Meeting the Challenge of

Change in Geek-Oriented

Companies with

Lucy Freedman

Welcome

Goal:

Increase our ability to add value in

high-tech workplaces by better

understanding their world and

engaging them where they are

Geeks are… “…the knowledge workers who specialize in the

creation, maintenance, or support of high technology.

They have job titles like programmer, product manager,

project manager, Quality Assurance engineer, system

designer, system architect, Web developer….

CIO, CKO, CTO….”

Why Is This Important?

• Economic engine

• They can really benefit

• It’s time to remove the firewall (if

there is one)

Missed Opportunities

• Executive role modeling

• Process improvement

• Product quality

• Retention of top talent

• Reputation with customers

It’s Hard to Watch This…

Agenda

• What changes deliver the most value?

• Setting the stage

• Do’s and don’t’s

• The SYNTAX approach

• Insights and motivators

• Clever hacks

Setting the Stage

OD and High Tech

• Parallel growth over half a century

• Culture gap

• Transformative technologies

• Corporations ARE people

• Huge upside potential for partnering

Purpose of OD /

Leadership Development /

Change Initiatives

• Increase profitability

• Adapt to new conditions

• Enhance culture

• Increase efficiency

• Manage crisis

OD Interventions

• Consulting Skills

• Negotiation Training

• Meeting Format

• Process Improvement

High Tech Workplaces

• Growing population

• Nature of the work

High Tech Workplaces

• Growing population

• Nature of the work

• Geek factor

Geek Factor

• Geek work is head work

• Relies on discretionary effort

• High need for collaboration

• Over- and under-assertive styles

• Low interest in leadership

“Sharing knowledge actually takes a huge

amount of communication and

documentation. This can be a problem for

people who both by personality and the

demands of focusing on mental work

have to isolate somewhat.”

--from Team Geek, by Brian Fitzpatrick

and

Ben Collins-Sussman

Need for Collaboration

Don’ts

• Don’t force participation

• Don’t target individuals to fix

• Don’t assume that geeks

are aware of their impact

• Don’t disrupt cultures that

are working

Do’s

• Provide clear structure

• Use data

• Help hack the system

• Respect work flows

• Recognize emotional risks

• Apply good design

Good Design

• Mostly invisible

• Guides behavior

• Supports business strategy

• Elegant

• Meets people where they are

SYNTAX = Structure

• Dovetails with culture and

business needs

• Has immediately observable

impact

• Feeds into multiple application

programs

• Covers full spectrum of styles

SYNTAX of INFLUENCE

• Aim frame

• Goal questions

SYNTAX: PLAN

SYNTAX: LINK

• Establish rapport

• Keep communication

open

SYNTAX: BALANCE

• Make clear, complete

requests and agreements

• Follow up

SYNTAX: INFORM

• Gather information from

their map

• Use what and how

questions

SYNTAX: LEARN

• Solicit and give feedback

• Try something new

Smart Work The Syntax Guide to Influence

Second Edition

Addressing the Challenge

• Facilitate, not impede

• Seed interest

• Allow low profile participation

• Use multiple platforms

• Be irreverent

• Rinse and repeat

Idea Exchange

What have we learned?

Insights that are helpful for

consulting in high-tech

organizations

What do they want?

Motivators for high-tech employees

to engage in organizational or

leadership development

Idea Exchange

Creative Interventions

• Two leaders: TL and TLM

Creative Interventions

• Two leaders: TL and TLM

• Develop tribe-to-tribe links

Creative Interventions

• Two leaders: TL and TLM

• Develop tribe-to-tribe links

• No-meetings Thursdays

Creative Interventions

• Two leaders: TL and TLM

• Develop tribe-to-tribe links

• No-meetings Thursdays

• Design interdependence

Creative Interventions

• Two leaders: TL and TLM

• Develop tribe-to-tribe links

• No-meetings Thursdays

• Design interdependence

• Bring food – intermittently!

With thanks to Brian Fitzpatrick, Ben Collins-

Sussman, Paul Glen, Dave Logan

Change Readiness Factors

• Valid business case for change

• Linkage between HR/OD and

technical departments

• Rumblings beneath the surface

• Opening to ask for help

• Ability to meet immediate need

within change framework

More Ideas

• Change Readiness Assessment https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/BL8B8KV

• Successful Change Strategy

Session

• Team Geek

• Leading Geeks

• Smart Work

• SYNTAX Messenger (e-zine)