Have you even led or been part of a team struggling to lead through change and continue to move forward? It can feel daunting and destined for failure when you don’t have the tools or expertise to support your team. We love success stories and following is an example of how Change2020 successfully took a financial services client on a path from change resistance to change leadership with a sustainable and positive outcome.
Following recent major regulatory change across the finance industry and significant planned internal changes within their business, our client had identified the need to increase the capacity of their line management to lead change within their teams.
The People and Culture General Manager approached Change2020 to facilitate a process to gain understanding and increase the capacity to lead through change and ensure the company was set up for success.
In response to the industry, governance, systems and process changes that were taking place, Change2020 identified that their biggest challenge was managing the uncertainty of multiple changes across an organisation who had not been so significantly impacted by change in the past. It was crucial for line management to have a clear understanding of what to expect so they could successfully lead themselves and others through change and deliver positive outcomes.
Change2020 facilitated a full day workshop with the team of line managers, using the Indicator of Ambiguity (I Am®) assessment tool. The initial assessment provided the team with their individual Tolerance to Ambiguity (TOA) results so they could understand what capabilities needed to be developed to increase their own ability to manage change as well as leading others through change. The workshop asked questions about working in a VUCA world and what this meant to them, provided work-based context and introduced them to the ‘eight habits’ that could support them to adapt to the ambiguity within their workplace; generated by both internal and external factors.
Change2020 discussed with the team how to effectively navigate the decision-making processes around change, planned short-term and long-term change events and introduced the Three C’s of Change Leadership; Communication, Collaboration and Commitment.
The workshop provided a broader perception of change management within the team and their role in leading it, enabled them to confirm the strategy and plans for implementing change in their teams, with a presentation of recommendations to the Executive.
Appreciating the existence of ambiguity in a changing environment, and how the option to always keep moving forward in plans and decisions, was a key enabler in shifting the perceptions of the line management team of change resistance to change leadership. The success of the workshop was reflected in the accountability and attitude of the participants for their part in leading the change as opposed to the learned helplessness felt at the start of the workshop.
Change2020 will continue to work with the organisation to support them in embedding the behaviours, mindsets and capabilities to adapt to ambiguity and thrive as a result of it.
Our people are here to help your people.
As organisational change consultants, we’re experts in helping people through change. We understand change can be a difficult, frustrating and messy process, which is why we deliver practical and flexible support to help you and your team navigate new territory.