Next Level Change Success

Change is all about people right? Well yes and no. Sure, you need to engage people, work with them, walk alongside them so they can move from current state to future state, but change has more aspects than just people. So have a listen, find out about the aspects that are just as important and about what happens when they aren't considered.   Come and visit us at www.myvirtualchangemanager.com to stay up to date with the latest change hints and tips.

In this episode I provide examples on how you can use AI in change management and change leadership. Without doubt using AI tools can help you progress and quality assure your change approach. Learn some tips on how to phrase instructions and start your journey of exploring the different tools available.   Come and visit us at www.myvirtualchangemanager.com for more tips and tools.

Today we cover how to build your change team. If you are heading up a Change practice or Program Management office and are wondering where to start when it comes to recruitment then have a listen. Even if you are well seasoned in building teams, have a listen and see if any of these strategies resonate with you. After many years of building and leading teams, while I can still make mis-steps with recruitment (but hey who doesn't), there are also some key elements I also consider as I go. Your team is your engine to any change, and depending on how well you build it results in how well it works. So if you are finding your engine backfires, or sputters from time to time, maybe consider how you are putting it together. Come and visit us at www.myvirtualchangemanager.com for more information about all things change!

In this Episode we explore what role a leader plays in creating a psychologically safe environment. The outcome? A high performing, innovative team who are not afraid to challenge each other to achieve the best outcomes. I provide some examples and some practical tips on areas to cover. And let's be clear there is nothing 'soft' about this concept, and the rewards for consciously creating this space for your team are many.  So if you are looking to explore the world of psychological safety to achieve better outcomes and better engagement with your team then have a listen.

In this Episode we cover what elements of TEAM are important in change. After the Matilda's successful World Cup campaign there are some comparisons to be made between what many Australian's witnessed and what makes successful change teams in organisations. We cover what makes a high performance team, and what is the role of the change leader or coach for the team. What happens when things don't go so well and what makes the difference when the pressure is on.  Have a listen and come visit us at www.myvirtualchangemanager.com And congratulations to Spain and the 'Tillies!    

In this Episode we cover the mindset needed for change. Whether you are a change manager, change leader or someone who is introducing change into an organisation there are some commonalities for those who are change ready and those who are not. Have a listen and see if you share some of the mindset nuances or whether you are getting 'stuck' when it comes to change. And you will also hear the tap dancing skills of my dog - Harley who decided to wander up and down on my floorboards during this recording *sigh*  Come visit us at www.myvirtualchangemanager.com if the world of change is one you are curious about.

In this Episode we cover the aspects of a change which make it complex. But what does a complex change really involve? How do you measure or quantify if a change is complex? Most organisations say their business models are complex however some have an addiction to complexity, relating it to sophistication. But if every change was complex then it would be difficult to manage right? My years of experience have told me otherwise. If you want to continue this conversation, some join us at www.myvirtualchangemanager.com

In this Episode we cover some tactics to create behavioural change. Are you needing to change the way your people do something to support your change? Or are you resetting values in your organisation. We talk about successful change tactics that we have used in the past, which are still relevant. Come visit us at www.myvirtualchangemanager.com for some of the downloads mentioned in this episode.

In this episode we cover some of the more popular change models and their pro's and con's. We also discuss the reflective questions you should be asking when considering the introduction of any change management models. We cover ADKAR/Prosci, Kotter, Agile and Lewin's models. Depending on the size of your organisation and the intention behind the introduction of such a model, only part of the rollout success will be on the basis of the model selected however there are some critical aspects that need to be considered.   If you would like to know more about the world of change, come and visit us at www.myvirtualchangemanager.com  

In this Episode we talk about the intersection between culture and change. Culture in organisations is the sum of the values, behaviours, rules, languages and ceremonies in an organisation. And Change plans should leverage certain cultural aspects. Change can also transform the culture of an organisation and can shift it from being dysfunctional to functional. Have a listen to learn more. Visit us at www.myvirtualchangemanager.com to get access to more tips and know how about change management.

In this episode I share my stories and tips about burnout when working on major transformations or programs. When working in the area of change, the pressure and emotional stress that change creates can result in burnout from program and change practitioners alike. There are some key habits to reflect on which can keep you centred and managing those stresses well. In this day and age with mental health challenges being on the rise, this conversation needs to continue and be on the radar of leaders every day. Have a listen, and let us know of other tips for creating positive wellbeing habits. Join us at www.myvirtualchangemanager.com to continue this conversation.

