4/23/21

Capturing Momentum:

The Challenge of the “Next Normal”

MSQC/ASPIRE Collaborative Meeting

Presented by Janet Dombrowski - JCD Advisors

April 23, 2021

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Leadership Coaches

OUR PASSION is partnering to intentionally

harness the power of change and direct it

toward learning, innovation and growth

OUR MISSION is to be Trusted Advisors,

supporting individual leaders and

their organizations in aligning

strategy, structure and culture for

optimal performance

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4/23/21

There in No “New” Normal

Managing change/transitions must be a

KEY LEADERSHIP COMPETENCY

in times of complexity

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So... Transitions All Around

Zunin & Myers as cited in DeWolfe, D. J., 2000. Training manual for mental health and human service workers in major

disasters

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4/23/21

Under Threat (Change, Conflict, Transition)…

Self Protection

• “I’ll do it myself”

• Hyper-responsibility

• Perfectionism

• Intellectualization

• Busy-ness

• Coalition building

• Withdraw/disengage

• Passive resistance

• Self-sabotage/beating self up

• Compartmentalization

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REFLECTION

How have you found yourself/others

reacting to various threats during this time?

(use chat button at bottom of screen)

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What is the Real Cost of Self Protection/Reactivity?

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Navigating from “Survive to Thrive”

INTENTIONAL

At Your “Best”

REACTIVE

At Your “Worst”

• Wisdom

• Insight

• Common Sense

• Perspective

• Analysis

• Processing

• Memory

MIND - FULL - NESS

• Wisdom

• Insight

• Common Sense

• Perspective

• Analysis

• Processing

• Memory

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Capturing Momentum: Moving Towards ”Thrive”

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REFLECTION

H

ave you/how have you captured or

maintained momentum thus far?

(use chat button at bottom of screen)

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Momentum Increases with Increases in

Mass and Velocity

p = m x v

p

– momentum

m

– mass

v

– velocity (speed and direction)

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Increasing Mass (m)

1. Amass more people

2. Get the best out of

the everyone

3. Improve bonds

4. Amass learning

5. Maintain movement

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4/23/21

1. Amass “More” People

• Not just numbers

• All groups/levels

• DEI at it’s “best”

• Seats at the tables

• Focused on fostering engagement

• Committed to deep listening

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2. Mass is ”Locked Up Energy” –

Get the Best from Everyone

• Organizations are intensely human

• Humans have

NEEDS

• When needs are met, engagement deepens

Certain ty

Variety

Significance

Contribution

Growth

Connection

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4/23/21

3. Improve the Bonds-

Create More Connection and Belonging

• Continue to forge psychological safety

– Risk taking/learn from failure

– Vulnerability/ ask for help

– Curiosity and transparence

• Model appreciation & gratitude

– Say it (don’t just think it)

– Even if you don’t need it

– Make it meaningful

– Increases performance (can’t “over-appreciate”)

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• Don’t slide back into “normal”

• Create time/space for collective reflection

• Ensure diverse voices are heard

• Ask the hard questions

– What means more to us today? What means less?

– What were we doing ”before” that no longer meets a

need?

– What new needs have we uncovered over the last year and

how best can we meet them?

• Prioritize and experiment

4. Amass Learnings –

Don’t Waste a Good Crisis

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5. Mass Increases with Movement

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REFLECTION

Which of these approaches to

managing “mass” can you commit to

most naturally as a leader?

(use chat button at bottom of screen)

1. Amass more people

2. Get the best from everyone

3. Improve bonds

4. Amass learning

5. Maintain movement

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Understanding and Managing Momentum

p = m x v

p – momentum

m – mass

v – velocity (speed and direction)

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Maximizing Momentum

by Managing Velocity (v)

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Velocity = “Displacement over Time”

• Change in position

• Presumes “initial placement”

– In relation to what?

– Did we already have a good

understanding of where we

were BEFORE this?

• Challenges the concept of time

– How has it changed?

– Do you value it differently?

ORIENTATION - DISORIENTATION - REORIENTATION

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Challenging our Concepts of Speed

• Slowing down

• Less reactivity, more

choice

• “Go Slow to Go Fast”

• Let go of “endurance”,

value purposeful

recovery

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Defining New Directions - Not Destinations

• Destination=deterministic,

end-product, outcome

• Direction= active, practice,

process

• Presumes/demands

adaptability

• Challenge at individual and

organizational levels

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4/23/21

Challenge our Internal Direction:

Letting Go of Common “Mindtraps”

•

Letting Go of the Need to be “Right”

– Shift from of expert/knower mode to learner/leader mode

– Deepen listening – beyond winning or application to possibility

•

Challenging our “Simple Stories”

– Ask “what might I be missing or making up?”

– “What if they are the hero in their own story”?

•

Letting Go of “Control”

– Experiment and be prepared for and OK with failures/starting over

– Ask “What is the worst that could happen?”

•

Giving up the Addiction to “Agreement”

– Get ok with discomfort, “people are not their perspectives”

– Gather outliers & break up packs of agreement -"re-sort" groups

“Unlocking Leadership Mindtraps: How to Thrive in Complexity” by Jennifer Garvey Berger (2019)

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Challenge Organizational Direction:

The Future is Complex

COMPLICATED

• Mechanistic/hierarchical

• Optimized for efficiency and

productivity

• Stability, predictability and

minimizing risk

• Surprises are bad

• Behavior should be controlled

• Labor is a factor of production

COMPLEX

• Organic/systemic

• Building adaptability

• Experimentation

• Positive surprises

• Inspiration instead of control

• Human-centric

https://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/organization/our-insights/the-organization-

blog/tag/organizing-for-the-future

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“Back to

Normal”

is a

OLD

Destination

We Need

NEW

Direction

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Summary:

”Momentum” as Metaphor

• Amass more people

• Get the best from

the everyone

• Improve bonds

• Amass learning

• Maintain movement

• Dis-orientation leads

to growth

• Slowing down

• Go slow to go fast

• Mindfulness/

intentionality matter

• Let go of endurance

• Not destination

• Take s pra ctic e

• Adaptability is key

• Complexity

demands different:

individually &

organizationally

p = m x v (speed/direction)

Mass Speed Direction

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4/23/21

REFLECTION

Which of these themes to capturing momentum ring

most true to you as a leader? What can you act on?

(use chat button at bottom of screen)

• Amass more people

• Get the best from

the everyone

• Improve bonds

• Amass learning

• Maintain movement

• Dis-orientation leads

to growth

• Slowing down

• Go slow to go fast

• Mindfulness/

intentionality matter

• Let go of endurance

• Not destination

• Take s pra ctic e

• Adaptability is key

• Complexity

demands different:

individually &

organizationally

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• In times of complexity – describe difficult things in an easier way

• To awak en o th er s en se s (b ey on d co gnitive to m ak e em o ti on al an d

physical connections)

• Expose ”rich textures” of commonality between things

USE MORE METAPHORS - TELL MORE STORIES!

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