Webinar Background

2016 LCI Leadership Division

Webinar Background

It is said that the only constant in life is change, and Lions clubs are no exception. There are many exciting changes underway in clubs around the world, but no matter how positive, change can be a stressful experience. That is why, before undertaking any major change initiative, leaders should assess a club’s readiness for change. In this webinar, we explore what a change readiness assessment is and why your club should conduct one before any major change initiatives. We’ll also provide you with some tools for assessing readiness for change, as well as tips on how to use them.

Agenda

Define change agility and change readiness
Identify reasons for resistance to change
Discuss tools for change readiness assessment
Review the benefits of change readiness assessments

Table of Contents

Resisting Change and Other Considerations………………….Page 2

Change Readiness Inventory………………………………………...Page 3

Change Readiness Inventory: Capacity……..………………….Page 4

Change Readiness Inventory: Commitment……...………….Page 5

Change Readiness Inventory: Culture……...…………………..Page 6

Readiness Rubric: Leader’s Readiness……...…………………..Page 8

Readiness Rubric: Club Members’ Readiness……...………..Page 12

Readiness Rubric: Club’s Readiness……...………………….…..Page 16

Leadership Development Opportunities……...……………….Page 20

REASONS FOR RESISTING CHANGE

SUBJECTIVE VS. OBJECTIVE DATA

CHANGE READINESS CONSIDERATIONS

THE 3 C’S CHANGE READINESS INVENTORY

CAPACITY FOR CHANGE

How much do we have of what we need?

Adequacy: Is it enough?
Availability: Will it be there when we need it?

How good is the capacity compared to the complexity and specific needs of this change?

Skill/experience: Are we applying the right people/processes that have adequate skill depth attained in similar circumstances?
Understanding: How accurate is our grasp of this area of capacity and ability to judge it with confidence?
Basis for comparison: How solid is the database that we are using to make our judgments about quality of a capacity?

How accessible and easily mobilized is the capacity/capability to be put to good use?

Intelligibility: Is it well-understood? Are roles, boundaries, steps, etc. clear?
Familiarity: Is it in common use and easily applied when needed?
Consistency: Is it accepted practice with little to no reservation?
Retrievability: Is it ready to be put into action when needed, without undue difficulty or hierarchy/bureaucracy?

How helpful is the capacity to aid this effort?

Usefulness: Can the capacity to be applied with benefit to this effort?
Demonstrability: Does it have a good track record and experience base?
Efficacy: Is the capacity well-targeted to the accomplishment of this effort?

THE 3 C’S CHANGE READINESS INVENTORY

(Continued)

COMMITMENT TO CHANGE
Value Alignment /

Does the change support or enhance (or at minimum, not interfere with) the club’s ability to live up to values on which its good reputation is based?
Does the change align with not only the letter of the law, but with deep ethical convictions?
Does the change treat all parties fairly?

Involvement /

Are people affected by the change at all levels actively participating in defining what the change is, how it will be implemented, and how its success will be measured?
Are those same people accountable for the successful outcomes of the change, and will they benefit personally and as a group if the change succeeds?
Are interested parties invited to participate in the change process, even if they are not directly affected, but could influence outcomes?
Is there confidence at all levels that the club and its members are capable of offering an effective and innovative means of delivering the desired change?

People /

Are all affected people confident of their ability to cope with the change – to manage their way through the process successfully?
Are all affected people confident of their ability to contribute meaningfully to the definition of the change and how it is implemented?
Are all affected people confident that they will be able to perform successfully in the changed environment?
Are all affected people confident that their questions about logistical and psychological concerns will be addressed transparently?

Time /

Do the people who must contribute to successful implementation, transition/integration, and long-term absorption of the change have adequate time, in the desired timeframe, to take on this extra work?
Are other priorities on the horizon or issues that could converge, that might alter the ability of people to commit the needed time to the change?
Are club changes or membership changes foreseen that could alter the availability of the right people at needed times?

Skill /

Is there a clear understanding at all levels of the degree and time commitment of knowledge/skill/ability development that will be needed for the change to be successful?
Is there a clear and accurate understanding of where this skill development can best be obtained, and what it will cost? Is there resolve to provide it?
Is there confidence at all levels that the club and its members are capable and ready to develop these knowledge/skills/abilities?

