In today’s volatile world, many organisations, be they from the private, public or not-for-profit sector, must adapt. Some do it proactively, others are forced by the rapid and profound changes in their operating environment(s).
Some organisational changes are driven by the objective of surviving and continuing in a disrupted world. Some, perhaps more rarely, are based on a fundamental review of the organisation’s purpose and mission within the world of today and tomorrow. One way of driving change is to focus primarily on the financial side. Another one is to do so with real attention also to the people who are affected by that change.
Organisational change processes are not easy; nor are most very effective. An average of 70%, across all sectors, do not fully yield the promised or hoped-for ‘result’. Most also become painful exercises, certainly for those who have to undergo a change process decided, designed and driven by others – but also for some of those driving it. That pain can seriously diminish a quality that is very precious in any organisation but does not show up in the accounts: trust. Too easily, those who are undergoing the change are accused of ‘resisting change’ because ‘they want to stay in their professional and personal comfort zone’. And those undergoing the change become suspicious that the ones who decided and drive it are definitely protecting their own professional and personal status and interests. The pain sometimes relates to the objective, the ‘what’ of the change process. But most of the time it comes from ‘how’ the change process is handled, a ‘how’ that fails because it ignores or misreads the human dimension in organisational life. The full human dimension, not just the brain.
It need not be that way. As GMI, over the years, we have worked with teams to overcome their internal tensions and accompanied organisations and networks in various change processes.
For the past six years, one of us runs an annual course in Paris on organisational change processes, for Masters Degree students. We also have an online course on ‘Coaching Skills for Relationship System Intervention’, offered via the Systems and Complexity in Organisation (SCiO) network In the past we also co-designed and been co-directors of courses on ‘leadership’ and (responsible) followership, and on ‘being a trusted advisor’,
For this accompaniment, we draw on a variety of experiences and sources: We have our own experiences of change processes in several organisations as employee (in mid- and senior management level) but also of being part of and engaging with Boards of Trustees of different organisations. We have greatly benefitted from formal training in the Being at Full Potential approach and in Organisational and Relationship System Coaching (ORSC). We have been inspired by peer-learning enabled by the Business Agility Institute and the Presencing Institute, and by certain management literature.
Are you curious, want to hear more? Are you struggling with tensions within or between teams, uncertain how to handle a change process in your organisation or network? Do get in touch.