In this episode of the Strategy & Leadership Podcast, we're joined by Ryan Walter. For over 20 years, Ryan has consulted for organizations, including Fortune 500 companies. His advisory firm, Parrels, helps organizations overcome challenges and undergo transformation.
Ryan's rich experience guiding teams through organizational change and helping the grow internally makes him a great voice for those about to undergo their own strategic planning process. Like us, he is passionate about helping companies go from point A to point B and the journey in between.
Some of the things Ryan covered in our interview include:
- Working with small versus large organizations
When it comes to getting from point A to point B, both small and large organizations face some of the same challenges, and have difficulties defining where they want to go. However, while smaller organizations are usually able to move faster, they can sometimes have trouble seeing above the day-today.
- Solutions for leaders looking to make a transformation
When an organization undergoes a significant transformation, leaders sometime overlook what's in it for everyone else. While most people generally don't like change, it's important to remember that everyone brings a different perspective and will interpret change differently.
- Why people don't like change
Generally, people are hesitant to embrace change because it comes with a lot of uncertainty, and when change is communicated poorly, people jump to worst case scenarios. As far as accepting change, it may come down to the right place and the right time.
- Things to avoid
One common mistake organizations make is focusing too much on the actual announcement of what's to come. It's important to remember to communicate for the sake of understanding, rather than just checking a box to say you communicated.
If you're planning a strategic planning session,
consider some of the benefits of using a facilitator:
