Relational Change: The Art and Practice of Changing Organizations

Description

FC Praise Half title Title Copyright Contents Acknowledgements Introduction Why did we write this book? A view from the authors Part I 1 Seeing organizations differently A few words of introduction Frustrations with change and a practical response The machine metaphor The organism metaphor Organizations as complex responsive processes Change through the lens of complex responsive processes How seeing organizations differently informs relational change A postscript for those who like philosophy Questions for further reflection 2 Seeing change differently: The art of choosing your approach Multiple perspectives on change Introducing directive and facilitative approaches to change Working with polarities Relational change as art not science Questions for further reflection 3 The dynamics of relational change: To push or to pull? The old rhetoric of engaging others in change Introducing ‘push’ and ‘pull’ Creating dialogue or allowing debate Creating zones of safe uncertainty A word about theories and models Questions for further reflection 4 Organizational agility: Working well with politics Why are politics inevitable in organizations? Introducing the front stage and back stage Reframing politics as organizational agility Who you need to influence and how: Stakeholder mapping Understanding your own – and others’ – political style Politics is neutral: It’s all about your intent Questions for further reflection 5 Symbolic acts and small gestures: Recognizing and shifting power dynamics Understanding the way power is constructed Understanding your own sources of power Analysing your own sources of power in relation to different people Shifting and moderating power through small gestures Embedded power Understanding culture in more detail The power of numbers Questions for further reflection 6 Recognizing and working well with emotions The role of emotions in change Understanding your own Personal Drivers The change curve – the emotions evoked by loss Practical actions to mitigate the risks of ignoring emotions Working with transitions Recognizing how you might feel as the leader of change Changing the mood – a brief introduction to Appreciative Inquiry Questions for further reflection 7 Re-imagining meetings: How to encourage dialogue and thinking together The choices that make the difference Designing the day More detail on useful group exercises Questions for further reflection 8 Working well with people ‘in the moment’ The core skills of listening, presence and suspending Understanding more about own default settings Transactional Analysis (TA) Responses to conflict From difficult conversations to honest conversations In the moment in meetings and group situations What’s going on with the group? A beginner’s guide to group dynamics In summary Questions for further reflection 9 Working with stuckness and reframing resistance Stuckness through staying wedded to the search for certainty Stuckness through treating a problem as tame when it is wicked Stuckness at the system level Stuckness through stereotyping and over generalizing Reframing resistance In praise of small gestures Questions for further reflection 10 Sustaining yourself, others and change Connecting with yourself Connecting with others Connecting through creating ongoing stories Questions for further reflection Part II 11 The ups and downs of change. Moira’s story Questions for further reflection 12 From toxicity to talking: Creating connection through dialogue. Joe’s story Questions for further reflection 13 Involving people across the system. Emma’s story Questions for further reflection In summary: What does a leader of relational change do in practice? References Appendix 1: Intervention styles questionnaire Appendix 2: Personal Drivers questionnaire Further reading suggestions Index