Managing Organizational Transition

Acquisitions, mergers, reorganizations, restructuring. These are just a few of the kinds of changes organizations everywhere are experiencing today. Creating new plans, systems, processes and solutions help manage the change, but none of these help manage the emotional turmoil that leaders and employees often experience during times of change. We can help leaders and employees remain productive and positive during times of change.

From the work of William Bridges, we understand that teams go through three predictable phases during change: 1) endings, 2) neutral zones and 3) new beginnings. Via interactive exercises we help teams create positive "endings." Whether your team is being re-organized, disbanded or starting something new, we help your team celebrate past successes and accomplishments. If your team is going to work together in the future, we can help them through the "neutral zone." This is the phase where teams have detached themselves from the old way of doing things, but have not completely embraced the "new beginning." Here we help teams find productive ways to transition between these phases. Lastly, we help teams build compelling visions, action plans and skills that will support the new future.

Activities and exercises that we take teams through to manage transition periods include:
  Team assessment/evaluation
  Creation of team visions, missions and charters
  Force field analysis to help teams know what activities will
   support versus detract from the vision
  Concrete action planning and contingency planning