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Monthly Archives: February 2013

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You can’t just take, you gotta give something back

February 18, 2013 1:55 pm / Caroline

What does sustainability mean and what does it require?

My dad used to say, “you can’t just take take take, you gotta give something back!” At the time he was referring to my (lack of) maintenance and care for my Volkswagen Beetle, but I often think of it as my first lesson in sustainability… about looking beyond the present moment and considering the longer term. In the case of my Beetle, and my dad’s wise warnings, it was not only about getting from A to B that specific day by squeezing all I could out of the old girl, but about proactively keeping my vehicle on the road into the future, which of course meant immediate pains for me of doing without a new dress or time spent with friends in order to work and save to service the car. But I was all about instant gratification in those days, so the poor Beetle suffered along quite faithfully, with my dad coming to the rescue from time to time with his car sense and sage counsel.

coccinelle-bug-beetle-car-md

In organisations, this story can be likened to the need to put strategies in place that may not give immediate returns, but will ensure the business continues performing and thriving over the long term. But what exactly does the term ‘sustainability’ mean?

Sustainability has two key interconnected connotations, namely:

1) Ability to continue for some time, and

2) Not making excessive use of resources.

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There are a variety of synonyms that can be considered in both these contexts, such as keep going, keep up, look after, appreciate, cultivate, encourage, develop, value, esteem, and flourish. Antonyms may be neglect, waste, overexert, take for granted, exploit,  regress, stagnate and burnout. I think it is important to consider these antonyms as they spell out quite clearly the “what not to do”. I also thought the word sustenance may be valid here, which is the process of making something continue, or in the case of my Beetle – the fuel and durability for the journey.

Now let’s piece together a quilt of snippets, stories and strategies that builds on these connotations of sustainability:

The Value of Volunteerism
I read an interview in the Sunday Times yesterday with Ruth Lewin, Head of Corporate Sustainability for Discovery. She was speaking on the company’s volunteer programme and how it can be linked to employee engagement and enriched business performance. She articulated how real sustainability lies in a longer term strategy of building partnerships and promoting a culture of connectedness. She advocated the benefits of a “socially engaged and connected” workforce, who are concerned with improving business performance within the greater context of “a thriving and stable society”. Ruth also explored the transformative effects of making volunteerism an appraised business imperative within the workplace, such as employee and leadership development, fostering shared aims, and improved staff collaborations.  

Connected

The Value of Connectedness and Engagement
An excerpt from Wikipedia on the topic of Community of practice suggests four areas of organisational performance that can be affected by promoting, like Discovery, such a culture  of connectedness:

  • Decreasing the learning curve of new employees
  • Responding more rapidly to customer needs and inquiries
  • Reducing rework and preventing “reinvention of the wheel”
  • Spawning new ideas for products and services

While Amy Rees Anderson, a contributor on Forbes.com advocates that “great employees carry value that simply cannot be replaced, such as:

  • Deep institutional knowledge of the organization,
  • Extensive product, systems, and process knowledge,
  • Client relationships that have been built over many years,
  • Experience on what has worked and what hasn’t, and
  • Camaraderie and influence with their coworkers.”

I would think, for sustainability, that organisations are making sincere moves to actively esteem, look after and develop this value, and also to appreciate and cultivate the capacity and conditions that make performance and innovation flourish.

Taking a Strategic Approach
Sizwe Nxasana’s presentation at the Making CSI Matter Conference in 2012 resonated with what Ruth has to say . Sizwe is the CEO of the FirstRand Group, and advised companies to take a strategic approach to CSI. He stressed the importance and urgency of doing things for the right reasons and with broader participation in mind. Sizwe recognised that we can no longer only consider the shareholders of the company in our practices and conduct, but are required to evaluate and transform business in line with issues and interests that affect all stakeholders, namely customers, employees and society. He laid emphasis on requiring a different mind-set when it comes to CSI and advised breaking out of working competitively and in “our little corners”. He advocated opening up the dialogue with other businesses and government to start win-win partnerships, where business can easily pilot new ideas and innovation, while government funding could be used to replicate innovations that are beneficial to addressing societal issues.

