Embedding change doesn\u2019t have to mean big workshops or long meetings. It can be small, intentional shifts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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- Use existing meetings to reflect on what\u2019s working and what\u2019s not.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Try one new habit or tool at a time e.g., a shared task board, a weekly priorities check-in.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Ask: \u201cWhat\u2019s one thing we could do differently this week?\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
2. Let go of what no longer serves you<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
When everything feels urgent, it\u2019s hard to see what\u2019s important. But not everything can, or should, continue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A thought from one of our Managers:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/blogs.canterbury.ac.uk\/staffdevelopment\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/602\/2025\/10\/wall-3755992_1280.jpg\")
<\/span>\n\u201cWe\u2019ve introduced new ways of working, but people are still doing everything they were doing before, just with fewer hands. It\u2019s not resistance to change, it\u2019s exhaustion. We need to help people see what they can let go of, not just what they need to take on.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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You can review team tasks and ask:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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- What can stop? What can be reduced? What can be paused?<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Use Positive Performance Conversations to explore this with individuals.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Be brave about letting go of legacy processes that no longer add value.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
3. Make time visible<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Often, it\u2019s not that people don\u2019t want to embed change, it\u2019s that they don\u2019t feel they have permission to prioritise it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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- Block time in calendars for reflection, planning, or process improvement.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Encourage \u201cworking on the work\u201d not just doing the work.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Celebrate when people make space for change, even in small ways.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
4. Share the load<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
You don\u2019t have to do it all yourself. Embedding new ways of working is a team effort.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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- Invite team members to lead on small improvements.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Create space for peer learning, and share what approaches are working.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Use existing networks or communities of practice to share ideas.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
5. Be kind to yourself and others<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Change takes time. If you\u2019re feeling behind, you\u2019re not alone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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- Acknowledge the pressure and the progress.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Focus on momentum, not perfection.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Remind yourself: embedding change is part of the work, not separate from it.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
![\"A](\"https:\/\/blogs.canterbury.ac.uk\/staffdevelopment\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/602\/2025\/10\/simone-dinoia-AFEw9HLI01g-unsplash.jpg\")
<\/span>\nIt’s work in progress…<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
6. Revisit team purpose and priorities<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
This is a valuable moment to step back and ask: What are we here to do now? Not to redesign the team, that\u2019s already happened, but to redefine how the team works within the new structure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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- Reflect on how the restructure has impacted your team\u2019s priorities.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Consider what\u2019s changed in terms of capacity, focus, and expectations.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Be selective: where can your team add the most value now?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Tools like the Team Canvas<\/strong><\/a> can help facilitate these conversations, offering a structured way to explore purpose, roles, values, and ways of working. You might also want to join our upcoming Harnessing Employee Voice Workshop<\/strong><\/a>, which is designed to help teams co-create new ways of working together.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This kind of reflection doesn\u2019t need to be time-consuming \u2014 even a short conversation can help clarify direction and reduce the pressure to \u201cdo it all.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Want to explore this further?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Here are some useful resources:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Book onto the Introduction to Continuous Improvement Workshop<\/strong><\/a> (team sessions are available \u2013 please contact us<\/a><\/strong> if this is of interest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Leadership and Management Toolkit \u2013 Managing Workload<\/strong><\/a> and Transition Tool<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n