During Day 2 of the HRPA 2012 Conference, Robert Harris, author of “Change Leadership – Inform, Involve, Ignite,” spoke about Breakthrough Strategies for Communicating Change. Robert introduced and explained his model of communicating change to help individuals move from the status quo to the new change status and then we put the model to use during an activity. It was a great presentation with a packed room, and many participants felt it could have been a super-session with an extra hour to learn and practice.
People resist change because of emotional and logical thoughts and communication can make or break successful change. We’ve all been involved in change. As HR professionals our role as an organizational strategic HR partner is to help successfully implement change.
What change process is used to communicate change?
The majority of us will launch right into the advantages and disadvantages of change first (Box 2). This is natural human behaviour, where we take on the “cheerleading” OR ”pain mongering” role and it is NOT the best strategy. People feel you are trying to “sell” them on the change and they become cynical. If I’m resisting change, I’m in the fear focus. I’m thinking, “How will this impact me?” (Box 2). And I’m stuck thinking “but I like it this way” (Box 4). People don’t ask questions about the change because of: fear, the need for more time to process the change, and/or the belief that ”It’s a done deal.”
Robert suggests using his “Strategic Influencing 4-Box Model” of change as follows:
Box 1: When change is imminent it is important to start with a compelling case for “WHY change.” This gets their attention and they will listen. Remember to reflect on the reasons for “WHY change” from the other person’s perspective.
Box 2: Next go to the “cheerleading” or benefits of change and how you’ll get there together but only briefly. You can go back to this later.
Box 3: Then proceed to talking about the impact to them as individuals, and as a team. This is what individuals focus on. Validate and acknowledge emotions. Spend lots of time here and outline how you will support them through the change.
Box 4: Then talk about what stays the same. This helps people celebrate what is being preserved. People like tradition and are comforted by familiarity.
This is the best approach because it feels like the change manager spent time figuring out how it impacts people as individuals. You can go back to describing the benefits again AND how you’ll get there together. With change it is always best to put the elephant in the room to be addressed versus ignoring it. Using the 4-box change model has a calming effect. It lets people see a transition where there are highs and lows, culminating in acceptance. It is the journey you will all take together.
An added benefit of using Robert Harris’s change model is that it helps determine if change should happen in the first place. And we actually used Robert’s awesome change model in groups, talking through a real life change initiative. As part of our group debrief we noted that the discussions we had using the change model, helped us work through things that we might not have thought about and it promoted healthy open communication.
Robert Harris, author of Change Leadership – Inform, Involve, Ignite, definitely needs a super session the next time he presents at the HRPA conference. It was great to actually get a change to “use” the change model tool during the session, but we needed more time.
What change are you implementing now or in the future? Try using the tool. It works.
Posted by Joanne Royce
Photo Credit: Robert Harris, Strategic Influencing 4-Box Model (Used with permission)
On Day 2 of the HRPA 2012 Conference the Luncheon Key Note Speaker was Kevin Carroll speaking to a packed audience of HR professionals about Rediscovering Play, Bringing Fun and Passion to Your Work and Life.
Kevin told us the heart wrenching story of his early childhood. His father left when he was a toddler. One day, his mother, who suffered with addiction issues, picked up Kevin and his older brother from school, and along with his youngest brother, drove out of town. Kevin was only 6 years old. After driving a very long time, she leaves the three boys in a trailer telling them to stay there. Finally after a few days and no mom, the boys get enough courage to leave the trailer to ask someone for help. Luckily, their grandfather made sure they memorized his phone number.
“I just want to play.”
His grandpa tells Kevin and his brothers that they would have shelter, food, and love, but would have to “raise” themselves. Kevin, always being big on questions asked, “What does “raise yourself” mean?” After learning the meaning of that statement, Kevin said, “But grandpa, I just want to play.”
Kevin overcame adversity as a child through play.
