before you panic and think that I’ve changed my entire proactive approach to helping organizations deal with change, let me explain.

In today’s collection of change-related links from around the internet, we have stories about why it may make sense to procrastinate when tackling big tasks and why it might be a good idea to quit doing a few very specific unproductive things.

Enjoy the list. Pass it along and make it a great week!

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1.  News from Another Dimension: In case anyone doubted the growing reality of 3D printing, this plainly-written article by ExplainingTheFuture.com gives a simple overview of what’s coming and what’s already here.

I suspect that early adopters of this technology will be driving a lot of work for Change Agents in the manufacturing and distribution industries.

2.  Killing 2 Birds With 1 Cup: Not sure how effective it is, but apparently there’s a nifty gizmo that can charge your cellphone with a hot cup of coffee.

The coaster contains an element that turns the heat (or cold) emitting from your cup of java juice into the kind of juice that can power your favorite tech-toy. 

I think I need one.

3.  Are You Leading a Royal Rumble of Crisis Junkies? Liane Davey, Ph.D. of Knightsbridge Human Capital offers a downloadable e-Book on Toxic teams. She suggests that toxic teams come in 5 types:

- Crisis Junkies

- Bobbleheads

- Bleeding Back Team

- Spectators

- and a Royal Rumble

The monikers alone make the e-Book sound intriguing. 

It also includes a diagnostic quiz to help you determine what kind of team you have and what you can do to improve their effectiveness.

4.  Why So Afraid of Commitment? Charlie at HR Fishbowl has an interesting take on the argument that all employee retention boils down to a fair ‘wage’ for an honest day’s ‘work’. Even if that ‘wage’ includes perks, recognition, challenge, etc. and the definition of ‘work’ changes nearly every day.

I didn’t agree with it when I first read it… but he’s actually got a great point.

I love it when a writer can make a change guy change his mind…

It gives me hope.

5.  I Just Don’t Care Anymore: From Marc & Angel Hack Life we have a fine list of ten things we should all quit caring about immediately. The list includes some solid recommendations about letting go of our vain attempts to please everyone and trying instead to set realistic and helpful standards for ourselves.

When it comes to that kind of quitting, I agree!

6.  Finally! My Life-Long Commitment to Foot-Dragging is Vindicated! A cool site called 99U summarizes a theory called “Structured Procrastination” that we can employ to get more work done by breaking big jobs into little chunks and procrastinating more often.

So I urge you all to get busy procrastinating!

That is, of course, when you get around to it… 

-Steve

Over the years, I’ve seen some phenomenal communicators deliver powerful change messages using the written word, speeches, websites, multi-media presentations and all sorts of other tools.

Common Denominators for Success: One thing each of these success stories had in common was that neither the medium nor the messenger overshadowed the content.  Stakeholders love straight talk and they love clarity – especially when the message needs to convey less-then-great news. 

A Great Eight: I’ve noticed that great communicators provide clear answers to each of eight critical questions. The answers to these eight questions can help to focus your core message, enable the logistics of communication delivery and help people respond effectively to what they hear. If you nail all eight answers, the chances of your communication having the desired impact will go up… Miss one or more and you may be shooting your message out with a built-in weakness. So whether you plan to build a website, create a film, give a speech, write an article or develop a colorful poster to hang in the lobby announcing your big change, here are eight “what” questions you can ask to shore up your communication diligence:

Simple Isn’t Always Simple: These 8 questions look pretty simple on the surface. The answers to these 8 questions can sometimes be quite obvious. Be careful though! Sometimes the answers can become fairly complex.

…and Easy Isn’t Always Right! That’s why it’s critical for Change Agents to develop a habit of asking them routinely, even in the case where easy answers might be assumed. I’ll offer more insight into each of the 8 questions over the next few posts. Until then, keep driving change!

-Steve

Question for Chatter:

• What can go wrong when Change Agents “shoot from the hip” instead of carefully planning for effective communication?

Incoming search terms:

• communication change

This week’s stash of articles has ideas about inclusive leadership, taking on the tough work of implementing the strategies we dream up and an overview of the “Levers of Change”.

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Enjoy the material, pass it along to your friends and continue to send along your ideas for future posts.

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1. No Employee Left Behind: My friend Dale Holmgren of RBA Consulting suggested this Forbes article by Amy Rees Anderson on why “Every Person Matters in a Company, and Why There is No Such Thing as an Insignificant Position.”
 

2. What Happens in Vegas: Here’s a meaningless – but eye-catching tidbit: According to VegasMeansBusiness.com, the 150,245 hotel rooms in Las Vegas could host the entire population of Cincinnati, Ohio – as long as they bunked up two to a room.  

I’m not sure if it surprised me more to learn that Sin City was that big or that The Queen City was really that small?

3. Hope for the Best, Plan for the Worst: Organizations rarely get the chance to tackle change under perfect conditions, so it’s important to consider what Alexandria Marx of DM Creative has to say about how Change Agents and Sponsors can exercise transformational leadership under ideal and not-so-ideal situations. Different situations call for different styles of leadership – especially if your situation requires that you generate a high level of creativity from those you are leading.

4.  Imagining the Future is the Easy Part – Creating the Future Is Hard Work! Most Change Agents would probably agree that it’s more fun to dream up strategy than it is to execute it. It’s critical that we don’t mistake the ethereal art of visioning with the nuts and bolts trench work of actually making strategic change happen. 

In this article from Ken Favaro of the strategy + business blog is called: How Leaders Mistake Execution for Strategy (and Why That Damages Both), Change Agents are asked to step out of the comfort zone of talking about change and into the danger zone of execution.

5. Levers of Change: Thanks to @manonaplus on Twitter (Manon Chamapgne of APlusTransition) for this straight-to-the-point & useful view of the change transition process based on the “five levers of sustainable changes”.

6.  A Visual Self-Portrait: Check out how Social Media is becoming more and more graphical. Of course it’s an infographic! 

8. The Ultimate Comfort Food: It’s been a long, cold Winter across most of the US and nothing warms my heart like hot Mac and Cheese. I’m always interested in new ways to prepare it, so we were pleased to find this infographic showing dozens of ‘made-from scratch’ Mac and Cheese combinations. With a variety of pastas, seasonings and cheeses to consider, there might even be enough options to get us through until Spring…

Until next time, stay warm and keep cooking up change!

-Steve

Incoming search terms:

• executing change
• comfort zone strategies
• company working together like a puzzle
• executing ideas
• tips for execute strategy

Sometimes it’s easier to get busy than it is to get things done…

That can be a real problem for Change Agents.

Of course we want our people and our teams to be cracking that whip and getting things done every hour of the work day. But are they working on the right priorities?

Seeing busy people would seem to be a sure sign of high productivity. But how do you know their efforts are going to have the most positive impact?

Consider the following definition as you manage your change initiative: .

“True productivity isn’t just the amount of work that gets done or the amount of passion, resources or time invested…

It’s the measure of meaningful results delivered for that investment.”

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To learn more about how to focus the work of your change read “Busy Doing What?“. 

Remember to “plan the work, then work the plan…”

Now go get busy! 

-Steve

Incoming search terms:

• dilbert team accomplishment

The curve presents the simple idea that people tend to go through a predictable cycle as they adopt change.  By knowing in advance that people will have these reactions, Change Agents can plan ahead to help folks get through these challenges and move toward embracing a pending change.

A quick Google search shows that there are as many change curves as there are change experts and that the concept looks destined to be expressed as a powerpoint slide:

You’ll notice that some curves have 3 stages. Some have 10. I wonder if people get lost after 4 or 5?

Most show a dip in performance somewhere in the middle while a few have change adoption represented as a no-dip rocket-ride to happiness!

Lots of them look to be based on the famous “death and dying” curve. Doesn’t that make change sound fun?Still others  have what looks to be a never-ending roller coaster of up and down cycles. That sounds exhausting.

All kidding aside, most of them follow a pattern that goes something like this:

1. Introduction: Stakeholders are introduced to a change with fanfare and unrealistic positive expectations.

2. Fear: Reality hits when people consider what the change actually means to them.

3. The Dip: Everyone goes through a panic-filled “valley of despair” as they consider worst case scenarios.

4. Acceptance: Change Agents help those who are impacted “get it“, “get over it” and “get on with it” as eventually people adopt the change.

5. Benefit: Once they’ve accepted the inevitable change, stakeholders are more productive, the organization reaps the benefits and everyone is better off for the experience.

Not so fast.  

Most of these curves seem to assume that things will work out in the end.

What if the change is actually a bad idea for me as an individual stakeholder?  

What if some of my peers have offered realistic resistance based on valid data?  

Should I raise a white flag and get on board with a change – even if it’s clearly not in my interest?

Of course not.

And don’t think for a minute that the stakeholders of your big change don’t realize they have a choice to accept or reject your proposal. They also have a choice as to whether that rejection will manifest itself in active or passive ways.

A Little Bit of Freedom Can Be a Dangerous Thing: Here’s a stakeholder-focused version of the change curve that I’ve created based on having observed and helped thousands of people go thru hundreds of big and small changes:

I stress to Change Sponsors and Change Agents that change adoption is the preferred outcome, but it’s not the only option your people have. Instead of assuming that everyone will eventually get on board if we pound them hard enough and long enough, I argue that Change Agents should be guiding stakeholders toward making good decisions about the change.

…Because in fact, for some people, adopting a given change could be a terrible idea. Here’s an easy example: Just because the company will save a billion dollars by consolidating all operations in a single Dallas-based headquarters doesn’t mean that my family and I will want to leave Florida to join the party

…Even if that means I might be looking for a new job.

Helping stakeholders make their own decisions about the change is a more realistic target and ultimately it’s a more helpful goal from all perspectives.

Here’s why:

Wait!  Don’t Jump! (…at least not yet..)