Telling the story of who we are
In an interview on leadership lessons, Dave Barger, CEO and president of the American company JetBlue Airways, shared his insights on social responsibility or as he prefers “citizenship”, and concurred with Ruth and Sizwe’s sentiments: “No company is an island anymore…sustainability, supporting education and improving environmental footprint are efforts and virtues with a clear return. We absolutely get something out of it.  We are better able to attract great talent, because we want people on the team who see the world the way we do.  People are more likely to choose a company that aligns with their values, so being in the community is the best way to attract new customers. Ultimately, we want a relationship with the community; we aren’t chasing the next transaction”. He goes on to say that “our efforts reflect our DNA – telling the story of who we are as a company, what we value, and how we look at the world.”

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Linking to branding
Dave’s slant on citizenship helps us to see the clear link between sustainability and branding. In a 10XBusinessCoaching video on YouTube, branding is described as “the sum total of everything you do. A promise wrapped up in an experience of doing business with you, or being touched by your business”. It’s becoming clearer to me that sustainability cannot be farmed out to that motley corner of the business that dot’s their i’s with little hearts, but rather needs to be a core focus area – weaved into the fabric of the brand and organisational structure for it to be truly authentic and valued. It cannot be bolted on as an afterthought, or perceived as an altruistic peripheral transaction.

Minding your business
Similarly when it comes to implementations of business and organisational change, more and more of this strategic sustainability thinking needs to become increasingly rooted in the “way we do things round here”. And consistently asking: Will this change solution provide the real answers that we need to enable longer-term sustainability and organisational results?  But all this requires reflection on whether we really esteem that people, planet and community are our business and whether this belief is congruent with our organisation’s positioning and personality, or is it merely a means to an end to remain King III compliant, to impartially gain BBBEE points without really getting involved or to promote the appearance of good corporate citizenship; and, as Sizwe says, spend more resources on publicising how much good we are doing, than on the actual doing.

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Requires a shift
In considering the example of my VW Beetle, no amount of paying lip-service to my dad’s warning could have ensured sustainability if not supported by real conviction to shift my focus and take a different approach. But the concept of foregoing a new outfit or saying no to a night out with friends in lieu of something as intangible as a car service, was completely foreign and somewhat disruptive to me. Perhaps you feel the same about change management, employee engagement, caring for the environment or giving back to communities? Perhaps these don’t seem like tangible business imperatives? But, you’ll need to make the shift and challenge this type of thinking before you get behind or worse – breakdown on the side of the road. Also consider whether there are gaps between strategic purpose and tactical activities? Perhaps your sustainability intentions are good and the vision narrative congruent, but there is a disconnect in the execution.

On that note, we need to learn not to get too attached to ideas, projects and investments to such an extent that we cannot let them go if need be. Sometimes we might be quite far down the line when we realise that the approach, work or projects that we are busy with are not quite right and we need to change tactics, but we feel compelled to defend and justify the investment already made. And as a result, end up spending more money and resources on the wrong things, while missing out on valuable learning – because we cannot learn from the mistakes that we refuse to admit in the first place. When we realise the long term systemic impact we are aiming for, we need to allow space for mistakes, disruption, innovation, reflection and even resistance – because these are clear indicators that things are starting to happen, and that means progress.

Consider what John Mason says:  “Playing it safe is probably the most unsafe thing in the world. You cannot stand still. You must go forward. Open your arms to change, but don’t let go of your values. Your growth depends on your willingness to experience change”.

And as my dad said – You can’t just take take take, you gotta give something back! And now it’s evident that giving back is more than transactional, it’s a holistic way of doing business.