In this Episode we talk about Change readiness. What is a Change readiness assessment and what goes into it? What does a Project vs a Change Manager do to complete the Change readiness assessment. What role does your Governance committee play when it comes to Change readiness and what is the link with Risk management? Change readiness is a critical activity and a mandatory one for any transformational program. Visit us at www.myvirtualchangemanager.com for more information about Change Management and all that it entails.  

In this Episode we talk about the link between culture in an organisation, change impacts and how they link to your change plan. Both of these will effect the change approach that you take. When you align the change plan to the culture , communication and change tactics will be more effective. When change impacts are assessed to the right level, the change interventions will be sized and scaled appropriately. Visit us at www.myvirtualchangemanager.com if you want to learn more about all things change related.

In this Episode of Next Level Change success we share some of the actions you can take when you are asked to 'fix' a change that may not have been successful in the past. There are some key areas to look into to see what might be areas that need to be strengthened in future. Also to be considered are ways in which you approach the recovery in itself. It is important to be respectful and non-judgemental when coming into an organisation to get a project or program back on track. There are always people in an organisation who are trying their best and just need some support to be successful. You can provide that support by focusing on the key areas outlined in this episode.

In this Episode I share three of the change interventions and even more ideas I put into place that were effective related to various changes. These all have the focus of creating excitement, fun and a sense of ownership and engagement with the change. They all had varying outcomes but they are ideas I have used time and time again in different ways depending on the teams and the culture of the organisation.

What is the pre-cursor to a great change plan? A change impact assessment that has been well completed. But what does this entail? In this Episode we cover off the questions a leader would ask to be able to manage their team through change as well as the approach that a change manager would take. It is important that an impact assessment is conducted in a number of ways, not just via a desk top. Listen to this episode before you do your next change impact assessment - your change plan will be better for it. Visit us at www.myvirtualchangemanager.com to keep in touch.  

In this episode we cover the MVCM Change Leadership Framework. Many times, the response to the 'Change Leadership' need is a 1-2 day training course all about the 'how to lead change' standard process. Starting with leaders understanding how people respond to change, the need to communicate the 'why' first , etc etc. And while that provides some useful tools, there is still a framework that is missing. The exploration of key areas and roles that a leader plays and how a change leader has to 'think' and 'be' for change to be successful. Even more so how a leader contributes to the quest for organisational change agility. Have a listen to the four areas and come visit us at www.myvirtualchangemanager.com for more information on the framework.

In this episode we are talking about the hot topic of leadership and the role that leaders play in change. Leaders are being given a bad wrap of late with lots of conversations about leadership capability, however sometimes the change enablers that help facilitate effective change aren't in place. So what should you expect from your leaders when it comes to sponsoring a program and looking to achieve outcomes for the organisation? What is reasonable?  Well here are some hints and tips and links to articles we cover which are related: The critical role that leaders play in changing organisations Is change leadership simply good leadership? Visit us at www.myvirtualchangemanager.com for more.

In this episode we cover the dynamic duo of the Change Diamond of Program Effectiveness. Project Management and Change Management - the Yin and the Yang. There are a number of areas we explore on this topic. What are the resource requirements and how do you get the right balance? What does Project Management cover vs. Change Management? And I talk about the importance of getting the right people for the right role, which is a shared challenge. However regardless of the resourcing mix, the functions and activities that Project Management covers, and what Change Management covers, mix to be a powerful combination to support your investment in projects and programs. So when your organisation is investing money into projects and changes across the organisation, the investment into the right capability mix to support the delivery and ultimately the adoption of the change is key.   References in this Episode Measuring Change Success Diamond of Change Effectiveness  

In this Episode we unpack the Diamond of Change effectiveness and the critical point of that diamond which is all about Design. The focus on design and ensuring the engagement with the 'user' of the product, service, policy or process you are looking to change always contributes positively to the outcomes of the change. So why aren't more organisations investing in CX (Customer Experience) skillsets and techniques? How can you influence the design process when you aren't the one running it? Whether you are a change leader or change practitioner or business lead looking to achieve better outcomes with change this is a must listen episode.   Download the Diamond of Change Effectiveness here.