Consider some benefits of taking an approach that focuses on stakeholder decisions rather than assuming that everyone wants to buy into what your selling: 

- Knee-jerk negative reactions to change are often based on misinformation or misinterpretation of accurate information.  I call these poor choices “active-negative rejection“. By forcing a fact-based discussion in terms of stakeholder decisions, Change Agents can draw out these mistaken assumptions and address them squarely with accurate data and honest interpretations.

- If in fact the situation warrants rejection of the change, at least it will be a valid rejection. That’s what I call “active-positive rejection”.

- When you focus on stakeholder decisions, you acknowledge that the stakeholder has control of the change process. I’ve found that most people prefer to have choices over being told what to do.

- If the change itself needs to be modified, at least those driving the change will know. Such adjustments might also be of help to other stakeholders who haven’t spoken up yet. 

- Forcing someone to adopt a change that’s ultimately not in their best interest could lead to resentment. That’s where the passive rejection of change comes in.

- Guiding someone toward a decision to part ways might actually save both sides a lot of grief.

Summary: The Change Adoption Curve is a classic Organizational Change Management tool and you’ll be hard pressed to find a consultant that hasn’t drawn it on a whiteboard or used it on a slide during a sales call. Just because it makes sense doesn’t mean it’s a perfect theory and just because it’s easy to illustrate doesn’t mean it’s not real. It does have a ton of psychological research behind it and thousands of business success stories to back it up, so it is largely valid.

One commonly missed element of the change curve is the notion that stakeholders have decisions to make about accepting or rejecting your change. Most curves deny this reality – but that doesn’t mean we should.

Next week, I’ll address a few more dangerous assumptions that are baked into the standard change adoption curve.

-Steve

Question for Chatter:

1. Have you found (as I have) that different people go through the curve at a different pace? What can be done about that?
2. What techniques have worked for you to help people get through that “dip” and move toward making a decision about a change?

Incoming search terms:

• why change curve doesnt work
• adoption curve
• change curve valley of despair
• change curve 2013
• adoption valley of despair
• change curve change agents
• valley of despair curve
• valley of despair change management
• small change curve
• moving from despair in the change curve

Today’s batch of change-related links covers topics that range from improving your company’s culture to being a better leader and practicing what I call “the art of showing up”.

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Enjoy the articles and make it a great week!

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1. Cultivating Change By Showing Up: Change Agents know that it’s hard to generate momentum for a change without visible involvement from their sponsors. Bob Sherwin compares this level of engagement to the old gardener’s proverb that  “the best fertilizer is the gardener’s shadow.” 

After working with fantastic sponsors who spent time on their people’s turf and some downright awful sponsors who refused to even talk to their own employees, I couldn’t agree with him more.

2.  A Journey of a Thousand Miles Begins with a Single Step:  Mary Jesse wrote a quick piece for Inc. magazine that suggests those who wish to change the culture of their organizations need to lead by example, reinforce the behaviors they want to see and just get started already!  Check out “Three Ways to Fix Your Company’s Culture.”

3. How Poor Leaders Become Good Leaders: One of the better leadership articles I’ve read in a while is this excellent list from Harvard Business Review of lessons learned by leaders who got off on the wrong foot, but survived to thrive by committing to change at a very personal level.

Their list includes many suggestions I’ve emphasized here at theBigRocks over the years including these three behaviors that I have seen work countless times: 

- Focus on helping others be successful and your own success will take care of itself. (Using Abraham Lincoln’s cabinet as an example.)

- Communicate, communicate, communicate. (6 Rules for Effective Communication)

- Encourage your team members with specific recognition. (Throw ‘Em a Bone!)

4. Not Just for Those in the Clouds: Joe McKendrick wrote an article for Forbes magazine on skills for the modern workplace titled “5 Skills That Should be Part of Every Cloud Job Description”.  I disagree. Cloud-related jobs are a good start, but these skills actually apply to just about any position today.

5. Don’t Go Down With the Ship! From Sharon Anderson and Adele Sommers at Project Smart in the UK, here’s a great list of ways to recognize a potential project failure – and more important, how to rescue a failing project.

6. Are The Winds of Change Blowing at Your Local Mall? A recent ZDNet poll asked the question: “Has e-commerce killed the shopping mall?” I’m split on this one because I see the merits of both the mall and the web.

For simple things, I love the convenience of online shopping – but nothing beats holding a product in your hands before committing.

Combining these two approaches, I often visit brick and mortar stores just to visibly check out a product before I buy it from Amazon.com. In most such cases, I make the purchase on my smartphone before I leave the store.

7. The Best Change Agents Tell a Story: Communication is a huge part of successful change and story-telling is one of the most powerful ways to communicate the what, why, when and how of any change.

According to “The Science of Storytelling”,  your brain already knew that.

8. How to Not Suck at Meetings. …and finally… The title is a bit point-blank, but this list of tips on how to get the most out of all those meetings you have to attend and/or lead is actually dead-on.

I have several posts on this blog that relate to the same topic:

“When Shall We Be Free?” (The basics on how to conduct effective meetings.) ‎

“Closure or Exposure” (How to focus a meeting, get things done and get out on time.)

“Action Items” (How to make sure people follow through on the work that needs to get done after a meeting.)

Until next time…

Enjoy your week and let me know if you find articles to share!

-Steve

    No single factor can make or break your success as a Change Agent more directly than the attitude you choose to bring to your work.

    An honest, upbeat attitude can help you be helpful to others. It can enable you to create your own luck and build unseen momentum for your change.

    Just as a positive attitude can yield unexpected good results, so can a negative attitude plant hidden seeds of failure.

    Change Agents who harbor a doubtful, commiserating attitude might be inviting resistance to their own change.

    Take stock of your attitude toward your change:

- Do you personally support the change? If you believe in the change, show it!

- Do you have serious doubts? If so, get your concerns out in the open and get your questions answered.

Only then will you be free to rise above the fray and be fully effective guiding others toward a shared goal.

-Steve

Incoming search terms:

• attitude determines altitude
• attitude determines your altitude

Today’s collection of topics from around the internet includes some insights on Social Media, Project Management and The Pursuit of Perfection.

Enjoy!

-Steve

.

1.  Vast Goals Require More than a Half-Vast Strategy: Change Agents (and Sponsors) take note: It’s hard to accomplish big changes without a well-formed strategy and rigorous follow-through. In this Op-Ed, Thomas Friedman writes about how the real problems in Washington are a lack of vision and the courage to take risks.

2. 100 Fascinating Facts About Social Media in 1 Nifty Infographic: Considering that social media didn’t even exist a few years ago, it’s amazing to look back at how pervasive it has become. In case you didn’t know:

- When Do They Sleep? 50% of smartphones connect to FaceBook every hour of every day.

- A Whole Lot of Lurking Going On: 40% of Twitter users have never sent a single tweet.

- Google+ is for Boys and Pinterest is for Girls… Google+ membership is 69% male & 29% female while Pinterest users are 79% female and 21% male. Even more interesting: according to the graphic, 2% of Google+ users are neither male nor female.

- Smile! You’re on Candid Camera… Every minute, 700 videos are uploaded to YouTube. …and just 30% of all posted videos account for 99% of all video plays on YouTube.

Click here to see lots more on this topic.

3. Separate the PM Wheat From the Chaff: This article asks “What is the Secret of Project Management?” The answer: not one thing, but a bunch of things… There’s a great list of tips for PM’s of any skill level. I absolutely agree with the author’s assertion that ““PMP certification does not in itself make a PM more capable; it simply proves that you have the requisite project management experience and can pass the multiple-choice certification exam.”

4. Will They Stay or Will They Go?  More insight on Project Management from the Arras People blog: How to verify your PM’s are feeling valued plus rewarding the PM’s that add the most value to your company’s bottom line using a concept called EVP: Employee Value Proposition.

5.  I Don’t Remember Liking That… ? According to Forbes, it turns out Facebook has not only been tracking what we “like” but they’re also planning to use that data to market to your friends. While I doubt people are surprised anymore by Facebook stories like this, it kind of makes you hesitant to express any personal opinion in public, eh?   

6. How to Think Like Sherlock Holmes.  Seriously. That’s what Maria Konnikova offers in her new book: Mastermind. Check out this LinkedIn review by Steve Rubel called “Boost Your Mindfulness”

7. If You Haven’t Got Time to Do It Right, You’ll Never Find Time to Do It Over: My Dad used to say that. He also said that ”…anything worth doing is worth doing right” – especially if the easy way delivers crummy results… Here’s a similar sentiment from Adam Dachis at Lifehacker: Pursue What’s Best Even When It’s Inconvenient

Until next time, shoot me any links that catch your eye and I’ll share them here.

Make it a great weekend!

-Steve

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Today’s article is written by a guest author.

Jay Surti is a coach, NLP Trainer and mentor with a passion for authentic communication.  

She’s a former litigation lawyer who now works with corporate executives to help them with leadership development and transforming their communication.  

Here are Jay’s thoughts on why authenticity matters and  how Change Agents can make authentic connections when they communicate:

Authentic Connection with your audience

As leaders and change agents, we seek to persuade and inspire others.  Whenever there is an opportunity to give a presentation there is an opportunity to persuade or inspire.  Yet too often this chance is wasted because there is no connection with the audience.   You can be as polished as you like, with amazing content, but if you don’t put the needs of the audience first and engage, you won’t move them to action.

So how do you ensure that you have a connection every time, so that your audience actually wants to listen to what you have to say?  There are several elements that could be incorporated.  Here are three powerful ones:

Authenticity

What is authenticity?  Being you basically.  It means being vulnerable and allowing people to relate and connect with you.  People would rather see this kind of speaker than someone who hides behind a mask or someone who talks at the audience.  It’s your personality that they want to see.  You are unique. No one else will present the way you do.  Think about how you show up when you are talking to a really good friend over coffee.  That’s the level of connection you want.  Your authenticity is what will resonate with people and make them want more of what you have to offer.