Need help with your strategic reflection and planning? Contact me

References:

http://csimatters.co.za/
http://www.forbes.com/sites/rahimkanani/2012/10/04/5-leadership-lessons-from-jetblues-president-and-ceo/
http://www.forbes.com/sites/amyanderson/2013/02/13/great-employees-are-not-replaceable/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c0mfDnNIxAo&list=UUV0ijn6gvz4uBB8LWyGpn1A
http://ocw.mit.edu/courses/urban-studies-and-planning – Reflective practice
http://www.slideshare.net/DawnWesterberg
http://www.accountancysa.org.za/resources/ShowItemArticle.asp?ArticleId=2452&Issue=1116
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Community_of_practice

Sunday Times newspaper. Money & Careers Section.  Interview with Ruth Lewin. 17 February 2013.
Mason, J. You can do it even if others say you can’t. 2003. Spire, 2008.
Soanes, C. with Hawker, S.Compact Oxford English Dictionary for students. 2005. Oxford University Press. 2006.

Posted in: Change Management, Change Story, Leadership, OD, South African Education, Sustainability

Strategic reflection and board effectiveness

February 12, 2013 8:15 pm / Caroline

A Change Story client workshop overview

What: Designed, facilitated and documented a full day client workshop

When: January 2013

The client brief to Change Story: To design, facilitate and document a strategic reflection and board effectiveness workshop. With a recent change in executive leadership and with new board members joining the organisation, the board needed an orientation/ refresher workshop on the value and relevance of the strategic content, as well as the chance to get to know each other better/ reconnect and brainstorm how to work more effectively as a group. It was also clear that the board needed a chance to reflect on the top priority problems that may be hindering progress towards the strategic milestones.

Here are visual representations of the workshop objectives and ground rules as captured by the facilitator, Caroline Lowings from Change Story, using graphic facilitation techniques:

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Workshop ground rules

Individual reflection activity:

Members were invited to reflect upon memorable moments related to the organisation’s history, by telling their significant stories and also listening to what others had experienced as important in their time with the organisation. It was interactive with people coming up and placing their sticky notes on the whiteboard and then talking us through their experiences. This allowed people to explicitly reflect on and understand the history and lessons embedded in their magic moments, experiences and mistakes.

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Pairing up and small group work:

Informed by the individual reflection, the small group work was lively and collaborative. A lot of information was effectively covered in a short time through allowing the members to work in small groups and then feedback to the larger group. It also lead to more effective and balanced contributions all round. The rotating of people in small groups allowed for linking and connecting of all the group members, ensuring everyone had a chance to interact with all the other members.

Facilitator’s overall impressions:

I really enjoyed working with the client and group, they empowered and trusted me, and that gave me the assurance and flexibility to deliver creatively and successfully. I believe from the feedback received that Change Story met and exceeded the client’s expectations and requirements. I believe the workshop as well as the detailed knowledge materials, captured in the workshop documentation, will add important longer-term value  to their effectiveness as a board going forward, with an enhanced sense of strategic direction.

Outline of the workshop focus areas:

1. Board effectiveness

  • Ground rules/ guiding principles for effective board meetings
  • Board roles and responsibilities

2. Strategic reflection

  • Sharing memorable moments in organisation’s history
  • Exploring the value of the strategy and strategic objectives
  • Priority problems hindering the strategy

3. Next steps

 More Information for you and your team:

Change Story provides workshop facilitation services using various processes and techniques for achieving specific change and project outcomes, or for outcomes designed and customised according to your needs.

  • Change management workshops
  • Expectation conversation workshop
  • Project scoping and review workshops
  • NOPS workshop – Needs, Opportunities, Problems, Solutions
  • Strategy workshops
  • Group and team effectiveness workshops
  • Motivational staff meetings and team-building interventions
  • Customised workshop design & facilitation
  • Reflection workshops
  • Facilitating change evaluation using the Most Significant Change technique

The benefits of using Change Story facilitator for your workshops and strategic meetings:

  • Inclusive and objective –  allows for balanced contributions from all, with open sharing and discussions. Also, the internal group leader/ chairperson/manager is freed up to participate and provide their valuable input.
  • Increased Success – there is a greater possibility of achieving focus and desired outcomes.
  • Innovative – introducing a fresh approach, challenging and shifting the group out of comfort zones in order to be more creative, productive and collaborative.

