organizational change

Corporate CPR Episode 119: How Your Meetings Might Be Killing Your Company

/ Jana

On today’s episode we are talking about how your meetings might be killing your company.

Stefanie Krievins, President of The Change Architects since 2014, thrives on dynamic change. Rejecting stagnant plans, she champions continuous learning and organizational strategies, fostering workplace innovation and joy. Her brainchild, The Change Architecture Framework, guides companies through transformation, emerging stronger. Stefanie, an Indiana University alumna, holds a Master’s and undergrad degree. Certified as a solution-focused coach by Erickson International and a member of the International Coach Federation, she’s renowned for her disruptive approach. A self-proclaimed Pro Troublemaker, Stefanie challenges leaders to embrace discomfort and drive impactful change. As host of the “Hot Mess Hotline” podcast, she offers a platform for ambitious leaders seeking genuine transformation.                

Episode Highlights:

  • Schedule virtual coffee breaks or informal chat sessions for team members to engage in casual conversation and foster rapport.
  • Utilize collaboration tools like Slack or Microsoft Teams to facilitate spontaneous communication and open channels for discussion.
  • Emphasize the need for meetings to deliver substantial value, measured against the collective cost of attendees, and encouraging self-reflection on meeting participation and leadership behaviors.
  • Encourage transparency and knowledge sharing by documenting work and sharing updates regularly using shared documents, wikis, or project management tools.
  • Recognize the importance of physical gatherings for building relationships and facilitating informal learning and idea exchange.
  • Promote cross-team communication by creating opportunities for serendipitous interactions and idea exchange, even in a remote work environment.
  • Start meetings with informal icebreakers or personal check-ins to foster rapport and create a sense of community among team members.

Top 3 Takeaways for the Audience:

  1. Say no to more meetings: Challenge the status quo by being selective about attending or scheduling meetings, prioritizing those where you can contribute value.
  2. Commit to active participation and leadership: Take ownership of meetings by actively engaging, sharing ideas, and fostering an environment of open communication and honesty.
  3. Focus on building trust and psychological safety: Recognize the importance of creating an environment where team members feel comfortable expressing their thoughts and opinions, ultimately contributing to organizational success.

How to Connect with Stefanie & The Change Architects:

Website: http://www.thechangearchitects.com

Corporate CPR Episode 83: How To Have Staying Power

/ Jana

On today’s show we talk about how to have staying power with Steve Gaffney.

Steven Gaffney is the founder, president, and CEO of the Steven Gaffney Company, a leading specialist in internal communication tactics that help manage and maintain change. He works with top executives and leaders in industry and government, helping organizations like NASA and Citigroup increase morale and productivity to collaborate and succeed in their goals. Steven is the author of six books, including Be a Change Champion: 10 Factors for Sustaining the Boom and Avoiding the Bust of Change. He has been interviewed and quoted in a range of major news outlets including The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, CBS, NBC, FOX, and others, appearing regularly on “Let’s Talk Live.”

Key Takeaways:

  1. Unspoken Communication: Addressing the unsaid is crucial for improving communication and organizational dynamics. By encouraging open dialogue and addressing underlying issues, organizations can foster better understanding and collaboration among team members.
  2. Conditionally Powerful vs. Unconditionally Powerful: Being unconditionally powerful means focusing on what can be done to overcome challenges, regardless of existing conditions. It involves taking proactive actions and not letting external factors limit one’s capabilities and potential for success.
  3. Awareness and Responsibility: Making individuals aware of their conditional mindset empowers them to take 100% responsibility for their actions and reactions. By recognizing the influence, they have over their own lives, individuals can proactively make changes and take control of their outcomes.
  4. Controlling the Self: The only thing individuals can truly control is themselves. By focusing on their own behavior and reactions, individuals can positively influence the dynamics around them and contribute to a more positive and productive environment.
  5. Quitting vs. Persevering: The decision to quit or persevere is personal, but claiming to have tried everything can limit potential growth. It is important to remain open to new possibilities, solutions, and experiences, even when faced with challenges, in order to continue progressing and achieving goals.
  6. Learning from experiences: Analyzing past successes and failures helps identify what works and what doesn’t. By drawing lessons from experiences, individuals and organizations can improve their strategies and approaches in the future.
  7. Expanding the frame: Considering the bigger picture and ultimate goals when facing challenges allows for the exploration of new possibilities and alternative approaches. By broadening the perspective, individuals can find innovative solutions and make better decisions.
  8. Taking action and iterating: High-performing teams prioritize taking action and iterating quickly. They value progress over endless discussions, enabling them to test different approaches, gather feedback, and make adjustments for continuous improvement.
  9. Motivation through speed: Taking action and making progress, even if imperfect, creates momentum and a sense of achievement. Speed can inspire and energize individuals and teams, leading to improved quality and market responsiveness through faster feedback loops.
  10. Bias for action: Having a bias for action involves prioritizing tangible steps forward over excessive planning or indecision. It encourages a mindset of agility, adaptability, and continuous improvement, recognizing that action is necessary for progress and learning.

Top 3 Takeaways:

  1. Be unconditionally powerful – make the unaware, aware.
  2. Focus on honest communication – get the unsaid, said. 
  3. Create high achieving teams versus high performing teams. 

How to get in touch with Steven:

Email: info@stevengaffney.com

Website: https://www.stevengaffney.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevengaffneycompany       

Corporate CPR Episode 39: How Mindset Can Accelerate Change in Your Organization with Robert Overweg

/ Jana

On today’s show, we discuss how mindset can accelerate change in your organization.

Robert Overweg is the founder of the Adaptable Mindset program. He and his team empower people to develop their own Adaptable Mindset, to develop mental flexibility. 

Robert has over a decade of experience in innovation and digital transformation with clients like Vodafone, Liberty global, eBay, Heineken, a variety of startups, and innovative schools. 

He is also an artist and exhibited at the Centre Pompidou and the media biennial in Seoul. 

As a frequent speaker at institutes like MIT, SXSW, and the European Commission. Robert speaks about ways to use tech to work smarter and add value to the world. 

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