Emotional Engagement

Be present in the moment and show you believe in your content.  If you don’t care about what you are sharing then why should they?  It helps to be really familiar with your content so that you don’t need to consciously think about it when you deliver it.  That way you can focus on your delivery.  Your tone of voice plays a huge part in making your presentation engaging.  Use a conversational tone rather than a formal detached tone. Stories are a great way to make an emotional connection with the audience – getting them to feel something.  Weave your own experiences into stories and bring them to life with descriptive language and enthusiasm.  The more of you that is revealed, the more the connection with the audience.  Personal stories told with sincerity have the power to inspire change in others.

Know Your Audience

When preparing a presentation, many speakers think only about what they want to say rather than what the audience wants to hear.   Often, very little thought goes into how the audience will perceive it.   This is completely the wrong way round.  Before you even start mapping out your presentation, do your homework and find out what the audience needs and who they are.  Find out as much as you can about them so that you can adapt your presentation to make it personal to them.  Remember you need to get over the hurdle of them thinking: “what’s in it for me?”  Focus on the outcome you want for them and then craft your presentation in a way that they can relate to.  You want your audience to feel you have prepared a bespoke presentation rather than adopting a cookie cutter approach.  Use language and examples that are meaningful to them.

Presentation is more than just standing up in front of an audience in a formal setting and confidently delivering information.  It is just as much about the audience as it is about the information you share with them.  When you know how to communicate with your audience in an engaging way you have the tools to be a great speaker and provide tremendous value.

- Jay Surti
Author of Authentic Business Presenter

Questions for Chatter:

1. Which of Jay’s suggestions do you find to be most useful?
2. In what ways have you seen Change Agents hinder their ability to communicate by not being authentic?

Incoming search terms:

• jay surti nlp coach
• sometimes it\s not about you--it\s about them

I was flying cross-country the other day after a long week of work when I noticed this beautiful scene out the window.

It reminded me that most things worth doing involve some hidden elements. They may also be bigger and more complex than they first appear. But that shouldn’t frighten us away from taking them on.

When we are at our best, Agents of Change not only see the same obstacles and goals that everyone else sees plainly exposed.

They can also see, in their mind’s eye, the benefits and risks that others may have shrouded in clouds of fear or doubt.

When we are at our best, we don’t just try to convince people that the goal is worth climbing for.

We lift them up.

We carry them to a point of view where they can see what we can see. And by doing so, we can help them work through the clouds and climb on.

-Steve

Questions for Chatter:

• What clouds are shrouding your team’s vision of its goal?
• How can you help them see the positive future that you see?

- Field Marshall Helmuth von Moltke (as paraphrased in The Swordbearers : Studies in Supreme Command in the First World War (1963) by Correlli Barnett

Resistance to change, unexpected stakeholder challenges and failed adoption are all enemies of successful change.

Change Agents should heed the Field Marshall’s insight and expect that they may need to adapt their plans at some point.

In my two previous posts in this series, I introduced a 5-step process Change Agents can use to adjust their approach over the course of executing a big change.  This process starts with gathering raw data  about change adoption and identifying meaningful information buried within that data.

Specifically, I suggested that Change Agents should ask their stakeholders for feedback about how the change is going and then sift through this results to glean out information like:

-       Trends & patterns. How is the change going in an overall sense?

-       Outliers. Who is still struggling with the change even as others around them are adapting?

-       Assumptions that are validated. What elements of our approach look to be on track?

-       Assumptions that prove to have been wrong. How do we need to adjust our approach?

-       Gaps in the data. Where do we need more data to draw accurate conclusions?

Now that we’ve gathered the data and coalesced it into information about the needs of our stakeholders, let’s consider what choices we have to address their concerns.

Change Agent Tip #62: You May Need to Change Your Change.

I recommend Change Agents focus on five areas when looking to validate or adjust their approach to implementing change:

1. Change Leadership
2. Communication
3. Stakeholder Readiness
4. Change Execution
5. Teamwork

1. Evaluate the information about Change Leadership:

- Based on the information you’ve gathered, does it appear that the leadership team is “on the same page” about what the change is designed to accomplish?

- Do people believe the justification for the change?

- Do the words and deeds of your organization’s leaders demonstrate consistent support for the change and support for those going through it?

- What level of adjustment is needed in the area of Change Leadership? Should we stay the course, make targeted adjustments or go for a complete overhaul?

2. What do we know about the effectiveness of our Change Communication?

- Do the broad messages about the change appear to be getting delivered to the right people?

- Are the messages being understood by those who need to hear them?

- What trends can we discern about the flow of information regarding the change to our various stakeholder groups?

- Are any “outlier” areas lagging behind in their awareness about the change?

- Are some parts of the organization doing well enough that there is no need for adjustments?

- Should we consider some targeted communication based on different roles or differences in change impacts?

3. What does the feedback say about Stakeholder Readiness?

- Do those who need help preparing for the change appear to be acquiring the knowledge they need?

- Are any aspects of the change causing confusion? If so, is there any pattern to the confusion? Do a few topics dominate this type of feedback?

- Are stakeholders picking up the the skills/abilities needed to adapt to the change at an appropriate pace?

- Which areas of the stakeholder map are doing better than others?

- Which groups might need some targeted help in order to get ready?

- Are there any assumptions we made going into the change that need to be re-visited?

4. What can we tell from the information you’ve gathered about Change Execution?

They say when you’re traveling without a map, any road will do…

- How clearly defined and how well understood are the “nuts and bolts” activities of your change?

- Do people know what steps to take in order to do their part?

- Are those involved in rolling out the change getting their work done in a timely manner?

- What areas of the plan might need more resources in order to stay on track?

- What about gaps? Are there any activities of the change project that you really don’t have any information about?

5. Finally, what does the data tell us about Teamwork?

- Is it clear who is responsible for making the change happen?

- How effective is communication within the change team?

- How effective is problem-solving within the change team?

- Do you need to make teamwork improvements or stay the course with your current change team?

How Much Should We “Change the Change”?

As you mull over your findings in each of the five areas, I also suggest that you consider the degree to which you may need to make changes to the approach.

For simplicity, consider three levels of adjustments Change Agents could make:

The three levels are relatively straight-forward:

•    Stay the Course and continue to move forward with your current approach in areas where the data suggests it’s working.
•    Look for targeted adjustments if certain stakeholder groups are struggling with readiness, communications or some other area of change adoption.
•    Overhaul is a particularly challenging adjustment, but it’s sometimes necessary when the data indicates that the current approach is not working at all.

It’s important to be clear about what level of adjustment you and your team think is needed. Some members of the team may feel that the data indicates a need for a radical shift in the approach while others argue that you should stay the course. In either case, it would be a big mistake to march forward without synching up expectations.

One Final Note: Making adjustments to your change approach isn’t necessarily a sign of failure. Sometimes it’s a sign that you didn’t gather enough data up front, guessed wrong or misread the situation. Other times it’s a sign that you underestimated the challenge.  If you are uncomfortable about making mid-course adjustments, double-check your findings and run your decisions by the team.

In any case, don’t deny what the data is telling you.

I’ve found that the only thing worse than changing course in the middle of a big change is not adapting the change approach when the data clearly tells us that we should.

-Steve

Questions for Chatter:

- What have you found harder to do: stay the course in the face of criticism or make adjustments to your change approach?

- Have you been part of a change that suffered because the change team ignored what the data was telling them?

Incoming search terms:

• blow horn
• general with blow horn

I took this photo of the Truckee River in Northeast California late one evening this past summer. It was getting dark, so I wasn’t sure if there was even enough light to get the shot.

I tried about 25 different combinations of exposure, shutter speed, ISO, etc. I even snapped some combinations twice in case I wasn’t holding the camera steady. The little screen on the back of my DSLR wasn’t adequate for judging the quality of the results, so I just kept shooting. I hoped that at least one good frame would show up when I uploaded the contents of the card.

Sometimes Change can be like that. If you bet your change on one big decision or one big pronouncement, there’s a good chance it might flop. If you dogmatically stick to one approach even when you can’t measure progress toward change adoption, you might be setting yourself up for disappointment.

You could be better off trying a few different settings and taking multiple shots. Based on adoption results, you may need to change your mind about how you’re changing the minds of your stakeholders.

I’m certainly not saying that Change Agent work is a “shotgun” profession or a “hit or miss” proposition. There are plenty of rigorous techniques that work.

I’m just saying that you might need to mix it up and change your approach from time to time.

For example, I’m pretty sure I would have gone home empty-handed that night if I had only taken one shot of the Truckee River before heading home.

-Steve 

Without further ado…

… 1 … Change Or Die: This article by Alan Deutschman came out a while ago in Fast Company, but it’s still useful & essentially true. He suggests that change is hard enough for the average person, but even harder for industries like health care.

… 2 … Pardon Me While I Crash My Car: Here’s why it’s not a good idea to routinely forgive folks who break the rules… It turns out that the South Korean government has a habit of excusing tons of traffic violations – but their benevolence has lead to a slew of auto accidents. I wonder if there’s a lesson in there for Sponsors of Change?

… 3 … Almost Skated Off a Cliff: I love hockey, but I was just about ready to give up on the 2012-13 National Hockey League season when I heard Sunday morning that the owners and players have reached an agreement to save the season. This is particularly great because my team (the Minnesota Wild) is actually supposed to be good this winter after signing two of the top available free agents. I wonder if the fans will come back or stay away in retaliation for the holdout/lockout/money grab/labor dispute?

