Nowlab offers a range of bespoke practical training programmes to help your organisation explore the potential of becoming next stage.
Our highly successful, four workshop series, has been attended by over 100 organisations across the South West. Initially sponsored by the RSA (Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufacturers and commerce), and delivered as an open program, a bespoke version is now available. Tailored to your specific needs, it can be delivered in house, or off site.
Workshop One
Explores the challenges traditional organisational structures present when trying to; deliver flexible products and services, create an engaged workforce, and respond quickly to shifting market needs, and competition. The group explores the potential of a new approach to organisational structure which can be much more responsive, empowering and engaging.
Workshop Two
Introduces wholeness, which encourages people to bring their whole selves to their work. Teams will explore the impact of adopting a ‘professional’ mask in their work place. Being yourself and holding a space where others can be themselves, creates healthier, more productive and responsive businesses.
Workshop Three
Introduces ‘Evolutionary Purpose’. We know that, whilst mission and vision statements sound like a good idea, they rarely add value to your business, or inspire your workforce. So, what can inspire and engage? Your teams will explore the benefits of adopting an evolutionary purpose, allowing teams to actively respond to market shifts. Rather than doggedly following a five year plan, as it slow drift out of touch with the present.
Workshop Four
Sometimes seen as a bit of a holy grail ‘Self-Management’ is an approach based on peer relationships rather than top down direction. This is not to be confused with people simply taking responsibility for their work. Self-Managing organisations have found new ways to enable their teams to take full responsibility and be accountable for daily decisions and spend. They require less administrative support and invite teams to be more directly involved with their customers, suppliers and other stakeholders.
Next stage organisations have found simple and effective ways to release their full human potential. They are engaging, innovative places to work, demonstrating increased efficiency, responsiveness, and profitability. We have designed ‘Next Stage Labs’, as a way of sharing these innovations across the South West.
A ‘Next Stage Lab’ is a space where your teams learn the latest tools, and techniques from next stage organisations, applying them directly to live challenges and opportunities.
It does not matter what you bring into these labs; a need for innovation, agility, resilience, staff engagement, or customers satisfaction. The result is the same. A deeper understanding of your hidden potential, and practical tools and techniques for releasing it.
Facilitated at first, these labs quickly become exciting independent spaces of transformation, that continue to deliver results, long after we have left.
Every time your teams enter your Next Stage Lab they will;
• Develop their understanding of how the situation is experienced by each member of the team. This can also be expanded to include clients, suppliers, and other stakeholders.
• Identify individual and team priorities.
• Apply a range of ‘next stage’ tools and techniques to the opportunity or challenge.
• Plan a range of experiments, and intervention to improve and utilising the situation.
• Review their findings from their previous Lab.
We will work with your organisation as your walk your Journey to becoming a Next Stage Organisation.
Simple Overview
- The most senior members of the organisation develop a deep understand, of what this transition means to them personally, and in terms of their professional practice.
- All members of the organisation learn how to tune into the thousands of little changes that need to come together to unveil the natural next stage of your organisation.
- Every member of the organisation needs to hold themselves and each other accountable for the new way of working, noticing when the organisation is being pulled back into its traditional form.
Detailed Overview
Step One - CEO
Working with real life examples the CEO will:
- Explore how their current mental model of an effective organisation, shapes their organisation.
- Be introduced to a new mental model for reimagining the next stage of their organisation.
- Identify the personal work required to ‘let go’ of any thinking wedded to the traditional model, shifting their thinking into this new space.
- Develop their new narrative, essential to supporting the whole organisation during its transition.
Step Two – CEO and Exec Team
Working with real life examples the CEO and exec team will;
- Develop understanding of the teams current mental models and how these shape their practice and the organisation.
- Identify the work required to ‘let go’ of traditional thinking and shift into this new space.
- Identify the support required by the exec team, and how this might be best met, via peer support.
- How utilise the collective intelligence of the organisation to find the organisations ‘next stage’.
- How to spot when tradition is calling the organisation to return to its old self.
Step Three – Listening In – Organisational Immersion
Working across the whole organisation on live examples we will support you and your staff as you journey towards your next stage organisation.
- We will support your staff as they learn to thrive in the new space created by the exec team.
- Offer up a new lens through which your staff can reimagine their contribution to the organisation.
- Support your teams in identifying the pull of the organisation to return to traditional ways of working.
Step Four – Change Support
Throughout your Journey we will be available to support individuals and teams as they change their behaviours, practices, and processes.
- Light touch coaching when people bump up against a challenge they cannot solve
- Training in process re-engineering, or reimagining of the practical day to day work
- Rapid prototyping and experimentation, or both social and technical aspects
- Breaking old habits and finding new connections and relationships.
Throughout the process there will be regular touch points with the CEO and Exec team to ensure awareness of progress, highlighting any wider strategic challenges that require support.
By its nature, next stage transition is unique to the individual company. Requiring different levels of investments based on the complexity and size of the organisation.
