Change management

Discerning the need for change, acting promptly and leading change with confidence is the defining characteristic of contemporary leaders.

Gerald works with leaders who want a productive, innovative and change-positive organisation, and who need help to make necessary change happen. The key to making change stick is culture. Leading culture change requires an investment up-front in defining the change that is sought in a sufficiently detailed way that staff can understand the new behaviours, practices and work processes required. Then there needs to be time and space for staff to ‘come to’ the change, as they explore new ways of working, experience the difference that makes and develop new ways of thinking and talking about their reality.

Working with another consultant, Stephen Neal, Gerald delivered a significant change initiative for the Policy Group at the Ministry of Justice. The initiative was designed to achieve the Deputy Secretary’s aspirations for a work style that was more collaborative, conversational, consultative, iterative, faster paced and informal. The change initiative involved three connected elements:

• helping the whole Group learn its way into a new way of working, through a deliberate process of discovery and sharing new insights
• understanding and applying the requirements for effective relationships, based on the idea of policy staff having influence as relationship leaders
• strengthening the management of change, by helping those in management roles improve their teamwork and the specific skills needed to lead the desired change.

“We have come a long way since you came into the Group to assist with different ways of working. We have valued your contribution immensely and enjoyed working with you towards a new way of thinking and doing. We are excited to continue this journey and feel well equipped to do so.”
Deputy Secretary Policy, Ministry of Justice