Mindy Schrager is an ICF PCC credentialed coach, Systemic Facilitator, Aura-Soma practitioner and founder of Systems of Change, LLC. Mindy’s focus on and passion for transformational work is built on years of experience creating strong, well balanced teams, combined with a powerful personal discovery journey.
Have you ever considered that personal projects follow similar patterns to those of business change management efforts?
Personal projects such as undertaking a house remodel, planning a family reunion, and organizing a family vacation involve managing forward momentum in an incremental, organized way – just like organizational change efforts.
In my recent experience working with aligners for my teeth, I noticed how this personal change process towards a key goal (straightened teeth) highlighted five parallel tenets with those of organizational change management.
Along with some do's & don'ts for each experience, they include the following:
Gather clear information to make appropriate decisions
While the information regarding my tooth alignment options was thorough and clear, some implications (i.e., impact on my life) were less obvious. While I made the right choice out of the options presented, it became apparent that the information I did not have about how they would impact my daily life led me to make a less-than-optimal decision in terms of timing. However, a series of unplanned circumstances provided me with more detailed information and led to an adjustment in my expectations and project timing.
When designing a project or starting a change effort, you can ask some key questions:
What level of clear information do you want or need?
Do you want to know as many specifics and expectations as possible for your planning efforts or do you prefer to be surprised and adapt along the way?
How do you obtain that information and ensure it is complete?
If you can’t measure it, you can’t manage it, although sometimes you need exceptions
During my initial orthodontic appointment, I noticed that the person working with me had a timer on their display, which appeared to be the time allowed for my appointment. However, the challenges I had working with something new resulted in my needing more time than allotted. We often see this in medical offices where the doctor runs late because someone has an emergency. While we can’t anticipate everything that can happen in the initial phases of working with something new, it’s important to allow time for the possibility of unexpected circumstances and resistance.
Some things to consider:
When planning a project in your personal life or organization, how do you estimate time requirements?
Do you create contingencies and allow for unexpected situations?
Do you factor in how different people respond to the same situation?
Is your focus strictly on the time needed to complete the task, or do you bring in the human factor regarding the specific person or team you are working with?
Plan for resistance, unexpected circumstances, and process checkpoints
Whether personal or organizational, any change management process will encounter resistance at some point. Resistance can be overcome through a learning process supported with appropriate information – i.e., who to call for information, an FAQ document, or status meetings. Resistance may appear immediately or come to the surface during the process. There was more than one point in my aligner project where resistance appeared, and information checkpoints ensured continued progress. Checkpoints were helpful in a major work project where we worked through all the details in a pilot phase but underestimated the process capability when shifting to a much larger number of clients. That insight didn’t become apparent immediately, so reviews at reasonable intervals were valuable and led to corrective action.
When planning change projects:
What approaches have you found useful in providing information to overcome resistance?
Do you update actions based on new experiences? Or do you allow the user to figure it out on their own, possibly resulting in resistance becoming an obstacle?
Communicate, communicate, communicate
Much of what I learned about aligners came from speaking with others who also worked with them and doing searches. When the information you receive doesn’t align with what others have experienced, it can cause you to question the entire process. And when information is not provided, it creates a vacuum that begs to be filled. As a stakeholder in the process and a member of the “team,” I was reminded of the importance of asking questions.
To support clear communication, contemplate:
What mechanisms do you establish for communication throughout a change management effort?
Do you take a different approach when work status meetings?
Do you have someone appointed as the go-to?
As a stakeholder or team member, how comfortable are you in asking questions?
Consistency of support – sponsorship and ownership
To start a change management effort, you need a high-level sponsor to ensure alignment with the broader vision. Think of what would happen if that sponsor changed every month. The same can be applied to a care plan where you have specialists/caregivers you are working with. The point person (sponsor) typically outlines how the process will work and the outcome that you can expect. While team member turnover is expected, what level of commitment to the outcome would you feel if that sponsor changed throughout the project?
At the start of the project, do you think about:
How do you plan for sponsorship of a project?
Will there be one sponsor or a team of sponsors?
What level of involvement does the sponsor have?
Concluding considerations
When planning a project in your personal or business life of any shape or size, it is helpful to consider that similar variables apply, including:
Need for thorough, detailed information
Resistance to change
Differences in responses and expectations
Clear communication and leaving room for questions
Clarify ownership and sponsorship
Consider another parallel between our personal and professional lives. Whether we consciously know it or not, we bring patterns from our family of origin into the workplace. If you feel like you don’t fit in, are challenged to achieve the role you want, or notice a recurring life pattern, consider scheduling a Family Constellation conversation with me to discover more – Schedule here!
© 2024, Systems of Change, LLC
Mindy Schrager, Transformational Coach and Systemic Facilitator
Mindy Schrager is an ICF PCC credentialed coach, Systemic Facilitator, Aura-Soma practitioner and founder of Systems of Change, LLC. Mindy’s focus on and passion for transformational work is built on years of experience creating strong, well-balanced teams, combined with a powerful personal discovery journey. Her experience and training have been focused on creating positive change in life and business experiences working with individuals and groups. Mindy loves to shine a light on hidden patterns and the root cause of dysfunction and then help create new pathways to growth.
