|
|
|
Our Approach
BWSA offers a variety of ways of working with clients, based on their particular leadership and organizational development interests and requirements. Most of the consulting work undertaken by BWSA and its Associates is tailored to leadership and team development work. BWSA believes that leaders and team members tend to behave in a complex, adaptive manner designed to cope with the daily challenges of change and complexity in the workplace. Understanding the interdependent nature and complex, adaptive behavior of leaders and team members is a critical first step toward working with people to develop effective approaches and techniques for sustainable leadership and team performance. The following outlines the major areas of BWSA's service offerings. Team Development BWSA's specialized approach to leadership and team development is evidenced through the design and facilitation of team development workshops aimed at assisting teams and team leaders to build clarity and coherence in their work and establish an accountability framework based on a more 'self-organizing' way of working. This team development approach is based on the theoretical understanding of Systematics and the related work of Dr. Richard N. Knowles, using the Process Enneagram © approach, as outlined in his book, 'The Leadership Dance', (2002) published by the Center for Self-organizing Leadership, Niagara Falls, New York. A general outline of a 'typical' approach taken to team development work, using this foundational theory and process is provided below.
The work is undertaken as a three-part process as follows: Part I involves meeting with client representatives to assess current cultural issues, attitudes, perceptions and factors associated with team behavior. Establishing an effective working and coaching relationship with the team leader is an essential part of this process. Team Leaders are assisted in learning about what is expected during the two-day Team Development Working Session (Part II), which helps them understand the importance of their role and participation in this work. During Part II, BWSA facilitates a two-day Team Development Working Session involving all team members, using the Process Enneagram© approach developed by Dr. R.N. Knowles. Participants 'discover' how they currently work together and what relationships they need to build to work more effectively and coherently with each other. In so doing, participants become really clear about their intention (purpose) and identity as they plan together in addressing the various issues identified as a team. This process helps to build effective 'relationships' based on discovering and establishing sound principles/standards for working together. In facilitating this work, participants engage in ' self-organized' action planning team activities designed to develop and practice the 'components' of teamwork, which they will have discovered through the above process. In selected situations, members of the corporate team (e.g. Senior Management Team) will be brought together with the Team and Team leader to engage in clarifying goals/objectives and in building a shared understanding regarding the framework for future teamwork activity. The focus here is to build coherence and to be clear about the accountability required for this future teamwork and develops a better understanding of seeing teams as 'living dynamic and adaptive systems'. As a further way of anchoring this work, Part III involves follow-up with the Team Leaders and team members in their workplace undertaken after completion of Part II. This focuses on the individual and group relationships identified as necessary in building a sound collaborative practice (i.e. praxis) in addressing the team initiatives identified earlier as a shared 'intention'. This follow-up is to encourage and support the 'self-organizing' leadership effort initiated in Part II and to build on this work in a sustainable manner. Challenges are identified and supportive actions are initiated as required.
BWSA also provides 'customized' team intervention work. This is work in which dysfunctional and disruptive team behaviors have lead to an inability for effective team functioning and performance. Expert consultative support is brought to this work through the Associates Group. This requires considerable sensitivity and discretion regarding the timing, scope and nature of the work, which BWSA is able to offer given the comprehensive and experienced capacity of the Associates Group.
BWSA undertakes 'one-on-one coaching and mentoring' with Team Leaders and team members. This is based on published work by B.W. Stevenson & Associates, Ltd. and others regarding the role of the Team Leader in supporting 'self-organizing leadership' and the need to build and maintain performance and sustainability measures as part of the ongoing practice and monitoring of this work. Practical application is a primary focus. Supplementary reading of related material and a deeper exploration of both Dr. Knowles book, "The Leadership Dance" and the field of Systematics are required as part of this coaching and mentoring work. Where appropriate, The Associates Group is involved in supporting the clients understanding of 'different lenses' and perspectives on leadership and team building practices. Related workshops and offerings through the Associates Group are provided where there is an interest and where this additional learning connects with the clients needs. Complexity & Systemic Thinking BWSA believes that one of the first steps toward becoming an effective leader and team member is to have the capacity to 'see situations, patterns and relationships' in a systemic, holistic and strategic way and to avoid linear thinking. This is accommodated through the following seminar and workshop offerings. 'Seeing Systems' Workshop In response to the need to better understand the nature of systemic thinking and to practice 'seeing systems', BWSA offers a two-part "Systemic Thinking Workshop" delivered over a three-day period. This workshop has been tailored and designed for mid-level managers and leaders. This workshop is delivered in two parts. Part 1 offers a one-day session on the basics of systemic thinking which is highly 'experiential'. Participants gain an initial grounding in understanding systemic thinking concepts and different ways of seeing and working with systems At the end of this session, participants return to their workplace and 'discover systems'. When participants return in Part 2 after approximately ten days, and report out what they have discovered, different ways of seeing systems are explored, based on the initial work in Part 1. Participants see how others have interpreted their systems and engage in meaningful dialogue about different systemic 'realities'. Personal learning is incorporated with reflective work and the integration of the overall experience of 'seeing' systems in themselves, in their teams and organizations and in their communities. Numerous facilitative approaches are used throughout Part I and Part 2 to engage the participants in discovering and experiencing their world from a systemic perspective.
In response to the need expressed by managers and leaders to better prepare for change and complexity in an uncertain world, BWSA offers a four-part "Scenario Planning Workshop" delivered over a two-day period. This workshop has been tailored and designed for mid-level managers and leaders who not only wish to learn more about scenario planning, but also want to apply this knowledge and approach to planning at a strategic level within their organizations. Part I begins with an exploration of scenario planning. Participants learn the importance of determining (i) the business model (e.g. the way value is created for clients, customers and other stakeholders), (ii) key issues and 'drivers' affecting the business model and (iii) current thinking about past, present and future events. Participants engage in designing their respective organization's business model as practice for facilitating this work with others. Part 2 focuses on helping participants design and develop the scenarios to be used in scenario planning work. Participants learn the basics of how to prepare a scenario using information gathered as described in Part I. Part 3 involves participants in learning how to plan and organize a Scenario Planning Workshop. Participants learn how to facilitate ongoing scenario planning activities while reviewing and revising initial scenarios, developing strategies and indicators and summarizing future strategies. Action planning, using the various strategies and indicators developed through this workshop, is also discussed and practiced. Part 4 engages participants in looking at ways they can assist in follow-up work regarding the implementation of key strategies and the monitoring of scenarios. Examples from the participants own work situations are used to ground this learning. Participants leave with a new awareness of the value and importance of continuous scenario planning as a strategic management concept based on applied systemic thinking.
BWSA
facilitates a ½ day session with senior management, team leaders
and/or team members exploring the background, process, application and
follow-up work required to fully engage in building the capacity for a
self-organizing leadership approach. Part of this session includes 'experimenting'
with self-organizing leadership concepts and engaging in various systemic
perspectives such as adaptive leadership models and boundary'less' organizational
concepts. In addition, BWSA arranges one-on-one sessions with senior leaders to acquaint them with concepts of self-organization, self-organizing leadership, complexity science and adaptive organizational approaches. The Associates Group is involved as required, depending upon the clients needs. |