Oct. 2, 2024
Is your organization ready for change?
We all know that change is the only constant in life. It鈥檚 been a clich茅 since the time of the Ancient Greeks when Heraclitus noted that, 鈥No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it's not the same river and he's not the same man.鈥
That doesn鈥檛 change the fact that we all crave stability, and fear change, especially in our work. That鈥檚 why, as a manager, before you look to lead change in an organization, you need to create trust.
鈥淚 think what's interesting in the work we've done in the past is that people just inherently believe that trust will exist before the change occurs,鈥 says Augusto Romero, a senior partner with the cutting-edge company, Obliq3. 鈥淚f an organization doesn't have a culture where trust already exists, they just say, 鈥極kay, let's just get into the change. The trust will happen along the way,鈥" Romero says. "Of course, it doesn't just happen along the way.鈥
Obliq3 is working with the professional development group at the 荔枝视频's to help managers, leaders and future leaders to more effectively lead change within their organizations. More importantly, it's offering a vision of change management that focuses on supporting the people and culture in an organization so that it will come through change stronger than it was before.
How people-centric approach can get lost
It's a lesson that you might think people-serving agencies and non-profits would instinctively know, but, Romero says, in his work, this is usually not the case.
鈥淪ometimes that people-centric approach gets lost when a change comes up for agencies and non-profits, and they switch to more of a process approach," Romero says. "We believe that to do any change, if you lose that people aspect, then you start losing the process as well. And you must do them together for success to occur.鈥
U荔枝视频 alum Romero, BKin'03, whose company has worked internationally with companies that range from small agencies and Silicon Valley startups to large organizations, brings Obliq3鈥檚 intensive Human-Centric Change Practices course to U荔枝视频 Social Work starting Oct. 15, with a blend of in-person and online learning.
The change-management course provides foundational pieces around how change happens through the levels of an organization and how to ensure a company, agency or organization is better prepared for change in the future. This means a focus on the human perspective 鈥 trust, empathy, and belonging 鈥 helping people to get into a place where they鈥檙e ready for change.
鈥淚t's a change of mindset, we believe, when you start doing change-management work,鈥 says Romero. 鈥淪o, let's really unpack what's involved with the trust piece and examine all those aspects first. When trust isn鈥檛 already in place, organizations mistakenly believe it will develop as change unfolds. In reality, skipping that step only increases resistance.
鈥淭hink of it as preparing to build a boat before setting sail. You have to be ready before you pack and start the voyage.鈥
Leading change in your organization
A conversation with Augusto Romero from Obliq3 on why change is difficult and why it's important to pay attention to the human side when moving your organization.
Don McSwiney
Human Centric Change Practices begins Oct. 15, and is specifically for social or community service workers, non-profit leaders, and emerging leaders. The course will provide the essential tools and knowledge to help you lead and implement change in your organization in an empathetic and effective way. The course is offered with a blend of online and in-person learning.
Obliq3 is focused on helping to create brilliant workplaces, by considering the needs of an organization's most valuable asset 鈥 its people. Obliq3 is dedicated to nourishing the human potential in the workplace through developing enlightened leaders and nurturing thriving teams. Through its Humanosity Framework, it looks to integrate human-centric practices into everything it does, from reshaping company culture, developing aspiring or seasoned leaders, or implementing change initiatives.
荔枝视频 professional-development programs and community strategies work for systems change through innovation. It looks to empower social and human-service professionals through innovative, tailored development, providing them with the skills and tools needed for meaningful change and advancing well-being, sustainability, and social justice.
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