This week’s show concerns several approaches to guide an organization through change. Our guest is Dr. Jenny Hooie, from Dynamix, a company that works to help organizations improve their workflow and navigate change. With Jenny, Carole explores how school districts can adapt and change with ease and transparency.
Checklist
When working with Group Dynamics, there are four parts to how they work with a group.
1. Communicating
2. Norming
3. Questioning
4. Paraphrasing
Learning how we communicate is key. When people begin to see the difference between dialogue (where we are hashing out details in a very prescriptive method) and discussion (when the group is moving toward a decision) the parties involved start to feel like active and productive participants in the process.
Change Management
However you choose to make a change, it is crucial to take time to build trust and communication with your group. Establishing norms and expectations can make a world of difference. Additionally, making those norms live (on paper and in practice) will make them a part of your process. Take the time at the beginning to establish how your groups is going to work and build trust between the group members and leadership.
Environment
Space matters. How you organize the space where you meet and work is an important part of the work you will do. Similar to teaching a class, we need to have a welcoming and safe space to learn or speak. Helping participants feel like they are a part of the process and that the meeting is different can set a productive tone with new perspectives for everyone. Change doesn’t come easy for participants in the private or public sector. It’s difficult work, but reframing how we think about change and approach that change can make a big difference.