Kevin goes to a neighbourhood park and finds a red rubber ball. He is all alone so he makes up a game. He kicks the ball as hard as he can, and then runs furiously after the ball. It was his way of coping (and I’m sure, a way of getting all that anger and hurt out of his system). Soon the neighbourhood children notice him and ask, “What are you doing with that ball?” Next thing you know, they are all playing ball, and little Kevin feels a sense of connection and of belonging. He had discovered the power of play.
A small red rubber ball saved him.
His passion for play and asking questions help Kevin build a successful and diverse series of careers that take him all over the world. In fact, Nike hires Kevin, without having a defined position for him, because of his passion and creativity, and he becomes a Nike “Katalyst.” The 2001 award winning Nike “Tag” commercial (filmed in Toronto, Ontario) was created during his time at Nike and illustrates his passion for “play.”
Highlights from Kevin’s presentations include:
Questions are good. Courage to ASK is a big life – work lesson. ASK!
Courage is shown in acts and dares to do what is right.
Hire for passion & creativity. The rest will fall into place.
Kids see opportunity not an obstacle. A box becomes a ship or fort. We all speak “ball” as in play.
Play is a great business tool for collaboration and creativity.
Day 2 at the HRPA 2012 Conference started out in AWESOME fashion. Despite the 7:00 a.m. start time, the room was packed to hear Neil Pasricha talk about The Search for AWESOME Leadership. Neil shared his story of success.
His story started out not so well. One year his best friend committed suicide and his marriage fell apart. Neil was feeling pretty low. He was in a dark place. But he got the idea to start a blog looking for 1000 AWESOME things in life, to help him get out of his funk. He started blogging every day. At first only his mom read his blog, then his dad, then friends, and it grew from there. The number of readers multiplied and he got a call from someone in New York telling him he had won an award for his blog! He travelled to New York to pick up his award, and when he got home he had phone calls from several literacy agents who were interested in a potential book. Three books (and a calendar product and mobile app) later Neil is still blogging about AWESOME. Success happens in the strangest ways. Neil shared his concepts and philosophy with us and it was an AWESOME way to start Day 2 of the HRPA 2012 Conference!
The 4 A’s required to create AWESOME leadership for an AWESOME workplace include:
Attitude – AWESOME starts with attitude. If you have an attitude of AWESOME it will spread beyond you.
Awareness - If you are on the look out for AWESOME you will find it. It is the little things that often illicit the biggest response.
Alignment - Know your own (and the organizations) core values / priniciples. Alignment gets people in sync with you as a leader, and the organization.
Authenticity - Spread AWESOME and positivity but be true to your self. Be genuine. People won’t respond if you aren’t your authentic self.
In addition to AWESOME leadership to create an AWESOME workplace, organizations need to embrace the 4 S’s:
Structure - Have some structure in place (but not rigid policing or monitoring structure).
Stimulation - Provide stimulating work.
Salary - Give a salary good enough to make it a non-issue.
We can all bring AWESOME into this world and into our workplace by living in the present, looking forward to the future, and not dwelling on past wrongs or slights. My philosophy of AWESOME is to always look for the good in people. No one wakes up in the morning and says, “I’m going to work to be miserable and do a bad job.” People want to succeed and be AWESOME.
As HR professionals, managers, and leaders, what are you doing to make the workplace happy, healthy, and productive and downright AWESOME? As an individual, what are you going to do today to be AWESOME at work and at life? Perhaps the tips provided by Neil Pasricha outlined here will help you get started. If you need more help, contact us. AWESOME leadership can be learned!
On Day 1 of the HRPA 2012 Conference, I attended the afternoon supersession with David Chilton. David talked about his journey to success with his first book - ”The Wealthy Barber,” and introduced his new book, “The Wealthy Barber Returns.” David spent two hours speaking to a full audience without the help of visuals or PowerPoint. He is an amazing story teller and the audience was engaged throughout the session.
