About you
“Who might you be…? “
Let’s get real: I’d be lying if I’d say that I could and would want to help everyone with everything.
There will be projects or organisations that simply don’t match my skill-set, my goals, my way of working, or my values.
Nonetheless…
You are likely to…
- Envision transformative, lasting change and seeking a strategic partner to align your vision with practical, hands-on implementation.
- Foster a collaborative culture where partnership and dialogue are seen as essential components of effective change management.
- Appreciate the versatility and value of agile methodologies, particularly in the context of technical change projects.
- Recognise the value of real-world insights and hands-on involvement, going beyond the basics for long-term success.
- Embrace a genuine appetite for innovation and are willing to try out unique approaches that go beyond conventional solutions.
- Place a premium on people-centric leadership and seek guidance on aligning operational strategies with employee well-being.
In addition to the above, there are countless other ways we might align, and the size of your organization is not a determining factor; as I’m writing this I’m working with an organisation with over 30,000 colleagues spread across the world. What matters most is a shared commitment to creating a better future — for your clients, your employees, and the broader community. If you are, like me, passionate about making a positive impact, regardless of the size of your footprint, whether you’re a charity, operating in the (semi) public sector, or designing and developing the latest sustainable technology… let’s explore the possibilities together.
Things you might say… and how I might get to work!
“I need someone to help me really understand what my colleagues are struggling with when it comes to digital skills and change, because I think I’m missing something and it’s not helping anyone…”
You want to make sure that everyone who works for you can do this with confidence and skill, but are finding it difficult to really get honest responses, or responses at all, to questions about your colleagues’ own digital capabilities.
They might be fearful that admitting they don’t know or understand things harms their career opportunities, or perhaps they’re simply too busy to fill out the survey you sent them to ask for their input.
Whatever the reason, you need someone to help you understand their needs!
How I might get to work
- We start off with a good (virtual) chat so we can get to know each other better. You can tell me all about your challenge, the organisation and your colleagues and we’ll find out the exact questions you need to answers to.
- Together, we identify some ways and opportunities for me to work with your colleagues to obtain these answers. This can be through organised short interviews, but where possible, I’d also like to get a bit closer to the actual work they are doing. Perhaps there’s an opportunity to fill a temporary position, or sometimes some good old-fashioned shadowing of people in meetings (this can be done virtually as well!)
- I will then use my ethnographic superpowers of listening, observing, and asking the right questions at the right time. Also: allowing people to moan without judgement about things they don’t like, could be better, or simply don’t agree with. Moaning means caring in my book!
- Working with your colleagues I draft a ‘report’ not just with the direct answers to your questions, but also providing actionable insights that enable you to work together to find the right way forward. This can take the shape of a classic report, or, depending on how safe your colleagues feel to speak up, we can find some more interactive and innovative (and less boring!) ways to share the results, not just with you, but also the rest of the organisation.
“I’m looking for a partner who understands the intersection of change, project management, and the critical need for adoption and upskilling. I want to make sure we choose a strategic yet human approach that enables success at every level.”
You’re navigating a landscape of constant and fast-paced change, and you are looking for a true collaborator who not only understands and appreciates the tech’s opportunities and limitations, but also recognises the critical significance of adoption and upskilling by and of the people who it affects most; your colleagues.
What you’re after is more than just a methodology with some check lists to work through.
You need someone who knows that lasting change is not just managed but embraced, and projects are not just delivered but nurtured for lasting impact.
How I might get to work
- Did I mention I’m hands-on yet? I’d like to be embedded in the wider project team as a change & adoption consultant, contributing directly by producing not just plans, but also get involved with the actual deliverables and milestones.
- One of my first jobs would be getting to know the various stakeholders. This is not about just listing names and some vague details based on assumptions; it’s about understanding people – their roles, their own challenges, and, above all, what makes them tick. This phase helps us build valuable relationships and will help me design an change & adoption plan that resonates and lands where it matters, with your team.
- As the wider project team goes through the, probably agile, motions, I follow their lead. Not just blindly, I am comfortable challenging decisions when I feel they are, for example, detrimental to stakeholder relations or would decrease adoption speed or levels. But, assuming the best, I make sure the change and adoption workstream (including things like change comms) can operate as flexible as it needs to be.
- Throughout the project I work hard to develop and deliver frameworks and resources that go beyond implementation, and into business as usual and the future. Whether it’s training materials, ongoing feedback loops or reporting dashboards. I will everything I can to make sure the opportunities to improve aren’t abandoned when the project ends.
“I’m looking for interim support that goes beyond the basics. I need someone who can offer real-world insights during their tenure, contributing not just to the present but to our long-term success.”
In the quest for interim support, you’re not just seeking a temporary fix; you’re searching for a partner who never stops at and takes satisfaction from doing the bare minimum.
Your need extends beyond any immediate resource shortages and requirements; you’re looking for someone with a fresh pair of eyes who isn’t afraid to ask questions, challenge the status quo as your critical friend.
Let me get to work directly with your colleagues to address the urgent matters head on, but also help you think farther and bigger than that.
How I might get to work
- First things first, we have a good conversation about your current needs and immediate challenges. While you would like me to do a bit more than just fill a vacancy, we need to make sure that I understand the role and responsibilities to a tee, and of course, that I am capable of delivering them. Basically, a job interview.
- As soon as I start, I embed myself in the rhythm of your workplace and team. This isn’t about just being present; it’s about being an active contributor to the ongoing narrative. This isn’t about just being present; it’s about being an active contributor to the ongoing narrative and gaining trust. Nobody likes someone who just comes in and starts telling other people what to do without lifting a finger.
- Once I’ve settled in and have built the relationships needed to do my job well, Ill also get to work to extract those real-world nuggets of gold that are difficult to dig up from where you stand. I’m not just here to complete tasks; I’m on a mission to uncover insights that often remain hidden. It’s about understanding not just what’s on the surface but what brews beneath, contributing not just to the immediate but sowing seeds for long-term success.
- As we get closer to the end of my stint, we don’t just leave it at the present. We collaborate, with the wider team, on a roadmap that extends beyond the immediate needs. This can be done in a collaborative workshop, and the output might be a co-owned strategy for lasting change.
The types of roles that suit me most to provide interim support for are roles close to or in the more operational parts of your organisation.
However, the unique thing about my approach and availability is that I am available across all levels of the organisational chart. This means that you can ask me for hands-on operational positions such as customer services agent or team leader, but also for higher-level roles at the director level, especially those overseeing operational work.
I thrive in environments that appreciate the importance of listening to those that work on the proverbial front-line, and the best place to do it is to become a part of those teams. Also, I sometimes just really miss doing the more operational work, so this is a great opportunity for me to get my ‘fix’, and help you out while I’m having fun!
Do you have a similar challenge?
These are of course three (not so random) fictional examples of what you might say or think, but I have no crystal ball, nor the space (and will…) to list every problem statement I can think of.
If you have your own and want to know how I would approach it, please get in touch with me and we’ll get talking!