Storytelling

Challenge

I am a computer science engineer working as a consultant and a couple of months ago I was  assigned in a new project with the Change Management team in a Bank that is changing its CORE  Banking System for a new (and different) one. This means that every software, application,  platform and channel of the bank is going to change in this case with a new software provider that  has not work with the bank before. The project is planned to last two years and there are three  countries involved, as this is an international bank.

Selection

The Change Management team’s goal, in projects like this one, is to help people as they go  through a transformation in their organization, joining them in their journey: guiding and  communicating appropriately so that they do not fear the uncertainty and adopt a learning  mindset. This is why I selected Storytelling as the tool to go: we are working hand in hand with  people and in order to help them we need to know them and understand them: their doubts, their  fears, their happy moments. We need to connect. Storytelling is a great way to do it.

Application

The first big opportunity to engage people into the project and talk to them is the Projects Kick  Off. This is a presentation that happens a couple of weeks after the Change Management team  recollects information,  gets to talk to some of the projects stakeholders and end users and then  analyses it and think about the needs in terms of communication that the team has.

As we were setting the material to present, we included stories from previous experiences in  transformation projects similar to this one with testimonies of the participants. We presented the  fact that the current CORE Banking system that they are using is leaving the whole organization  deprecated and out of competition, so everyone from the newest employee to the oldest bank  customer would be affected if this state remains. We, as a big but close team, should embrace the  change that is starting to happen and build the solid basis of an improve organization: stronger,  solid, updated and flexible. An organization with a learning mindset.

Insight

The meeting went great, people responded in a nice way and we managed to engage them in this  new path towards the new system. As the meeting developed, we started to have feedback and  stories from the banks employees as they shared their own experiences, fears, and what they  expected from this transformation.

Approach

Given that this bank has branches on 3 different countries, it would be better to have a  communicational event like this in each country. It is hard to connect with people in a conference  call because you can’t express that much over the phone. This time we had one Kick Off in one  country and the rest of the team was participating over the phone. Next time we will change that.


Storytelling Challenge I am a computer science engineer working as a consultant and a couple of months ago I was assigned in a new project with the Change Management team in a Bank that is changing its CORE Banking System for a new ( and different ) one . This means that every software , application , platform and channel of the bank is going to change in this case with a new software provider that has not work with the bank before . The project is planned to last two years and there are three countries involved , as this is an international bank . Selection The Change Management team ’s goal , in projects like this one , is to help people as they go through a transformation in their organization , joining them in their journey : guiding and communicating appropriately so that they do not fear the uncertainty and adopt a learning mindset . This is why I selected Storytelling as the tool to go : we are working hand in hand with people and in order to help them we need to know them and understand them : their doubts , their fears , their happy moments . We need to connect . Storytelling is a great way to do it . Application The first big opportunity to engage people into the project and talk to them is the Projects Kick Off . This is a presentation that happens a couple of weeks after the Change Management team recollects information , gets to talk to some of the projects stakeholders and end users and then analyses it and think about the needs in terms of communication that the team has . As we were setting the material to present , we included stories from previous experiences in transformation projects similar to this one with testimonies of the participants . We presented the fact that the current CORE Banking system that they are using is leaving the whole organization deprecated and out of competition , so everyone from the newest employee to the oldest bank customer would be affected if this state remains . We , as a big but close team , should embrace the change that is starting to happen and build the solid basis of an improve organization : stronger , solid , updated and flexible . An organization with a learning mindset . Insight The meeting went great , people responded in a nice way and we managed to engage them in this new path towards the new system . As the meeting developed , we started to have feedback and stories from the banks employees as they shared their own experiences , fears , and what they expected from this transformation . Approach Given that this bank has branches on 3 different countries , it would be better to have a communicational event like this in each country . It is hard to connect with people in a conference call because you ca n’t express that much over the phone . This time we had one Kick Off in one country and the rest of the team was participating over the phone . Next time we will change that .