Our client had begun an intensive review of one its major student services. A project manager was overseeing the project and work was going to plan. However, nobody had consulted with the staff who actually provided the service for the students and they were feeling cynical, disengaged, and in some cases rebellious. The project manager was aware that this could sabotage their best laid plans and called us for support. We started with some free advice - brief people thouraghly about what is happening and why - and let them ask questions. Then we ran some focus groups with the staff involved to:
- find out what they were thinking and feeling
- allow people to vent their frustrations
- find out what would cause people to resist the change
- find out what would enable people to support the change
- gather information about how things were done on the ground.
The sessions were very successful and led to a number of changes that ensured the project accounted for the values and practices that made the current service effective.