Phone Caroline on 083 263 2660 to discuss your requirements – or email caroline@changestory.co.za

Posted in: Change Management, Change Story, OD, Workshop Facilitation

Schools’ too cool for excuses

February 8, 2013 2:55 pm / Caroline

On 7 February 2013 a stellar panel of leading education thought leaders united on stage for the No Excuses Schools conversation event at Sandton Convention Centre.

No excuses board

The panel included:

  • Professor (JD) Jonathan Jansen – Vice-Chancellor and rector of the University of the Free State, a highly accredited and widely-recognised academic, involved educator and a prominent speaker and writer on educational matters,
  • Dr Mike Feinberg – A leading social entrepreneur and co-founder of KIPP (Knowledge is Power Program), a network of public charter schools for students from disadvantaged communities and low-income families in America, and
  • John Gilmour – Founder, director and principal at LEAP – A leading organisation providing real academic hope to disadvantaged young people through its six Leap Science and Maths schools across South Africa. Leap does not charge school fees and relies on donations and funding. John is also co-founder of Bridge, a non-profit organisation of visionaries who are linking and convening innovators in education for greater impact.

During the event, the speakers discussed how bringing about change in schools and the schooling system means chiselling away at the excuses that impede us. Through their rich dialogue and sharing, they demonstrated the power of cross-boundary collaboration that is central to augmenting and amplifying the pockets of excellence in education. The panel also focused on clarifying what it really takes to make an impact in the classrooms, hallways and schooling system by way of snubbing excuses and doing things differently. This understanding and focus is necessary if change is to happen sustainably and progressively throughout the schooling system over the longer term.

Each panellist brought a unique perspective to the conversation. Anyone seeking to build a solid case for sustainable change (of any kind really) would be able to learn from the wisdom and experience shared by these experts.

JJ UFSProfessor Jonathan Jansen spoke with warmth, wisdom and humour, having the audience chuckling throughout his address. He showed us an inspiring movie about Mondale high school, and thereby emphasised the importance of strong school leadership to pull the teaching practice out of mediocrity and bring about change, with a “no excuses” belief that better results can be achieved for every learner. Prof Jansen also suggested the following list of 5 critical success factors for change:

  1. Do simple things well – Show up on time, looking your best, respect others and don’t accept excuses.
  2. Establish routine – He stressed that sticking to the plan and routine is as important for teenage learners as it is for young children. He mentioned that getting a timetable on the first day of school is imperative for setting the scene from the start.
  3. Model in powerful ways – School leadership and teachers should model the behaviours and characteristics of success they are expecting from the children.
  4. Think long term – He advised taking a longer-term approach to sustainability, and advocated that politicians should stop trying to turn things around short-sightedly and self-servingly in the years of their political term of office.
  5. The joy of teaching – He asserted that the teaching profession is a privilege, and for learners to be optimistic about the future, teachers would need to lift the mood by injecting joy and optimism into their classrooms.

Mike_headshotDr. Mike Feinberg travelled all the way from Houston to learn more about the “inspired tragedy” of South African schooling, and to network with our leading education entrepreneurs to uncover and expand on the pockets of excellence and hope that exist, by sharing from his own journey in establishing KIPP schools in the USA. Similar to Prof Jansen’s address, Mike also highlighted the importance of empowered school leadership, taking risks and having passionate teachers with fires in their bellies. He also presented his 5 point plan for turning schools around:

  1. More time on task – Firstly Mike reminded that when starting with kids that are already behind, progress lay in extending the school hours and the school calendar, in order to get around the excuses and pressure of playing catch up.
  2. Choice and commitment – He said that by offering more freedom to choose which schools would best serve their needs, learners and parents demonstrated more commitment and ownership to the schooling process.
  3. Power to lead – Mike explained that through negotiating and providing empowering governing policies, they were able to get around the classic shoulder shrug excuse and make room for the principals to lead their schools with significance.
  4. People make the difference – Mike reminded us that it may be easier to focus on technology and clever contrivances to remedy schooling, but that we should not forget that it’s people who make all the difference. The quick-fix microwave approach may work like a dream for cooking popcorn, but not for sorting out a schooling system.
  5. High expectations – Risking more, striving for more and expecting higher results provides a platform for “knocking it out of the park”.

