Transform. Work Illustrations

How do you motivate, inspire and encourage people in these days of constant change?

To provide you with an idea of how we might facilitate your transformation, here are some examples of where we have used Solutions Focus to help clients transform in their business:

Illustration 1 – Major telecommunications company

A FTSE 100 company had a multi million pound project that had stalled three times. Morale and motivation were low and there was some conflict on the team.

We ran a series of SF based workshops with the programme manager, helping him to transform the team and put the project back on track.

Talking to the Programme Director after the September Board Meeting, I asked him how it had gone.

He was delighted…

“…and so were the Board Members.The team had implemented the actions to secure the benefits and the programme pilot had achieved double the benefits expected.”

Illustration 2 – Government organisation

This client, the Head of Finance in a Government department, heads a group of Finance Managers who work in different departments but have many shared goals. His predicament was that the group is not working together effectively. There has been continual change over the last two years, people are tackling new roles due to an organisational restructuring and they have been dealing with the introduction of a new system that is helping to reengineer organisational processes. There are interpersonal conflicts, people are tired of change and frustrated.

The client wanted to hold a workshop to analyse the group’s working style, discuss the issues, identify the causes and develop an action plan to resolve them. Considering the background issues he described, we considered that this approach might lead to a negative outcome and demotivate people more.

We suggested instead, using a Solutions Focus approach. In Solutions Focus we build constructive dialogue, identify what people want, create a shared future, assess what is working, elicit the resources people have and finally, create a set of small steps to move them forward. This we did and the meeting was very successful.

“This was amazingly motivational, a really good way to adjust to a more positive way of thinking.”

If you would like to read a full case study article on how we conducted the workshop with this government department, please go to Knowledge, “Case Study Articles“, “Using Solutions Focus to increase collaboration in a small team”

Illustration 3 – Multi national multi media company

A  VP in a multi media company wanted to encourage his managers based in different countries to collaborate more and to set mutual goals for the future. We facilitated a workshop to effect that in which the team identified their must win situation for the year. We then worked with the manager of the relevant area to design and facilitate workshops for three teams in Europe and China. Finally we facilitated a workshop for managers from each team, set a new direction and shaped a strategy for them to collaborate on. We facilitated them all using our 2 / 10 Model as  a basis.

“It was amazing how without realising, we did this amount of work. Intensive, but achieving incredible amount of input/data/work”

Illustration 4 – Multi national payments company

A VP in this company wanted to set a new direction for her team. The team was highly motivated and performing very well, however there was a feeling amongst some of the team that they could not continue with the status quo and needed a new business model. We worked with them to create a desired future and explore and verify a new business model, using a Solutions Focus approach and our 2 /10 model to bring along those who were not so convinced that change was needed. 

” I now have a clear idea on our strategy and am totally on board with the direction in which we are headed. I feel will we will be able to deliver more value to customers by working in this way. Feeling very motivated to get this moving.”

Illustration 5 – Government Department

A senior manager in a government organisation had a team that was trying to cope with a much increased workload, organisational change, major office moves and some future redundancies amongst the team.

In two workshops we used Solutions Focus to help the team shape a strategy to understand the overall challenge, work out how to balance operational delivery with transformation, work more collaboratively as a team and improve the standard of leadership.

 We used our tool of Sprint Actions to help them achieve the transformation whilst continuing with their operational roles.

“Really well facilitated, especially given the challenges around: late start; not ideal room layout and heat. Particularly liked the solution-focused approach.  One of the better (by a long way) leadership events I have attended.”

Illustration 6 – Major Multi National security company

The VP in this company had taken over a team of highly qualified engineers. The team had no clear strategy, there was quite a lot of disagreement on the correct course and morale was lower than wanted. We designed six  one day Solutions Focus based workshops for all the team to contribute to what the strategy should be. We then designed a workshop for the management team to review the input and agree a strategy based on it. As the client said some months later:  ”The majority of the BU is very positive about the strategy; they feel part of the story and the workshops have provoked action and the desire for change. “

If you would like to read a full case study article on how we conducted the workshops with the security company, please go to Knowledge, “Case Study Articles“, “Using Solutions Focus to develop strategy with a large team”

 

If you work in a medium to large organisation and  need to transform individuals, teams or the organisation, ask for our Transform – Initial Questionnaire that will help you think through your requirements.

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