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A tribute to change agents. March 2010

• A tribute to change agents in our personal and working lives.
• Real change starts with a problem or need.
• It's not about the problem, but the magic.
• How change agents inspire us with their genius and passion.
• It's not about the qualifications, but about packaged expertise.
• Change tools for change agents.

December 2009. 5 ways to rekindle your inner flame.

5 practical ways to get your energy back after a tough year.

November 2009. During a recession: innovate

• Innovation during a recession.
• The danger of cutting costs without innovation.
• Why you should involve your people in innovation during a recession.
• The ingredients of innovation.
• Ways to create a climate to release the energy of the child.
• Adult intelligence. Topics to brainstorm with your team during recessionary times.
• Add value to existing and old customers.
• Reduce operating costs.
• Follow the money. Find new customers.
• Get innovative.

September 2009. develop a change agent network

• How to build your own change agent network.
• When to consider building a change agent network.
• Benefits of a powerful change agent network.
• What makes a change agent system fail?
• What makes a change agent system work?
• What it takes to build your own change agent network.
• Why its worth the effort.
• Change agent toolkits.

Manage resistance to change.

• Why change is like a story.
• Why people resist change.
• How to create a strategy that reduces resistance.
• How intentions affect buy-in to change.
• What to communicate in any change.

the essence of personal change.

• Managing change during a recession.
• The head, heart and soul of personal change.
• The head: What you should do. Tips for reducing stress and anxiety as you plan your change.
• The heart: How you and others will feel.
• The two adversaries of change: habit and fear.
• The 4 emotional stages of change that you and those around you will experience. Your challenge during each stage.
• The soul: Accessing your inner wisdom. The golden nuggets of:
• Courage.
• Resilience.
• Discipline.
• Hard work.
• Flexibility.
• Combining the head, heart and soul of change.
  

IN DIFFICULT TIMES: TAKE BACK YOUR LIFE.

ARTICLE: 8 STEPS TO ACHIEVING A SIMPLE FOCUS.

• 8 simple steps for achieving focus.

• Know what you want.

• Set achievable goals.

• Choose one goal to focus on.

• Create new habits.

• Be aware of what distracts you.

• Stop the excuses.

• Be aware of what drives you.

• Understand the nature of success.

mAKING MONEY IN HARD TIMES: STRATEGY IN ACTION.

ARTICLE: HOW TO USE STRATEGIC THINKING TOOLS TO MAKE MONEY DURING A RECESSION.

• Making money in hard times – strategy in action.

• What do you do as a business when your traditional market dries up?

• Traditional strategies: blame the economy, cut costs, wait, or invest.

• A different strategy: Follow the money. Use strategic thinking and innovation techniques to generate profits.

• How to follow the money:

• Brainstorm with a group: 10 questions to use in a brainstorming session with a group.

• Use research to determine who is still spending.

• Create new opportunities for your business based on new markets.  (14 questions to use in a brainstorming session with your group.)

• Tips for increasing the creative thinking of your groups.

Evaluating strategy: avoid the spin

ARTICLE: HOW TO AVOID THE SPIN OF STRATEGY

•  The spin of strategy.

•   A customer’s experience is strategy in action. What the customer experiences.

•  How to evaluate strategy: Thought and action.

•  Great customer experiences – strategy in action.

•  Questions that will help you to evaluate your own strategy.

• Change from spin to real strategy.

• Do a 'value-for-time analysis of 2007.
• Create a list of "I do's" and "I don'ts" to set boundaries for the way you work.
• Create a vision for 2008 and beyond.
• Identify your focus areas.
• Create a time budget and book time in your diary

magical moments. 

ARTICLE: HOW TO CREATE MAGICAL MOMENTS

This article shows how to create magical moments as a leader for your staff and customers, plus how to create magical moments in your life.

• Why we need magical moments.
• Magical moments is about connections.
• How to create magical moments as a leader. 
• Habits that prevent magical moments from happening.
• How to create magical moments in your personal life.
• How to create magical moments for a customer.
• Insights: a tool for creating more and more magical moments in your life.

sustainable change

ARTICLE: THE DO-BE-DO OF SUSTAINABLE CHANGE.

This article contains:

• The paradox of cultural change.

