Sparking Conversations at Stockport Homes

Fierce Conversations is helping teams at Stockport Homes to hold effective meetings to manage change, determine priorities, and ensure differing perspectives are heard and respected.

Liz Chadwick heads up the organisational development team, which had adopted Fierce as part of its leadership development approach and its engagement priorities. “I have been really impressed how a simple question can spark a great conversation,” says Liz, of the Fierce Conversations approach.

Top right: head of organizational devlopment Liz Chadwick, spreading the word about Fierce. Other images of Stockport Homes' team discussing Fierce.

Top right: head of organizational devlopment Liz Chadwick, spreading the word about Fierce. Other images of Stockport Homes' team discussing Fierce.

Liz points to one example with Stockport Homes’ Neighbourhoods Service. They’ve been putting an ‘Engagement Plan’ in place that would assist them to communicate and manage some significant changes (including a restructure and joining of two teams into one) that they will be facing over the coming months and in the lead up to a move to a new HQ. 

And the simple question the team asked themselves was: ‘What’s the most important thing we should be taking about’.

 Liz explains:

 “This generated a lively and passionate discussion, where the unsaid was said and--to quote Fierce founder Susan Scott--before the conversation ended the change started to happen.”

 Liz continues:

“Since then the group have utilised Fierce’s beach ball model with the wider management team and staff, exploring perspectives to produce collaborative solutions. 

They have also become self-sufficient with this process, so I no longer facilitate the sessions, they do them themselves, checking in with me from time to time to discuss progress.”

 

Paul O'KeeffeComment