I loved his sense of family and that his sister, father, and mother were involved and supporting him through his journey to get his first book published. He was originally going to call his book “The Wealthy Bartender” which was inspired by the television show “Cheers.” I liked that he didn’t listen to the financial and banking experts who told him the concept for the book would not work. Instead he asked his beer drinking hockey buddies (the every day person) to review what he had written so far. They loved it and they asked questions which helped him clarify and improve the book.
He told us about the story of Greta and Janet Podleski, authors of the highly successful cookbook series (and products) Looneyspoons. Through their energy, perseverence, courage, and by taking a train (not flying) to meet with David in Ottawa, they won him over. That, and the fact that David’s mother tested some of the recipes and told him – “Publish that cookbook…” I loved that through the power of Twitter, Greta Podleski, replied back.
Mom tests recipes and says to David “publish that cookbook LooneySpoons” David says always trust ur Mom. @wealthy_barber#HRPA2012
Finally, David talked about financial statistics and products, and that the world is carrying too much debt. He told the story of a homeowner who apologized to him for not having ”granite countertops” and a big house, to which he replied, ”Who needs granite countertops and I live in a 1300 s.f. bungalow.” David noted that people have too much stuff and that gets them into money and debt trouble. Granite countertops and too much stuff are not worth going into debt for. While David didn’t mention this, the video calledThe Story of Stuff also highlights how our need for so much STUFF negatively impacts the world in which we live. I think we might have our “wants” mixed up with our “needs” and this contributes to living beyond our means.
In any case, it was two hours well spent. Lots of insight into how to get a book published with the the power of perservance, courage, and support of family and friends and the benefits of not living beyond our means. You can read my actual tweets during David Chilton’s session – The Wealthy Barber Returns – through Storify below.
The first #HRBookChat took place this week to discuss Drive by Daniel Pink. It was a great discussion made even better with the participation of the author @DanielPink and participants from around the world.
The HR book chat idea started in another chat held on Twitter on November 21, 2011 via #TEPHR. The Engagement Project in HR originates with Bonni Titgemeyer, an HR professional with experience in Canada and the USA. Her aim is to encourage HR discussions on an international basis. The #TEPHR chat was like a great big brainstorming session and the idea of #HRBookChat was incubated during that discussion. Alyssa Burkus ran with the idea and made it real, and #HRBookChat was born.
So on Monday, January 9th, 2012 at 7:30 p.m. the first #HRBookChat took place. According to Hash Tracking, there were 644 tweets, 130 tweeters, and 9.2 million impressions during the chat. Visit Hash Tracking, to view a permanent record of the chat, stats, Top 10 List, and transcript.
I learned about Storify when Larry Ferlazzo (http://bit.ly/AvvvOD) And Marissa Brassfield (http://sfy.co/Tvz) posted highlights after the book chat, including my Tweet about Trust. The storify highlights and chat transcript are kind of like a book review in 140 character Tweets.
And of course the HR people involved in the chat loved the book, including me as shown by the many sticky notes in my book. Time for an IPad, Kobo, or Kindle!
But now, the hard part starts – implementing the concepts in the workplace. A paradigm shift needs to happen moving away from the carrot and stick approach or punishment and reward, to creating a culture that supports the 3rd drive that allows for engagement through Purpose, Autonomy, and Mastery in the workplace. It starts with a tiny ripple that spreads.
Happy HRBookChatterer, Joanne
P.S. Oh, and my Tweet about Trust was Retweeted by Daniel Pink and many other people. That Tweet must have resonated with people, and it was kind of neat to see it spread across the world getting Retweeted. The Power of Twitter and Twitter Chats!
With my daughter going off to her first year of university and my son finishing his last year at university, I wanted to share the concept of “balance” with them. In any setting, whether it is at work, at school, or at life we need to achieve balance to be mentally and physically healthy. When we are in balance, we are happy and successful. To be in balance we need equal doses of three spheres or circles of influence – self-care, leisure and productivity.
So what does each circle mean?
Self-Care includes taking care of our physical and mental wellbeing. It consists of activities such as exercising, meditating, and eating well. Everything in moderation helps balance.