• Knowing is not enough.
• The 5 steps to sustainable change.
  • Creating a catalyst for change.
  • Believe you can
  • Make it a priority
  • Make a start. Get help.
  • Practice. Develop positive habits.

reinventing yourself.

ARTICLE: GET OFF THE TRACKS AND FLY.

This article provides 8 steps for reinventing your life.

• Unchain yourself.

• Fill up your energy tank.

• Limber up.

• Listen to you.

• Picture your destination.

• Plan your adventure

• Buy your tickets.

• Go! Go! Go!

organisational fasting

CREATE SPACE AND REENGERGISE YOUR TEAM.

This article discusses:

• Why being busy isn't being productive.
• How being busy can be destructive.
• The organisational fast - how to get control back over your time. 
• The four steps to getting time and energy back into your working life.
• The four steps to creating time and space for meaningful and innovative work for your team.

inspired innovation

ARTICLE: HOW TO MIX RATIONAL, EMOTIONAL AND SPIRITUAL INTELLIGENCE TO DEVELOP A POWERFUL INNOVATION SYSTEM

This article discusses:

• What is innovation?
• How do you get a group of people to create, develop and offer innovations that matter?
• IQ - Rational Intelligence: Elements of an innovation system. Questions to ask to generate innovative ideas.
• EQ - Emotional Intelligence: Your company culture: Enemy or friend of creativity?
• SQ - Spiritual Intelligence: Inject inspiration into your innovation system. your industry.

STRATEGIC SHIFTS

ARTICLE: HOW TO IDENTIFY NEW KEY SUCCESS FACTORS FOR YOUR BUSINESS.

 

Use the tools in this newsletter to give yourself new insights into what will make your business successful in the future. 

• Identify the conventional wisdom in your industry. Then change it!

• The 5 steps to identifying strategic shifts in your industry.

• Identifying the future key success factors for your business.

self mastery: five gifts to end the year with

ARTICLE: 5 PRECIOUS GIFTS TO GIVE YOURSELF:

• The gift of achievement.

• The gift of insight.

• The gift of affirmation.

• The gift of purpose.

• The gift of hope

• What type of results should you expect from a strategy workshop.

• The responsibility of the strategist.

• What is a powerful strategy?

• Why strategy facilitation is so difficult.

• Why preparation is important.

• What can be achieved at a strategy workshop with little or no preparation.

• The CEO's vs. the consultant's role in preparing for a strategy workshop

reflections: Measuring 2004 the IQ, EQ and SQ way

ARTICLE: PERSONAL MASTERY AND TEAM BUILDING: MEASURING YOUR YEAR.

This article contains tools for reflecting on your year using:

• Rational intelligence:

• Emotional intelligence

• Spiritual intelligence

For individuals and teams

the 3 q's of a strategist. 

ARTICLE: HOW A STRATEGIST USES RATIONAL, EMOTIONAL AND SPIRITUAL INTELLIGENCE. 

This article discusses:

• The 3 intelligences of a strategist.

• The seven deadly strategy traps.

• The role of a powerful strategist.

• The head of a strategist: When not to do strategy. When to do strategy.What is a powerful strategy.

• The heart of a strategist: Power and politics.

• The soul of a strategist. Inspiration.

Change leader: trail blazer or tour guide.

ARTICLE: THE CHANGE LEADER AS GUIDE.

This article discusses:

• The change leader as guide.

• The change guide from hell.

• The change guide of choice

• The 4 gifts of a change guide: intellect & experiences, compassion, inspiration and wisdom.

• The itenerary of a change guide.

success management 

ARTICLE: MAKE SUCCESS A HABIT IN YOUR LIFE AND AT WORK. 

This article discusses: 

• How to bring back the magic in your life and work.  

• The six steps to manage success.

• Characteristics of unsuccessful and successful people.

• Characteristics of poor and excellent leaders.  

• A gift from change designs. Your personal success kit.

• How to create a culture of success in your organisation.

ending the year on a positive note.

ARTICLE: HOW TO END 2003 ON A POSITIVE NOTE. 

This article discusses: 

• How to identify your achievements for 2003.  

• How to identify the foundations you have laid for 2004. 

• How to prepare the soil of your life for 2004.

The emperor's new suit

This article discusses: 

•  Why sometimes you feel that you are the only person in a room who:

• thinks that nothing worthwhile has been said after listening to hours of presentations and debates.

