There are rapid changes taking place in the spaces people work and learn in, how these spaces are operated, the services that are offered in them and online, and how people work to deliver these services, and how people and teams are organized. Elliot talk's about how to become a more change-ready organization in order to adapt to these changes. This will include conducting a baseline assessment, increasing awareness across people / teams / departments, new kinds of organizational design and structures, using mission / purpose as a focusing tool, effective decision-making processes, ways to work in more agile ways through prototyping and piloting, and ways to evaluate progress and continually improve.

1. 1brightspot strategy Eight Schools Association©2016. All Rights Reserved.
Building a Change–Ready Organization
The Mindset, Toolset, and Skillset enabling
more responsiveness and resilience
Elliot Felix
Founder, brightspot strategy

2. 2brightspot strategy Eight Schools Association©2016. All Rights Reserved.
hello!

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about brightspot
experienceWe guide organizations
to their future.

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about brightspot

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today’s agenda:
ToolsetMindset
Questions and Discussion
Introduction
Skillset

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What are some factors
creating change in your
organization?

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What are some factors that
create a resistance to change
in your organization?

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mindset

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How might you think
differently as a leader to
build a more change-ready
organization?

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listen and guide, not direct
something Color Era Mgmt by Innovation Metaphor Examples
Teal Today Self Self-management
Wholeness
Evolutionary-
Purpose
Living
Organism
Morningstar,
Patagonia,
Valve Software
Green Post-
Modern /
Information
Culture
and Values
Values and
Purpose
Empowerment
Multi-stakeholder
Family Starbucks, Ben
& Jerry's,
Southwest
Orange Scientific /
Industrial
Objectives Innovation
Accountability
Meritocracy
Machine Modern
corporation
Amber Traditional
/ Agrarian
Hierarchy Long-term POV
Size and Structure
Army Army, Church,
Public Schools
Red Tribal Fear N/A Wolf Pack Gangs, Mafia

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self-organizing story: Morning Star
https://hbr.org/2011/12/first-lets-fire-
all-the-managers
The mission is the boss
Employees create annual “CLOU”s
Anyone can suggest improvements
Anyone can spend resources
No titles or promotions
Peer-based compensation decisions

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embrace lean to test and iterate
Instead of beginning with an idea you think people want,
spending years to develop it, launching it, and failing…
you conduct quick tests with increasing detail to get
feedback, learn, and deliver something you know people
will use and value.
Why adopt a lean approach?
• Minimize risk
• Build support and loyalty
• Change the pitch

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a lean story: Adobe Kickbox
Source: http://www.fastcodesign.com/3042128/adobes-kickbox-the-kit-to-launch-your-next-big-idea

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• You don’t have to have all the answers – you can
listen to where the organization wants to go and
you can test and refine as you go
• The more you distribute responsibility, the faster
you can move and the more easily you can change
• The greater the transparency and participation, the
greater the ownership and engagement (and the
more change-ready you are)
a few lessons…

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Reflection and Discussion

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mindset reflection and discussion
Take a couple minutes to
reflect and write, then we’ll
discuss as a group.

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Toolset

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What tools can you apply so that
you can be more nimble?

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design better meetings
Most organizations spend a significant amount of their time meeting, but rarely are these
meetings designed. Being intentional about the “5Ps” boosts efficiency and effectiveness.
PURPOSE PEOPLE PROTOCOLS PRODUCTS PLACE
Is the meeting
needed? If so, to
accomplish what?
What is the desired
outcome?
What type of group
is it? Deciders?
Creators? Recurring
or 1-time? Team or
strangers?
How will people
participate? How
will decisions be
made? Who is
playing what role?
What does the
group need to
produce? A list? A
map? Comments? A
prototype?
What’s the best
configuration and
setting for the
people involved and
activities planned?

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make better decisions
Most organizations lose time, money, and people over how they make decisions – generally
when the type of decision-making process is misunderstood. Make the type explicit.
Decision by one
person without
consulting others
Decision is made by
one person with
consultation from
others
Decision is made by
the group based on
the most favored
choice
Everyone has a
voice that is heard
and agrees to go
with direction,
despite objection
Decision made by
group unanimity
INDEPENDENT CONSENSUSCONSULTATIVE MAJORITY CONSENT

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a few lessons…
• Thinking differently only happens when you
operate differently – and it’s easier to act your way
into thinking differently than think your way into
acting differently
• How you design, facilitate, and document your
meetings can enable you to be responsive and
embrace change
• How you make decisions can increase or decrease
your productivity and your team’s buy-in

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Reflection and Discussion

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toolset reflection and discussion
Take a couple minutes to
reflect and write, then we’ll
discuss as a group.

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Skillset

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What skills do you need as a
leader to adapt to change?

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tell clear and compelling stories
Most change initiative fail. Many because it’s poorly communicated. Have your elevator
pitch down and then think about story archetypes. Remember story is strategy (B. Horowitz)
To turn your pitch into a story, consider
following a tried-and-true story archetype:
• Overcoming the monster
• Rebirth
• Quest
• Journey and return
• Rags to riches
• Tragedy
• Comedy
To get to the essence of what your idea,
initiative, program or plan, use this madlib:
For <audience> who <motivation> we
deliver <idea / initiative / program>
with <unique characteristic> that
<benefit to audience>.
For example: For leaders who want more
nimble organizations, this presentation
delivers ideas about the change mindset,
toolset, and skillset with opportunities to
reflect that apply these ideas to their work.

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a story about a new workplace initiative
“The Work+ program
integrates the university’s
technology, training and
facilities expertise in a way
that enables colleges and
units to redesign their
workplace into a variety
spaces…to be as effective
as possible.”
before after

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prototyping
Making incremental progress, testing ideas, minimizing risk and building momentum all rely
upon skills to prototype – and getting matching the fidelity and duration right.
Dimensions of Fidelity:
1. Breadth: how much of function
is included?
2. Depth: how much of back end
function is there?
3. Interaction: how do customers
and staff interact with it?
4. Look and Feel: how closely
does it approximate the
concept?
Skills needed:
• Comfort with ambiguity and uncertainty
• Writing (i.e., role play scripts)
• Acting and improv
• Physical and digital making
• Storytelling
• Assessment

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prototype IT helpdesk

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a few lessons…
• Change happens faster went you break it into
smaller increments that you can assess, tweak, and
scale up
• Testing things out requires specific skills you’ll
need to build
• Changes are adopted and sustained because of
the stories you tell

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Reflection and Discussion

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skillset reflection and discussion
Take a couple minutes to
reflect and write, then we’ll
discuss as a group.

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questions?

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thank you!
elliot@brightspotstrategy.com
@elliotfelix
www.brightspotstrategy.com
@brightspotter