5 Transformation Mistakes That Are A Complete Waste Of Time

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At the outset of a transformation program there is often a big gap between where the organisation is now and the desired end state. It can feel like it’ll take forever to bring changes to life. During this phase, a trap that I see a lot of leaders fall into is thinking they need to be doing all.the.things. to drive change... BUT how much of what you’re doing is actually effective? 

In this episode, I call out 5 things that are a complete waste of time during transformation and share what to do instead when your time is limited and there are many competing priorities. 

I dive into the difference between your sphere of authority and your sphere of influence, being realistic about the impacts of the change, the importance of speaking your stakeholder’s language, and the power of personal recognition. I also share my take about having an open door policy. (Spoiler: it’s a complete waste of your valuable time!)

As the driver of change in your organisation, your time is precious and it’s vital that you focus your energies towards the high impact initiatives. That’s why my goal with this episode is to help you invest your time and resources in a way that drives the transformation forward without the wasted effort.

I hope you love tuning in to this one!

TOPICS DISCUSSED AND WHERE TO FIND THEM:

[1:00]: The importance of focussing efforts on what’s most important when there is a big gap between where you are now and where you want to be 

[3:25]: #1 mistake: Thinking that you’ll be able to change anyone’s behaviour other than the behaviour of your direct reports:

  • Understand the difference between your sphere of authority and sphere of influence

  • Have the goal of influencing the entire organisation by incorporating the transformation into everything you do 

[5:30]: #2 mistake: Talking about what motivates you:

  • The benefits that motivate senior leaders aren’t the same for employees

  • Understand your stakeholders and speak their language 

[6:45]: #3 mistake: Having an open door policy:

  • We don’t need to have an open door policy to be approachable, friendly leaders

[8:15]: #4 mistake: Presenting the transformation in a super positive light:

  • Over emphasising the positive reasons for change can water down the potential impacts of the transformation in your stakeholders minds

  • It’s ok to let people know that the transformation agenda might be challenging

[9:30]: #5 mistake: Overly relying on formal recognition as a reward for participation: 

  • Small, unexpected acknowledgement can be more powerful than big recognition

  • A genuine thank you card or email connects on a more personal and powerful level than an official award

[12:50]: So many transformation agendas fail and I’m passionate about helping organisations succeed in their change initiatives

LINKS:

Website: https://www.everchange.com.au/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drkatebyrne/

Kate Byrne