Honoring Diversity Of Experience During Change
Not too long ago, I led a session with a small team experiencing much change, including a reorganization. We reviewed the Kubler-Ross curve and recommended support strategies for each phase of transition. We held space for each other through discussions about the agony of ambiguity. Yet I think the best moment of the session came towards the end when I had an impulse to lead an activity that works well when reinforcing or resetting team dynamics.
And it's pretty simple:
First, I asked everyone to reflect and write down what was most important to them during the change. Then, one by one, I asked each team member to share whatever they felt comfortable with out loud. As expected, most responded they were seeking a steady cadence of information and transparency.
After everyone had contributed top hopes, we moved into a follow-up round: "Now that we're clear on what's most important to each of you, take a moment to consider what you are committed to during this process. Or maybe what can your team count on you for as you go through this experience together." Again, each team member reflected and then shared with the group -- their lead going last each round.
Despite all moving through the same change event, each responded with a different commitment, reflective of how they were processing the event and their individual experiences with change.
Some had been through a lot of change during their career journeys. For others, this was their first reorg. Some valued clear next steps, while others had a higher tolerance for ambiguity. While most were a bit deflated and concerned about pending announcements, a couple were optimistic, maybe even reinvigorated about future possibilities.
One teammate offered to be the person to make the group laugh when they needed to lighten their load. Another vowed solidarity through cursing. Another pledged to be a non-judgemental confidant for those struggling and needing a safe place to vent.
The module was a powerful way for the team leader to experience the range of support needed and whom they might lean on as change agents. It also likely bought them some grace in meeting everyone's needs because the team heard first-hand that every peer was in a slightly different emotional space.
During organizational change, it's easy for #groupthink to creep in: teammates may assume everyone feels the same level of stress based on the loudest opinion in the room -- or even their leader's anxiety. The danger here is leaders can mistakingly apply a one-size-fits-all approach to meaningfully meeting teams where they are.
Leveraging a working-together-alone exercise gives every voice equal weight, uncovering a more accurate picture of what a team is experiencing.
This team discovered what is most important to each member and how they can reinforce their culture: by supporting each other in uniquely diverse ways and holding space for their peers to process the same change event differently.
Best practices for this activity:
Post-It Notes and black Sharpie markers work great for writing and sharing on a whiteboard. There's something powerful to visualizing team needs & commitments.
Don't combine the steps. Keep the two rounds separate. There's something special about having team members first share their hopes, internalize their peers' needs and, afterward, write their commitments to each other. It's more powerful than sharing personal needs and a generic commitment to the team simultaneously at the top of the exercise.
If a leader is involved in the process, consider having them share last during both rounds: it's great to have the leader take in what their team needs and their commitments to inform their share back.
#facilitation #learning #workshops
