Thanks to Business Coaching Advantage for this article.
We sat down with Rebecca Scott Rawn, a senior leader in the healthcare industry and a Registered Corporate Coach™, and co-creator of a new program called “AIM Changer – Embrace change. Lead better.” By the end of our conversation, we were ready to sign up!
Learn more about AIM Changer and connect with us to bring it in-house.
Below are the highlights of our conversation with Rebecca, which include some game-changing perspectives for coaches and leaders alike.
M: Tell me a little about the program you’ve created. How did it come about?
- R: AIM Changer was created based on conversations my sister and I have been having for years as each of us navigated leadership positions in a variety of industries. My sister has extensive experience in change enablement, tools for change management, and leading through change. I, like many leaders in organizations, have no experience with change management tools! Yet I found myself leading lots of change and being responsible for both small and massive transitions.
M: How would those conversations with your sister go?
- R: In those conversations, I came in feeling overwhelmed by the changes I was leading. After speaking with my sister for a little while, I’d come away with more structure to my thinking, more awareness around what I already know and bring to the table, and new ideas to action, I felt more confident knowing that “I’ve got this.”
- We took those conversations, along with our coaching and learning design expertise, and rolled them into a program for people who may not have a sister like mine.
M: What a great story. I understand that you and your sister are both certified coaches, among your other professional achievements. How does coaching factor into your program design?
- R: The program is designed to invite active reflection around the kinds of changes that people are experiencing. So many leaders are being bombarded with change without even realizing it. An example of change that might come to mind is the formal introduction of a new technology system. However, a new person joining the team, or an office move, are also examples of changes to which leaders may not apply change management processes, yet these are often the situations where leaders get a lot of resistance from their people.
- Just as in coaching, we help leaders understand their own relationship to change first. Do they adapt easily to change, or are they more resistant? The more aware they become about how they handle change themselves, the better able they are to support others through change.
M: And it’s meant to be an intimate group, right?
- R: Yes, we’ve created a highly interactive experience for meaningful conversations, and we’ll provide the structure and tools to help leaders manage even more effectively through change.
M: And you offer organizations the option to host this program in Whistler? How did that come about?
- R: Yes, it’s right in the heart of Whistler. My sister made a major change herself by moving there with her family a few years ago. We want people to get out of their everyday environments and be inspired by the surroundings. And our motto is, “you get more done when you have more fun.”
M: What do you want people to take away from the program?
- R: First, that leading change is a key skill for all leaders these days, not just those with formal change management roles. Our program helps leaders gain confidence to lead through all the changes they face, big or small, chosen or imposed.
- Second, that our participants will discover what my sister and I learned through our conversations; that they know far more about change than they may realize, and with a bit of structure and some great conversations, they've “got this” themselves. Through conversations, self-reflection and learning from our years of experience, they will walk away with the ability to gain commitment from others, align their teams and fast-track change in their organizations. And we’ll have a little fun along the way!
M: Sounds like a strengths-based approach for sure. I can think of a few leadership coaches who will want to attend. Last question: who is your target audience?
- R: We’re aiming to attract leaders in organizations who are looking for a different perspective on leading change. AIM Changer is not about project plans and stakeholder maps, it’s about getting to the heart of what causes people to actually change their perspective and behavior, and ultimately helping organizations to change their culture and results.
It sounds like a highly relevant and worthwhile program to us and we’re delighted that Rebecca and her sister can bring their coaching expertise and change knowledge to the world in this way. We hope it can inspire the coaches and leaders in our network alike. Learn more here.