Changemakers

How often do you find yourself running into problems at work? Whatever the answer, don't worry: it's natural. Don't feel like you are doing something wrong if you can't figure out your next move, are having trouble communicating with your peers, or have noticed that your meetings aren't getting your team anywhere. These issues and all of the other problems we run into at work are just a part of the day-to-day, you aren't alone in feeling stuck or hurt by them. However, the fact that they are so common is unfortunate. It's not fair for you to have to deal with these issues when all you want to do is get your work done from start to finish. But when you run up against one of the many recurring issues we often find in the workplace, it might make you start to wonder if it's time for a change.

That's where the power of a Changemaker comes in. 

What is a Changemaker?

Changemakers are few in number, but they're always among our peers. They have a special ability to make things happen and get change moving in the workplace and beyond. They make change "stick", because they know what needs to happen and how to make it happen.

There are three things that make up a Changemaker's ideology.

• They put the good of the organization first
• They make authentic human connection
• They treat change as a process, not an event.

Most people are very good at one of these things. Some people have mastered two. A Changemaker is one of the rare few who is able to do all three, and through these skills they are prepared to tackle any challenge that arises before them. Changemakers make change stick!

On this Webpage:

• What are the benefits of being a changemaker?
• What is Putting the Good of the Organization First?
• What is Making Authentic Human Connection? 
• How Do I Treat Change as a Process, Not an Event?
• But What if I Already do These?
• Changemakers Trainers and Coaches
• Changemakers Resources and Primer Trainings

• Saves Time and Money
  • If you're a leader in your organization, you probably spend a lot of time worrying that you're taking too long on your deliverables and looking at your budget to make sure things stay in your parameters. With Changemakers, you can kiss that stress goodbye. Changemakers helps you figure out stable timelines and accurate monetary constraints before your projects ever begin, and you'll learn easier ways to keep tabs on both while staying on top of your other work as well.
  • The Changemakers program pays for itself after just one session in benefits. By the second, you're already making money back!
• Reduces Pain
  • Dealing with problems day in and day out is draining and can take time away from other projects that need doing. This can be very painful, with literal headaches and stress as you stretch yourself to reach your goals. With Changemakers, you'll learn how to better implement strategies to reduce pain, such as process improvement to help you manage tasks that have gotten out of hand and advanced facilitation for superfluous, ineffective meetings.
• Eliminates Churn and Makes People Happier
  • We all want to take care of our fellow employees and ensure that we all are safe and healthy in our workplace. Any workplace change is inevitably going to affect everyone in some way or another. In Changemakers, you'll learn ways to rise to meet change and follow its flow to lessen the churning swirl of the day-to-day.
  • As problems grow in size, they sweep up more and more of our coworkers into their path, and then nobody's happy. This is an understandable reaction, but not a beneficial mindset. Changemakers helps you understand the core concepts of Emotional Intelligence within both yourself and your peers, and gives you the chance to practice putting it into effect with your classmates.
• Makes People Promotable
  • Changemakers is designed to bring out the innate talent in the members of our cohorts, helping a candidate stand out among their contemporaries. But beyond making sure you are the best you can be when you finish our program, we also help you look for that same talent in others in your organization, and give you the skills to help them unlock their potential. You'll be able to find the people who you should promote within your organization because of their unique skills, and you'll know what steps to take to bring out the best in them.
• Makes Better Workdays, Increases Influence, and Makes the Future Brighter
  • There are mountains of issues that we have to prepare ourselves to face every day. Dealing with them can leave us drained, cranky, and anxious about the days to come. Changemakers aims to help you deal with those feelings and teach you ways to solve your issues. The program will teach you communication strategies and suggest ideas for process improvement to help with day-to-day tasks, project management, and employee relationships. We believe that if we make our own day better, we can make the days of those around us better too.
  • If you're looking to leave your mark and make your ideas known, Changemakers can help. You'll learn ways to identify moments of importance where you can make your opinion known, ways to approach your peers with suggestions to help them better themselves and how to get over feeling unworthy of making those suggestions, and skills to build meaningful relationships with everyone in your workplace. That way you'll be able to look to the future with a smile, not trepidation.
    

What is Making Authentic Human Connection? 

To move us forward as humans, as individual contributors, as workers, as leaders, as members of an organization, as participants of a change, we have to know that someone else cares about us and is authentically interested in our wellbeing. Someone else sees us, hears us, cares about us. Someone else takes time to communicate with us, connect with us, listen to us. Without that, we'll feel like just a cog in a cold, unfeeling machine. Making connections grounds us, makes us feel welcomed and erases feelings of loneliness. We feel like we can relate to someone. Workers are humans, not robots. Changemakers understand this, and understand that everyone has limits. Health and safety of employees are just as important as efficiency, and Changemakers can build that connection to help understand what a person needs, and makes them feel heard.

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How Do I Treat Change as a Process, Not an Event? 

BACK TO TOP

But What if I Already do These?

Many people make authentic human connection. 

• • You know these folks – they’re leaders. They’re the people leaders you’ve known for ever, the favorite boss you’ve ever had, the one who always had your back, who created opportunities for you, who connected with you, understood you, influenced others in the organization, got things done without taking action items for themselves, navigated through tough conversations with even the stickiest of stakeholders, and still had a ready smile. They’re resilient, they’re calm, they’re emotionally intelligent, they collaborate with anyone.  They’re people-people. 

• • You know these folks too – they’re amazing project professionals, business analysts, data architects.  They’re engineers and process improvement specialists.  They deliver business value three ways to Sunday.  They put the good of the organization first at every opportunity. They always ask “how is this good for the organization?” They never take shortcuts, but they find the most efficient way forward. They know the facts, the figures, the process, the data, and their decisions are rock-solid, every time. They are dependable, trustworthy, and you can count on them to deliver proven results. 

• • You probably know a handful of these folks too – they pause for a moment and think about the emotions at the right time; they insist on communications before, during, and after times of transition. They say things like “slow down to move faster” and the make us pause engage in two-way communication. They have data that shows how important accountability is and they predict the dip in productivity that comes every time. They make time for meaningful celebration. They notice when someone needs some time to themselves.