Continuing with the forgiveness theme…

… 4 … Maybe He’s Hoping Yellow is the Color of Forgiveness: Looks like Lance Armstrong is weighing an admission to doping charges so he can stage yet another a comeback… Has anyone generated more fierce opinions of support and opposition than Lance? Love him or hate him, you have to admit that he’s almost qualified to be an honorary Kardashian with his sheer ability to stay in the news… 

… 5 … What Can I Say? I Like to Eat!  We unpacked the roaster and followed this simple recipe for Horseradish-Crusted Rib Roast on Christmas Day. Even though it took about 4 hours, it was surprisingly easy to make and it vanished in short order.

… 6 … Do It Your Way – As Long As You Win Right Now: If you just got a new leadership position to start the year, you may want to read this Freakonomics post about how new college football coaches can avoid getting fired by balancing their desire to lead in their own way with their stakeholders’ desire to win right away.

 … 7 … Go Big or Go Down Under: Finally, what must be The World’s Largest Rubber Duck was spotted in Sydney’s Darling Harbor this week. I think he’s trying to tell us to set  BIG goals for 2013…

Here’s a quick picture. Can you imagine how big his tub at home must be?

That’s all for this week. Email me stuff you find interesting and I’ll try to fit it into a future weekly post…

Thanks!

-Steve

Welcome to the newly re-vamped website for theBigRocks!

My son Joe and I have been working over the past few weeks to design and test the new site and then bring all of the original content forward.

Our new WordPress theme is called “Newscast”. It’s a bit more visual and easier to navigate than the original “2010″ theme. 

Changes (Of Course): The home page no longer contains entire posts. Each post has its own page. There’s also an “accordion slider” with picture links to the past 5-6 articles. Finally, we’ve put short previews of the past 10-12 posts on the front page to help readers catch up more quickly.

In addition to the new layout, you’ll see a few more changes going forward:

- Shorter Articles: I’ll keep most posts brief so you can get what you need quickly.

- More Frequent Posts: I’ll try to share something 2-4 times per week.

- In-Depth Articles: Some bigger change-related topics and “how-to’s” will still require longer posts.

- Quick Insights: I’ll share simple change-related quotes and advice in regular short posts.

- Guest Writers: We’ve started lining up articles from other voices in the world of Change to contribute content to theBigRocks.

- News and Notes: Finally, I’m introducing a new weekly feature where I’ll collect and share interesting tidbits that I’ve bumped into on the web over the past week. Some of the stories will be about Change and some of them will be about my hobbies and interests (photography, technology, food, politics, sports, etc.).

That being said, tomorrow’s post will be my first collection of links. 

Thanks for your patience as we completed this upgrade and thanks for returning to the site! Feel free to use the comment feature below to give us your feedback on the site and offer any suggestions for material or features you’d like to see on theBigRocks.com.

-Steve

Lasting change starts with our willingness to consider alternatives. I’ve found this to be true for groups – but just as importantly – for myself and other Change Agents.

The mighty rivers of life, progress and decay all roll on whether we choose to actively engage in making decisions that could influence our direction or choose to simply float along. Choose wisely!

-Steve

. . .

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• dilbert quotes on leadership influence
• thebigocks
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• willingness quote and photo

In my last article, I introduced a way for Change Agents to gather and apply accurate data related to change support, adoption and resistance.

It all starts with getting good data.

The next step in this fact-driven process is to analyze the data to find useful information. That information will then be used to generate
options that address the needs of your stakeholders as they consider their approach toward the change.

Change Agent Tip #61: Know the Difference Between Data and Information.

Let’s start by looking at some of the differences between data and information:

What’s Data? Characteristics of data include:

• Data is made up of raw text, measurements, facts or numbers.
• It’s unfiltered and unorganized – it hasn’t been manipulated, studied or analyzed (yet).
• It hasn’t been considered within any specific context.
• It may look random and useless until it’s analyzed.
• Data “is what it is” and it isn’t someone’s opinion or interpretation of what it means.

OBTW: “Data” is plural. The singular form is “datum” – but only geeks like us really care about that sort of stuff… :o)

Examples of data include: “730″, “blue”, “4 out of 6″ and “Flight 1180 is on time”.

How is Information Different? Characteristics of information include:

A. Information has context. It has meaning relative to the area in which it is being considered. For example: “121412” is raw data that could mean anything from a padlock combination to a parking space label. When expressed as a 12/14/12 – in the format and context of a date on the calendar, it’s more useful information.

B. Information is often made up of multiple bits of data that have been studied together to draw out some overall meaning. For example, I can combine these three bits of data to get this fourth bit of information:

• I’m on Delta flight 1180 which lands in 60 minutes.
• It takes 30 minutes for my wife to get from our house to the airport.
• It takes me 10 minutes to get from the plane to the curb.
• She should leave the house in about 40 minutes to pick me up. (60-30+10=40)

C. Information may take many forms such as:

• Trends or patterns that have been identified after looking through a large group of data points.
• Specific outliers that exhibit distinct contrasts in one or more ways from the other data points around them.
• Gaps in the data that become information mostly because they help us identify areas where there’s a risk of making false assumptions.

What This Means for Change Agents: As a Change Agent, you should gather accurate data to better understand the level of change adoption, support or resistance within each group of stakeholders, then turn it into information that can drive action.

As you sift through your stakeholder data, here are a few things to look for:

• What trends & patterns do you notice across all stakeholders and which trends do you only see within certain groups of those who are impacted by your change?  For example, is everyone indicating a lack of information about the change, or just the people in a few specific stakeholder groups? The first trend could indicate a need to re-accomplish broad messaging while the second pattern indicates that you may need to address a few isolated communication gaps or remind a few specific communicators to step up their game.

• What looks just about right? Validate assumptions as you scrub the data. Verify the things you were expecting to see are actually backed up by the data. For example, if the survey feedback tells you that people feel ready for the change, try corroborating this finding by comparing it to interview data. Hopefully, things synch up and you can continue guiding your change as planned. If not, you have some work to do.

• What outliers do you notice? Does one group jump out at you because it doesn’t fit the trend you’ve seen in the other data? Look for surprises such as a mismatch between what people told you on a confidential survey and what they’ve said in face-to-face conversations or public meetings.  Look for oddities. They may need to be addressed one at a time. Outliers shouldn’t be ignored – they may indicate your change has underground resistance or it doesn’t have the levels of support or acceptance you initially thought it did.

• Finally, ask yourself what gaps appear in the data? Be careful not to draw broad, inclusive findings (positive or negative) about people, groups or organizational units that cannot be backed up with data.  Diligently look for holes. The obvious answer to filling the gaps will be to go dig for more targeted data that either verifies your findings or generates more information.

Next Steps: Once you’ve translated your raw data into information, you’re now ready for the next part of the process which is to generate possible responses to keep your change on track.  That’s the topic of our next discussion.

-Steve

Questions for Chatter:

1. What could go wrong if a Change Agent prematurely acted on raw data as if it were valid information? (…for example, if they reacted to a single data point as if it reflected the opinions or needs of everyone…)
   
2. In what other ways have you used data to derive valuable information for measuring change readiness, adoption or resistance?

Incoming search terms:

• data vs information
• data versus information
• data vs information characteristics
• dilbert data vs information
• identify data clipart
• raw data to valuable information

Change Agents need data.

They need data that gives insight into change adoption factors such as:

• How many people will be affected by this change?
• In what different ways will stakeholders be impacted?
• How hard will this change be for people?
• Do people know where to go for help?
• What are the most effective ways to reach all the people that may need help?
• How clear have we been so far with communication?
• What perceptions do stakeholders have about the alignment between this change and the strategic direction of the organization?
• Who’s doing well on their journey to adopt the change and who’s still struggling?
• Where can I expect the most resistance to the change and where can I find change champions?

…and so forth.

While having mountains of data doesn’t necessarily lead to successful change, it can be the basis for determining which areas of stakeholder readiness may need to be addressed as you guide your change.

Change Agent Tip #60: Gather Real Data About Your Change.

Real data is critical because it leads to finding real information and building true understanding about what’s going on within your stakeholder community.

Yes, there’s a difference between data and information!  We’ll talk more about that later, but today I’d like to tackle the first of five steps that Change Agents can take to G.U.I.D.E. their change with real data.

I’ve summed up the process in this nifty little diagram:

Gathering useful information does exactly what the entomology of the word implies it should do: it informs the process.  It helps us understand stakeholder needs so we can make informed decisions that can be executed to help stakeholders adapt. If applied properly, the information, the decisions and the actions will help leaders and Change Agents enable their change within their given set of constraints.

In a later post, I’ll get into how change agents can turn data into information, but let’s start by considering ways to gather data about your change.

Here are four data-collection techniques that have worked well for me:

1. Observation: Change Agents should get to know the key players in their change as well as the general atmosphere into which the change is being introduced. I typically build a “stakeholder map” to track who is connected in what way to the change.  Then I walk through the organizational structure, watching for behavioral cues that may work in favor of change adoption (or against it).

I also engage in informal “water cooler talk” and listen for clues that might apply to our change. This collective body of anecdotal data will not by itself tell the whole story about what’s going on, but it will provide multiple data points that can feed into the information-gathering process. It also points to places where I should probably do some more focused digging.

2. Scaled Survey Questions: One of the fastest ways to gather large quantities of data about stakeholder sentiment is to use surveys. I try keep them short and focus on a few key areas where I need broad feedback. I’ve used all sorts of collection vehicles from online surveys and paper handouts in meetings to anonymous postcards and even big blank pieces of butcher paper on the wall in the back of a conference room.

Here are a few examples of some online/paper survey questions I’ve used:

I prefer to use “Likert Scale” questions like those above to encourage stakeholders to declare an opinion, while allowing the safety of a neutral response.

3. Open-Ended Survey Questions: Whenever I do surveys, I also mix in several open-ended questions to allow stakeholders to vent, celebrate or express their opinion in any way that suits them. (Open-ended = they can’t be addressed with a yes/no answer.)

