Filed under: - Change Execution, - CM Resources, - Strategy and Imperatives, - Strategy Execution | Tags: Leadership, Professional Development, Strategy
Strategy and strategy execution are two sides of the same coin―they are different and related. Leaders need to excel at both to succeed.
Where does one go to explore this intersection, learn more about integration, and probe more deeply into what “strategy execution” is all about? This post lists conferences in the US and Canada in 2013 that may be of interest.
Will you attend? Do let me know…perhaps we will be there and can meet in person, or maybe you can let the rest of us know what you thought of it. continue reading here
Filed under: - Change Execution, - Organization Change Management, - People Change Management, - Personal change, - Personal Reflections | Tags: Change Management, LinkedIn, Professional Development
“Let him that would move the world first move himself.”―Socrates
As I was driving home, with the strange conversation about “stretch” resonating in my mind and the strangely delicious flavor of the German Chocolate Cake flavored coffee waking up my taste buds, I started to think about “stretch” and it’s evil twin sister “stuck”. Why don’t we try the new things that we keep thinking about?
As my mind wandered over the new things that I often consider, I could already hear the reactions: What if it doesn’t work? What if it’s a waste of money? What if you fail? What if others see you fail? Wow, I realized: It didn’t take long to squash the stretch.
It’s not the first time those mindsets have raised their ugly heads. I have been stuck on these things a long time. Maybe it was time to push a little harder.
continue reading here
Filed under: - Organization Change Management, - People Change Management, - Personal change, - Personal Reflections | Tags: Change Management, LinkedIn, Professional Development
All change is personal. We can only help others change if we can change ourselves.
This is a true story. I was in line at HomeSense late yesterday afternoon and I could tell that the man in front of me wanted to start a conversation. I was savoring my comfort zone, thinking about the hazelnut coffee I would pick up from my favorite coffee shop on the way home, and the meal we were making for dinner. He was persistent.
It was a long line. After a couple of minutes, I accidently made eye contact with him. He looked like many of the CFOs I have worked with. It occurred to me to wonder why he was at HomeSense on a Sunday afternoon. I sighed inside—this was going to feel like work.
“The last thing I need right now is more stuff,” he said. “Mmhmm,” I said, being polite, thinking about the “stuff” I was carrying that I really didn’t “need.” “When I move out I can buy all the crazy stuff I want,” he said. (There is nothing like a little personal information to drive up the intimacy/discomfort bar.) I was getting curious, even while inertia was hard at work. “They have lots of crazy stuff here,” I said, meeting him part-way, half-heartedly hoping the line would move.
continue reading here
Filed under: - CM Resources, - Organization Change Management, - People Change Management, - Professional Development | Tags: Change Management, LinkedIn, Professional Development
Conferences are an important professional development opportunity. Most provide best practices as well as innovation tracks (and the networking is terrific). Please note this is not an endorsement―just a list. I will let you know the ones we will attend. Let’s connect if you will be there also.
Many of the conferences for 2013 are being organized and announced now. In some cases, the “call for papers” is still open.
This post is all about change management conferences in the US and Canada.
I have also started tracking Strategy and Strategy Execution conferences. That post will be published shortly.
continue reading here
Filed under: - Change Execution, - CM Resources, - Organization Change Management, - People Change Management, - Professional Development | Tags: Agents, Change Management, LinkedIn, Professional Development
What competencies should leaders and agents excel at to be successful? Are you building a Community of Practice or Centre of Excellence? What’s on your list?
Below is my top-ten list for change agents―with a bonus for change targets. A previous post provided my top ten list for change leaders.
Late addition: Some might ask why there is no mention of methodologies or tools here—to which I would like to quote my friend Tamara Moore “A fool with a tool is still a fool”. Perhaps the two single most critical success factors in executing change are the quality of the sponsor and the agent. So what makes for “quality”?
continue reading here
Filed under: - Change Execution, - Organization Change Management, - People Change Management, - Personal Reflections, - Professional Development, - Strategy Execution | Tags: Change Management, Changes That Matter, Consulting, LinkedIn, Management Consulting, Professional Development
I meet a lot more people these days who are interested in authenticity and making a difference. I view this trend as a move in Maslow’s hierarchy of needs closer to self-actualization (i.e., money and status are surpassed as satisfactory rewards). This won’t resonate with everyone―you Gordon Gekkos of the world just won’t get this so you can stop reading right now. However, for those interested in making a difference, we are on a mission aren’t we?
The unintended consequences of vacations
Maybe this post is a result of vacation. Vacations are always a time of personal renewal and reflection, re-setting for the year to come. This post was supposed to be about “the role of generosity in change management” but it morphed into this. As I untangled a mess of ideas around why generosity is so important in practicing change management (as in ‘generosity of spirit’ such as empathy, compassion, tolerance, patience) I started to think about why I got into this work in the first place.
continue reading here
Filed under: - Change Execution, - CM Resources, - Leadership, - Organization Change Management, - People Change Management, - Professional Development, - Strategy Execution | Tags: Change Management, Leadership, LinkedIn, Professional Development
Transformational change is disruptive, non-linear, unpredictable and requires a leap that not everyone will make.
What does this require of leaders?
Below is my top-ten list for change leaders. In two weeks, the blog will list my top-ten competencies for change agents—and a bonus list for change targets.
continue reading here
Filed under: - Change Execution, - Professional Development, - Project Management, - Strategy and Imperatives, - Strategy Execution | Tags: Change Management, LinkedIn, Planning, Professional Development, Projects, Strategy, Transformation
Having established, in Post 1 of this series, that strategy is “just another good idea” until it is implemented and churning out results, and that there is no single turn-key methodology for executing strategy, we then turned our attention first to the “go to” methodology: project management. In Post 2, we recognized that there are two dominant project management methodologies: The Project Management Institute’s (PMI’s) approach and PRINCE2―and we explored PMI’s approach.
Now, I am no expert in PRINCE2, so I found one to share insights with us. Even better, Richard Batchelor is an international change management consultant, trained project manager (certified in PRINCE2) and certified human resources professional. He has the street cred of many successful change implementations under his belt. Rich has kindly agreed to write an insider’s overview of PRINCE2 for us.
Filed under: - Change Execution, - People Change Management, - Project Management, - Strategy and Imperatives, - Strategy Execution | Tags: Change Management, LinkedIn, Planning, Professional Development, Projects, Strategy, Transformation
Strategies identify “what” needs to change. Project management provides a structure for “how.” Some go so far as to say that “projects are the vehicles of change.” This post is a continuation in the “Strategy Execution Methodologies” series.
Filed under: - Change Execution, - Organization Change Management, - People Change Management, - Strategy Execution | Tags: Change Management, LinkedIn, Management Consulting, Professional Development, Projects, Strategy, Transformation
What is the “state of the nation” as far as “change management” goes in Canada? Titled “Agility, Performance and Engagement,” this conference had an unusual mix of theory, leadership thinking, and pragmatic case studies. I think that combination is an interesting comment on where we are in understanding, leveraging, and advancing this powerful competitive advantage.
There were ten presentations from representatives of TD Bank, Globalive/Wind Mobile, Lean Agility Inc, Shackle Associates, VirtualeTeams, Loblaw Companies Inc, Niagara Institute, SASKPower, and Centennial College, as well as several bright, experienced independents and authors.
Photo provided by Shirley Williams, WilliamPearl & Associates
