Magic Breakfast: Managing Change
Magic Breakfast is a fantastic charity which supports schools and local authorities in the UK to feed children and end child morning hunger for good.
Over recent years the charity has experienced rapid change, growing in numbers and reach as it aims to achieve its vision that no child or young person in the UK is too hungry to learn.
The team has grown from a small number of passionate people who were actively involved in all areas of the charity, to one with a clearly defined structure, distinct specialisations, and a people centred approach to delivering ambitious and impact-led objectives.
The Brief:
Deliver a solution which provides skills and tools, aligned to the core values of the charity, that individuals and teams can embed into their day-to-day practices and support key areas of focus.
- Encourage individuals to consider the impact of, and their response to, change.
- Enhance collaboration between peers and teams.
- Establish a common approach to giving and receiving feedback.
“We wanted to address some concerns relating to how some colleagues were responding to our evolution and growth. How could we support a positive approach to giving constructive feedback and challenge? The aim was for this to be in line with our values of being brave but also being compassionate.”
The Solution:
Phase 1 – Collaborative design
Following our initial scoping session with the HR director, we worked with 2 additional members of the SLT to understand the challenges and opportunities, and to discuss how the proposed solution could be practically applied.
“Really great exploration and scoping that enabled Elephants not Rhinos to help us get to the heart of what we wanted to address-and then great knowledge and experience of the tools, methods, theories that could help us”.
Phase 2 - Workshops
A 2-hour workshop, piloted with two teams, and eventually delivered organisation wide
Response to change:
By exploring the impact of change on individuals and teams, we provided a common language and approach to team collaboration. This provided the tools to address any personal challenges from new ways of working and offered opportunities to understand other perspectives.
Compassionate Candour:
We examined how feedback can be delivered with empathy, openness and a solution-oriented approach. Emphasising the need for positive conflict and compassionate feedback we introduced effective methods for providing constructive feedback and challenge.
Outcomes:
“The session was Hugely positive, smooth and enabling. We now have a framework and a shared language, and we have equipped managers, individuals and teams with tools to address their concerns as well as find a positive approach. As a result, we’re seeing much more dialogue and openness.”