I wasn’t sure how it was going to turn out … but last week became a thrilling adventure into the world of delivering online Leadership of Change programmes.
Confessions of a passionate sceptic.
For some time I have passionately argued for a ‘blended’ approach to the way Development and Learning is delivered. Where it makes sense, much can be done online. But for certain content, and for particular training, I have maintained that face-to-face and interactive sessions remained a preference.
Then COVID came along and altered the rules of the game: At present classroom work is no longer a viable option. So regardless of preferences, all of us are shifting to digital and delivering it online.
Surprised and delighted, though initially apprehensive.
Our recent experience has changed my perspective. I have just finished delivering a Leadership of Change Programme for an organisation in the Aviation sector delivering Aid and freight to the more remote corners of our world. They needed to shift many aspects of the African operation in response to planned strategic changes, which were then impacted by the Pandemic.
We worked in collaboration with their leaders from countries across Europe and Africa. Using our newly packaged material on change, we brought focus to the hard choices. The debates were passionate and they were detailed and involved. All of the leaders wanted to get it right for the customers they served and for the employees that had invested so much.
We ended up with a clear, robust and phased plan. They loved how the new modelling techniques, and the practical explanation of how to navigate uncharted waters, enabled this. They now want to adopt our Change Architecture into their processes and methodologies.
Most importantly, they are finding a way through complex options and competing demands. They were delighted with the outcome and were taking to social media to give it kudos … even before we had finished.
And all of this was delivered remotely. In fact the whole process from initial engagement, through to early consultation, to a partnered design and finally a delivery, with leaders sitting in 4 countries and time zones…. was conducted online.
When the customer had asked us to help them at short notice, I was apprehensive:
- This was to be fully live training with their senior team.
- The workshop needed facilitation around some difficult calls that would have to be made.
- As we introduced material, the leaders would need to immediately use it to frame choices and make decisions.
- It would be the first time the whole of the new Teleios approach had gone live.
This ‘new’ approach has been the culmination of a life’s work in change. We have been refining it for the last 5 years; testing parts of it with other clients… who liked it, and with Henley Business School, who have recently used it as part of their postgraduate programmes.
Some initial reflections
The impact and success of the work has already been significant so far. It is a clear indication that even complex engagements can be done online when needed.
- I was pleased that the materials that we have developed, found traction and proved a catalyst for great conversations.
- Even with limited tech skills we got more right than anticipated.
- It felt OK we were all learning together. Our judgements about screen time and having lots of breaks and chat room sessions proved important.
- Mixing both sharing files online and using the flip chart to scribble ideas and pictures on, avoided death by PowerPoint!
- The relationship with the client was key. And on occasion when I missed cues that I would have normally picked up my clients helped. It felt like we were in this together.
- Most importantly I learnt the importance of having a great technical facilitator working closely with me.
The importance of technical facilitators
I was not so familiar with the online platform being used. This technology had to accommodate us working live with a dispersed team based in home offices on two continents, including a garden in central Africa. (this was given added interest by a troop of Vervet Monkeys that were chattering away at one point. So another first!)
I am hugely grateful that our customer had provided me with one of their best people to work the technology. This meant that I could concentrate on the content and what was happening live. Without this exceptional person, who was also in a steep learning curve, I would not have been able to deliver the work. We had invested quite a bit of time getting to know one another and before each day we went through in detail what was to be covered and what outcomes we were aiming for. Because she understood the goals of each session, and to my delight, she creatively used online tools to capture and visualise our learnings in real time. These added so much value
In Conclusion
So the past few weeks have been an education. Where it makes sense and is possible I would still prefer to work with teams in the same room particularly when considering massive potential change. What this experience has taught me though, is that material and facilitative work can be delivered online at depth and with some sophistication…. if everyone has enough grace. And most critically, delivery is inclusive of a great technical facilitator who is able to work intuitively and collaboratively.
It did help that the Leadership team although dispersed, knew each other well. We didn’t therefore have to get to know one another. We did reconnect, but we didn’t need to spend time sussing each other out.
So I was delighted to find that ‘online’ was a pretty robust substitute. I am pleased Teleios has moved so much already and we are now engaging with our tech partners to leverage Digital solutions so much more.
And a few Questions
I am left though with a number of questions. I wonder if we would have had the same results with either a relatively new group of people who didn’t know each other or a team with a level of dysfunction? The dynamic would have been different for sure and I wonder what accommodation would therefore be needed for an online delivery?
What’s your experience been? I would love to hear your story and views.