This data is far more challenging to parse. I also have to be careful not to read too much into the strongly-expressed opinions that often appear in this data, but it’s a better way to get an accurate feel for what people are thinking then multiple-choice questions. Open-ended questions are appropriate for use with all of the collection vehicles I mentioned above.

Examples of open-ended questions include:

• “What have you heard so far about this change?”
• “Tell me how you guys might be impacted by this change…”
• “What’s going to make this change tough for some folks?”
• “Who else should I talk to about this stuff?”
• … etc.

4. Focused Interviews: An even better way to gather good raw data about the environment for your change is to conduct face-to-face interviews. I’ve done these on the phone too but I definitely prefer face to face dialogue so I can get a read on body language, build rapport with key stakeholders, etc. 

Interviews can be very labor-intensive and they can yield the same difficult-to-parse data that open-ended questions deliver, but the value of these face-to-face conversations cannot be overlooked. Direct dialogue – especially with your most critical stakeholders is still by far the best source of real data about their needs. Interviews also help to build the trust that will be needed for successful change.

Summary:  Nothing beats accurate data as a starting point for making well-informed decisions about where to focus a Change Agent’s time, attention and resources.  When I gather data relative to a change that I am helping a client implement, I typically use four primary sources: observations, scalar surveys, open-ended surveys and interviews.  The best tools for a given audience may vary.

It’s a idea to use multiple instruments just in case a given stakeholder or group of stakeholders respond to a given tool with more useful data.  In my next post, I’ll get into ways that Change Agents can turn the pile of raw data that they collect about their change into useful information.

…next time we’ll discuss the huge difference between data and information…

- Steve

Questions for Chatter:

• Is it possible to gather too much data about your change?
• What other tools or techniques have you used to dig up useful data about your changes? Which have worked best for you?

Incoming search terms:

• big data
• blue data

We typically make this dessert using our own in-house recipe, but just for kicks, this time I did a quick web search for new recipes and found some surprisingly different results based on where I looked.

The variance in these search results reminded me of a rule of thumb that Change Agents should apply as they plan for their change and as they go through the work of handling resistance, building support and promoting adoption of their change:

Change Agent Tip #57: What you see depends upon where you look.

Twenty years ago I was considered a nerd for knowing the meaning of the words “googol” and “googolplex”. Today the word “Google” is synonymous for “search”, so I started my hunt for a new cake recipe at google.com. I entered “pineapple upside down cake” and I got these results:

Not surprisingly, the top result is an advertisement, followed by three sponsored links. There’s a reason why Google is one of biggest money-making enterprises on the web. They return the results that their primary (bill-paying) customers ask them to return.  Their Accounts Receivable department would consider me a secondary customer.  After all, searching on Google is free for me.

Here’s what I got when I searched for “pineapple upside down cake” on another site I visit a lot – one of the web’s biggest retail sites, Amazon.com:

Notice how the results are completely related to selling products that could help me bake the cake, but that’s to be expected since selling things is the expressed purpose of the site.

Not to beat the point to death, but even more useless to my endeavor was this search result from global shipper UPS.com:

The point of these first three searches:

Change Agent Tip #58: Just because you can search for data in the places you are used to searching for data, doesn’t make them the right places to look.

Knowing what I know about each search engine’s motivations informs me that I need to either browse more deeply through the results, skip the source entirely or refine my search if I want to find the data I’m looking for.

Maybe I should add terms like “recipe” or “new recipes” to get more useful information…

Pinterest might be a better website for stuff like this. Take a look at the results I got with the same search for “pineapple upside down cake” on this popular social sharing site:

Yumbo! I actually got a ton of great ideas from real live people who had tried their specific recipe and wanted to tell the world how good it was. Each entry came complete with beautiful pictures of the recipe’s results, so I could decide with very little effort what looked most enticing and most useful to me.

I got hungrier with each click. There were several variations on the pineapple upside down cake theme that did not involve baking… but these distractions were easy to ignore based on the pictures.

Hmmm: I noticed that I didn’t get any sponsored links and I didn’t get any ads when I searched on Pinterest. One reason for this is because they don’t use advertising (yet) so the searcher/browser’s interests motivate Pinterest’s business model.  I felt like their primary customer.

Time will tell if the Pinterest business model will eventually make money. For now it’s safe to say they have built an incredible following very quickly by meeting the needs of their primary customers. OBTW: Check out this recent profile of Pinterest found Ben Silbermann in Fast Company magazine for more info.

Back in the Kitchen: What does my recipe search mean for Agents of Change?

It means that you have to consider where you’re looking when searching for data related to these three “pivot points” of change:

• support for your change,
• indications of successful change adoption
• resistance to your change.

For Example: Imagine you’re guiding a change for 100,000 customers of the utility company. You’re introducing a newly formatted utility bill this month and you’re wondering how well it’s being received. You’ll get very different results by asking a few questions of these different stakeholders groups:

Direct Feedback – from Real Customers: You will probably gather some useful direct feedback by asking the primary customer of your new billing format to give you their gut reaction to the new layout. You might ask questions like:

• Is it now easier to understand your bill or harder?
• Does it give you what you need?
• Is there anything on there that just seems to get in the way?

By asking your primary impacted stakeholders some direct questions, you’ll get feedback on all three pivot points listed above. Just be careful not to over-react to one or two irate customers if their experience is not representative of the broader audience.

Trends in the Data – from Field Representatives: Because they’re exposed to the direct feedback of many utility customers, those who answer the phone when people call in to ask questions about the new billing format will be able to offer trending information about how well the change is being accepted.

Imagine being able to know which areas of the new bill are causing the most confusion and which new features are most appreciated. The team can counter or reinforce these trends based on which responses would have the most positive impact on support, resistance or adoption.

Caveat: This category of change-related data has the built-in weakness of ignoring individual responses in favor of the bigger picture. I advise Change Agents to be careful not to let individual voices get lost in the pie charts, info graphs and blanket responses to the summarized trends!

Decisions on How to React – from Company Management: The ultimate authority for how the team will react to the individual feedback and the trends around support, adoption and resistance will come from the highest levels of the organization. Unfortunately, their view of how things are really going on the ground may be limited simply because their daily work doesn’t place them in the same circles as customers and customer-facing reps.

These stakeholders also have the key sponsorship task of ensuring that the change stays aligned with strategic goals and that appropriate resources are applied to ensure successful change implementation. (Think: “We have to get this all done, but can’t afford to make everyone happy.”)

I have also noticed that these folks are often highly-motivated for things to go well and that management styles may be overly optimistic or risk-averse, so leadership decisions need to be informed by the other two data sources.

I always advise Executive Change Agents to check their wishful or gloomy hunches against some real data from impacted customers and verified trends from Field Representatives.

Summary: Where Change Agents look for signs of resistance or support for their change or indications of successful change adoption can say a lot about how accurate the data they collect will be.

Looking for real data about change adoption or resistance by talking exclusively with company leadership is about as useful as searching UPS.com or Amazon.com for a fresh pineapple upside down cake recipe. The same can be said for spending the entire project budget trying to please one angry customer. (I once had an executive sponsor who called these folks “pickle-suckers.. but that’s a topic for another post….)

As with most things Change Agents are asked to do, the secret is balance.

Getting down in the weeds can yield great detailed data, but the urge to over-react to a few people with their hair on fire must be tempered. Gathering trends can provide useful insight as well – as long as Change Agents balance these results with the plight of individual stakeholders and the needs of the broad organization.

Helping management see the true value within each data source and prioritize resources to best meet strategic outcomes for the change is the ultimate balancing act.

-Steve

Questions for Chatter:

1. What happens if leaders choose to ignore the trends of change resistance & adoption and focus too much on a few positive or negative outlier cases from the field?
2. What’s the opposite effect if management chooses to ignore vocal individuals and focus only on the trends?

Incoming search terms:

• ben silbermann
• another word for it depends on how you look at it
• how you see the world depends upon you
• picture what you see depends on what you\re looking for
• what u see depends not only on what u look at but also where u look from
• what you are able to see depends on what
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In keeping with a tradition we started a couple years ago here at theBigRocks, I’ll set the big topics of “change” aside for a day or two and do something a little more personal and light-hearted…

Last year, I listed The Top Ten Things I’m Thankful For. Highlights included:

• 10. My Friends
• 9. My Country
• 8. The Basics of Comfort
• 7. My Freedom
• 6. My Favorite Sports Teams
• 5. My Boys
• 4. My Toys
• 3. My Health
• 2. My Work
• …and the girl who will always be my #1: My Wife.

…and the year before that I shared this Thanksgiving Rhyme - mostly about football and food.

This year I will simply say Thank You to all of my readers!

Thanks for visiting and thanks for reading my stuff. Thanks for Tweeting and re-tweeting my posts. Thanks for contributing to my discussions on LinkedIn and reading my syndicated articles on RedCommerce.com.

We’re up to about 300,000 hits per month now and I actually got paid enough by Google this year to cover my hosting fees thanks to someone clicking on an ad or two!

What more could a blogger ask for?

Finally, I’m especially grateful for the personal and professional friendships that have grown out of my work and this blog. Thank you so much for your support.

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

- Steve

Today I will offer my impressions on the book.

Change Agent Tip #56: Be a Change-Friendly Leader

Sadly, many organizational changes are driven using “top-down” methods. “Bosses” define the future and tell people to buckle down and get there. This way of tackling change starts with good intentions and relies on leveraging authority. It often ends with threats and lose-lose decisions.

The results of this approach are typically mixed or poor.

In his new book, “Change-Friendly Leadership“, Dr Rodger Dean Duncan outlines the costs of failed change and makes the case for why organizations and their leaders need to take a different approach.

He suggests that the most effective change leaders truly engage their employees.

