Force Field Analysis

Anyone who has worked with me knows I quite like this simple model of change management by Kurt Lewin -- equilibrium in the middle with forces for change on one side and forces resisting change on the other. Right now, I am living this model. I am the Agent of Change.

When I was interviewed for the job, the panel focussed on my experience of change management. I could tell from the members' magazine and other documents I read that the Trust was going through considerable change, but I should have asked more questions about what that meant at property level. In this region, key roles are disappearing and key individuals are moving on. At Blickling, all sorts of changes are happening (including my appointment), but there is no overarching plan. This makes it difficult to justify any change, large or small.

You may recall the shock waves caused by my assumption that everyone would use the Outlook calendars. This continues to cause problems. People miss updates and come in for meetings that have been moved, or fail to note the correct time. Very frustrating. Does anyone remember SOTFOT (Start on Time, Finish on Time)? It isn't the way it works here.

The regional marketing group are keen to use social networks like Twitter and Flickr to encourage visitors to record their experiences at Trust properties. But the Handbook explicitly asks people not to use mobile phones to take photos. Goodness knows why -- no reason is given.

I found an entertaining blog about a journalist's visit to Blickling, and sent the link to a couple of colleagues. Astonishment all round that people write these things (!).

Best of all -- I don't actually have to say or do anything to discover the resistors to change. As I walked through the office on Friday, someone asked me about a rumour she had heard that I was planning to turf a group of people out of their space to make room for my management team. Not a bad idea, just not one of mine.

I know what I need to do -- help everyone engage with change, so they don't feel it is being done to them. Encourage more flexible thinking so that change becomes less frightening. Welcome discussion about possible outcomes, rather than definite solutions. But mainly, make it OK to be worried, but not OK to say no.

To achieve this, I need to call on all my reserves. There are useful allies to be found in unlikely places. Quick wins are the top priority -- but the wins need to be for the changers, not the resistors. I suspect I will end up with a Workflow-type project, within the property. That in itself would be such an innovation, it might meet huge resistance. But did that stop me before? Volunteers welcome.

Welcome to 'The Archers'

I've had this sneaking impression at work that many of the issues I come across are familiar. Today it dawned on me -- they are all storylines from 'The Archers'.

Some of my followers may not listen to Radio 4 and the everyday story of country folk (don't think they call it that anymore). But the trials and tribulations of the Archers, Aldridges, Grundys, etc, could easily be transposed to Blickling. Everyone is related, or married, or disliked, or befriended. I'm sure I have unwittingly offended various people by being rude about their second cousin. It will be easier for me if I can continue to be oblivious to all these relationships.

Then there are the agricultural story lines. French cattle are more highly strung than British ones (really!) and more likely to start messing around with our visitors walking across parkland. Last week I picked up the phone to a lady reporting an incident with a herd of 25 heifers when she was walking on a footpath across a field. They hurtled past her 4 times before she found a stick to shake at them, and then they ran off. It is a frightening experience and we have to report the incident to our health and safety department. The tenant farmer was informed -- not that there was much he could do as the cattle were all quietly chewing the cud when my colleague the agricultural surveyor (yes, I have one of those) went to have a look.

I get emails telling me about cows that are due for retirement -- anyone interested in taking on several older red poll cattle? I don't think we have to send retirement cards.

Trouble occurs when the conservation aims of the Trust conflict with the business aims of our tenant farmers. At Blickling, the park -- which was once a deer park -- has a number of fields let to farmers for generations. Farm tenancies can be protected by Acts of Parliament (something else I didn't know) for up to 3 generations. The farmers can use the fields largely in any way they desire -- arable, grazing for sheep or cattle, or left to meadow. A survey of the park was done by the Trust over 20 years ago, and certain areas were identified to return to grazing when the opportunity arose, so the historic deer park landscape could be restored. But this means that a tenant is going to lose 'his' arable land, which spoils the balance of his business. The estate has tried to make this transition as easy as possible for the farmer over a number of years, but when it comes to the point of the change happening, he is unhappy. We have to put the tenancy out to tender, to comply with Charity Commission rules. This makes the existing tenant furious as he feels he should get first refusal. It doesn't feel like a happy ending.

And then there is the Aylsham Show, which happens at Blickling over the August Bank Holiday weekend. Who is off to the Borsetshire Show? All together now -- da-de-da-de-da-de-da da-de-da-de-da-da...