Welcome to 2023! Wow it's a new year and there are some continuing conversations that will come to the fore this year. We would all like to leave the last couple of years behind however life, and change doesn't work like that. In this Episode I cover some of the key challenges and conversations that everyone should lean into in 2023. Happy new year and I hope you had a good holiday break!  Challenges in the workplace in 2023... 6:10 Fatigue in your workforce. How do you assess it and what are the indicators to look out for 11:24 Pyschological safety and what does that look like in your organisation? 18.05 Culture - how do cultures improve change agility or impede it? How has your organisation's culture changed as a result of the pandemic? 22.38 - Engagement - this is becoming more and more relevant. This isn't just about staff happiness, but how engaged staff are in your organisation and it's vision. For change practitioners these will be key areas of challenge or of support for change in 2023. Come visit us at www.myvirtualchangemanager.com to keep up to date on change in 2023.    

In this Episode we reflect on key topics this year. We also talk about what all leaders should be considering this time of year. And a sneak preview on what 2023 has in store for everyone.   Most of all thank you for listening and I wish for you and your family a love filled, enjoyable holiday break. Rest and recharge!

Do you lead change in your team or in your role as a leader? In this Episode we cover the three critical questions that you should be asking related to the change. 2.00 While we are approaching the festive break, the cut off for introducing change should be early November to allow for embedding change to take place up to Christmas. For many organisations though this is not the case. 3.40 The first question is about impacts. Who is impacted, and here is a hint, it is never just one group! 4.30 The change must be simple in the way it is communicated. 5.34 We over the 'when they....then they' method 6.12 What is the size of the impact. 7.00 Is this transformational? 7.30 The most important question as a change leader that indicates ownership. 8.24 The trend used to be to outsource change leadership to change managers, however this is also changing. 9.19 When asked, the third question reflects the preferred behaviour.

In this episode I cover what the layers of change leadership there are in an organisation. 2.48 That aha moment when I realised that I shouldn’t be leading the change on behalf of the manager. There were times when managers gladly outsourced the change. 3:34 The most important layer of change leadership 4:00 Visit myvirtualchangemanager.com for a change leadership checklist and a post about the traits of a good change leader 4:31 The size of the impact relate to the extent of change leadership you require 5:04 When looking at transformational, you are needing to engage all layers of leadership 6:15 For transformation change you need breadth and depth 6:28 Research is showing middle managers are the most important leaders. 7:04 Middle managers are more accountable and responsible for the change and if they aren’t provided with theright support it will compromise the change. 7:45 With hybrid ways of working mean more effort to engage and be effective. 8:04 The social network in organisations is also critical to engage. 8:56 So you have change leadership as it relates to a role, then change leadership as it relates to a social construct. 10:00 If you are the change practitioner you will need to link in and leverage. For most transformational change there are 10:44 if you are in operational change you will be focused on working with team leaders and managers. You may not have such a big team 12:40 If you are working on your change , is your energy being directed to the right level? Visit www.myvirtualchangemanager.com   

In this episode, we cover off a critical aspect of change - change leadership. From why is the change leadership training in high demand right now down to the importance of change leadership and the seven traits of an effective change leader. 1.30 Topic of today is about change leadership in organisations 2.30 Why is the demand so high now? We cover why the demand is high due to global factors and other things. We cover off the different factors which have conrtributed to the greater demand for change leadership skills. These are multi-faceted. 7.15 Treatment of people through the last couple of years for some organisations has deepened loyalty. 9.45 How change leadership is different to good leadership. It is the evolution of leadership to meet the requirement to continually lead your team through change. 10.27 The first trait to explore – Empathy. A trait of an intelligent change leader. 12.54 Flexibility. Mental agility increases the ability of a change leader to build trust. 14.40 A strong collaborator. When a change leader is known to be a team player it creates confidence with their team to be able to raise issues that may be shared with others. 17.07 The self-awareness of a good change leader. Why is self-awareness important? Hw does it show up for a hange leader and add value? 20.12 Resilience . This takes the form of mental and emotional toughness that good change leaders have. 22.54 Curiosity. This is about having a sense of enquiry with objectivity. 24.34. Visionary. A good change leader is able to create and share a vision with others. 26.05 Authenticity. Good change leaders are consistently aligning to what you see is what you get. There are no surpirses which builds trust.

