INCLUDES: 2 PDF Canvasses + 1 A4 PDF Workshop Plan.

Purpose of the Tools

The ECD Exploring Team Change Workshop and Canvas, developed in collaboration with Denise Hartley-Wilkins, offer a structured approach for teams undergoing change. The tools are designed to help teams engage in a human-centred dialogue about the change and its emotional implications.

Problem It Solves: The Workshop and Canvas address the common challenge of managing the emotional aspects of organisational change. By facilitating open conversations about emotions, the tools help teams navigate change more smoothly, reducing the risk of conflict and disengagement during transition periods.

Canvas Overview: The ECD Exploring Team Change Canvas serves as a guide for teams to articulate the emotional aspect of their culture during transitions. It aids in planning and strategising how to best support the team's emotional wellbeing through the change.

Workshop Overview: The Workshop's primary focus is to bring a team together to discuss and map out their emotional response to change. It goes hand in hand with the Canvas. It's a space where teams can be open about their emotional reactions to change and plan how to handle it together. The workshop turns the often-ignored emotional side of change into a practical strategy for teams.

How The Canvas Works

Here’s what the Canvas does:

• Helps teams talk about current changes: It gives a structure for discussing the emotional impact of what's happening now.
• Encourages looking ahead: Teams imagine the feelings they want to have as they move forward.
• Guides action planning: It helps pinpoint the behaviours that will encourage positive feelings and manage negative ones.

And this is how the Canvas works:

• Teams fill out sections that cover everything from their current state, risks and opportunities, what they can and can’t control, to the feelings they want to encourage or avoid.
• It includes sections for 'Promote Behaviours' and 'Manage Behaviours' to actively shape the team’s culture.
• 'Critical Few' actions are identified for focus, and personal commitments are made to maintain this emotional environment.

You can choose between a detailed two-page version of the Canvas for an in-depth approach or a succinct one-page version for a quick session. Each style is designed to suit different needs and timescales, ensuring that every team can benefit from this tool, no matter their situation.

Summary of Workshop 

The workshop and canvas tackle the common problem where teams struggle to adapt to change because the emotional impact isn't addressed. They provide a way for teams to understand and support each other through transitions, leading to a more resilient and united group.

The Workshop is flexible, suited for 2-10 people but works for bigger groups too. In a 3-hour session, teams will:

• Start with Ice Breakers: A quick intro and then dive into how everyone's been feeling with the ECD Weekly Retro Activity.
• Look at the Current State: They'll spend an hour picking cards to represent their feelings about current changes, then discuss as a team.
• Envision the Future: In 30 minutes, they'll choose cards for the feelings they want and don't want, finding common ground.
• Decide on Behaviours: Another 30 minutes to talk about how to encourage the good feelings and handle the bad ones.
• Finish with Wrap Up & Actions: The last 20 minutes are for agreeing on the most important next steps and personal promises.

Workshop Outcome

By the end of the Workshop, the team will have a full picture of how they feel about the change, a vision for the next 6-12 months, and a solid plan to keep the team culture healthy as they go through the transition.

This Workshop and Canvas help teams transition from experiencing change to actively shaping their emotional journey, creating a more resilient and adaptive culture.