- Identifies and acts upon opportunities for continuous improvement
- Encourages prudent risk-taking, exploration of alternative approaches, and organizational learning
- Demonstrates personal commitment to change through actions and words
- Mobilizes others to support change through times of stress and uncertainty
| Proficiency Levels – What it looks like | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Being Developed (BD) |
Basic (B) |
Intermediate (I) |
Advanced (A) |
Expert (E) |
| Supports change initiatives by following new directions as directed and providing appropriate information | Participates in change initiatives by implementing new directions and providing appropriate information and feedback | Participates in change programs by planning implementation activities with other change champions | Leads the planning and implementation of change programs that impact critical functions/processes | Reviews, sponsors, and approves recommendations for enterprise-wide change programs that impact cross-functional key processes |
| Asks for feedback and ideas on how to do a better job and tries new approaches | Offers ideas for improving work and team processes | Interprets the meaning of new strategic directions for the work group and sets objectives and standards | Partners with other resource managers/change agents to identify opportunities for significant process enhancements | Partners with other business leaders to identify opportunities for significant technology/process enhancements |
| Experiments with new approaches and improves productivity through trial and error | Implements monitoring and feedback systems | Recommends changes that impact strategic business direction | Lobbies for changes that impact strategic business direction | |
| Evaluates progress and finds ways of making continuous improvements | Sets expectations for monitoring and feedback systems and reviews performance trends | Approves strategic monitoring criteria and reviews high impact enterprise performance trends | ||
| Solicits and offers ideas for improving primary business processes | Evaluates progress and involves peers and team members in analyzing strengths and weaknesses in performance | Evaluates progress against key performance drivers and assesses organizational opportunities and risks | ||
| Improves effectiveness and efficiency through the involvement of peers and business partners by initiating new approaches | Improves efficiency by spearheading pilots and planned functional change initiatives | Solicits the support of business leaders in planning and spearheading enterprise change initiatives | ||
What it Doesn’t Look Like
- Resisting change efforts either privately or publicly
- Acting with impatience or frustration during times of recognized ambiguity
- Giving up and resorting back to old ways if a new way encounters an obstacle
- Asking for ides for improvement and not taking action on them or providing feedback
- Doing change to people, rather than with people
Questions to Consider
- How should I challenge the status quo for the sake of improvement?
- What actions indicate to others I am embracing this change?
- How can I help others over come resistance and step into alignment with the change?
- What communication will enhance this change effort?
- Are the key stakeholders, including resisters and champions, being engaged early enough?
- How is the change being reinforced so we don’t slip back?
Learning and Development Activities
Choose one or two activities that support your preferred learning style, or styles
| Select activities by learning style |  |
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| Doing | Listening | Observing | Training | Reading |
(By clicking on the symbol, those activities relating to the learning style will appear)
| Doing |
Suggestions for activities you can do on the job
Self
- Think of an opportunity for improvement you are aware of. What data or evidence would support your observation? What is the best way to share your idea and with whom should you share it? Once you have your plan, take action and share your idea.
- Next time someone comes to you with a new idea, remain open. Encourage diverse thinking. Recognize the value in their useful ideas and changes they are proposing.
- Review a recent change effort, to what degree is the change being leveraged? Ask yourself, what do I and others seem to be embracing? What is being resisted and why? How can the potential of the change be fully realized?
With Peers
- Brainstorm ideas on how the status quo could be challenged to improve performance then seek and find supporting data to create a business case for the change.
- When someone says something can’t be done, hear them out then encourage them to think creatively about the opportunity.
With your Manager/Team Lead
- Discuss a change that you are uncertain about, and may be having a difficult time supporting publically. Ask questions to address the concerns you have and keep an open mind for how you can make the shift to embrace the change.
- Ask how you can help others embrace changes you are already enthusiastic about.
| Listening and Observing |
Here are some ideas that can be pursued on the job, with some coordination. Use these reflective questions to gain more from your learning experience:
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- What are three key things I have learned from this experience?
- What will I do differently in my work as a result of this experience?
- Think of someone who always appears positive and excited about change. Ask how they deal with ambiguity.
- Observe someone who is effective at influencing others to adopt new ideas or change, and reduces resistance to change. How do they use communication, creativity and a spirit of cooperation to make their ideas meaningful to others? Ask them what strategies sand techniques they use to bring success.
| Training Programs |
UBC Training Programs offered through Organization Development and Learning
- Managing Change at a Personal Level
- Shift Happens
- Emotional Intelligence
- What are the key points the author is making?
- What are three key things I have learned from this reading?
- What will I do differently in my work as a result of gaining this knowledge?
- The Heart of Change: Real-life Stories of How People Change Their Organizations; (2002) J. P. Kotter & D. S. Cohen; Harvard Business Press The reason so many change initiatives fail is that they rely too much on “data gathering, analysis, report writing, and presentations” instead of a more creative approach aimed at grabbing the “feelings that motivate useful action.” The book shares examples of how change happens because the players were led to “see” and “feel” the change.
- Managing Transitions: Making the Most of Change; (2003) W. Bridges; Da Capo Press. The book shows how to minimize the distress and disruptions caused by change by addressing the fact that it is people who have to carry out the change. It provides a clear understanding of what change does to employees and what employees in transition can do to an organization so change can be more effective.
- Our Iceberg Is Melting: Changing and Succeeding Under Any Conditions (2006), J. Kotter & H. Rathgeber; St. Martin’s Press. This light, quick read parable is a terrific launch pad for group discussions about culture, group dynamics and the challenges of change.
- Switch: How to Change Things When Change Is Hard; (2010), C.Heath & D. Heath; Crown Business. Looks at why we fear change, and respond in the ways we do. Encourages readers to explore the interactions between the rational and irrational mind, so we can positively embrace change.
- The Continuous Improvement Tool Kit; (1996), J. Marsh; B.T. Batsford, Ltd. This book presents the improvement cycle and 28 tools to help facilitate discussions and present information regarding improvement efforts.
- Leading Change; (1996) J.P. Kotter; Harvard Business Press. Presents Kotter’s proven eight-step framework for change that is easy to follow and implement. Pitfalls and personalities that can undermine a successful change effort are highlighted along with strategies to address each.
For UBCO course offerings, please visit the Events page. http://web.ubc.ca/okanagan/facultystaff/events.html
Consider working with a coach following training, to aid in anchoring your learning: http://www.hr.ubc.ca/coaching/
| Reading |
Choose to read one or two of the books listed below. Consider the reflective questions to enhance your learning:
Staff
Managers/Team Leads
Additional Questions
Please contact your Human Resources Representative with any additional questions.