Managing Change and
Appreciative Inquiry
Helen Newman
Newman and
Associates
Focus of this workshop
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Explore how change is positively managed
and planned in the current economic and
social climate facing youth service managers
and Boards
Bigger picture facing charities
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Change is the constant
A mixture of imposed and planned
Managing and leading change is a key
function of managers and Boards
Positive or a negative?
Opportunity or threat?
Implications for managers and Boards
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How do we view change?
How do we release change as opposed to impose it?
How do we inspire, enable, encourage and facilitate
change in people and their behaviors?
It is about creating energy, motivation, collaboration
and dialogue?
How do we ensure that organisations, staff and
leaders have the knowledge, skills and aptitude to
make change sustainable?
Managing Change
Yeah right!!
IMPOSED CHANGE
(for those required to implement it)
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is without choice
is often unexpected
is sudden
is dramatic (lightening bolt)
is rapid (out of control)
is problem creating
is disruptive of routines
INTENTIONAL CHANGE
(for those who make decisions)
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is a conscious decision
is anticipated
is gradual
is incremental
is paced
is problem solving
is an opportunity for growth
Model for Managing Change
Endings
Loss
Neutral Zone
Limbo
New Beginnings
Life
William Bridges Managing
Transitions
Model for Managing Change
Endings
Loss
•Identify who is losing what
•Expect & accept the signs of grieving
•Don’t be surprised by overreaction
•Say it, say it again & say it again
•Treat the past with respect
•Mark the endings
“He who lacks time to mourn, lacks time to mend”
Shakespeare
“You can not jump a twenty foot chasm in two ten foot
leaps”
Old American Indian Proverb
Model for Managing Change
Endings
Loss
Neutral Zone
Limbo
•Identify who is losing
what
•Opportunity or crisis
•Expect & accept the
signs of grieving
•Create temporary solutions
•Don’t be surprised by
overreaction
•Provide frameworks for support
•Say it, say it again & say
it again
•Have a positive metaphor for
change and re-inforce the
metaphor with actions
•Treat the past with
respect
•Mark the endings
“He who lacks time to mourn,
lacks time to mend”
Shakespeare
“You can not jump a twenty
foot chasm in two ten foot
leaps”
Old American Indian
Proverb
•Encourage creativity
“Where
all think alike, no one thinks very much”
Lippmann
“One does not discover new lands without
consenting to loose sight of the shore for a very long
time” Gide
Model for Managing Change
Endings
New Beginnings
Loss
Life
•Expect ambivalence
•The timing of the heart
Neutral Zone •Purpose, Picture, Plan & a Part to Play
Limbo
“
•Be consistent
•Ensure quick success
•Celebrate the success
“Beginnings are always messy”
Galsworthy
“Example is not the main thing in influencing others, it is the only
thing” Schweitzer
Model for Managing Change
Endings
Loss
•Identify who is losing what
Neutral Zone
Limbo
•Opportunity or crisis
•Expect & accept the signs of •Create temporary
grieving
solutions
•Don’t be surprised by
•Provide frameworks for
overreaction
support
•Say it, say it again & say it
•Have a positive metaphor
again
for change
•Treat the past with respect •Re-inforce the metaphor
with actions
•Mark the endings
New
Beginnings
Life
•Expect ambivalence
•The timing of the heart
•Purpose, Picture, Plan
& a Part to Play
•Be consistent
•Ensure quick success
•Celebrate the success
•Encourage creativity
“He who lacks time to mourn, lacks
time to mend”
“Where all think alike, no one
Shakespeare
thinks very much”
Lippmann
“You can not jump a twenty foot
chasm in two ten foot leaps”
“One does not discover new
lands without consenting to
loose sight of the shore for a
Old American Indian
very long time”
Gide
Proverb
“Beginnings are always
messy” Galsworthy
“Example is not the main
thing in influencing others,
it is the only thing”
Schweitzer
Exercise
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What does this suggest about managing
change in practice?
How does it apply to change in your
organisation?
Change Management - five key
principles
When leaders or managers are planning to manage change, there are
five key principles that need to be kept in mind:
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Different people react differently to change;
Everyone has fundamental needs that have to be met;
Change often involves a loss, and people go through the "loss
curve";
Expectations need to be managed realistically;
Fears have to be dealt with.
Tips when applying these principles
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Give people information - be open and honest about the facts,
but don't give overoptimistic speculation; i.e. meet their
OPENNESS needs, but in a way that does not set UNREALISTIC
EXPECTATIONS.
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For large groups, produce a communication strategy that
ensures information is disseminated efficiently and
comprehensively to everyone (don't let the grapevine take over);
e.g. tell everyone at the same time. However, follow this up with
individuals as necessary to produce a personal strategy for dealing
with the change. This helps to recognise and deal appropriately
with the INDIVIDUAL REACTION to change.
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Give people choices to make, and be honest about the possible
consequences of those choices; i.e. meet their CONTROL and
INCLUSION needs.
Tips when applying these principles
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Give people time to express their views, and support their
decision making, providing coaching, counselling or information as
appropriate, to help them through the CHANGE CURVE.
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Where the changes involves a loss, identify what will or might
replace that loss - loss is easier to cope with if there is something
to replace it. This will help assuage potential FEARS.
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Where it is possible to do so, give individuals opportunity to
express their concerns and provide reassurances - also to
help assuage potential FEARS.
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Keep observing good management practice, such as making
time for informal discussion and feedback (even though the
pressure might seem that it is reasonable to let such things slip during difficult change such practices are even more important).
Sustaining motivation and
commitment
Circles of Influence and Concern (Covey, 2006)
Models
Traditional Models of
OD and Planning
 Define the problem
 Fix what’s broken
 Focus on decay
What problems are we
having?
Appreciative Inquiry
Search for solutions
that already exist
 Amplify what’s working
 Focus on life-giving
forces
What is working well
around here?
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Appreciative Inquiry
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A.I. works on the assumption that whatever
you want more of, already exists in all
organisations, groups and individuals
A I is a way of thinking, seeing and acting for
powerful, purposeful change
Assumptions of AI
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In every society, organisation or group something works
What we focus on becomes our reality
Reality is created in the moment and there are multiple realities
The act of asking questions of a group or organisation
influences the group in some way
People have more confidence and comfort to journey to the
future (the unknown), when they carry forward parts of the past
(the known)
If we carry parts of the past forward, they should be the best
about the past
It is important to value differences
The language we use creates our reality
Appreciative Inquiry
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Spirit (Purpose): What are we here for? What are
we as an organisation part of that is greater than
ourselves?
Identity: Who are we?
Values and Beliefs: What is important to us? What
motivates us?
Capablities: What do we know how to do? What
skills do we have?
Behaviour: What are we doing?
Environment: Where do we operate? What is
around us?
Appreciative Inquiry - steps
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Discover – what are we good at? Success?
Dream – what stretch do we need? Gaps
Design
Deliver
Some thoughts
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Sometimes the greatest challenge is to actually
begin, there is something deep in us that conspires
to remain within safe boundaries, to stay the same.
John O’Donoghue
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“Those who say it can’t be done will always be
overtaken by those who do it.”
Meaning makes a great many things endurable –
perhaps everything. Carl Jung
Things alter for the worse spontaneously, if they be
not altered for the better designedly." (Francis Bacon;
English philosopher, statesman, and essayist.)