Before taking on any project or assignment we will have a deep dialogue with you to get to the heart of any request and to explore an issue from all relevant perspectives. Only then will we start to design a concept fitting to your needs. During the implementation phase of any initiative we create a safe space for people to have a challenging yet supportive experience while they are growing and developing. Here are some of the instruments and methods we use for the development of individuals, teams and organizations.
There are significant differences between Viral Change™ and the traditional ways to approach management of change. The traditional way is linear: big problems need big solutions, big programmes, and big communication cascading down. Viral Change™ is non-linear (like life!): problems or challenges of any size can be dealt with by a small, well-chosen set of critical, non-negotiable behaviours, which are practiced and spread by a relatively small number of highly influential people. This creates a critical (and growing) mass of followers who copy each other, shaping change faster and more effectively. The key to success is the orchestration of this.
Here is a summary of the 10 main differences:
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The Traditional Way |
Viral Change™ |
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Mechanistic view of the organization (‘the organization’) |
Organisms as a model of the organization (‘the organism’) |
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Top-down change and leadership |
Multi-centric change and distributed leadership, grass roots-like. Several small fires in different places on a mountain create a big fire. |
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Hierarchical influence is explicitly or tacitly driven |
Peer-to-peer influence more important than hierarchical when it comes to culture. |
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Emphasis on processes (‘behaviours are a consequence’) |
Emphasis on behaviours and the behavioural DNA of the organization, needed to sustain new processes |
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‘Telling people’ what to do takes most air time |
Selling ideas to people and getting buy-in through peer influence is the real engine |
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Communication, communication, communication |
Infection of ideas and behaviours. Social movement |
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Advocacy at best: ‘this is good, follow me’ |
Activism: ‘I am doing x, what about you?’ |
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Formal programme. ‘Another corporate initiative’ (talk>act) |
Well-designed informality. Many times silent, often invisible (act>talk) |
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‘Tsunami’: everybody involved, massive communication, then pray |
‘Butterfly’: small changes multiplied a thousand times by a champions community (see Viral Change™ book) |
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External change experts in every corner |
Internal engine of leadership (Champions) supported semi-invisibly by a joint (consulting & client) small team |
The Change Style Indicator® is an assessment instrument designed to measure an individual's preferred style in approaching change and in addressing situations involving change. Three primary styles exist on a continuum: Conserver – Pragmatist – Originator.
The self-scoring assessment instrument uses 22 items to establish a ranking of how the respondent prefers to address and work with change. The instrument addresses both initiated and imposed change and places the respondent on a 132-point continuum between Conserver and Originator with Pragmatist in between. Most individuals are a blend of Conserver-Pragmatist or Pragmatist-Originator; however the degrees of blending are identifiable. The preferences and behaviors associated with 11 scoring segments along this continuum are described in detail in a personalized report when the assessment is administered online.
Changesetter™
Changesetter™ is a simulation tool in the field of change management, developed by the Danish company Relation Technologies.
Changesetter™ distinguishes various specific phases of organizational change and types of resistance and what is needed to lead change and transition.
The simulation tool an interactive program on a PC and a game board to track progress working through a choice of cases. A boat represents the progress of a change, figures your stakeholders who may be in the boat…or very far from it. You need to make a series of choices to both move the boat forward and stakeholders with it, receiving instant feedback on the impact of your actions on the way.
It is based on the work of Maurer (6 change phases and 3 resistance modes), and Kotter (8 steps of change leadership) and helps a leader and their team answer
Since the 1970s the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator® has been scientifically validated and recognized by experts. Today it is considered to be the most frequently-used personality inventory and has become one of the most reputable psychological models in personnel development in the US and in Europe. Only qualified and licensed consultants are allowed to work with it.