Leisure involves socializing with friends, family, and new acquaintances. It means participating in activities that bring us joy. It might include going to the movies or social functions with friends. It doesn’t include becoming a “couch potato” watching hours of mindless television or obsessively playing video games.
Productivity means “doing” things like working at paid jobs, completing school work, studying for exams, volunteering, doing housework, and maintaining our homes. When we do this, we are contributing to something bigger than ourselves and it provides a sense of accomplishment.
When all three circles are in balance, we are happy, healthy, and productive individuals. It’s natural at various times to be out of balance, when one of the circles is larger than the rest (i.e. exam time, budget time), but if this situation continues too long, not so nice things start to happen. When we spend too much time in one circle while neglecting the others, we suffer.
During the first year of university, sometimes too much time might be spent on leisure activities, such as socializing and partying, and not enough time spent on self-care and productivity. This could result in what is called the “Freshman 15″ (plus 15 pounds and minus 15 percent)! But sometimes too much time might be spent on studying. In The Happiness Advantage, author Shawn Achor tells the story of two students who entered university with the same overall average. One balanced her school work with socializing and taking care of herself. The other student spent all her time studying and completing school work. The student with balance became more vibrant and happier as the school year progressed, and the other one became so depressed and sad she didn’t return.
To ensure we are happy, healthy, and productive,
we need to be in balance with equal doses of
self-care, leisure, and productivity.
Are you in balance, or do you spend too much time in one circle? What can you do today to make sure you have work-life balance? Please share this blog post with anyone you feel might benefit from it.
I’ve been reading The Happiness Advantage by Shawn Achor. He mentions that it takes about 3 positive interactions to overcome 1 negative interaction to help a corporate team become successful. This 3 to 1 ratio (or 2.9013) is called The Losada Line and it is based on a decade of research by Marcial Losada on high and low performing teams.
Typically we are bombarded with negative images and information, so a couple of weeks ago, I decided to do a little experiment. I mindfully took note of anything that was framed positively or negatively. I noticed several comments, blogs, and contests about “horrible bosses.” For example, “horrible bosses” was trending on Twitter, and Bob Sutton, posted a blog titled: “Is Your Future Boss Horrible? A 10 Point Reference Check.” All this because the film Horrible Bosses was due to be released on Friday, July 8th. Horrible bosses was trending on Twitter and I wanted to see “great bosses” trending. And in honour of trying to look for the positive I was delighted when Bob Sutton good naturedly gave me permission to reframe the checklist on his recent blog post: Is Your Future Boss Horrible? A 10 Point Reference Check . So here it is …
Is Your Future Boss GREAT? A 10 Point Reference Check
1. Kicks-up (gently) and kisses-down (vs Kisses-up and kicks-down): “How does the prospective boss respond to feedback from people lower in rank and higher in rank?” “Can you provide examples from experience?” You definitely don’t want a boss who “kisses-up and kicks-down.” One characteristic of certified greatness is that great bosses tend to encourage and build confident in those who are less powerful and support and talk positively about their staff with their superiors.
2. Can take it (vs Can’t take it): “Does the prospective boss accept constructive feedback and accept accountability for the team when the going gets tough?” Stay away from bosses who can dish it out but “can’t take it.” Jump at the chance to work for great bosses who can provide constructive feedback and are open to feedback themselves.
3. Long fuse (vs Short fuse): “In what situations have you seen the prospective boss keep his cool?” Does your new boss breed a climate of calm and respect in the workplace or does he have a “short fuse?” Are co-workers comfortable sharing their thoughts and ideas knowing they will receive encouragement and direct honest feedback from this person with his/her flying off the handle?
4. Good credit (vs Bad credit): “Does the prospective boss assign credit where credit is due, and actively champion his/her staff?” You don’t want a boss who takes all the good credit and assigns you the “bad credit.” This question opens the door to discuss how the boss recognizes his or her team and promotes the team to others in the organization.
