Modernization

Navigating Transitions Workshop

Navigating Transitions:  Understanding, Leading, and Coaching Staff Through Transformational Change

“Navigating Transitions” was a full day workshop facilitated by the Business Transition Training Team to the SSP and APD/AAA leadership teams across DHS. The workshops were created to prepare leadership teams for the inevitable changes facing the agency, while also providing them the tools and resources to work with line staff to prepare them for the changes. Workshop topics included techniques to plan for change, assistance identifying the attitudes, reactions and responses to change, developing personalized skills to adapt to change, and tools to effectively lead through the transition.  A variety of organization and leadership models were presented. This format allowed participants to identify useful change management tools, including “The 5 elements of Organizational Change” and the “ADKAR” model.

“Navigating Transitions” workshops started in October and were completed by December. The team completed 18 leadership workshops statewide, comprised of over 260 participants.  Train-the-trainer sessions were also held so that DHS trainers throughout the agency could consider implementation to their teams. These sessions are the foundation of the Department’s approach to change management and will be built upon through other change management activities, training and communications. These include the Change Leader team, other leadership training and the monthly APD newsletter section “Pocket Change”.

Each participant was asked to complete an evaluation of the workshop. Of the responses, general feedback was positive and appreciative.

Themes from the evaluations include:

• 97% of participants would recommend the session to others
• 100% of the participants felt they were treated with respect.
• 65% percent of the participants rated their knowledge of the subject average or below prior to the attending session, while 91% rated their knowledge above average or better after attending.
• Many participants reported the workshop to be so successful they requested the workshops be  extended to line staff
• 92% of participants rated the speakers presentation above average or better
• Most participants reported the group activities and the trainers’ ability to engage with the crowd to be effective.
• Many suggested that the workshop needed more time and more examples of leadership and moving away from change resistance
• Participants complimented the materials presented, the trainers and the reference materials  provided
• Over half of the respondents requested electronic copies of the presentation material to refer to later.
• When asked if the information was valuable to their jobs, 96% of participants rated the information Above Average or better, with two thirds indicating excellent!

Please refer to the links in our Navigation Pane for more about Navigating Transitions!