In this Episode I share my thoughts on what it takes to be a great change practitioner. And it isn't probably what you are thinking.  If you are a change practitioner, have a listen and see whether you agree. if you are hiring change managers, or you are a people leader of Change practitioners, then listen to this podcast to get some ideas on what you may be looking for. 2.09 We cover the three areas to consider. 2.50 Self-awareness and the life long journey in your career. 3:47 How self development added value to my role in identifying behaviours. 4:37 Perfection is an illusion and everyone has different reactions to change. 5:03 The importance of boundary setting and how it empowers people through change. 7:01 Diffusing situations, managing conflict, listening and building trust.The ability to handle stressful situations and self-regulate comes from working on yourself. 8.18 It helps if your purpose lines up with what you do. 9:45 Vulnerability - whilst it has become popular there are many scenarios where if you are vulnerable you will benefit in Change. 10:47 The link between vulnerability and asking for feedback.  11.20 What a robust feedback system looks like, 12.17 Why passive feedback isn't productive. 12.53 Formal and informal - on the spot feedback is powerful. 13.20 A word of caution regarding when you get feedback. 15.13 Being a continual learner and how that relates to vulnerability. 17.03 The level of vulnerability required to test and pilot, and possibly 'fail'. 19.20 Resilience and the role that self-care plays. 19.55 The amount if resilience needed in change roles is often underestimated. Visit www.myvirtualchangemanager.com for more resources related to this Episode.    

In this episode we cover the elements in a change maturity model. 1.44 The accidental change maturity pathway and what that story looks like. 7.06 Key elements of maturity. Starting with Executive Sponsorship and then at all levels. 9.08 Resourcing mix and what that might look like. 9.57 Where your function sits - centralised or decentralised? 10.26 Capability development 10.50 Consistency - is there one way of doing things and one language for change. 11.45 Partnership areas. 12.22 Visibility of change in the organisation. 13.08 When looking at the agility (lower case 'a') is related but a different conversation. 14.08 Take the Enterprise Change Management Maturity survey at myvirtualchangemanager.com

In this Episode we discuss where a Change function should sit in any operating model and why. 1.20 One of the most asked questions 2.22 The change roadmap which can at first be by accident or as a result of program failure 3.16 Next step to establish and commit to change as a function 3.56 There is change in the program context as well as in the organisational context 4:40 Learning and capability development around change management and change leadership 6.46 Where the function should sit and what other functions should also be in the area 8.22 Important that People and Culture teams embrace the capability and then work well with their change partners in the other areas 9.50 Change practice how to establish one 11:15 Partnerships are needed 12.07 One of the most critical things needed - Executive Sponsorship 13.06 Establishing a change practice resources Visit www.myvirtualchangemanager.com for resources.

In this Episode we explore the change ecosystem in your organisation. These are the functions and areas in your organisation which contribute to your organisations ability to change and change success. We 'fill out' the change diamond to be multi-dimensional. We begin by setting the scene - why is the change ecosystem in your organisation important? 2:04 Expanding on the Diamond of Change effectiveness 4:03 How central to this ecosystem is an organisation's culture. 6:55 Strategy - Critical for forward thinking and identifying opportunities. 7:30 Governance - decision making, and risk/opportunity trade off's. Robust governance provides visibility of the work being undertaken across your organisation.  9:24 Customer Experience - customer research and journey mapping. For both customers and staff.  This assists design change with the appropriate foundations in customer needs. 10:14 Communications - external. If customer communications isn't working, then any customer changes will be challenging to implement. 11:40 (yes this was recorded later to take sure that I covered Internal communications enough!).Communications (internal) - how engaging your internal communications are will either help or hinder any internal change rollout. 13.18  Learning (training) - Building capability profiles for roles can assist in then identifying gaps when change takes place. 14.50 People engagement - It is critical to have engaged staff. Poor engagement indicators should be addressed. 16.00 The Program environment and discipline. Which has been covered in previous episodes. Resources The Change Ecosystem 

In this Episode we cover what change management is with the aim to demystify it.  Therese covers the main elements of a change plan and the diamond of Change effectiveness which you can download below. 2:10   Often people have different definitions of change in an organisation. 2:34   The ‘real world’ definition of change. The key aspects and focus of change management is to generate full and effective adoption of a new way of working in the shortest time possible with the best ‘user’ experience. 3:52   Change happens over time, not immediately at a Go Live. 4:35   Change Management is the plan which moves people from out of their comfort zone to a new comfort zone. 5:23  The Change Management plan is a bridge to close the gap between current state and future state. It is impermanent and exists to provide a clear pathway for people affected by the change. 5:45  We cover the key components of a Change plan. 6:48  The diamond of Change effectiveness. 7:29  Design is critical for Change effectiveness and we go into why. 13.18 Change is a new discipline. It covers more than communication. Resources  Definition of Change Management Diamond of Change Effectiveness    