Carrots -v- Sticks: Instead of staking the entire change on one’s ability to establish and enforce authority – Duncan encourages leaders to establish meaningful, authentic relationships, then leverage shared goals and values as the basis for motivation. Instead of thinking in terms of titles and transactions (“…if you do this, the Boss will give you that“), Change Leaders should think of their change as a participative transformation (“…together, we will see what needs to be done and agree to work toward achieving shared goals.“).

He lays out five powerful “guiding principles” to frame up the relationship:

• Keep it simple. (Go back to the basics.)
• Make results, not excuses. (Get Real and focus on facts.)
• Control the journey. (Don’t just hope things will work out – define a clear map.)
• Be a gardener. (Think long-term and focus on growth – at the individual and organizational level.)
• Lead the whole person. (Lift your people up and encourage them along the way.)

I especially appreciate Duncan’s mention of principles early in his book. It reminds me that establishing this cultural element of leadership should precede any attempt to apply a change process. Having worked with clients on the concept and content of principles has taught me that they take time to get in place – but they are well worth the effort. I’ve really noticed the difference when I’ve worked inside organizations that attempt to “wing it” without clear principles around leadership, culture and behavioral expectations.

Is “Friendly” Too Soft a Term for Business? I was initially a bit skeptical about the term “friendly” being used in a hard core business setting. But after reading Duncan’s full thesis, I understand where he’s coming from. His entire model is based on creating an environment where change is more apt to succeed because organizational leaders employ four “change-friendly” behaviors that he calls “the Four T’s“:

1. Think-Friendly: Build an organizational mindset that encourages curiosity and individual engagement by making it “normal” to consider new ideas rather than allowing the forces of atrophy to hold sway.

2. Talk-Friendly: Expect team members to employ honest dialogue and thoughtful consideration as a part of routine communication. Change Leaders have an especially important role in demonstrating this openness to being influenced by listening with empathy and advocating in a respectful way.

3. Trust-Friendly: Build trust by earning trust, extending it to others and demonstrating trust as individuals and groups. Use trust-builders like limiting jargon, using clear language and tying elements of your message together into a straight-forward narrative.

4. Team-Friendly: Commit to using a collaborative approach to solving problems and implementing new ideas. The author refers to many proven, practical techniques of teamwork such as defining clear roles, recognizing the stages of team growth and reinforcing positive team behaviors over individual recognition.

Now for the Process…  Only after laying down this leadership/behavioral foundation does Duncan close the deal by recommending a clear, seven-step change process that is not necessarily sequential. I particularly like that point.

Experience has shown me that change is rarely accomplished through purely sequential “recipes”. Instead, Change Agents typically have more success by following a generalized process that involves circling back from time to time to verify results and checking that early adopting groups of stakeholders have not slipped back into old patterns.

Below is a summary of his tactical model in a nutshell. Caveat: I would encourage Change Agents to pick up a copy of Change-Friendly Leadership and dig deeply into these steps rather than trust my summation as a “to do list” for their change project.

Validate the Journey  – Make sure you and other leaders are on the same page as you begin a change. I call this “change alignment“.

Scan for Speed Bumps – Conduct an honest assessment of where you may expect resistance to your change. Include this knowledge in the planning process.

Chart the Course. – Lay out a crisp plan that employs six classic “levers” of change.

Build a Coalition. – Include a CAST of characters that include Champions, Agents, Sponsors and Targets as you assemble the team and start to execute the change.

Ford the Streams. – Execute the work of making change happen by focusing on behaviors while working through change activities.

Stay on Message. – Communicate with clarity and adapt messages to the information needs of stakeholder groups. Keep messages simple and framed in context of broader goals.

Mind the Gap. – Continually adapt the previous six steps based on interim results. Look for areas where reinforcement might be needed and encourage people all the way through the finish line.

So There You Have It. Taken as a whole, “Change Friendly Leadership” is a solid, practical book written by a talented, experienced Change Agent. I’d recommend it to sponsors as a great framework for leading change. I would also recommend it to anyone who is stuck in the middle of a failing change as an encouraging reminder that they don’t have to remain silent. They can practice and promote the ideas in this book as a starting point to getting things back on track.

-Steve

Standard Disclaimer: I was not compensated in any way for writing this review or allowing Dr. Duncan to write a guest post on theBigRocks.com.  He did send me an advance reading copy of the book.

 Questions for Chatter:

• What other books have you found useful as a Change Agent?
• Do you agree with Duncan’s approach of focusing on leadership and behaviors first – before getting into the change process?

Incoming search terms:

• change friendly leadership
• change friendly leadership trust cliff notes
• big rocks leadership
• Change Friendly
• four t\s change friendly leadership model
• friendly leadership

I’d like you to meet Dr. Rodger Dean Duncan. If you haven’t already worked with Rodger or read his material, you should. He’s solid and he’s sincere. His techniques are utterly practical. I’ll talk a bit more about Rodger and his work in my next post, but for now, let me step aside and have him share a few thoughts on how our natural motivations can get in the way of our being great Change Agents. He’ll also share ways that we can overcome these tendencies and be more effective.

Your Brain Has a Mind of Its Own. No kidding.

On its own accord, the brain tends to act more out of self-preservation than out of rationality. We have a natural tendency to tell ourselves stories that justify what we’re doing or failing to do. We have a natural tendency to allow our stories to masquerade as facts. We have a natural tendency to seek information that reinforces our view and to filter out or ignore information that contradicts our view.

This isn’t a character flaw, it’s just part of being human. But these natural tendencies can be crippling. The good news is that we can teach ourselves a new set of behaviors that serve us better.

Here’s an approach to challenging our own conclusions. I’ve given it a name: FIND-IT, which stands for Focus, Inquire, Notice, Discern – Integrate, Translate.

Let’s examine the nuances of each of these action verbs.

To Focus is to clarify, to concentrate, to define more carefully.

To Inquire is to investigate, to seek information by questioning. Effective inquiry requires an openness, a willingness to discover and accept information that differs from our first impressions or pre-conceived notions. Appreciative inquiry involves searching for solutions or explanations that may already exist and looking for the good and reasonable. That’s not to suggest that we wear blinders that prevent our seeing what’s dangerous or harmful. It’s to suggest that we honestly consider the possibility of bright sunshine obscured by the dark clouds.

To Notice is to pay mindful attention to details, to become more aware of the individual parts that comprise the whole. I took my grandchildren an art gallery. A major exhibit featured the playful work of Walter Wick, the photographer whose I SPY and Can You See What I See books for children are longtime bestsellers. With careful examination, I was able to notice things in Wick’s work that were completely missed in my initial, cursory look. In some situations there may be less than meets the eye. In others, there is definitely more than meets the eye. The only way to know is to notice mindfully.

To Discern is to distinguish, to recognize as distinct or different. True discernment also involves wisdom. Egyptian novelist Naguib Mahfouz may have said it best: “You can tell whether a man is clever by his answers. You can tell whether a man is wise by his questions.”

In addition to its spiritual components, discernment is an outgrowth of honest inquiry and mindful noticing.

To Integrate involves incorporating parts into a whole, giving fair consideration to the possible interdependency of the individual pieces. A related word is integral, which denotes something that is necessary to complete the whole.

Another related word is integrity, which denotes a state of being that’s whole or complete, and, of course, soundness of moral character. All of these are essential to behavior that produces the best results.

To Translate is to change something’s form, nature, or condition or to explain it in terms that are more easily understood and more appropriately dealt with.

To illustrate the utility of the FIND-IT model, let’s consider Stephen Covey’s classic story of his experience on a subway. Stephen met a man with several small children who were unruly and disruptive. At first, Stephen judged the man to be uncaring because he wasn’t controlling his children’s behavior. When Stephen learned that the man’s wife had just died at a nearby hospital, his perspective instantly changed.

Rather than seeing the man as rude, he now saw him for what he was – a fellow human swallowed by grief and shock. And when Stephen’s viewpoint changed, his own behavior changed. His urge to judge and lecture was replaced by the urge to comfort and help. He offered to cancel his appointments and help the man, a total stranger who was suddenly humanized by more complete – and more accurate – information.

When we sincerely Focus on a situation, we begin to see things that were not at first apparent.

When we respectfully Inquire – not for the purpose of playing “gotcha” but rather for the purpose of discovering possibilities we had not considered – we are often surprised by what we learn.

When we mindfully Notice the details of a situation we begin to see and appreciate the individual pixels that comprise the landscape.

When we carefully Discern what’s going on in a situation, we honestly distinguish between the facts (verifiable data) and our assumptions (the unsubstantiated stories we tell ourselves).

When we Integrate what we’ve noticed and discerned, we’re well on our path to appropriate and useful conclusions, decisions, and behaviors.

Finally, we’re able to Translate it all in a way that leads us to productive outcomes.

The next time you’re struggling for a useful approach to a situation – as a leader, as a parent, as an employee – do yourself and others a favor. FIND-IT.

Adapted from Change-Friendly Leadership: How to Transform Good Intentions into Great Performance, by Rodger Dean Duncan.

Thanks Rodger. In my next article, I’ll share my impressions of Rodger’s new book: Change-Friendly Leadership.

Spoiler Alert: It’s good. Really good.

-Steve

Incoming search terms:

• brain has a mind of its own
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In my last article, I noted how contentious the 2012 US Presidential election debates had become and what a challenge it must have been to facilitate those dialogues.  I gave you the first five items on a list of eleven ways Facilitators can “keep their cool” when group gatherings threaten to get out of hand. Some of these ideas were focused on the Facilitator’s actions and some were focused on the things we can ask participants to do.

Here’s what we covered so far:

A. – Allow people to vent – especially those who are not being heard.

B. – Breathe and pay attention to your own emotions so you don’t inadvertently influence the group by sighing, yawning or gasping!

