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Berger Blog

Expanding the discussion of Generatonal issues in organizations, Leadership, and Individual & Professional Growth.

Are we willing...?

Friday, July 02, 2004

I was talking with a close colleague about a developmental program she facilitates. The program takes participants a full two-years to complete, with participant meeting monthly as a large group, weekly in small groups, and with two intensive two-week sessions in summers. It takes time. It takes attention. It takes energy. Both from the participants and on the facilitators.

She is just finishing with one cohort group and starting with another. The goal is a broad-based shift in the way the participants see themselves in the world, relative to their organization, relative to the people who work with and for them, and relative to themselves.

Their perspective changes.

Their language changes.

They change.

When I think about my own practice and when I talk to others who work on changing individuals and changing organizations, there is always a tension that is present. How much time will it take to really help people see the changes they report to want? What factors are keeping the people from seeing and making the change? Will the client give me the time to see this through? These are very legitimate questions that are always hanging around.

I spoke with her more about the outgoing group. They had written a final paper, of sorts, that gave them the time and the space to reflect – in fairly clear ways – about what the changes were they saw in themselves. By and large, it was a transformational experience. My colleague said that she really began to see a pronounced shift in people after the first year. The second year was there to push further and to build in this new space these people now inhabit.

A year. A year. How many organizations are willing to invest this much time? Actually, more than you think. But not enough. We are asking so much of people now – of leaders, of managers, of staffer. We are asking them to do more, think more critically, be more daring and creative, but expect them to rise to a new level after a week of leadership development or a few sessions with a strategic coach.

Are we ready to do more to help the people move to where they need to go to make a real difference in the future?
posted by Michael Berger, 9:56 PM

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