Perceived Value /

Is there confidence that the proposed change will offer an opportunity for realistic, sustained value for the organization and those it serves?
Is there belief that the proposed change is a good solution to the problem or opportunity it addresses

THE 3 C’S CHANGE READINESS INVENTORY

(Continued)

CULTURE
Values / TRUST:

Respect –The degree to which everyone in the organization is invited to participate, are attentively listened to, and are given thoughtful consideration – do people believe respect will be accorded during this change?
Transparency – The degree of honesty and forthcoming manner of communication in the club – does experience tell people that they’ll be dealt with openly during this change?
Accountability - The degree to which people are equally held to a standard of performance – do people feel everyone will be treated fairly and held equally responsible for the change?
Consistency – The degree to which actions of people, especially leaders, are marked by logic and continuity, free from contradiction or arbitrariness. Does experience tell people they can expect shifting sands or stable environments during this change?

COHESION:

Boundary coordination - The ability of the club, including external partners, to balance autonomy of structures with the need for working effectively together to achieve club goals; and the ability to quickly and flexibly adapt boundaries in pursuit of those goals.
Collaboration – The degree of the club’s preference for and effective execution of work in groups across boundaries with the goal of seeking greater innovation.
Open Communication – The degree of the club’s preference for and demonstration of candid and helpful communication across boundaries.

SHARING:

Shared priorities – How well the club and its members develop agreement on what is important to resource and support.
Shared decision making – The degree to which decision making is pushed to the lowest level of authority necessary, and to which all affected parties are invited into the debate before decisions are made.
Shared knowledge – The degree to which knowledge and data is made known throughout the club in order to best inform decisions and interests.

Mechanisms / STRUCTURES AND SYSTEMS:

Decision-making structures/systems – To what degree are formal decision-making structures and informal reality aligned?
Organization structures – To what degree do formal and informal power structures serve to support or impede decision making and problem solving
Problem resolution structures/systems – How well is responsibility accepted in difficult situations, with the focus maintained on rapid and successful resolution of difficulties?
Feedback/sharing structures/systems – How easily and effectively can feedback and information be fed back into the process for implementing?
Measurement systems – What behaviors are driven by what the club measures, and to what degree are those behaviors consistent with the goals of the change?

POLICIES:

Minimum Necessary – Are there policies, formal or just accepted practice, that are excess for the work that needs to be done in this effort? Can they be excluded from consideration, or even eliminated permanently?
Fairness – Are there any policies that, if considered in this change, will produce a bias that will seem unfair to one set of stakeholders over another?
Flexibility – Are there any policies that are so rigid that it will be very difficult to adapt them if needed during the change effort?

REWARDS:

Performance systems – How is performance judged in the club? What behaviors are assessed and valued? What behaviors are formally considered unproductive and/or are penalized?
Development systems – What behaviors and norms are inculcated into people as they are formally developed in the club?
Power/Influence – Are there understood and somewhat regularized means to achieving power and/or influence in the club?
Recognition – Are there common actions or behaviors that generate informal recognition from peers?
Acceptance – Are there actions or behaviors that promote (or discourage) social acceptance in the club?
Growth – Are there behaviors that generate mentoring or positive developmental attention from leaders?
Relationships – Are there factors that foster rewarding social and interpersonal relationships?

PENALTIES

Risk – Are there penalties for trying and not succeeding? Are people rewarded for bringing forward problems for resolution, or considered negatively?
Social ostracism – Are there behaviors or actions that frequently cause people to be marginalized?

READINESS RUBRIC

SECTION A: LEADER’S READINESS

Change Strategy under Consideration:

______

RATING/SCORE

EXPERIENCE:This section will help you assess the degree to which you have previous experience with change in general and with this type of change in particular.

Answer the questions below by highlighting your score on the 5-point scale on the right.

Have you successfully led change in any organization or club before, especially similar to the current one?

/ Many times
5 4 / Once or Twice
3 2 / Never
1

Have you successfully led change in your club before?

