In the latest HCI Webinar, Dr. Jonathan H. Westover talks with Elnian Gilbert about organizational change and vision facilitation. Below is a summary of the main points from their conversation! Check out the full episode and let us know what you think!
Watch the episode here:
Quick Recap
Jonathan and Elnian discussed their backgrounds, experiences, and the importance of organizational change and vision facilitation within organizations. They also explored the challenges of maintaining a shared vision and commitment within organizations, the importance of involving all team members in the decision-making process, and the role of leaders in establishing trust and a culture of shared involvement. Lastly, they discussed the process of creating a company vision, emphasizing the importance of team involvement and feedback, and the value of establishing a culture of shared involvement in leadership.
Organizational Change and Vision Facilitation
Jonathan and Elnian discussed their backgrounds and experiences, with Elnian sharing her 18-year tenure at Zingerman's and her role as a trainer at Zingtrain. They also discussed the importance of organizational change and vision facilitation within organizations. Elnian emphasized her love for learning and her role in helping others develop their skills. Jonathan highlighted the rarity of long-term commitment to a single organization and expressed his wish for more mutual loyalty and growth opportunities. The conversation ended with Elnian expressing her excitement and engagement in her work due to the variety of experiences she has had.
Maintaining Shared Vision in Organizations
Jonathan and Elnian discussed the challenges of maintaining a shared vision and commitment within organizations, particularly in industries with high turnover rates. Jonathan highlighted the erosion of the psychological contract between organizations and employees, leading to less loyalty and commitment on both sides. Elnian shared Zingerman's approach to maintaining a shared vision and mission, emphasizing the importance of aligning individual visions with the company's goals. They also discussed the importance of continuous communication and training to ensure employees understand and embrace the company's vision. Elnian mentioned that Zingerman's even helps employees find opportunities outside the company if their personal visions are not aligned with the company's mission.
Aligning Employees With Company Vision
Jonathan and Elnian discuss the importance of maintaining alignment between employees and the company's vision. They acknowledge that sometimes employees' goals diverge from the company's, leading to an amicable parting of ways. Jonathan emphasizes that such separations, while uncomfortable, can be positive and developmental for both parties if handled well. Elnian highlights the significance of embedding the company's vision throughout the hiring, onboarding, and training processes to ensure employees understand and embody it, even if they cannot recite it verbatim.
Visioning in Organizational Processes Discussed
Elnian discussed the importance of visioning in their organizational processes, highlighting its use in long-term planning, hiring, and change management. They emphasized the effectiveness of this tool in facilitating collective vision generation and buy-in. Elnian also credited Stash Kazmerski for introducing the visioning process to Zingtrain. Jonathan expressed interest in understanding the facilitation process of shared vision generation, to which Elnian agreed to provide further details.
Visioning and Idea Generation Process
Elnian discussed the process of visioning and idea generation within an organization. The process begins with introductions and sharing of personal successes and future hopes. A leader then shares their personal vision of success. The team then engages in a visioning exercise, focusing on the 'what' rather than the 'how'. This involves cross-functional and hierarchical groups generating ideas for the organization's future, with the aim of achieving greatness. The process is designed to encourage creativity and ambition, with the goal of setting a clear vision for the organization's future.
Creating Company Vision Through Collaboration
Elnian discussed the process of creating a company vision, emphasizing the importance of team involvement and feedback. The vision is developed through a collaborative process, with team members voting on their preferences and then working in small groups to write the narrative. The vision is then read aloud and feedback is given before the next draft is created. Elnian highlighted the importance of this process in achieving high levels of buy-in and alignment, as opposed to a top-down approach. Jonathan agreed with Elnian's points, noting that a top-down approach often fails to engage the team fully.
Involving Team in Decision-Making Process
Jonathan and Elnian discussed the importance of involving all team members in the decision-making process to ensure a better understanding and buy-in of the organization's vision. Jonathan emphasized the role of a leader as a strategist who needs input from the front lines to steer the organization in a healthy and productive direction. Elnian agreed, adding that involving people in the process can lead to innovative ideas and better understanding of the vision. They also highlighted the significance of asking for feedback in a productive manner to ensure it is considered and incorporated into the vision.
Building Trust and Shared Leadership
Jonathan and Elnian discussed the importance of establishing trust and a culture of shared involvement in leadership. They emphasized the need for leaders to actively listen to feedback and communicate its implementation or reasons for not implementing it. Elnian suggested that leaders should clearly define their vision and priorities, and be open to receiving feedback. They also discussed the value of writing visions for various aspects of life, and Elnian encouraged the audience to visit zingtrain.com for resources and seminars.
Listen to the webinar here:
