MANAGING CHANGE AND TRANSITIONS WORKSHOPS

There is a core suite of three ½ day workshops but the content is infinitely variable dependent upon precise Client needs; programmes are usually individually tailored to Client's identified needs after initial consultation. All three workshops feature lively introductory sessions, encourage participation throughout and normally end with an innovative activity or two that a) re-inforces learning and b) invites and encourages detailed feed-back.

NOTE : Specially tailored material and activities can be developed to suit individual Client needs; user-specific material (including workshop presentations) can, subject to arrangement, be provided to reside on knowledge or e-learning platforms, thereby making them more widely accessible and available to other approved employee groups.

The core modules are

"PREPARING FOR CHANGE"
"INTRODUCTION TO MANAGING CHANGE"
"PLANNING AND MANAGING CHANGE"

"PREPARING FOR CHANGE"

This is for all staff, all levels, about to undergo organisational change. It takes an initial very basic, structured look at the whole subject of change, sets it in the perspective of accelerating rates of change generally. Like all our workshops it is particularly participative with delegates working both individually and in groups to consider some of the fundamentals, some of the key impacts. It is orientated to encourage people to actively participate in change, to become involved, to contribute; it is also designed to take away some of the fear and anxiety that surrounds change, to look beyond the immediate impacts, to think about customers/consumers and to work with management to work through the transitional - change - period, however long that might be. We supply and discuss a number of key models and techniques for coping with change, encouraging people to take a positive view about the needs for change, to look for, to see some of the opportunities that normally flow from major change programmes. True to its Title the workshop focuses on how people typically feel about change and looks at some of the guidance and literature that seeks to help them not only to "cope" but also to take a more pro-active approach. Feed-back, both from Senior Managements and delegates, has been excellent. People appreciate that management care sufficiently for their welfare to put on these workshops, to allow them to express - even discuss! - their fears, to collectively look at legitimate ways of influencing change, helping ensure it's success.

"INTRODUCTION TO MANAGING CHANGE"

This workshop is aimed at managers and key staff likely to be involved in managing not only themselves but also other staff through change. Again it takes an initial basic approach to change, explains that in this day and age change is everywhere - and, increasingly necessary. It is structured specifically to help delegates understand the context of change and to recognise their own - often crucial - roles in it. The workshop builds on the initial platform of knowledge and understanding it seeks to create; using a number of simple but very effective Models and Techniques its highly-practical approach ensures that, through group and individual work, key messages are not only 'taken on board' but can be applied. Our own "Seven Factors for Successful Change" Model, developed out of work done at Henley Management College, is used to 'drive' this particular workshop - which links very nicely with the more advanced "Planning and Managing Change" (see details next page). Always the content emphasises the need to encourage, motivate, manage and support the organisation's people through the changes; in particular it looks at communication as an essential change-tool, also at some of the benefits that team-working and a Project-Management approach can bring Using practical examples and mini case-studies this workshop emphasises the importance of understanding and interpreting senior and regional/local management change strategies and encourages delegates to plan and consider the entire transition period - and the processes and activities that will need be undertaken to ensure that the change is well managed. Where this workshop is intended to link with "Planning and Managing" change there is the opportunity to set practical work-based activities and pre-planning in the time - normally 6-8 weeks - between the two workshops.

"PLANNING AND MANAGING CHANGE"

Variants of this workshop can be used in either stand-alone or follow-on modes but in either event they focus very particularly on planning and preparing for, as well as managing and implementing change. Again, workshops are structured to meet the needs of specific groups of attendees. Key Models and Tools are re-visited and - where this is a follow-on workshop to "Introduction to Managing Change", it uses interim 'work-based ' activities as a 'bridge' into greater understanding and ultimately better application of the fundamentals involved in managing change effectively. Key concepts are emphasised and explained and again, through practical work, delegates are encouraged to apply this knowledge back in the work-place; all local change is put in the perspective and context of overall change initiatives and related to the actual local circumstances of the transitional processes which delegates themselves are being asked to manage. This workshop uses an adapted and up-dated version of Bridges' "Transition" model that ensures delegates understand the needs and requirements of the entire transition process, encourages them to plan and think ahead. To this end it also introduces the well-known "Four-Step" Planning Model for Change which helps delegates think systematically through the stages of change and the key management challenges evident in each. Considerable emphasis is placed on communicational processes as well as the motivation and support of employees through the various stages of the transition. Further insights are given into the potential benefits of team-working through transition; also the benefits of adopting some of the key elements of a Project Management approach. Delegates leave this workshop with a Tool-Kit for Change (a portfolio of the models and concepts explored) together with a Change Planning template to help them put together a plan for Change in their own work-area.