/ Many times
5 4 / Once or Twice
3 2 / Never
1

Have you led change in any organization or club unsuccessfully?

/ Never
5 4 / Once or Twice
3 2 / Many times
1

Do you have previous successful experience in the technical content area of the change strategy (i.e. management consulting, curriculum development, teaching science)?

/ A great deal
5 4 / Some
3 2 / None
1

Have you been able to “unfreeze” participants’ previously negative experiences with change and motivate them to take a leap of faith now?

/ Always
5 4 / Sometimes
3 2 / Never
1
EXPERIENCE SUBTOTAL: Add your points scored for questions A1-A5. The total point score for “experience” is ______out of 25 possible points.
Therefore, my readiness level regarding experience is:
(Highlight one) HIGH, MEDIUM, LOW. / High
Readiness =
22-25 points / Medium
Readiness =
15-21 points / Low
Readiness =
14 points and below

READINESS RUBRIC

(Continued)

SECTION A: LEADER’S READINESS (CONTINUED)

RATING/SCORE

REQUIRED SKILLS:This section will help you assess to what degree do you have the required skills and knowledge for this change strategy?.

Answer the questions below by highlighting your score on the 5-point scale on the right.

Do you have expertise in the content required by this change strategy? If not, do you have confidence in the expertise of others in your club?

/ A great deal
5 4 / Mostly
3 2 / Not as much as desirable
1

Are you skillful at leading change?

/ Very skillful
5 4 / Somewhat skillful
3 2 / Not at all
1

Are you aware of what you do not know and are you candid about it?

/ Always
5 4 / Somewhat
3 2 / Seldom
1

Are you willing to learn together with the participants when the skills and knowledge are just emerging?

/ Always
5 4 / Somewhat
3 2 / Seldom
1

Are you an active listener (i.e. paraphrasing, waiting 9 seconds for response after asking a question)?

/ Always
5 4 / Somewhat
3 2 / Seldom
1
REQUIRED SKILLS SUBTOTAL: Add your points scored for questions A6-A10. The total point score for “required skills” is _____ out of 25 possible points.
Therefore, my readiness level regarding required skills is:
(Highlight one) HIGH, MEDIUM, LOW. / High
Readiness =
22-25 points / Medium
Readiness =
15-21 points / Low
Readiness =
14 points and below

READINESS RUBRIC

(Continued)

SECTION A: LEADER’S READINESS (CONTINUED)

RATING/SCORE

“WHATEVER IT TAKES”: This section will help you assess to what degree are you willing to do “whatever it takes.”

Answer the questions below by highlighting your score on the 5-point scale on the right.

Do you have competing priorities that might demand your attention and detract from your leadership of the change strategy?

/ None
5 4 / One or two
3 2 / Several
1

Are you reluctant to label a group of “low readiness”? Are you reluctant to put a lot of structure into your planning and implementation processes?

/ Never
5 4 / Sometimes
3 2 / Always
1

Do you believe that you should always treat everyone equally as colleagues regardless of their readiness to participate in the change strategy?

/ No
5 4 / Somewhat
3 2 / Yes
1

Do you consult people whose views may differ from your own?

/ Always
5 4 / Somewhat
3 2 / Seldom
1

Are you open to the resulting plan being different from your original conception (provided that the nonnegotiables are in there)?

/ Always
5 4 / Somewhat
3 2 / Seldom
1
“WHATEVER IT TAKES” SUBTOTAL: Add your points scored for questions A11-A15. The total point score for “whatever it takes” is _____ out of 25 possible points.
Therefore, my readiness level regarding “whatever it takes” is:
(Highlight one) HIGH, MEDIUM, LOW. / High
Readiness =
22-25 points / Medium
Readiness =
15-21 points / Low
Readiness =
14 points and below

READINESS RUBRIC

(Continued)

SECTION A: LEADER’S READINESS (CONTINUED)

RATING/SCORE

VALUES: This section will help you assess to what degree do you have the required values for this change strategy.

Answer the questions below by highlighting your score on the 5-point scale on the right.

Do you and the club members have the same definitions/language for the problem to be solved and the methods by which this will be undertaken? Has this assumption been tested?

