FAQs Inside-Out Change ?
 |
 |
 |
|
Inside-Out Change ? "Change takes place slowly inside each of us, and by the choices we think through in quiet, wakeful moments.... It is the transformation of the culture of the room we're in that holds the possibility of transforming the culture of the rest of the organisation. It is change from the inside-out." Peter Block Tools for Inside-Out Change can be found in the 'Change Tools' menu and articles in the 'Infobase' menuA Change Coach works from the inside-out, even though the world seeks to impose knowledge and solutions from the outside-in. The Change Coach uses approaches designed to get knowledge by observation from the outside-in and use it through a creative process that comes from the inside-out. We all have the capacity to see ourselves and our world differently. So, whilst the world seeks to shape human behaviour, the process of change has to start with the individual opening themselves up to new possibilities and creating a vision of what they truly want for themselves and others. This is core capability for leading change and coaching for change. "Management is getting people to do what needs to be done. Leadership is getting people to WANT to do what needs to be done. Managers push. Leaders pull. Managers command. Leaders communicate."Warren Bennis From my experience, it is the inside-out aspects of the change process that hold out the most potential for real change. Unless the individual takes personal responsibility to do something different, then change will not happen. Change requires action - knowing is doing. As a result change only happens now - in the moment - yesterday has gone and tomorrow never comes. Interestingly, inside-out chnage is is the least used and least understood of the four change dimensions. It's usually someone or something else outside ourselves that needs to change - not us. When the "why change" question is asked, the top-down arguments, outside-in demands and bottom-up pressures tend to dominate the debate. But they often fail to address the fundamental issue, namely that it is people who make change happen though the way they think and the choices they make. Change is not about taking charge or taking orders, it requires internal dialogue, the acceptance of personal responsibility in making a shift one's own thinking and actions. It's about taking responsibility for our own choices and actions.. You choose how you spend your time, what you pay attention to, the ideas you generate, the knowledge you create, the passion and energy you bring to what you do, not to mention the networks and relationships you develop. These are your real change assets. Leadership for change is inspiring others to take responsibility and commit to doing things differently. It's a hearts and minds issue Inside-out change involves engaging people's hearts and minds, but it must shift their behaviour too. If you think about how natural change happens in your everyday life, it's either an exciting challenge or an unwelcome imposition. It all depends how you decide to see it. There is seldom just one right answer, so value the perspectives and insights that others can offer you. Treating you like a cog in a machine is unlikely to bring out the best in you. You are a complex adaptive system. You need the right conditions to grow and to generate positive energy, then you are more likely to use your intelligences and unique talents. It is the people, rather than the machines, that need to be continuously 're-tooled'. "If people's emotions are pushed towards towards enthusiasm, performance can soar; if people are driven tward rancour and anxiety, they will be thrown off their stride." Real Change is actually about Choice Change is a bit like motivation. You cannot motivate others any more than you can enage them in change. You can create the right conditions, but to be motivated, or behave differently is the individual's decision. Most of use want to assert our right to choose, whether it is in the interests of others or not. Feeling you are a victim is still a choice. Leadership for change is about enabling others to see that they have these choices and must take responsibility for them. The natural reaction to most change is emotional and unconscious. Only on reflection are we able to rationalise it. Most day-to-day decision-making follows this cycle. The autopietic nature of our brains makes us initially defensive of anything we are not familiar with, causing us to resits and often fear any change.. Our upbringing will therefore have a powerful influence over our choices. The role of a Change Coach is to help people become more conscious of the changes and choices they can make, and take more control over the direction of their lives. In the case of sudden or dramatic changes, which may be voluntary or imposed, the light must be shone on the positives and the gains expected. "Real change involves experimenting with new behaviours, reframing your thinking, developing skills and mastering feelings. This can often be reinforced by forming new relationships or chnaging the dynamic of existing ones. These steps are generally difficult to sustain on your own. That's why personal coaches have become poular. They help you step back from the movie of your life to review and reset your thinking and actions." Jim Clemmer No change without learning When it comes to change we don't seem to learn from experience. Most change programmes fail, yet we still continue to implement them in the faint hope that maybe this time it will be different. Most people who set out to change their body shape, or come-off drugs or beat alcoholism, tend to fail. They live a life of constant contemplation about what could be. We can always start tomorrow. Of course, tommorrow never comes. If we learn anything about change it is that it must happen NOW if it is to happen at all. Only doing is the route to learning and knowing. "A true