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Our Services > Transforming Your Organization
A comprehensive transformation initiative designed to unleash the commitment and passion in your organization and generate an environment where creativity flourishes, collaboration and teamwork naturally occur, and accomplishment abounds.
We work with visionary leaders — women and men who are committed to creating extraordinary organizations that make a difference.
Outcomes of the Transformation Process
Shared future
- A compelling vision and strategic intent (with superordinate goals), core values and fundamental principles have been co-created by the executives and stakeholders at every level and function of the organization, clearly articulated, widely owned and treasured.
- The entire organization is galvanized to fulfill the future and live consistently with the core values and fundamental principles.
Synergy
- Collaboration naturally occurs across all levels and functions.
- Communication is open, authentic, responsible and plentiful.
- High-performance teams become the norm.
- Creativity and innovation blossom.
Accomplishment
- Breakthroughs and turnarounds abound.
- The stuck becomes unstuck.
- Unprecedented and unexpected results appear throughout the system.
- A new level of sustainably high performance emerges.
"Aliveness"
- People flourish. They openly express their passion, commitment and creativity. They have a real sense of accomplishment. Accountability is natural and prevalent.
- A "possibility-based" culture becomes pervasive.
- Individuals and teams are clear that they make a difference, and experience being in charge of their future.
- Growth and development — personally and professionally, individually and as teams — is a natural, highly valued aspect of work.
- Change is not only embraced, it is generated at all levels.
Getting Started
The first step in a large-scale transformational initiative is an in-depth survey accompanied by interviews, focus groups and a meeting with the executive team. This assessment is designed to discover what people think is possible in your organization, how ready they are for fundamental transformation and what the major obstacles are likely to be.
The outcomes of this assessment are a "readiness plan" outlining recommended steps to reach an effective starting point for the transformational process, and a set of cultural objectives reflecting what the culture is today and what needs to be generated in order for your organization to be alive, vital and highly accomplished. Additionally, we will review the first draft of our proposal for a customized transformational initiative for your organization with you and your team.
Methodology
The client authors and leads the transformational process. We operate as fully committed partners providing coaching, training, education and expert advice in support of the process and outcomes. While we custom-design each engagement with the client, a typical approach includes:
Phase I — Invention (approximately six months)
Phase I is the creation of a "master game," a compelling organizational future that seems impossible to achieve from where the organization is currently operating. This future is typically articulated as a vision and a strategic intent with superordinate long-term "bold" goals. Additionally, core values and fundamental principles are established to serve as a powerful context that shapes everyday thinking and decisions. A broad base of the organization participates in this creation. The result is an organizational commitment around which the entire constituency can naturally and eagerly begin to self-organize.
Phase II — Implementation and Results —
A New Paradigm (from one to two years)
Phase II is designed to produce a new organizational context sufficient to fulfill the vision and win the "master game."
A typical process:
- Breakthrough project teams establish a "quantum leap initiative" to produce extraordinary results — both short term and longer term — validating the new paradigm and jump-starting progress toward achieving the bold goals.
- Senior leaders become a high performance team that can transform the culture and have the organization win the "master game."
- Middle managers emerge as leaders who create an environment where leadership and innovation emerge throughout the organization.
- An "Extended Leadership Team" (senior leaders and up to 100 people from the rest of the organization) forms the "front line" for igniting the rest of the organization and implementing change.
- Transformation process teams identify and implement key architecture changes, work to have the fundamental principles and values expressed everywhere in day-to-day work, ensure an abundance of communication, and continually monitor, evaluate and revise the transformation process as it unfolds.
- About a third of the entire constituency — people representing all functions and levels — complete a three-day transformational leadership workshop empowering them to be effective change leaders.
- An additional 40-50% attend a one-day informational session led by their peers, educating them in the vision and values and fundamental transformational principles.
- Each division throughout the organization invents and starts to fulfill its own local expression of the vision and strategic intent.
- External stakeholders are enrolled in being champions of the reinvention.
Phase III — Capacity Built for Continual Reinvention (approximately six months)
Phase III is dedicated to building the client's capacity to continually reinvent on its own with minimal outside support.
Typical Duration of the Transformation Initiative
Two to four years, depending on the size, complexity and history of the organization.
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The transformation process has rejuvenated my pride about being a part of UMKC. In my 20 years with UMKC, this was the first time that administrators, faculty, staff and students worked together towards any issue that has affected or will affect us all.
- Glenda Bushnell, Executive Staff Assistant, UMKC
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