C. – Capture the information which lies within the emotional conversation, with an emphasis on the material more than the emotional way it’s presented.

D. – Don’t take it personally. (Easier said than done, but critical...)

E. – Emotions = Energy. It’s easier to channel emotional energy – even if it’s rough around the edges – than it is to create interest and engagement out of thin air when people don’t care about the topic at hand.

Today I’ll finish the list with 6 more ideas that have worked for me over the years to diffuse the negative energy that sometimes spins off of an emotional outburst. In homage once more to the politically endangered Big Bird, today’s list of six more things to try is brought to you by the letters ‘F’ through ‘K’:

‘F’ is for “Facts”:Underlying most emotional conversations will be a set of facts. The Facilitator’s job is to dig these facts out and build awareness of them within the group so they can be used to solve whatever problem the team is facing. Use the whiteboard/flip chart process I described in my last article to capture what is said – minus the emotional component. In addition to capturing this information – be sure to guide a discussion that verifies which information is factual, and which is based on inferences and opinions. Opinions and inferences are not necessarily without value – they just tend to be less germane to solving problems because sometimes they don’t hold up as well over time, or under close scrutiny by folks outside the room.

‘G’ is for “Get Up & Move Around”: I usually advise group Facilitators to do their job standing up when possible.  Standing up gives you a more effective vantage point from which to monitor the room. It also helps you keep your cool by enhancing your ability to breathe deeply and physically express yourself with your hands and your full body.

It’s also less distracting to the group if you remain standing for most of the meeting rather than bouncing up and down to write on whiteboards. (Try getting up and down 30 times in your next 60 minute session and you’ll know what I mean.)

As for participants, I rarely advise facilitators to call a full room-clearing “time out”, but when the conversation turns so emotional that you sense the physical tension in the room rising as well, you may deem it necessary to have everyone just stand up and stretch a bit. Maybe take a bathroom break or allow people to step outside and get some fresh air. (… along with a fresh perspective.)

‘H’ is for “Holistic”: Good moderators are not just focused on the back and forth exchanges, they are also focused on the overall flow of the discussion and the overall clarity of the outcome.

Asking probing questions to fill in the gaps in a discussion can help a group account for more of the considerations involved in addressing a problem. End-to-end process walk-throughs can help people recognize critical, hidden details within steps of a process they are working to improve – including the downstream steps that individual members don’t necessarily own.

Another technique that I have used here is to play the “devil’s advocate” and hold people accountable for answering questions that group members may not feel comfortable asking. All of these techniques help to keep the holistic picture of the discussion in focus.

‘I’ is for “Intervene”: Facilitators must be ready to intervene when the situation calls for it. They should not be shy about playing their role in a purposeful way. Keeping your cool is easier if the group is used to having you jump in from time to time to maintain order. If you wait too long to do so, or fail to take your role seriously, it will become progressively harder to feel comfortable standing up when the moment calls for it!

In the case of an emotional outburst, actively intervene to peel away the layers of rhetoric and expression that cover the underlying data that drove the emotion. You’ll need that detail to solve the problems that caused the outburst. If the group doesn’t go into the weeds on their own, you may need to take them there with open-ended questions, proposed interpretations and rephrasing of statements they’ve expressed. You’re looking for clear agreement as well as clear disagreement here, so don’t be shy about sounding like a novice. I sometimes use my “newbie” status as a license to verify things that others may find obvious, only to discover that the point wasn’t so obvious to everyone!

‘J’ is for Joking Around:  It can be a tricky thing to do well, but I often use a bit of humor to diffuse group tension. A carefully-worded, non-offensive wise crack can often generate a range of positive emotions that creates a small opening in a negative situation. A belly-laugh is great, but not required. Sometimes even a smile or a groan can help cut the level of stress.

As always, you’ll need to be very careful with the types of humor you apply in difficult situations. Be sure not to offend anyone or belittle anyone’s contribution. If you must make fun of someone – make it yourself! A simple rule of thumb that has worked for me is to first try a self-deprecating joke and see if anyone else follows suit. Whether they  pile on me or voluntarily submit themselves as the butt of a light joke – the positive effect is usually about the same.

…and Finally, ‘K’ is for “Kipling” – as in British poet Rudyard Kipling and this famous quote from his epic masterpiece “If”:

“If you can keep your head when all about you are losing theirs and blaming it on you… …Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it.”

That’s some of the best advice I have ever read regarding facilitation. And while I cannot promise you the untold riches mentioned in his poem, I will assure you that the ability to “Keep Calm and Carry On” is a fundamental trait of great Facilitators the world over.

- Steve

Questions for Chatter:

• If you’ve ever struggled to facilitate a group through a challenging situation, what would you do differently if you could have a do-over?
• What other techniques have you employed to let the air out of a tense situation?

Regular readers of this blog know that I don’t take sides in political discussions…

But if our ballot has an option for “none of the above” I fear it may start to look tempting to some voters by November 6th…

Like many Americans, I tuned in to the debates between President Barack Obama and Republican challenger Mitt Romney to learn more about their plans and positions. I was struck by how quickly the dialogue became contentious and how their tone, body language and facial expressions impacted the opinions of voters who were interviewed afterwards.

The voter feedback also reminded me of how critical it is for Change Agents to “Keep Their Cool” when facilitating! (Imagine the hubbub that would have sprouted up if the moderators had joined in on the mud-slinging…)

Based on the candidates’ rancorous exchanges in the three debates, I wonder if I should have emailed my last few articles to Bob Scheiffer, Candy Crowley & Jim Lehrer a month ago?

So as a follow-up to my last post on how to deal with contentious exchanges that flare up when you are facilitating, today I’ll offer the first five of my eleven ways to keep your cool as you guide discussions that could become less than cordial…

 Ways to Keep Your Cool While Facilitating

Since the candidates seem to be fixated on Big Bird and the future of public television, this list will be brought to you by The Number 11 and the letters A through K…

‘A’ is for “Allow”: Allow contentious people to vent – within reason. You can impose a “campaign limit” on their lobbying efforts by using a round-robin technique. You can also try asking folks to start by sharing the one thing that they find most important. It’s important to spread out the air time so quieter folks in the room also get a chance to vent because emotional contributions rarely occur in even, symmetrical ways. (I’ve often wondered if one possible motivation for loud people to behave as they do is because it tends to overpower the quieter folks.)

I’ve noticed how sometimes strong-willed actors try to use boisterous, intimidating displays of opinion to shut down their opposition. Facilitators should apply their neutral position and implied authority to step in and draw out the unspoken opinions of the team’s more subtle players.

‘B’ is for “Breathe”: When things get hot, try to relax and stay as loose as you can. This will send a signal to others in the room that they don’t necessarily need to overreact or join the tide of negativity.

Something else about breathing: Sighs, yawns and gasps are all unhelpful forms of non-verbal communication when you’re facilitating. They are also physical attempts to get a quick shot of oxygen into your body. Decrease the risk of such involuntary physical reactions by maintaining effective breathing techniques as you facilitate. Standing up and moving around can help. It may seem like a small thing, but being relaxed (and showing it) can make a big difference in how others perceive the mood of the room and it can be hard to mask your physical state when you’re standing in front of a group!

‘C’ is for “Capture”: Capture the information that lies beneath the emotional outbursts. Use flip charts, white boards or other “public” documentation methods to write out the text that’s embedded within the verbal display. By doing so, you remove the emotional component and leave the raw data on the wall for the entire group to evaluate based on its stand-alone merit.

Remember that your purpose for capturing this information isn’t just to have it for the record, but to demonstrate that the point has been noted… This can help alleviate the tendency for emotional discussions to circle back to the same topics over and over. (I often ask the team as I write: “Got it… Anything else?“). “Public display” methods are far more useful for capturing data than typing up notes on your laptop or scribbling on a notepad and reading it back to participants.

‘D’ is for “Don’t Take it Personally: I know this can be very, very hard to do. I myself have felt the sting of emotional outbursts directed at me – and it took everything I had not to respond in kind! I’ve facilitated meetings where participants have publicly denigrated me, ridiculed my skills or my facilitative role, used foul language for shock value, or openly challenged my authority to lead the discussion.

In each of these situations, my ability to shake it off came in handy. A few times, I’ve even repeated this silly mantra in my head as things unfolded: “I’m a duck, I’m a duck! This negative stuff is rolling off my back just like water off a duck.” It might sound silly, but it works for me… Try it sometime and let me know if it works for you or if it just makes you feel goofy.

‘E’ is for “Emotions = Energy”: Emotional outbursts and highly-charged exchanges are going to happen when highly-engaged people see things that bother them. Sure, the social/emotional part can cause some stress, but look at the flip side: at least they CARE!

It could be worse. They could be checked out! I often think of the occasional behavioral manifestation in this potentially positive way:

“It’s easier to channel existing energy – even the negative kind – than it is to light a fire under a group of unmotivated people. The challenge for you as a Facilitator is keeping that energy focused on the goal you entered the room to achieve.”

If you also watched the Presidential debates, you may have seen the moderators try to use at least a few of these techniques – with mixed results. So just as I mentioned last time… these are things to try. They might not always work, so be ready to adapt your approach based on what works best with your group.  In my next post, I’ll complete this list by adding six more things you can use as you seek to keep your cool while facilitating through challenging situations.

- Steve

Questions for Chatter:

• Have you ever been openly challenged in a meeting that you were facilitating?
  
• How did you react?
  

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For those who don’t get what all the fuss is about…  I encourage you to grab a bowl of popcorn and try watching this gem again with a good friend and an open mind.  It might just grow on you…

A Burning Question: In one scene, the hero Westley guides the Princess through a dangerous Fire Swamp to avoid being captured. Huge flames appear to shoot from the ground randomly. How would the young heroes make it out alive?

