Workshop 5: Embracing Change Workshop
-3 Minute Read
Welcome to our Organisational Excellence Workshop Series. This series seeks to provide a launch pad for building professional skills and organisational success. Each workshop provides a jumping-off point for a different theme, exploring innovative strategies and practical exercises to enhance work and team dynamics. See more in the series here: https://blog.hptbydts.com/organisational-excellence-workshop-series
The objective of this workshop is to equip teams with the skills and mindset needed to adapt to and embrace organisational changes positively and effectively.
Full-Day Workshop (8 hours)
Materials Needed:
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- Resources on organisational change theories and adaptability skills.
- Case studies or hypothetical change scenarios.
- Tools for resilience self-assessment and stress management.
- Feedback forms.
Facilitator's Note:
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- Create an environment that encourages active participation, reflection, and open discussion.
- Be prepared to address resistance to change and offer positive perspectives and coping strategies.
- Focus on practical applications and real-world relevance of the skills and strategies discussed.
1. Understanding Change
Exploring the nature of change in organisations, including the typical responses and stages of adapting to change.
Desired Outcome:
To build a foundational understanding of how change impacts individuals and teams. This activity aids in comprehending how change affects individuals and teams, preparing participants for adaptive responses.
Steps:
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- Present theories and models of organisational change (e.g., Kotter’s 8-Step Change Model, Kubler-Ross Change Curve).
- Facilitate group discussions on past experiences with change, focusing on reactions and coping strategies.
- Encourage reflection on personal responses to change.
Potential Challenges:
Resistance to discussing past change experiences. To help overcome this, create a supportive environment that encourages openness.
2. Change Impact Analysis
Analysing the potential impacts of hypothetical organisational changes on teams and individuals.
Desired Outcome:
To anticipate and prepare for the effects of change. This activity advocates for a proactive approach to change impacts, enabling teams to adapt more quickly and mitigate negative consequences.
Steps:
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- Present a hypothetical change scenario relevant to the participants.
- Groups analyse the potential impacts of this change on their work and team dynamics.
- Share findings and discuss strategies to address these impacts.
Potential Challenges:
Difficulty in foreseeing impacts or focusing only on negative aspects. To help overcome this, guide the discussion to consider both challenges and opportunities.
3. Adaptability Skills Workshop
Developing key skills for adaptability, such as flexibility, open-mindedness, and resilience.
Desired Outcome:
To enhance participants' ability to adapt to change effectively. This activity focuses on developing adaptability skills essential for successfully navigating change.
Steps:
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- Introduce the concept of adaptability and its importance in dealing with change.
- Conduct exercises or role-plays to practice these skills in simulated change scenarios.
- Facilitate discussions on applying these skills in the workplace.
Potential Challenges:
Reluctance to engage in role-plays or exercises. To help overcome this, use varied and relatable scenarios to ensure relevance and engagement.
4. Creating a Change-Ready Culture
Identifying ways to foster a culture that is receptive to and supportive of change.
Desired Outcome:
To develop strategies for creating a positive and change-ready team culture. This activity concentrates on building a culture that smoothly transitions during organisational changes.
Steps:
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- Discuss the elements of a change-ready culture.
- Brainstorm ideas and initiatives that can promote such a culture in their teams or organisation.
- Develop an action plan to implement these ideas.
Potential Challenges:
Overcoming cynicism or negative past experiences with change. To help overcome this, focus on positive examples and incremental improvements.
5. Communication During Change
Exploring effective communication strategies to use during times of change.
Desired Outcome:
To improve participants' ability to communicate clearly, empathetically, and effectively during organisational changes. This activity focuses on enhancing communication skills for managing expectations and maintaining morale during change.
Steps:
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- Present best practices for communication during change (e.g., transparency, frequency, clarity).
- Role-play communication scenarios related to change (e.g., delivering change news, addressing concerns).
- Discuss and critique the communication strategies used in the role-plays.
Potential Challenges:
Communicating sensitively and effectively about change. To help overcome this, provide guidance on empathetic and clear communication.
6. Resilience Building
Exercises and discussions focused on building personal and team resilience.
Desired Outcome:
To strengthen resilience to better cope with the uncertainties and stresses of change. This activity enhances resilience, enabling individuals and teams to recover quickly from change challenges.
Steps:
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- Discuss the concept of resilience and its relevance to managing change.
- Conduct activities that explore ways to build resilience, such as stress management techniques, mindfulness practice or resilience self-assessment.
- Share strategies for fostering resilience within teams.
Potential Challenges:
Misunderstanding resilience as enduring stress without complaint. To help overcome this, clarify that resilience involves proactive coping and adaptation.
7. Workshop Debrief & Feedback Session
Gathering participant feedback and summarising key workshop learnings.
Desired Outcome:
To reinforce key concepts and gather insights for continuous improvement. This activity helps to ensure understanding of the workshop content and provides insights for enhancing future workshops.
Steps:
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- Open discussion for participants to share their thoughts on the workshop.
- Summarise key concepts and learnings.
- Collect written feedback for future workshop enhancements.
Potential Challenges:
Limited participant engagement in providing feedback. To help overcome this, encourage honest and constructive feedback to improve future workshops.
Thank you for joining us in this edition of the 'Organisational Excellence Workshop Series'. We hope the insights and strategies from the Embracing Change Workshop have inspired you and provided a valuable tool to kick-start and customise your own workshop. Remember, each workshop in this series is a step towards enhancing and enriching your organisational culture. Stay tuned for our next edition, where we will explore another vital aspect of professional development, continuing our journey of learning and growth. Until then, we encourage you to implement what you've learned and share your experiences with your peers.
Trevor O'Sullivan
General Manager. Since the early 2000s, Trevor has worked with thousands of Talent Management professionals to develop and apply assessment-based talent management solutions for selecting, developing and managing people. Trevor is an active member of the TTI Success Insights (TTISI) Global Advisory Council, contributes to TTISI product development and is a regular presenter at TTISI-R3. He is honoured to have received multiple Blue Diamond Awards and, more recently, the Bill Brooks Impact Award recognising his contributions to the TTISI global network.
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