/ Definitely
5 4 / A great deal
3 2 / No or don’t know
1

Are you comfortable with taking risks and learning from mistakes?

/ Always
5 4 / Somewhat
3 2 / No
1

Do you know the values of club members and of the organization and how they may differ from your own?

/ To a great extent
5 4 / Somewhat
3 2 / Not at all
1

Do you value flexibility?

/ Always
5 4 / Somewhat
3 2 / Seldom
1

Do you model behavior that you want to see as norms, such as adhering to ground rules?

/ Always
5 4 / Somewhat
3 2 / Seldom
1
VALUES SUBTOTAL: Add your points scored for questions A16-A20. The total point score for values is _____ out of 25 possible points.
Therefore, your readiness level regarding values is:
(Highlight one) HIGH, MEDIUM, LOW. / High
Readiness =
22-25 points / Medium
Readiness =
15-21 points / Low
Readiness =
14 points and below
SECTION A SUMMARY: LEADER’S TOTAL READINESS SCORE (OUT OF 100)
Sub-score for experience: / _____ out of 25 / Readiness level ______
Sub-score for skills: / _____ out of 25 / Readiness level ______
Sub-score for do what it takes / _____ out of 25 / Readiness level ______
Sub-score for values / _____ out of 25 / Readiness level ______
TOTAL READINESS SCORE: / _____ out of 100
LEADER’S READINESS LEVEL (Highlight one): HIGH MEDIUM LOW

High = 88-100; Medium = 87-60; Low = below 60

READINESS RUBRIC

SECTION B: CLUB MEMBERS’ READINESS

RATING/SCORE

EXPERIENCE:This section will help you assess the degree to whichclub members have previous experience with change in general and with this type of change in particular.

Answer the questions below by highlighting your score on the 5-point scale on the right.

Have club members successfully undergone change in any organization before?

/ All have
5 4 / Some have
3 2 / Few have
1

Have club members successfully undergone change in your club before?

/ All have
5 4 / Once or Twice
3 2 / Never
1

Have club members experienced change in any organization or club unsuccessfully?

/ Few have
5 4 / Some have
3 2 / All have
1

Do club members have previous successful experience in the technical content area of the change strategy?

/ A great deal
5 4 / Some
3 2 / None
1

If club members’ experiences have been negative, are they willing to take a leap of faith now?

/ Definitely
5 4 / Perhaps
3 2 / Few will
1
EXPERIENCE SUBTOTAL: Add your points scored for questions B1-B5. The total point score for “experience” is ______out of 25 possible points.
Therefore, club members’ readiness level regarding experience is:
(Highlight one) HIGH, MEDIUM, LOW. / High
Readiness =
22-25 points / Medium
Readiness =
15-21 points / Low
Readiness =
14 points and below

READINESS RUBRIC

(Continued)

SECTION B: CLUB MEMBERS’ READINESS

RATING/SCORE

REQUIRED SKILLS:This section will help you assess to what degree club members have the required skills and knowledge for this change strategy?.

Answer the questions below by highlighting your score on the 5-point scale on the right.

Have club members demonstrated expertise in the content required by this change strategy?

/ Consistently
5 4 / Sometimes
3 2 / Infrequently
1

Do club members have formal training in the technical content required by this change strategy?

/ A great deal
5 4 / Some
3 2 / Little
1

Are training, research, and/or other resources available in the content required by this change strategy and will club members use them?

/ A great deal
5 4 / Some
3 2 / Little
1

Are club members aware of what they do not know and are they candid about it?

/ Completely
5 4 / Somewhat
3 2 / No
1

Are club members willing to learn together when the skills/knowledge are just emerging?

/ Eagerly
5 4 / Somewhat
3 2 / Seldom
1
REQUIRED SKILLS SUBTOTAL: Add your points scored for questions B6-B10. The total point score for “required skills” is _____ out of 25 possible points.
Therefore, club members’ readiness level regarding required skills is:
(Highlight one) HIGH, MEDIUM, LOW. / High
Readiness =
22-25 points / Medium
Readiness =
15-21 points / Low
Readiness =
14 points and below

READINESS RUBRIC