I help guide workplaces through change in order to achieve better organizational alignment. I have experience with large and impactful organizational transformation programs in mid-size and large organizations. My approach begins with developing a detailed understanding of the business strategies, market conditions, and operational realities that are foundational to each client. In other words, any structural or cultural adjustments I may recommend are primarily informed by the client’s actual conditions and not by standard frameworks, blueprints, or off-the-rack methods.
I believe that the people doing the work are also the people who understand it best. To prepare to build a transformation strategy and plan, I conduct qualitative interviews (detailed conversations) with as many of the affected people as I can. I encourage people to be open and honest with me, as I will be with them. I make detailed notes during these conversations, which later help me put together an evidence-based picture of the organization.
I then usually develop one or more “functional representations” of how the organization is currently configured, and how it might transform in future. These diagrams are discussed with affected managers and staff and iterated based on feedback, often through 20 or more versions.
Involving a diverse cross-section of management and employees in coming up with creative solutions ensures that all participants experience a sense of ownership in the solution. After successfully “socializing” the change recommendation with executive management, I often work alongside the HR department to help create and execute transition plans, including recruiting, communications, and risk management.
Certain organizational change journeys may include workshop-based collaborative experiences involving diverse groups of managers and staff. For these, I use a variety of techniques, including brainstorming, issue mapping, employee experience or journey mapping, “voting” for models, and business process maps. One of the tangible benefits of using these facilitation techniques is that they are auto-documenting; all concepts and ideas that are brought forward during the course of the workshop can easily be captured at the end.