Creator, Challenger, Coach through Change: Getting out of the Drama

Being creative can be tough when bad news abounds.  Yet taking the creative, challenging coach role through turbulence is a hero’s journey that matters greatly as we recover and build anew. What does it mean to be a Trusted Change Advisor in today’s turbulent times?

3 Things That Cause Ethical Breakdowns in Workplace Culture: Timing a Reminder is Everything

  Tensions among senior staff in universities seem to be making the news on a regular basis. Examples include leader strife at Rutgers (blame), Penn State (cascade failure to deal with a crime) and University of Virginia (abrupt leadership goings and comings.)

Messing up a Change Implementation with Someone Else’s Learning Culture?

Netflix culture and their lack of need for leadership development is SO attractive, like the siren song of Greek myth.  It creates great press for Netflix, yet it is so un-duplicatable without the right staffing & culture values mix.   Once again, culture trumps strategy every time.  Helping culture to shift using smart, agile strategyContinue reading “Messing up a Change Implementation with Someone Else’s Learning Culture?”

There’s No Such Thing as Leadership? Pull, Influence and “Open Space” vs. Power

This post features the leadership vs. management thinking of Peter Drucker as well as the distributed power concepts of Open Space methodology, a way to give voice to everyone that is balanced by hidden and overt guidelines and principles inherent to any group or organization. There’s the often asked question, “What is management vs. whatContinue reading “There’s No Such Thing as Leadership? Pull, Influence and “Open Space” vs. Power”

Agile Leader Learning for Sustainable Change: Steps through Sharp Rocks

You’ve probably experienced it, that uncomfortable feeling of letting go of something tried and formerly true without knowing what is coming next. Welcome to the Neutral Zone, coined by change writer William Bridges1 who helped us understand the human element in Change. In the 21st century, it’s important to  “unlearn” what no longer meets the needs ofContinue reading “Agile Leader Learning for Sustainable Change: Steps through Sharp Rocks”

Change, Innovators, Creativity and Community, Will it Blend?

As the technology age moves us along, innovation has been heralded as one of the few growth spaces left, and the power of community, think social media, is the other.   Do they blend?   Does creativity have a place in how this can happen? Enter change.  It is important to keep change leadership andContinue reading “Change, Innovators, Creativity and Community, Will it Blend?”

A Two Step, Two Video Dance towards Loose – Tight Change & Innovation Leadership

If there is one thing that is buzzing in leadership circles in social media, it is that building an innovative, agile culture is key to remaining viable, surviving disruptive change, and thriving. Consider Loose – Tight leadership by rightsizing your grip. Grip the steering wheel too tightly and the result can be crushed creativity, stifledContinue reading “A Two Step, Two Video Dance towards Loose – Tight Change & Innovation Leadership”

The Impact of a Challenging Goal, Parasailing in Key West

If you’re trying to be miserable, it’s important you don’t have any goals. No school goals, personal goals, family goals. Your only objective each day should be to inhale and exhale for 16 hours before you go to bed again. Don’t read anything informative, don’t listen to anything useful, don’t do anything productive. If youContinue reading “The Impact of a Challenging Goal, Parasailing in Key West”

Change Leaders: Why Should Anyone Trust Your Vision? John Kotter and Harvard Business Review

There are many trends about change management that I imagine Dr. Kotter has seen in his long career. As we prepare for the Association of Change Management Practitioners (ACMP) 2011 conference next week, including sharing new Skype videos with change authors on our updated site, ChangeManagementResources.com, I’m sharing nuggets of change leader material here including John Kotter’s highlights of some common assumptions about how leaders approach change.

Selecting a Coach: 10 Questions to Ask Your Prospective Coach

Terry “TJ” Wisner interviewed me about how to select a good coach for your needs. I cover the 3-C model of coaching and offer 10 questions useful for deciding who would be great in helping you achieve solid results through selecting a coach for your needs. –Deb