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Leading change out of lockdown…

nuggetsoflearning • May 7, 2020

On Sunday we will receive advice from the Government as to whether there is any easing of the lockdown. When we do eventually return to work you need to be able to lead changes in working practices and support your team. It is essential that you focus and support the emotions and behaviours.

I have designed a one hour workshop that is detailed below to support leaders, business owners and team members. It can be delivered just to one person or a small group, at the cost of £100. The workshop is very practical using theory as a framework, however ensuring that it is relevant and specific for every organisation. It will be delivered virtually over Zoom, with notes and actions captured.

Leading Change out of Lockdown

“Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future” John F Kennedy

What is it about?

One hour workshop on how to lead your team out of lockdown by using the principles from John Kotter’s book “Our iceberg is melting…” Providing tools and techniques to help your people think and work differently.

Overview

Creating a plan for change
Identifying the emotions and behaviours we go through during change
Recognising the difference between concerns and influences

What will I get out of it?

Using Kotter’s steps to create a practical plan for change
Managing your emotions and behaviours throughout change
Clear understanding of what you can and cannot influence
Practical steps

Workshop outline in more detail:-

Creating a Plan

Change is inevitable coming out of lockdown. Teams will embrace the change, however there will be a feeling of loss, and major uncertainty. It can be minor to major, however the emotional reaction can be managed with a clear formula.

John Kotter’s book “Our iceberg is melting” tells the tale of a colony of penguins and their need to move as their iceberg is melting.

Returning to your offices will feel like a new move, and you will need to ensure that your culture is robust to withstand the changes.

The steps below come from Kotter’s book and can be applied to how you ease out of lockdown:-

Create a sense of urgency – help others to see the need for the change – you can’t work the way you worked before
Pull together a leading/guiding team to provide guidance for everyone
Decide what to do – create a vision or strategy so everyone understands, sell it positively create a picture in peoples minds
Make it happen – communicate for understanding and buy in, host online Q&A sessions
Empower others to act – create Change Ambassadors who are good role models for the new way of working
Acknowledge short term wins – celebrate the small stuff and make it inclusive
Make it stick – ensure this is a cultural change so you are ready for the next change. This is a great time to bond together as a team and to know that if a new way of working happened in the future you would all be able to adapt

Creating a culture of change is more sustainable than just managing reactively. Your team will feel more secure and more adept towards change if they have a plan and a process as Kotter’s book demonstrates.

Emotions and Behaviours

Using the Elisabeth Kubler-Ross change curve to explain the journey of emotions and behaviours everyone will feel with the changes. The curve can be used as a road map and a census check at team meetings.

Circle of Concern/Circle of Influence

Practical tool to identify any concerns your team have around the new working practises. Everyone creates their own concerns on post-its and they are either identified as something that can be actioned or influenced or they have to be parked as bigger than the organisation and therefore should not be a concern.

Key learnings “nuggets”

The workshop will have lots of takeaways and practical application to help leaders get their teams back to work safely.

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