5. Can soar (vs Canker sore): “What do past collaborators say about working with the prospective boss?” Great bosses usually have a history of spreading collaboration, respect, productivity, and achievement within teams. A great boss helps you soar! The world needs more talented bosses and so do you.
6. Harmonizer (vs Flamer): What kind of email sender is the prospective boss? You don’t want a boss who is a “flamer” who stokes the fire of conflict behind the scenes. Most great bosses contain themselves when it comes to email: they build harmony, and don’t tolerate blind carbon copying at all, and only carbon copy relevant recipients. Email etiquette is a window into one’s soul.
7. Upper (vs Downer): “What types of people seem to work very well with the prospective boss?” Pay attention to responses that suggest being positive, encouraging, understanding, and a problem solver. You want a boss who is an upper not a “downer.” Positive and energized people tend to stay and work with great bosses who energize and build them up.
8. Card dolphin (vs Card shark): “Does the prospective boss share information for everyone’s benefit?” A card-shark keeps information close to the chest and a card dolphin shares information. (Full disclosure – I made up the term ”card dolphin!”) A tendency to share information is a sign that this person treats co-workers and staff as a team that works together collaboratively to solve issues together.
9. Army of many (vs Army of one): “Would people pick the prospective boss for their team?” There is upside to having a great boss on the team; others will want to work with that person. A boss is not an “army of one,” but an army of many. Who else is clamouring to work with greatness?
10. Open architecture: “How would the prospective boss respond if a copy of “ Good Boss, Bad Boss” appeared on his/her desk along with a note saying, “The “good boss” in the book reminds me of you.” Chances are your great boss will take you out for one ducky of a lunch!
Those are your 10 questions. I would love to hear other tips about what has helped you accept a job with a great boss – or the signs that you noticed before going to work for such a great person.
Not too long ago I gave out my business card and the person said, “That’s the first time I’ve seen the word happy on a business card.” I said “That’s a shame. Perhaps it will start a trend.” Of course he was referring to my tag line “Creating Happy, Healthy, and Productive Workplaces.” Some people have suggested I change my tag line to “one that is more business oriented.” But I haven’t changed it because my tag line is my mission statement and that is what I’m trying to do - one organization at a time.
Shawn Achor, author of The Happiness Advantage, in a recent Harvard Business Review Blog states that leaders say “our people are our greatest asset” but they don’t “walk the talk.” He mentions that employees are the unhappiest they’ve been in 22 years (Conference Board Survey) and that 84% of American’s are unhappy with their current job (CNN Money). Yikes! What is going on at work?
It’s okay to create a workplace that is happy. His research shows that happiness at work increases sales by 37%, productivity by 31%, and accuracy on tasks by 19%, and improves health and quality of life. Happy at work means people are healthy and productive.
The good news is that Shawn says that training managers on positive psychology can increase happiness at work. It starts with:
Realizing that happiness is an advantage at work.
Training your mind for higher levels of happiness at work.
Writing down what brings you happiness and joy in your Joy Journal.
Each morning at the start of your day say out loud - “I’m grateful for this day.”
Then write down three things you are grateful for.
Take a walk at lunch time.
Be conscious of your negative thoughts and reframe them to positive thoughts.
It seems that Shawn has similar suggestions. These actions all help bring happiness at work (and life) to the forefront.
There IS a business case for organizations to transform their organizations with the happiness advantage – a real competitive advantage. So what are you waiting for? It’s okay to be happy at work! And if your worklpace isn’t happy, healthy and productive, you can train your managers and people to transform your organization with the happiness advantage.
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Human Resources & Training Solutions
People resist change because of emotional and logical thoughts and communication can make or break successful change. We’ve all been involved in change. As HR professionals our role as an organizational strategic HR partner is to help successfully implement change. 
The 4 A’s required to create AWESOME leadership for an AWESOME workplace include: 
I learned about Storify when Larry Ferlazzo (
