Sustaining Energy During Transitions

"Assume what motivates you, motivates others."

Change, the transition from one state to another, for an individual or an organisation, brings with it uncertainty and is invariably more complex and troubling than we might first expect.

As leaders and managers we can't presume we have people's trust at the start of the change. We have to earn trust and then we can mobilise people to the cause. Once moving, people will look to us for steadiness and competence - perhaps even a surefootedness in the turbulence of a changing situation.

Having character and the capacity to engage fully with the complexity of the transition helps to earn people's trust in us as the promoters of change in pursuit of improvement. But, much more is required of us in these evermore demanding roles.

To really move people we must give a voice to their own desires, to inspire them to deliver better. To do this requires the creation of a shared vision, which is a vital element in uniting people to navigate through the sometimes choppy waters of major transitions. We can really shift organisations if we give voice to people's own hopes about what their team or organisation is all about and capable of delivering. The vision pronounced from on high will never do the same job as the one co-created by and through engaged employees.

As leaders we need an authentic core; an inner steel of honesty and integrity that is evidenced by our consistent behaviour, particularly under pressure. The 'rules' apply to us just as much as they do to 'front-line' colleagues. Humility, i.e. not being arrogant or condescending, is closely allied to honesty in inspiring people to follow the lead we offer. We are not perfect, who is, and these qualities are not about perfection, they speak to a different imperative, that of excellence, doing the right thing, exhibiting sound judgement and being collaborative.

So, if we are seeking to inspire people to do the extraordinary, the different and the difficult, what are some of the ways to motivate others?

1. Start with the truth. Confront reality. Set high expectations and aspirations and march pragmatically from reality towards that aspiration. Along the way, remind people how far they have come and how much closer they are to achieving their goals.


2. Get excited about doing something really grand. People can work with an intensity and passion with the knowledge that they are achieving something rare and marvellous.


3. Respect people and find ways for them to make a contribution.


4. Adhere to simple values; honesty, fairness, generosity - and don't compromise your standards or ask others to.


5. Talking to people once a quarter isn't enough. You have to repeat messages of direction, inspiration and comfort daily in a variety of forms. Constant and consistent communication helps people to feel part of the team and respected.


6. Helping people to try things that are personally 'risky' is a tough motivational challenge.We can't and shouldn't want to eliminate all risks but we do want people to go into the uncomfortable space where they and their organisations can achieve extraordinary results. We do this through open and frank discussion about the likelihood of success; clear roles and accountabilities; by spreading risk across the team and organisation and by providing visible and confident support regardless of the end result.
7. And finally, we need to move quickly towards a goal, particularly if it involves pain. Time is frequently not a friend. Consensus building might not work. So give people permission to move fast and make some mistakes, as long as the actions are in keeping with the organisation's values. Speed damps down resentment, turf issues and paralysis by analysis.

Good luck.

Strengths-based development

People make organisations work well. Not the procedures, processes, structures or governance mechanisms. These elements can all assist, as well as frustrate, the effective working of an organisation, but they rarely if ever play the pivotal role that people do in delivering what an organisation is about.

Our coaching and thought-support work with clients invariably tells us that the deficit or weakness-centred approach to individual and organisational development is strong and worryingly prevalent. It is easy to get stuck in our old ways of thinking. It is also easy to get stuck in our relationships and act in the same way as we always have done. As the saying goes, "if you keep on doing what you have always done, you will keep on getting what you've always got!" In too many cases that means focusing on what's wrong with the organisation, the weaknesses of the individual and the measures required to make things better.


Now, sometimes there really is something worrying in the performance of a team, service or individual and an intervention needs to take place. We recognise that. Often that can take the form of a rapid change of personnel or the creation of a new procedure. Yet, often that proves to be the short-term palliative, not the long-term salvation. Why is this? Well, one reason might be that the positive core of that person or team has simply not been explored and captured because of the concentration on problems. Another reason is that individuals are so inured to the problem-fixing mode of operation that their strengths and talents, the activities that make best use of their talents, and their positive core are not recognised or valued.


Now, many times everything works just fine, but sometimes the person or service could benefit from a small 'nudge,' e.g. some new perspectives, a sharper focus, increased creativity or refreshed energy levels. When these moments occur one way is to invite an external advisor for a time to support the person or team to move forward. We believe that the “experts” are the people in the organization, and we can support them by creating different contexts that encourage people to understand their talents and strengths, to use their skills in new ways, and help people to co operate and become proud of what they are doing. These contexts help people to gather new perspectives and to refresh energy levels, make new commitments and engage with colleagues differently.

Working with strengths-based methods and exploring what works well in the organization instead of focusing at the “problem” pays dividends in our experience. It requires a degree of 're-programming' for the people involved but methods like Gallup's Strengthsfinder, solutions-oriented appraisals and the SOAR strategic planning model (Strengths, Opportunities, Aspirations, Results) offer new and exciting ways to optimise organisational and people talents.
Our work creates safe and creative environments for personal and service development; environments where people feel they are valued, important and where everyone has something to add to the whole.


This shift of perspective from the problem-centred to the positive and strength focused gives people an opportunity to be proud of what they are doing and feel that they are important contributors to the organisation's goals. When people feel valued and have the potential to use and increase their personal strengths they also become more engaged, accept greater responsibility and increase their ability to see new perspectives and others views.

We create learning opportunities where people can learn about and appreciate their talents, feel that they are important and skillful and learn how to combine their talents with colleagues'. We find when this happens weaknesses frequently become irrelevant.

Contact us to discuss how strength based personal and team development could improve customer and employee satisfaction and results in your organization.

Visit our website at http://www.optimuminterventions.co.uk/