master is not one with the most students, but one who creates the most learning leaders. A true leader is not the one with the most followers, but the one that creates the most learners." Think differently and do different things If change is to be real and it's effects understood, people have to think and do things differently. This will happen more easily if the change is perceived to be predictable, controllable and builds on things we are familiar with. Just understanding how you create your own reality, control your thinking and make your own choices, opens up new possibilities in all aspects of your life and work. "Seeing and acting differently holds the key to individual and organisational transformation. This requires enhanced conversations, through which shared meanings and aspirations are created." Balancing logical and emotional change Bereavement is probably one of the most dramatic changes that people have to cope with. It provides an insight into the stages of transition that people go through. A similar cycle of behaviour can be observed in other change events. It's about the mind coming to terms with a new way of thinking and doing things. When you are familiar with the seven emotional states linked to change, you are more likely to appreciate that having a logical sequence of change activities is only half the story. The emotional strands are just as important and must be coped with if not managed. Indeed, both the logical and the emotional must not get out of step with each other or the benefits of planned change will not be realised. This often happens in organisations because the logical strand tends to be valued more highly than the emotional. People are our best asset A new world of work is emerging. One where you are viewed as an asset, simply because only you can make the changes that are needed. To be valued you must be able to lead real change, and be able to work collaboratively in teams and project groups. As a valued asset, it will be your contribution that's measured, but to make that contribution in a continuously shifting environment you must be skilled in changing your own mindset and helping others do the same. The increasing demand for real change means that it is not just about your ability to plan change, but how quickly you can make it happen. Traditional forms of training will not deliver the accelerated learning that's needed. Just-in-time, on-demand learning that's exciting and relevant to your current and future work needs must take priority. Inside-Out Change is evident when you see and feel the passion, excitement and inspiration to innovate and develop new ideas. There is a yearning for new knowledge, a commitment to learning and a willingness to question assumptions and thinking patterns. This is why change processes have to engage hearts and souls. This type of change can be encouraged through Leadership Training and Management Development Programmes, Coaching and Mentoring Schemes, Secondments, Sabbaticals, Informal Learning Opportunities, Meditation, Personal Study, Workforce Development Initiatives, Cultural Change and Team Learning Projects. "We are not machines, programmed to deliver in a rational and predetermined manner. We have hopes and fears, we laugh and cry, we have soul, and we engage in our dreams. To engage at the emotional ;level can profoundly influence the relationships between the individual and the organisation." Lynda Gratton Core Capabilities EMOTIONAL HEALTH to assess the level of trust, openness, commitment and health of you and your team. The Change Zone contains a selection of self-assessment tools for emotional intelligence and wisdom at work. SPIRITUAL INTELLIGENCE to see your life as a journey of transformation, what you are longing for and what is stopping you achieving it. The Change Zone introduces you to ways in which you can make a quantum leap in changing your relationships, clarifying your purpose in life, dealing with crisis and uncertainty. PSYCHOLOGICAL CONTRACT to clarify the relationship between you and your organisation. The Change Zone offers guidance on the competencies and skills needed to thrive in rapidly changing work environments. Explore the 'Pathways' to change. TRUST BUILDING to understand how to treat other people with respect, dignity and fairness. This may mean treating people differently to get the best out of them. The Change Zone explores the core behaviours in a trusting relaionship as sincerity, reliability and commitment. You will find a variety of approaches to support all aspects of your development as a person. THOUGHT CONTROL to understand your own state of mind by realising that thoughts are created by you and can therefore be changed on a moment by moment basis. The Change Zone provides a range of tools and techniques for accessing your intuition, controlling your feelings and living in the present moment. "The process of spiritual growth is an effortful and difficult one. This is because it is conducted against a natural resistance, against a natural inclination to keep things the way they were, to cling to the old maps and old ways of doing things, to take the easy path." "We should be careful not to make the intellect our god. It has, of course, powerful muscles, but no personality. It cannot lead, it can only serve." Albert Einstein Publications The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle. Published Hodder & Stoughton 2001 Emotional Intelligence by Daniel Goleman. Published Ted Smart 1998 The Stimulus Factor by David Freemantle. Published Prentice Hall 2001 Synchronicity by Joseph Jaworski. Published Berrett-Koehler 1996 Crossing the Unknown Sea by David Whyte. Published Penguin 2001 The Tao at Work by Stanley Herman Published Jossey-Bass 1994 Activation by Edmund J Freedberg. Published Harper 1997
Building Capacity Sydney Banks Life Strategy Wisdom for Life Centre for Applied Emotional Intelligence Brain Gym Accelerated Learning
|