Organization Change Operation for a Fresh Drive?

My friend recently joins an organization as a Change Lead! New Position different office and unique change manager!
We were informally reviewing what are the factors we should study out and how can we set ourselves for success.
He takes up an assignment to know further about his new organization, to understand further about them so that he can position himself better.

He was a part of the team which is performing satisfactory, it seems. My friend wants to know the stuff “as it is”, so that he can perform the desirable change management proposal. To function better in the organization he has to recognize the as-is state of the team culture & Organization culture.

What he was using is called “The Cultural Web”, which identifies six connected elements that help to make up what Johnson and Scholes call the “paradigm”–the pattern or model–of the work environment.

I was not cognizant about this model, but when he was explaining, I felt wow, that is how it can help individuals to set themselves initially in a structural way which is a marvelous approach.

What precisely are all these factors to look upon?

1. Stories and Myths: Lookout all the previous and current stories going on within the organization about the organization? Note down all these points without analyzing anything. Just collect as initial days. More is better. Through these incidents try to capture organization values, beliefs, etc, and why with how part.
Collect & Write about 20 pages on these stories & Myths. It will provide remarkably valuable insight.

2. Rituals and Routines: Observe and Collect daily actions and behaviors of individuals within the organization. Participate in numerous informal and formal meetings and note down different levels of discussion, roles in how people behave, exchange, and exhibits.
3. Symbols: The visual representation of the company; how they show up to both employees and individuals on the outside. It includes logos, office spaces, dress codes, and sometimes advertisements. How the organization and team feel about the symbols, logos, and colors.

4. Control Systems: Collect all the points through which the organization is getting controlled? The quality system, customer base, products, cash flow, etc how all these elements control the whole organization or different teams. These give valuable insights into the organization flow. How about the teams, team members getting punished, or recognized by whom for what? etc

5. Organisation Structures: Read out the prevailing organization structure. Unwritten power and influence that some members may exert, which likewise indicates whose contributions to the organization are most appreciated by those above them. Where the power centers, why, and how those influence the numerous decision making.
6. Power Structures: Note who are the individuals, are those who hold the strongest influence over decisions and commonly have the ultimate say on significant actions or changes.

Now he has gathered all the intelligence, So what?
As he is a Change agent into the new ambient, by integrating this system of analysis, he can identify himself and will be adequate to break free of ritual and belief systems within a company to achieve real change and innovation.

Whenever there is a fresh initiative that can start we need to address most of these below areas. The below areas are vital as this is how organizations operate. This is what culture is about.

For example, there is an initiative from Projectized organization, we have to move to the Productized organization. This is a new change organization that is willing to bring in to overcome some of the anti agile practices and raise the business agility in the delivery team.

1. Stories and Myths: What are the numerous challenges “projects based” approach experiences, What new stories we can bring into? How can rewrite some of the old stories with a new productized concept? Internally and externally what are the new development due to productized approaches can bring into.

2. Rituals and Routines: The projects based funding, execution, etc, what are numerous routine is going to transform when we move into the productized approach? What the platform we have which can communicate these changes in ritual and routine, explains betters. Who are the individuals who are responsible to bring those changes in rituals and routines?

3. Symbols: What are the new colors, logo for in product-based approach will look like. How do we advertise and brand within the team environment? The change from Project to product approach should have an original look feel and transmit some clear message.

4. Control Systems: What is the formal and informal approach to the new change. The pilot of the productized approach in a certain team, how the progress will be presented by whom etc information needs to be presented. How the decision will be taken and by whom need to highlight.

5. Organisation Structures: What will be the structure of the productization initiatives. Who are the core team members and who will make the pivotal decisions? A formal and information structure of the team members serving to fulfill some of the activities.

6. Power Structures: Who are the investors in this productization drive. How success will look like. Who drives through this approach?
This provides a structural thought process on how to roll out the change management plan for an initiative where success will be high as we are aligning with the organizational cultures.

All these aspects need to look into when we introduce fresh changes to the organization.

In this procedure, we are also taking care of the present organizational culture.

As the cultural paradigm influences and is influenced by the six inter-relating factors of the model, each aspect should be considered in terms of mapping out and designing the necessary changes (Johnson et al, 2011).

Understanding the dominant culture permits consideration of whether or not change can be accommodated within the culture of any given labor ward. Alternatively, if this is not possible, a shift in culture is definitely required (Johnson et al, 2011).

It also allows identification of what is problematic about the existing culture, indicating the type of change required and highlights aspects of culture that act as facilitators or block change (Johnson et al, 2011).

We all can try this? see how this approach enables us to become better whatever we are working on.....

How do we engage Product Owners or business owners at scrum events?

Most of the team members complain that their Product Owners and diverse business stakeholders are not actively partcipating in various scrum events.

They always ask for status information at the end of some intermission.

They are illiterate about the challenges team members are facing.

They are consistently seeking solutions, not interested to identify the team challenges, They invariably indicate that they are extremely busy and no time for such an arrangement.

It is crucial that we should co-create the solution with the Business. But business is not concerned to work out on such a thing. It is a challenge that every scrum team facing.

What will happen to such scrum team where Business stakeholders are not at all involved!

The team needs to demonstrate the benefits PO and Business owners will receive by investing time and effort. How PO & Business stakeholders will gain visibility, benefits due to scrum events participation. They should feel psychologically safe as IT is sometimes foreign to them. The team needs to onboard them with comfort. “Handle with care!”

We have few rules to adhere to which has established the sign of PO & Business stakeholders’ engagement gradually.
The facilitator has to steadily pursue this practice to be adhered to for some moment.
Rules of engagement do not have to be lengthy, but they must fit into team members or extender team members and be welcomed by all the team members.
Ensure PO/business stakeholders feel significant and relevant to the team’s needs.
Acknowledge their contribution and time spend on the team.
All product owners or business owners must participate in most of the scrum events( Convey repeatedly to them).
They must be shown an enthusiastic interest in what is going on with the project team. Try to establish that curiosity in their minds by doing some activities.
Ensure they have reviewed and contributed to the product development journey.
In the project learning session, PO/BO engagement challenges and progress need to examine. Come out with action points.
Every team member identifies points that can strengthen the Product Owner and business stakeholders’ engagement.
Each team members need to demonstrate that they do care about their PO and business stakeholders’ participants.
Have fun in the Scrum events, let us not merely talk business but some other topics also require to discuss. Plan such topics as a part of the discussion.
Respects their time. Facilitate well so that in minimal time, everyone can get maximum output.
Exercise all the tools to build transparency and visibility & Challenges etc information captured well.
Share your views and concerns in the room. Show each other courage and respect by including the tough conversations that require to be had immediately.
Ask better and thought-provoking questions. Ensure you have performed better home works and you have all the data to reinforce your conversation.
Be a good listener and empathize with the business stakeholders.
Manage negative feedback effectively. Sometimes, the team may get negative feedback from annoyed business stakeholders.
Demonstrated as a team, your dedication, commitment, and ownership always to business stakeholders
Do not attack, people, address the underlying process for improvement.

Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much. - Helen Keller