Workshop: Implementing change

1. Workshop: Implementing change Carrie Dow November 2013

2. Introductions Work-life • Projects & Change Manager • Linklaters – global law firm • My day: all about managing change Home-life • A family full of clergy / ministry roles • 18+ years of vicarage life • Church office in our front room …

3. Agenda • What do we mean by “implementing change”? • A few examples from church life • What is the key to success? • Change life-cycle – practical steps • Questions …

4. What do we mean by “implementing change”? A few definitions • What you do = “project” management • How you do it = “change” management • Reasons for failure are rarely because the idea is bad … • … typically the what doesn’t include enough thought on how you take people with you What does good change management involve? • Anticipation • Common sense • Time and effort

5. A few examples from church life … Infrastructural change • Building a church hall • Upgrading the kitchen / sound system • Switching from pews to chairs • Moving the rood screen Strategic change • Introducing a new service • Planting a new church • Initiating a youth work programme • A new purpose statement (or vision) Organisational change • New roles / staff members • Revised homegroup structure • Introducing extra prayer meetings • Inviting men to the women’s fellowship Process (or operational) change • Introducing a new Bible version • Distributing the Lord’s supper • New music rotas • Introducing Fairtrade coffee

6. What is the key to success? Feedback from your peers – key themes for success • Explain why … link to vision or values • Explain how and when (but not too much detail at the expense of the above) • Getting the pace right, not doing too much at once (include trial periods) • Involving the right people in ideas/discussions, before, during and after • Understanding people’s limitations (time, mostly) and providing options • Warmth, encouragement, thanks and appreciation (particularly for costly changes) • A strong core team with defined roles, complementary skill sets, courage, humour … • Identify ‘successful’ before you start, for everyone (including those you will upset) • Communicate, communicate, communicate • 4Ps: Prayer, Planning, Preaching, Pastoral care • Red wine helps

7. What is the key to success? Feedback from your peers – tripping points to avoid • A perception that personal preference is the driver for change, or an appropriate response to it • Taking advice from people but ignoring it (or appearing to) • Change overload • Those who shout loudest get their way – sift the evidence carefully • Forgetting you’re working with volunteers and expecting too much • Lack of (joined up) communications • Preaching that those opposed to the change are ‘agents of the enemy within’ • Missing possible implications for the change

8. Change management life-cycle Idea Plan Impact Transition Review Vision Leadership team Who Give it time Report back Case for change Change strategy Assess impact Constant feedback Be honest Key messages Interventions Support Comms Change is easier … Keep adjusting

9. Change management life-cycle Vision • ‘Postcard from the future’ • Burning platform: DxV=C • Or … T x (Bo + Be) > C x (E + Bu) = willingness to embrace change Case for change • Addresses the question “why are we doing this?” • Creates a compelling reason for starting an initiative • Sets out the problem and opportunity (what if we did nothing?) • Generates buy in and active engagement, linking to vision • Issues must be Mutually Exclusive and Collectively Exhaustive Key messages • ‘Elevator pitch’ • Starting point for ALL comms about initiative Idea Vision Case for change Key messages Comms

10. Change management life-cycle Leadership team • Critical! • Draw from the top and the middle levels of an organisation • Consider what skill sets you need Change strategy • Understand the full change context before you plan: • Capacity for change • Nature of change • Throw over the fence or manage change in over time? Plan Leadership team Change strategy

11. Change management life-cycle Who • U.P.I.G. Assess impact • Describes each change, and which people are impacted • Identifies what support they need (training, comms, support etc.) Considerations • Organisational change – need to interact differently • Process – need to do something differently • Knowledge & Skills – need to know something new or different • Tools/System/Technology – need to use something differently • Culture – need to think and act differently • Measure – need to reward differently Impact Who Assess impact Interventions Change is easier …

12. Change management life-cycle Communications (I know and understand clearly what is expected of me) Education (I have the necessary skills to act in the new way) Impact Who Assess impact Change is made easier if… Interventions Support (I know where and how to find out more) Role models I see others (especially those in senior positions) acting the same way Change is easier …

13. Change management life-cycle Transition • A defined period where everyone knows we are learning on the job • Important to continue to take feedback • Identify who, in particular, will need support and how we deliver this • Make adjustments to secure benefits Transition Give it time Constant feedback Support Keep adjusting

14. Change management life-cycle Review • Agree at what point we can report back • Be honest – it may be too early to see successes! • Be honest – some things may not have worked Review Report back Be honest

15. What we’ve covered • What do we mean by “implementing change”? • A few examples from church life • What is the key to success? • Change life-cycle – practical steps • Questions …