1.5 - About University

Past experience in your organization may have shown that attempts to change a particularprocess have been met with resistance, often even scuttled. Using this tool, a team or workgroupcan draw an interacting systems map, then use the map to improve the original changeproposal. They can then modify the change and action plans to deal with incompatibilitiesand conflicts among interacting systems. The interacting systems map can ultimately be usedas part of a successful change presentation.Place the proposed change in the center of a large sheet of paper or display board. Thenplace all the other systems that interlink with the change around the center. Draw arrows toillustrate connections. Next, consider each interacting system, and ask: “Will this interactingsystem support or hinder the proposed changes?”? For systems that are supportive of the change, ask: “How can we enhance or use thissupport to ensure successful change?”? For systems that are barriers to the change, ask: “How can we reduce this barrier tominimize its disruption to the proposed change?” or “How can we redesign our changeproposal to minimize the negative effect of this barrier?”? For systems whose impact on the proposed change is unknown, ask: “How can we getinformation about this system, to ensure it does not get in the way of our proposedchange?”H OW TO USE THIS LEADERSHIP TOOL“More than 95 percent of your organization’s problems derive from your systems, processes, and methods, notfrom your individual workers. Your people are doing their best, but their best efforts cannot compensate for yourinadequate and dysfunctional systems.”—Peter Scholtes, THE LEADER’S HANDBOOK1. On the worksheet provided, identify the systems that are likely to interact with yourchange proposal.? Which systems will support the proposed change?? Which systems will inhibit or be barriers to the recommended change?? What can you do to reduce, eliminate, or turn around these barriers?2. A tool such as this works best if it is adapted to each change task force’s unique needs.For example, consider the following steps:• Post sheets of flip chart paper to produce a large square.• Place the recommended change in the middle box.− Diagram all the subsystems that will interact with the recommended change.− Draw lines to show interrelationships.− Circle the supporting subsystems in green.− Circle the unknown impact subsystems in yellow.− Circle the subsystems that conflict or that you are concerned about in red.− Write action plans next to each subsystem.154 SECTION 5 TOOLS FOR LEADING CHANGE