Our Products and Tools

There are five common methods or structures that people use to manage their work. They are:

1) Identity and Direction setting

2) Process flow

3) Project management

4) Meetings

5) Working relationships and teamwork

These general structures underlie the specific content and particular operations of our daily work. Each has a unique language, set of skills and tools. The five structures can be powerful containers to channel a flow of positive change or improvement.

This page contains complimentary tools and models, how-to products for purchase, links to other valuable sites and tips for change agents, organization development practitioners and leaders at all levels.

 

Identity and Direction

Team or Project Charter
A charter is a tool that sets Identity and Direction. Charters can be formatted a variety of ways. They can include a variety of elements of your choosing. This is one format that can guide the formation of your team and the definition of your project, governance, mission and goals. Download

Interview Questions for Project Managers, Team Leaders and Administrative Support
This is a useful tool for project leaders and new teams as they seek to clarify the expectations of others and the purpose of their work. This tool is best used as an interview tool with project sponsors but it can also be used to interact with project stakeholders or “key players”. Use it during the DEFINE phase of your project and in the creation of your Charter or other foundation documents. Download

Yoga Practice
How we see ourselves determines how we present ourselves to the world and thus influences our feedback -- the reflection back from the world. There are many phrases that point to this dynamic. “Where you start is where you end up,” or “We create our own reality” -- perhaps not instantly but moment to moment and gradually over time. This is a conscious activity. How much effort and consciousness will you bring to your daily life? How much focus are you willing to invest in yourself – - the quality of your life, your relationships, your wellbeing? Learning about organizational change starts with experiencing the fire of personal change. Spark that flame with your Wish to Grow. Download

 

Healthy Organizations

Ten Ways to Build a Healthy Organization: The potential for health and vitality, in individuals and organizations, is always present, waiting to be unleashed. "Unhealthy workplaces" with out-of-balance cultures are, in fact, full ofcreative potential. To remove the blocks to vitality, and re-focus the flow of creativity released in the process, start with a clear understanding of what you and your organization are aiming for — health. Download this complimentary tool.

Creating Health by balancing stability and change: One of the primary roles of a Leader is as a designer of health. There are two primary and underlying design elements leaders use to create and sustain healthy systems. Download this complimentary tool to better understand your design preferences and to begin your own organization design process.

Facilitative Leadership model: (Facilitative) Leadership is the individual’s or organization’s capacity that enables profound change,improvement and fulfillment. Facilitative Leadership is gained through awareness, practice and experience. Download this complimentary tool to gain a visual overview of the role of Facilitative Leadership and how it interacts with all levels of an organization.

Practices and Principles of Healthy Organizations: A healthy organization effectively and efficiently achieves its goals and realizes its vision, which includes and benefits all involved. How do we claim this health in our organizations for the long term, after the idea has caught on and daily work is about sustaining rather than creating the organization’s health? Download this complimentary tool for some practices and principles of healthy organizations and some simple ways you can get started in your journey toward health.

Defining Healthy Systems: In this article, the semantics of the words "Health" and "Systems" are explored. Download this complimentary article to gain a better understanding of what defines a healthy system.

 

Culture

COMMUNICATION, LISTENING AND FEEDBACK - Models and Tools: A few frameworks to support better communication and provide a reference for groups: Overview of two Models of the Communication Process, bullet lists for defining Effective Listening and Effective Feedback, chart of Common Barriers to Communication and What to Do About It , and three models of Language Frameworks for Communication. Download this complimentary tool.

Schein's Cultural Iceberg Model - Designing & Creating A Culture That Works: Visual representation and definitions for the three components in creating a culture that works: Basic Assumptions, Values, and Artificacts. Download

Schein's Cultural Iceberg Model - Specific example using CIA's DSS: Side by side model of the components of culture and how those components play out in the specific culture of the CIA’s Diplomatic Security Service (DSS). Good visual tool for understanding Basic Assumptions, Values, and Artificacts. Download

 

Relationships & Teams

COMMUNICATION, LISTENING AND FEEDBACK - Models and Tools: A few frameworks to support better communication and provide a reference for groups: Overview of two Models of the Communication Process, bullet lists for defining Effective Listening and Effective Feedback, chart of Common Barriers to Communication and What to Do About It , and three models of Language Frameworks for Communication. Download this complimentary tool.

 

Meetings

Sample Agenda: Download this complimentary tool. It will provide assistance for time management, goal setting, process and role clarification.

Thinking, Speaking and Acting Like Facilitator: Download this complimentary tool. It's a tip sheet of Words and Phrases to use in your meetings.

 

Design and Change

A Navigational Map for Change Initiatives and Projects: This Organizational Development tool gleans its content from the book, The Dance of Change, by Peter Senge. It provides not only a cheat-sheet and reminder of the wisdom in the book but also a checklist of items to attend to in change initiatives and projects, large and small. This tool is also helpful as a framework in creating employee surveys on Employee Engagement and Management Practices. Download this complimentary tool.

Assess your Knowledge Skills and Abilities (KSAs): Management KSAs for Organizational Change and Vitality. Use this evaluation form to provide a benchmark regarding your various KSA levels. Download this complimentary tool.

 

Project Management

Interview Questions for Project Managers, Team Leaders and Administrative Support:This is a useful tool for project leaders and new teams as they seek to clarify
the expectations of others and the purpose of their work. This tool is best used as an interview tool with project sponsors but it can also be used to interact with project stakeholders or “key players”. Use it during the DEFINE phase of your project and in the creation of your Charter or other foundation documents. Download this complimentary tool.

Team or Project Charter: A charter is a tool that sets Identity and Direction. Charters can be formatted a variety of ways. They can include a variety of elements of your choosing. This is one format that can guide the formation of your team and the definition of your project, governance, mission and goals. Download this complimentary tool

 

Corporate and Individual Wellness

The Yoga of Leadership and Healthy Systems Model, Practices and Associated Questions to Create and Sustain Health: Use this tool to assess your organization’s readiness to create and sustain vitality, productivity and purpose. Download this complimentary tool.

Yoga Practice #1 - A Meditation of Breath and Awareness: Start wherever you are at this very moment. There is no need to change your immediate circumstance for this yoga practice. Download this complimentary yoga routine.

Yoga Practice #2: Please visit The Movement Center for more information regarding the practice of Yoga and a schedule of up-coming yoga events.

Yoga Practice #3: How we see ourselves determines how we present ourselves to the world and thus influences our feedback -- the reflection back from the world. There are many phrases that point to this
dynamic. “Where you start is where you end up,” or “We create our own reality” -- perhaps not instantly but
moment to moment and gradually over time. This is a conscious activity. How much effort and consciousness will you bring to your daily life? How much focus are you willing to invest in yourself – - the quality of your life, your relationships, your wellbeing? Learning about organizational change starts with experiencing the fire of personal change. Spark that flame with your Wish to Grow. Download the yoga routine.