• can't understand why everyone is making a fuss about a new company initiative.

• wonders why new initiatives, business or strategy have to be so complex.

• The typical characters involved in a strategic conference: the CEO, the people who want to be noticed, the facilitator, and the normal conference delegates.

• The strategies used by each to take control of a conference or meeting.

• How to take power back from those who want to dominate a conference for their own agendas.

• How to run a successful strategy conference or important meeting.

Empowerment.

ARTICLE: AN ALTERNATIVE APPROACH TO EMPOWERMENT USING KNOWLEDGE AND NETWORKING. THE STORY OF THE HARE AND THE TORTOISE. 

 

This article discusses: 

• Why the current way of working results in burnout rather than empowerment. 

• A simpler way to empower yourself, and build a foundation for future success. 

• Why some people find success easily, whilst others struggle.

• Characteristics of people who are constantly successful. 

• How successful people use networks, relationships, and databases of knowledge.

• Beliefs of successful people.

PRACTICAL NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE INTERESTED IN LEADERSHIP, STRATEGY, CHANGE AND EMPOWERMENT.

team based innovation.pdf

ARTICLE: TEAM BASED INNOVATION. HOW TO UNLEASH INNOVATION IN YOUR ORGANISATION. 

 

This article discusses: 

• Why innovation is important in organisations today.
  Why people find it difficult to be innovative.
  What is innovation?
  Characteristics of powerful team based innovation programmes.
  The four stages of innovation.
  The role of the facilitator in creating the space for innovation.
  Developing innovative opportunities.
  Turning these ideas into powerful opportunities.
• The six steps to implementing innovative ideas successfully

Organisational energy.pdf

ARTICLE: ENERGY: HOW TO UNLEASH POSITIVE ENERGY IN AN ORGANISATION. 

 

This article discusses: 

• Why so many organisations suffer from fatigue, and we we need to create positive energy in our organisations.
• Why we need to inject positive energy into our organisations.
• Which changes require a focus on energy to work.
• 10 ways to destroy energy in individuals and teams
• 10 ways to creative positive energy.
• The Yin and Yang of organisational energy.
• How to use Yang (outward focused) energy.
• How to use Yin (inward focused) energy
• Mix activities with inspiration to unleash positive energy and creativity in your organisation.

CHARACTERISTICS OF LEADERS WHO GIVE OUT ENERGY

Why Change Fails.pdf

RTICLE: 10 REASONS WHY ORGANISATIONAL CHANGE DOESN'T WORK

 

This article discusses the 10 major reasons for the failure of change interventions. This includes:

• Change fatigue.
• Ineffective communication
• Sabotage.
• Changes being made in isolation. Lack of 'systems thinking.'
• Mixed messages.
• Lack of a single integrated change strategy.
• A focus on knowing rather than doing.
• Being put off by resistance to change.
• Expectations of instant success.
• The negative image of change management.

THE SEVEN ATTRIBUTES OF A SUCCESSFUL CHANGE LEADER.

 

10 STEPS TO MANAGING ORGANISATIONAL CHANGE.

Mastering our own lives.pdf

Contains articles on:

ARTICLE: MASTERING THE TOUGHEST CHANGE OF ALL - OUR LIVES.

 

An interactive article to help you set your goals for 2003.

• Resolutions.
• Getting rid of the negative elements in your life.
• Understanding what energises you.
• Discovering your special purpose.
• Creating a vision for 2003.
• Identifying the microsteps.
• Applying this knowledge to your role as a leader.

AN ACTION CHECKLIST FOR STRATEGISTS AND CHANGE AGENTS IN 2003.

 

STRATEGY: THE TOP STRATEGIC TRENDS TO WATCH OUT FOR IN 2003.

Based on strategic research done by Ruth Tearle for 2003. Hot off the press! Use this in your strategic planning and innovation sessions.

Changing Habits.pdf 

Contains articles on:

BREAK THE HABIT AND MANAGE THE CHANGE.

• Managing change is about breaking old habits and creating new ones.
• The old and new habits of the business world. - The changing organisational paradigm.
• The changing habits of organisational leaders.
• The changing habits of middle managers.
• The changing habits of change consultants.

HANDY HINTS: HOW TO DEVELOP A CHANGE STRATEGY FOR YOUR ORGANISATION