Transitional Space - Individual, Team and Organisational Development

Programmes for Individual, Team and Organisational Development

The primary task of all our programmes is to support individual managers and managerial groups in managing the changes that they are experiencing, initiating and implementing together with building a sustainable management and organisational capability to lead the organisation into the future.

Working together on the implementation of intentional change requires the individual, the team and the organisation to hold in mind not only their agenda but the overall objective of the process.

The impact of change has to be considered on the individual, team and organisational level. In addition there needs to be built into the process attention to all four stages of the development process (in our language Reviewing actions & experiences, Developing alternative strategies & solutions, Integrating them back into the system & initiating changes and fully Experiencing the results).

We may well be dealing with fundamental change in attitudes and behaviour and the reciprocal effect that this has on both the individual and the organisation.

The model has three components - the Identity of the subject; an adaptation of the Learning Cycle; and the Bigger Picture or Wider Context within which the subject is operating.

At the core of the process is Identity, an awareness of who one is - the strengths and weaknesses, competencies, core values, potential, past experiences, current reality and future concerns and aspirations. These can be brought into full awareness, on an ongoing basis, from in-depth interviews, observations, staff surveys, organisational analysis and feedback loops for example.

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The process for transformation is structured around the Learning Cycle for a number of reasons. The learning cycle is a sensible structure for each session; it is a concept that has learning, and therefore behavioural change, at its core; and it is adaptable for individuals, teams and organisations.

If we define learning as the process of acquiring knowledge, through experience, which leads to a change in behaviour, then we can describe the process as follows:

Experience is what managers have and do. It includes observations, decision-making processes, activities and behaviours.

The Review of experiences within the context of the 'Bigger Picture' and who one is (Identity) is a vital part of the learning culture. It is only pausing for reflection, on an individual and group level, on what has gone well and on what can be improved, can individuals and teams move forward.

The next step is to Develop ideas, strategies, new behaviours and creative solutions into a more efficient and effective way of doing things.

Integration is the key to the success of any development initiative and confirms that true learning and development have taken place. Individuals and teams need to integrate their new perspective into new behaviour within an organisation context and with a knowledge and understanding of the 'Big Picture'.

The 'Bigger Picture' in this context is how external forces may impinge on the individual, team and organisation's development and how the individual, team and organisation can influence the 'Bigger Picture'. It is the context in which any changes will be made and the realisation that the organisation is an open system, itself within a larger system.

As mentioned above, the model is adaptable for individuals, teams and organisations. For the individual, the bigger picture is generally the team, together with the Vision, Mission and Values of the organisation, all within the context of the particular market sector. For the team it is primarily the organisation; and for the organisation the bigger picture is primarily the market sector, industry and the larger social, technological, economic and political environment.

Thus we can see how interventions on each level will affect not just that level but all others. On an individual level the interventions might work on each person's 'bag and baggage' (projections, transferences, emotions and hidden agendas) in so far as they spill into the work arena. On the team level interventions are designed to raise the team's awareness of how it is functioning on a task, task process and emotion process level. By addressing inter-personal issues, uncovering hidden agendas, building trust, the team works towards higher levels of business effectiveness. All this would be done within the context of what the organisation needs to realise its vision, through achieving its goals, in a way consistent with its espoused values.

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Transitional Space Consulting Process & Key Interventions

Entry Level	Data gathering Diagnosis	Action Planning Implementation	Monitoring Evaluation
Individual	1-1 Structured Meeting In depth interview Coaching & mentoring 360 feedback	Coaching & mentoring	Coaching & mentoring Feedback
Team	1-1 followed by team event Team effectiveness evaluation	Team development & learning Group dynamics facilitation	Team review KPIs
Group	Focus groups Large group event	Project teams Reference groups Management development Conflict resolution Action learning sets	Monitoring KPIs
Organisational	Focus groups Open space technology Surveys	Top team workshops Project teams Management capability building Action learning sets	Staff surveys Performance reviews

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What do good clients look like?

Projects are least successful when the client:	Projects are most successful when the client:	Negative indicators at the beginning	Consultant’s task
Wants to make things ‘alright’	Wants to do what it takes	Finds it unbearable; feels guilty	Education
Think they know what’s needed	Willing to suspend judgement	Dogmatic, unresponsive to suggestions	‘What if’ scenarios
Latches onto a solution	Willing to take a risk	Solutions are not treated as hypotheses Searches for certainty	Joint ‘sense making’, Collaborative problem solving
Sees things from just one perspective	Understands the wider context	Only concerned with the presenting problem	Expand the client’s world view
Isn’t really interested in changing	Open to change	Problem is externalised Doesn’t see own role in it	Bring the problem back into the room
Has other agendas	Is open	Unclear why consultant is there	To sniff out the rat
Not fully committed	Fully engages	Wants to be once removed	Forewarn the client that the journey wont be smooth
Feels threatened	Trusts the process	Takes defensive attitude	Build rapport

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Entry

Level