LEAP-students-with-John-Gilmour-LEAP-Executive-Director-264x166With wholehearted sincerity, John Gilmour took to the podium and inspired the audience with anecdotes from his own journey of feeling the pain of the reality we are confronted with in South African education. He described that it is both an effort of the heart and the mind that is required to get beyond the excuse frameworks and wounded-ness, which prevent us from taking the risks that are needed to bring about change:

  1. Unlearn – Through references and stories from his own journey, John illustrated how much can be learnt through unlearning those concepts and assumptions that hinder our progress and ability to listen and truly see with new eyes, and reflected on how much insight can be learnt from the children themselves.
  2. One learner at a time – The importance of understanding and working with the child to address their specific challenges.
  3. Agents of change – All students and staff are agents of change with the “no excuses” ability to make a difference where they are planted. Through facilitation, students can be helped to establish and find a peer voice, and to challenge and learn from each other.
  4. The importance of personal empowerment – John explained that students must be empowered to know that it is safe and acceptable to say when they don’t understand and to ask for clarification when they don’t know the answers. He said that students can be helped to find learning through different teaching situations and options that suit them.
  5. Working together – John advocated the value and potential created through government, movements, business, non-profit organisations and citizens working together across sectors and boundaries to collaborate, innovate, and leverage wisdom and resources.


8367_wpm_lowresA question and answer session followed with passionate contributions from the crowd of concerned citizens gathered in the audience. One attendee queried the role of parents as co-leaders and key stakeholders. Prof Jansen explained, by use of an example, that when parents are appropriately engaged with how they can realistically take part, such as confirming that children have spent time doing homework and letting their children read to them, they can be encouraged to willingly champion their children’s education, even if they as parents are illiterate. John added that it helps to call meetings at appropriate and convenient times, and he mentioned that at LEAP they bus their parents in for school meetings on Saturday mornings. He also added that the school and teachers can play an important role in facilitating understanding between parents and children. Mike Feinberg urged teachers and principals not to make excuses and to continue to strive to make differences in children’s lives, even when parents cannot or will not be involved.

When one of the audience members, with great zeal and emotion – clearly hungry for answers, enquired about how we actually take this cross-collaboration to scale, I was reminded of something I heard: “Change happens when the mood of the people swells up”. It was clear from the panellists’ answers that scalability is a challenge and cannot be achieved through copy and paste; but they reminded the audience of the longer term goals of creating leadership, learner and school success stories, which can be used as stimulus to influence the system. It may also require getting rid of low performing teachers, seeking out passionate educators for our classrooms, and by changing and challenging mind-sets and value systems. It sounded like scalability starts by creating the capability and expanding the scaffolding that will underpin the change.

I left the talk deeply inspired, with one of Dr Jansen’s opening comments and questions lingering in my thoughts: “We are in trouble… but do we believe we can get a different result?” I am also solemnly challenged to rethink and “unlearn” my own role – what can I do to facilitate change? How can I leave the education system better than I found it? What excuses do I firmly hold on to? How is my own “post-apartheid hangover” holding me back? Yes, but I am just an ordinary South African, like you, what can I do? But before you and I give the standard shoulder shrug and get on to the next interesting news snippet, let me leave you with this quote from my favourite book: “For if there is first a willing mind, it is accepted according to what one has, and not according to what he does not have. For I do not mean that others should be eased and you burdened; but… that now at this time your abundance may supply their lack, and that their abundance also may supply your lack – that there may be equality.” 1

1: Scripture quotation from the Holy Bible New King James Version, – 2 Corinthians 8:  12-14

Photo sources:

  • Professor Jonathan Jansen – http://www.ufs.ac.za/content.aspx?uid=38
  • Dr Mike Feinberg – https://twitter.com/kippbigdog
  • John Gilmour – http://www.leapschool.org.za
Posted in: Change Management, Change Story, Leadership, OD, South African Education

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