The MBTI® shows our preferred ways of thinking and acting in 4 dimensions with 2 opposite poles each. The following overview demonstrates the extreme characteristics of these poles:
Extraversion
People who prefer extraversion tend to focus on the outside world on people and things
Introversion
People who prefer introversion tend to focus on the inner world of ideas and imaginations
Sensing
People who prefer sensing tend to focus on the present and on concrete information they take in with their five senses
Intuition
People who prefer intuition tend to focus on the future with a view for patterns and possibilities
Thinking
People who prefer thinking tend to base their decisions on logic and the objective analysis of cause and effect
Feeling
People who prefer feeling tend to base their decisions on values and on their subjective evaluation of human needs
Judging
People who prefer judging tend to have a planned and structured way of life and like to have closure
Perceiving
People who prefer perceiving tend to have a flexible and spontaneous way of life and like to keep their options open
The MBTI identifies the individual preferences of a person. Employees recognize themselves surprisingly well in the results (this is the practical benefit of the instrument’s research-based validity). They realize effectively why and how they function and why others are different. They begin to understand and stop judging. Likes and dislikes for certain work approaches, tasks and environments become transparent.
Experience with traditional leadership training always shows the limits of an individual to change their leadership behaviour in the desired direction. The MBTI® helps managers to identify their personal leadership style, what behaviours they show as a result of it and what the subsequent chances and risks are. Consciousness triggers interest, interest enhances awareness und awareness starts learning processes.
The success of organisations depends to a large extent on the composition of work groups, project teams and management boards. The MBTI® shows possible strengths and weaknesses of a team, points out the individual members´ needs, supports understanding and tolerance for “otherness” und enables synergy effects where, without joint reflection, there would be aversion, conflict or even resistance.
® MBTI, Myers-Briggs Type Indicator und Myers-Briggs are registered trademarks of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator Trust. OPP Ltd. Is licensed to use the trade marks in Europe.
„Fundamental Interpersonal Relations Orientation“ is a theory on interpersonal relations founded in 1958 by William Schutz. It explains most interpersonal behaviours based on 3 dimensions: inclusion, control and affection. These categories define how much interaction a person needs in the areas of social contacts, leading/influencing and personal openness.
The personality instrument FIRO-B® (B= behaviour) describes the behaviours of the three dimensions and measures for each the extent to which a person expresses themselves towards others (expressed) and how much activity they expect from others (wanted).
The table shows a simplified version of the report a participant receives after having filled in the questionnaire. 6 numbers, each on a scale from 0 to 9, form the profile of the person’s needs and behaviours when interacting with others.
0-9
0-9
0-9
0-9
0-9
0-9
FIRO-B® provides people with insight and a basis for reflecting on their interpersonal behaviours. It is especially useful in the following applications:
On the basis of the profile the manager reviews
The manager becomes aware of their behaviour and can therefore vary it more in order to adjust to different situations and challenges.
The members of a team recognize their different needs with regard to
They understand the dynamics of their cooperation and can adjust their processes to individual needs. At the same time each member of the team is challenged to reflect on how they can vary their behaviour in order to support the team more effectively.
® FIRO-B is a registered trade mark of CPP, Inc. OPP Ltd. is licensed to use the trade mark in Europe
TIP© (The International Profiler) is an instrument for self-assessment and helps executives and co-workers to recognize what they typically focus on when working in an international context. The TIP© also helps to identify possible developmental needs and contains suggestions for concrete action steps.
The International Profiler© is a standardized psychometric questionnaire developed by WorldWork (www.worldwork.biz). Based on current research, the following key competences which help people to work successfully in international contexts have been identified:
These 10 key competencies comprise 22 concrete behavioural dimensions on which we are happy to provide you with further information if you are interested.
Employees receive a structured feedback regarding their work in an international context. They become aware of how they are perceived by others and of the impact this has on how effective and successful their work is. People who can benefit from the International Profiler© above all are:
© TIP (The International Profiler) is the property of WorldWork Ltd.
We apply a number of different 360°- feedback instruments in our projects in order to meet individual customer needs. All of these instruments have been proven as valid and are based on sound research. We strictly observe feedback givers´ anonymity and treat all results as absolutely confidential.
360 ° feedback can be facilitated as a custom programme for a group of managers but also for individual managers.
The objective in this is not only to collect the data but more importantly to support the manager in analysing and processing the feedback, e.g. in a one-to-one coaching. Ideally, the feedback is combined with the results of personality questionnaires and leads to a concrete action plan in order to develop the person’s leadership competence.