In this episode, Therese covers the ultimate organisational change question – how do you know when you are hitting change overload in your organisation? When is there just too much change taking place where it is impacting your people? Therese discusses the signs in your organisation where you may be hitting your change capacity and what the levers are that decision makers have in their grasp to better manage the capacity at an Enterprise Change level. 2:40 – Setting the scene for this year and how many are grappling with the ‘new normal’ and the impact of our seasons. 3:45 – We discuss the reality of Cognitive overload and what change practitioners need to consider with this 4:20 – The need to simplify and make Change in organisations easy to engage with. 6:00 – We cover some of the indicators of change overload in organisations. 6:58 – Do your people indicators need to be revisited to reflect ‘pandemic’ ways of working? 9:15 – Performance and the relationship with change overload 10:36 – What can decision makers/Executives do about change overload. 11:54 – Evidence has shown you can continuously improve however there are principles that need to be applied and ad hoc, ‘scattergun’ change will not be as effective if not planned well. 16:02 – Consideration of the Change ecosystem is critical to set you up for success. References Cognitive load Come visit us at www.myvirtualchangemanager.com to explore tools and techniques in Change Management.

In this episode we talk about NAIDOC week and Therese shares the 3 key lessons she has learned that relate to Change Management. These lessons are: Listening, The Approach and Ritual. 1.55 Get up! Stand up! Show up! NAIDOC 2022 . While we have made progress there is a LONG way to go. 4.02 Art of listening. What 'listening' means in the context of projects. 5.40 Change resistance and the challenge to listen more earnestly 8:00 Lesson 2: How you approach change will determine it's success 11:00 Lesson 3: The importance of ritual. How do you integrate ritual into your organisation? 14.06 It is even more important to acknowledge First Nations People. Visit www.myvirtualchangemanager.com for resources referred to in this Episode.  

Organisations are at a crossroads, facing decisions regarding the future ways of working. One option is to try to go back to the way things were, another is to take the opportunity and reimagine the ways of working. In many ways if considering ways to reimagine the ways of working, there are many opportunities which could result in innovation. From an organisational change perspective, there are new challenges to introducing change in times such as these. Here are some highlights: 2:05 Shout out to all frontline workers and for carrying our communities during the pandemic 3:30 Therese discusses how different industries face different challenges 4:40 Therese discusses the Microsoft Annual Work Trend Index report for 2022. 5:10 The Changing priority of health over work 6:05 Management challenges in engagement and organisations having ‘work/life’ balance 7:10 Management needing to shift focus managing to outcomes rather than ‘task’ 9:05 Managers are feeling disempowered in decision making regarding the decisions about working in the office 11:35 We explore whether Management/Leadership out of touch with the general sentiment in organisations and why 16:08 What are the different capabilities required to manage teams 17:30 Areas to explore when Reimagining the workplace 18:16 The explosion of TEAMS usage 20:25 Transformation and change, and how it can be reimagined Visit Myvirtualchangemanager to link through to resources.

This Episode covers the evolution of Change Management. Therese discusses her own journey into change management, and the 'diamond' of Program Change Effectiveness. Here are some highlights: At the commencement of the podcast Therese covers her own experience in projects and change early in her career. 5:48  Therese covers what Change Management is and how it is about bridge building and being a translator 6:26  Therese discusses why Change Management exists and shares a story about her own experience in the early days of customer experience 7:42  The Loyalty Effect by Frederick Reichheld 9:42  Therese covers some of the key people aspects of Change Management 12:00 Therese discusses Program Change vs Organisational Change 14:00  Executive Sponsorship to support Change Management 15:16  The 3 areas of Change to be explored 17:10  The diamond of Change effectiveness 22:00 Adam Grant – Think Again 25:26 The discussion for next podcast – Revert or reimagine which path are organisations taking? 26:34 Fixed mindsets vs growth mindsets Visit www.myvirtualchangemanager.com to download resources.