Leading Fearless Change

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Leading Fearless Change

• Mary Lynn Manns, Ph.D.
• University of North Carolina at Asheville
• manns_at_unca.edu
• www.cs.unca.edu/manns
• Dannon
• April 2009

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(No Transcript)
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The Project

• Started in 1996, collecting change leadership
  strategies from
• discussions with people leading change worldwide
• leaders of change throughout history
• change theories

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Patterns

• Successful strategies documented as patterns
• Patterns capture recurring problems and
  successful solutions
• Each pattern has a name
• A collection of patterns (for leading change)
  provides a vocabulary or language (for leaders of
  change)

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The Book

• 48 patterns
• chapters on change and the use of the patterns
• experience reports
• target user is powerless leader
• emphasis is emergent change
• The goal
• People become so involved and interested in the
  change process that they want to change.

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Some Misconceptionsthat get change leaders into
trouble

• If I have a good idea that adds value, it will be
  easy to convince others to accept it.
• All I need is a lot of knowledge about the new
  idea and an effective plan.
• I can convince people with my charm and a nice
  PowerPoint presentation.
• Run away from the skeptics.
• I can lead this change initiative alone.
• Once I convince people, they will stay convinced.
• And why do I need this information? I am in a
  position to impose the change.

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Warm up.

• What are the challenges
• in the changes
• that are facing Dannon?

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The goal.

• People become so involved and interested
• in the change process
• that they want to change.

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True or False?I need a specific plan for
leading the change.

• However.
• Change is not an event it is a process (a
  rather unpredictable process).
• Change happens one individual at a time.
• Can you predict how individuals will react
  during this process?
• How does a powerless leader move through the
  process of change?

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Keep a Package of PatternsWith You

• Take on a role
• Evangelist
• Create a vision. Make short-term goals. Build on
  your successes and learn from your failures.
• Test the Waters
• Step by Step
• The key to innovation is to manage a balance
  of
• planning, structure, and improvisation. (K.
  Sawyer, Group Genius)
• Time for Reflection
• Small Successes

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What does the Evangelist do first?

• Well, it depends
• Some possibilities
• In Your Space
• Just Do It
• Study Group
• Personal Touch

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Guru on Your Side
Early Majority
Champion Skeptic
Bridge-Builder
Early Adopter
Connector
Local Sponsor
Innovator
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The decision process
knowledge persuasion decision
implementation confirmation The mental
activity at knowledge is cognitive (knowing)
persuasion is affective (feeling)
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Knowledge present the relevant facts

• Goal Audience will believe you and be willing
  to be persuaded
• Stress a simple, concrete message Just Enough
• What is the core? Elevator Pitch
• Gather Information
• Just Do It, Town Meeting
• Capture attention
• Big Jolt, Wake-Up Call
• Make it relevant Tailor Made
• Consider the value drivers of the group

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Knowledge continued

• Show a relative advantage
• Build credibility for your message
• Hometown Story, External Validation, Big
  Jolt
• Create opportunities for learning Study Group
• Concentrate on the possibilities
• Small problems Step by Step propose a strategy
  
• Give visible, frequent, memorable messages In
  Your Space
• Next Steps
• People will forget what you said, forget what you
  did, but not forget how you made them feel. (Maya
  Angelou)

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Move from informing to persuading

• Our emotions drive our decisions and then we
  justify with logic and reason.
• Behavior change happens mostly by speaking to a
  peoples feelings. (John Kotter)

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Persuasion transform information into action

• Goal Audience will form the intended opinion
  and be willing to act on it
• Ask yourself What will cause my audience to
  feel something? Emotional Connection
• Set the stage relationships
• Show your passion for the problem/solution
  Evangelist
• Stir up a little anger Wake-Up Call
• Match problem to individual concerns Personal
  Touch

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Persuasion continued

• Create a sense of ownership
• Involve Everyone, Ask for Help,
• Group Identity
• Just Say Thanks
• Address the fear of the skeptics Fear Less
• Tell meaningful stories
• Talk about people instead of statistics
• Do Food and Token

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Persuasion continued

• Prompt a little fun
• Allow people to feel smarter
• Show that you understand their loss
• Leave them with a sense of urgency Wake-Up Call
• Other ideas??...

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Things are buzzing some other patterns to
remember...

• Sustained Momentum
• Shoulder to Cry On
• Piggyback
• Corridor Politics
• Trial Run
• Stay in Touch
• etc

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Summary

• Step-by-Step with Time for Reflection
• The different types of people
• persuading each person in the most effective way
• involving each person in the change initiative
• Patterns for informing versus persuading
• More patterns once the buzz is happening

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You miss 100 of the shotsyou never take.
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Leading Fearless Change

• Mary Lynn Manns, Ph.D.
• University of North Carolina at Asheville
• manns_at_unca.edu
• www.cs.unca.edu/manns
• Dannon
• April 2009