A Clever Answer: Through careful observation, Westley deduces that each flare-up is preceded by a subtle clicking noise. They avoided being burned alive by adding this information to their path-finding process and the pair quickly navigates their way safely through their ordeal.

…And My Point? Watching their peril reminded me of how important it is for Change Agents to recognize the subtle hints that may indicate when a group they’re facilitating has wandered into the swampy, potentially explosive morass of overly emotional behaviors.

“What? Me freak out in the Big Meeting? That’s INCONCEIVABLE!”

OBTW: I’m not saying Facilitators shouldn’t allow participants to be passionate – just recognize when it’s damaging the team’s chances of progress.

To illustrate my point… Once upon a time, in a land far, far away, I was facilitating a client meeting that devolved into a disruptive finger-pointing blame game. When the situation erupted into an emotional exchange between several participants, it became clear that the original goals for the workshop would fly out the window unless we first found a way to interact civilly.

I quickly stopped the proceedings and asked all the combatants to consider this question:

“What if there were no villains and no heroes in this story?”

(Yes, I actually said that at work…)

Everyone stopped and looked at me with puzzled expressions. I explained that once upon another time, I had pulled a truly villainous move in a big meeting. I blurted out a judgmental statement only to discover that my opinion had been based on incomplete data.  I felt sheepish, and tried to apologize, but the damage had been done. While my intentions were noble, I looked like a villain to some of my peers.

I continued: “So… What if the person you disagree with isn’t really a villain?”

“How could we better understand their intentions?”

In other situations, I had played the role of “hero” by rushing in to smooth over a conflict, promising to do other people’s work or stepping in between warring political factions to force progress. In each case, my playing the hero had actually thwarted the group’s process toward solving a problem for themselves. Again, I had noble intentions, but the results could have been much better had I not intervened to take over.

I asked: “So… Do we have the right people doing their part to solve the problems we are trying to solve in this meeting?”

Sounds like dark magic Kid – but Hey, if it works…

Tip #52: Assume There are No Heroes & No Villains

My interruption allowed us to hit “reset” on our meeting. We got back on track when I:

• … let them briefly vent – in a very purposeful way.
• … asked each side to summarize the other side’s rationale.
• … pointed out several areas where the two opposing sides actually agreed.
• … and reviewed a couple of team ground rules that addressed ways to show mutual respect.

It didn’t necessarily result in a perfect fairy tale ending to our workshop, but we did manage to get our work done.

Now You Try It: I recommend against blindly hoping your next emotional flare-up will end in a magical “kumbaya” moment. Instead, take assertive action as a Facilitator. Consider the following lists of Five things that don’t work and Ten things that might work to diffuse emotional outbursts:

Tip #53: Five things that typically don’t work to diffuse emotional outbursts:

1.  Ignoring the conflict.
2.  Choosing sides / joining in (playing the hero for one side and the villain for the other).
3.  Allowing people to ignore team ground rules covering basic expectations for constructive behavior.
4.  Shutting the conflict down by overpowering dissension.
5.  Allowing the conflict to replace your original goals as the primary focus of the meeting.

Tip #54: Ten things that might work to cool down after a heated exchange: Instead, try some of these techniques that I have found to work well for dealing with overly emotional conflicts in meetings:

1. Remain neutral at all costs.

2. Speak in even, steady tones – avoid showing anger, frustration or bewilderment through your voice or body language.

3. Move people along gradually – park issues that may take more time and don’t try to facilitate too aggressively.

4. Diffuse the finger-pointing and emotional over-reactions by reminding people that being passionate about their work is a good thing.

5. Help draw out areas of agreement as a starting point for dialogue.

6. Build empathy by having each side articulate the other side’s needs.

7. Ensure that effective listening is taking place by having each side try to explain the other side’s logic.

8. Stick to the facts and recognize when people drift into opinions. (A simple working definition of a “fact” is something we all agree to be true)

9. Foster effective dialogue by having the group recommit to behavioral ground rules. (Such as the expectation that we’ll show mutual respect…)

10. Don’t be shy about asking for closure when the group appears to be getting close to an agreement. (PS: Don’t allow them to backtrack once they decide!)

Tip #55: Try the “No Jerks Rule”: Finally, as a matter of course, I try to assume that no one would hurt another person’s feelings at work just to be a jerk.  They might, however, do so unintentionally while trying to do what they believe is the best thing for their team, their boss, their customers or their organization. I encourage facilitators to try applying this assumption the next time that emotions run high… Maybe folks aren’t trying to be jerks, maybe they’re just getting a bit passionate about their work.

In my example story, I was able to diffuse a tense atmosphere by breaking a negative pattern. People saw the point, worked through a process and we moved on… But all of that effort would have blown up in my face if I had not maintained control of the situation by applying techniques like those above.

If you are unsure of your own ability to remain calm as a Facilitator in these highly-charged interpersonal situations, maybe you’d like me to share a few tips in my next post on how to keep your cool when those about you are losing theirs?

“As you wish…”

-Steve

Question for Chatter:

• What if a person in your meeting is actually being a jerk or they have a personal agenda against one of the participants?
• What can you do when a key person in the meeting process simply doesn’t want to listen to a facilitator’s suggestions?

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Questions of Authority & Priority: Leading strong-willed people toward any goal can be challenging, but two unique factors make it even tougher for neutral facilitators:

• Facilitators are usually not in charge of the people they facilitate.
• They usually don’t own the topics they’re working with.

In short: they don’t set priorities and they can’t usually direct people to do anything.

This begs the question:

“When you lead a facilitated event, should your primary focus be on taking charge of the topics and the players or keeping the process under control?”

In Charge or In Control? I recommend the latter – for two reasons. The first reason is simple and I’ll say it bluntly for emphasis: They really don’t have to listen to you. Any attempt to dictate the agenda or take charge of people who ultimately don’t answer to you will eventually catch up with you and your orders could be ignored.

If you’ve ever seen a political power struggle unfold during a tense business meeting, you know what I mean. If a person or group is asked to do something they object to doing, they can always appeal to their leaders. When conflicts get escalated in this way, they usually play out along the lines of authority reflected in the organizational structure.

Imagine demanding a certain behavior from a participant and receiving this (accurate) response in return: “You can’t make me!”

Hocus-Pocus -v- Process Focus: The second reason is more subtle, but just as important. While the lines of authority and prevailing priorities may largely determine the agenda and the players, the job of getting the work done in your meeting is different.  Facilitation is mostly about the process.

I often describe facilitation in this way:

• Facilitation isn’t magic – but it can be an art.
• It isn’t about making people do things or cajoling them into decisions they wouldn’t otherwise make.
• It is about helping people get things done by fostering an open dialogue that’s focused on a shared goal.”

Tip #51: Be “In Control” More Than “In Charge”.

I mentioned in my previous two posts that it’s usually best if the Facilitator is not the person who owns the topic at hand. It’s far better if they maintain a certain neutrality about how a given decision will work out. It also helps if the facilitator has no direct reporting-line authority over the other people in the room.

If your boss wears one of these, you probably should just do what he asks you to do…

The Problem With Being in Charge: It can sometimes be difficult for a person “in charge” of some or all of the participants to appear neutral. Even when they try, subordinates may interpret the discussion and the decision-making process through a filter of what they think their boss wants to hear.

Similarly, having the topic owner facilitate can also skew the results. Because topic owners are “in charge” of the content and thus the outcome of the meeting, they may be perceived as pushing their own agenda to satisfy their vested interests. Even if they try to take a neutral approach, they can be sometimes be viewed as influencing the discussion to turn out a certain way.

The Bottom Line: When leading a facilitated session, it’s important for Change Agents to shepherd the discussion and avoid trying to take charge of the content or the people. They should focus on maintaining enough control of the process that the group can steadily make their way toward the desired outcome.

In my next article, I’ll get into ways that facilitators can keep their cool when strong personalities and contentious issues cause things to get heated.

(…but that never actually happens in our meetings, does it?)

-Steve

Question for Chatter:

• How can a person facilitate in a neutral way if in fact they are in charge of some or all of the participants?

Over the next few posts, I’d like to continue the facilitation skills discussion by sharing seven behavioral traits that can serve a facilitator well as they go about their work.

These traits are not given in any particular order, nor are they an instant antidote for all the ills that make meetings difficult. Instead, they are useful ways of thinking, acting and carrying oneself as one facilitates in order to get better results.

Here is the first of my seven ways you can be more effective as a Facilitator:

Tip #50: Have a Learning Attitude as You Prepare

As the Facilitator, it can really help if you get up to speed before the meeting instead of “learning on the fly” during the process.  Here’s a short checklist of items you should be curious about and how you can satisfy that curiosity:

• Context: Gather relevant information about the subject matter so you fully understand the background and context for the meeting.
• Decisions: Document all decisions that are needed.
• Discussions: Characterize the kinds of dialogues that may need to take place during the meeting.
• The Lineup: Learn who the key players will be and what they may need from the meeting.
• Invitations: Make sure the right people are invited to the meeting.
• Game Plan: Create an agenda for your meeting that clearly lists the activities, goals and outcomes. It doesn’t hurt to place time expectations on there too.
• Stay Curious: Finally, make sure to keep your inquiring mind churning during the meeting as well – this kind of engagement can rub off on participants.

I often “make the rounds” with the key players in advance of a big decision-making meeting just to better understand where people are coming from and learn more about their expectations.

Facilitators are often asked to build an agenda before a meeting. Use this task as an opportunity to gather information, inform yourself and focus your preparation.

Embrace a learning attitude as you prepare, even if you already consider yourself an expert in the topic area. You might be surprised by what details you uncover as you dig below the surface!

In our next article we’ll discuss the difference between being in charge and being in control as you facilitate.

-Steve

Question for Chatter:

• How could a lack of preparation negatively impact your ability to facilitate an effective discussion or successful decision-making process?

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