Course: The Power of Feedback During Change Initiatives
Course Outline: Feedback Driven Change — Designing Adaptive Organisations
Who this is for and not for
- For emerging leaders and frontline managers (across professional services, retail and logistics) working in Sydney, Melbourne or Brisbane
- At an intermediate level: all participants run small teams/ project workstreams now, and will be required to lead or co design change initiatives over the next 6 to 12 months; they'll also have had some exposure to positive psychology in the workplace as a topic
- Cohort size is aimed between 12 to 18 participants per programme perfect for role play / peer feedback)
Optimal duration, format and delivery (randomised)
- Duration: 3 × 2 hour live virtual workshops plus half day in person consolidation clinic (hybrid delivery)
- Pre work: 90 minute self paced module (micro e learning) with an organisational diagnostics survey
- Follow up:
- 6 week peer coaching pods with weekly 30 min check ins and manager observation checklist
Delivery mode: Hybrid, virtual for theory and simulation; face to face clinic for practice, roleplay and leadership coaching
Price and practical constraints
- Cost: $495 inc. GST/ learner for the blended pack (pre work, live works face to face clinic and six weeks of peer coaching)
- Locations (face to face clinic): rotations across Sydney CBD, Melbourne CBD & a single Perth satellite day travel subsidised for head office teams
- Platform: Learning Management System for pre work etc., Microsoft Teams / Zoom sessions virtual live delivered ones conversation cafe style
Maximum per cohort: 18 participants
- Confidentiality: All the workbooks and submissions are confidential between participant, their manager and facilitators
Programme rationale (short)
- Change programmes fail not due to faltering strategy but feedback links that just aren't there, are mis aligned or are just plain ignored. We sketch this profile for leaders who are called upon to make and hold change through both formal and informal feedback, not simply as a yardstick but as the engine of adaptation. This program infuses adult learning theory, practice led imagination and measurement to deliver tangible behaviour change among managers of front line transitions
Learning outcomes (behavioural or performance and criteria based)
By the end of the program, participants should be able to:
1. Draw (and use) a feedback architecture for a change project, whereby You plotted stakeholders, channels, cadence and governance
2. Lead a positive feedback discussion that overcomes resistance and results in specific commitments (based on roleplay scoring)
3. Iterate on its change tactics in 90 day sprints (as measured by pre/post change KPI delta) using formative feedback loops
4. Develop and read basic dashboards that turn qualitative insights into prioritised action (as assessed by a simulated dashboard exercise)
5. Coach a direct report to accept, respond to, and take action on feedback to enhance team change adoption (manager observation checklists)
6. Construct a succinct but defendable business case for the feedback mechanism (survey, focus group or digital stream) that consists of anticipated ROI
Assessment & measurement approach
- Pre programme diagnostics: baseline change readiness survey (participant + manager), and reflective short answer submission
- Formative assessment: roleplay performance rubrics scored by peers and facilitators for every workshop (rubric covering clarity, empathy, probing, action planning)
- Summative assessment: post programme implementation plan + 60 day snapshot of measures showing at least 1 measurable KPI improving (e.g., adoption rates, NPS for internal rollout, defect reduction)
- Manager verification: manager completing observation checklist at week 4 and week 8; and participant self rating form pre/post on confidence/capability scales with a target of +20% average improvement
- Organisational metric: optional, connect to one Business KPI for participating teams (e.g., reduced customer complaints by X% within 90 days)
- Evaluation method: Kirkpatrick levels 1 to 3 applied (reaction, learning behaviour); level 4 optional/negotiated with sponsor
Programme structure and session breakdown
Pre work (90 minutes)
- Micro module: Foundations of feedback in change, short videos, two case vignettes and a 10 question self audit
- Organisational diagnostics: short survey to capture baseline sentiment and top 3 change risks. Each participant attends with one real change they are making
Workshop 1 - Feedback Architecture and Stakeholder Mapping (2 hours, virtual)
Opening: pulse check spell the ground with diagnostics data
Module objectives: map stakeholders; decide feedback channels, cadence, governance
Activities - Breakout groups exercise in stakeholder mapping
Between 1 & 2 — Peer coaching pod session (30 minutes), Small groups of three to four, meet virtually to review the draft architecture and give peer feedback utilising a simple rubric
Workshop 2 — Change Conversations that Shift Resistance (1.5 hours, webinar)
- Module objectives: practice five fields of a change conversation; context, impact, curiosity, constraints and commitment
- Activities: mini teach on psychology of resistance; live roleplays in triads (actor, coach & observer); feedback on tone and follow up commitments
- Deliverable: recorded roleplay for own review and personal improvement plan for next two weeks
Between Week 2 & 3 — Asynchronous practice (2 weeks)
Participants to run two real feedback conversations at work, complete a written reflection (500 words max) and the manager observation checklist. Facilitator provides written coaching
Workshop 3 — Formative Feedback Loops and Data to Decisions (2 hours, virtual)
- Module objectives: convert qualitative signals into action; make a simple dashboard of flags and trends
- Activities: tool showcase (surveys, pulse tools, simple Excel dashboards), group hands on building of a dashboard from sample feedback sets, prioritisation matrix exercise
- Deliverable: one action plan with acceptance criteria and cadence for feedback reviews
Consolidation clinic (face to face) - Location to be rotated between cities
Practice under pressure, pitch to senior stakeholders and establish the executive briefing skills
- Sessions: live leadership simulation with multi stakeholder feedback (executives, HR, frontline), facilitated reflection else conclusion of 1x coaching slot
- Outputs: finalised rollout plan and a manager briefing pack (one page)
Six week peer coaching and implementation support
Facilitator engagement activities - Weekly 30 minute weekly touchpoint (n=3) - Optional drop in office hours with facilitator bi weekly
Feedback - Manager confirmation week 4, week 8
Content of module and suggested teaching/learning methods
1. Lesson Takeaways: Establish a foundation of the importance for feedback in invoking change
- Brief analysis on why change doesn't work out, discussion of myths (e.g., "more communication is always better")
Review stats and evidence: Speak to Prosci stats and local examples (please refer to Sources & Notes)
Discussion Round Robin Prompt: Leaders state most recent changes that worked and then provide reasons, compare signals
2. Mapping stakeholder and feedback types
- Tool: stakeholder heatmap (influence x impact)
Definition of feedback types corresponding to stakeholder profile: anonymous surveys for large operational population, small focus groups for technical staff, real time digital platforms for front line problems
- Activity: choose three stakeholders and develop a customised type of feedback for each
3. Making Questions that Get Action
- Short micro lesson on question construction: don't lead, surface the 'why', and seek solutions
- Practice: re write terrible survey questions into useable, diagnostic ones
4. Creating space for courageous conversations
- Framework: context → exploration → sense making → commitment → follow up
- Roleplay ideas: challenging scenarios (budget cuts, new tech rollout, schedule changes). Observers use a structured rubric
5. Turning qualitative insight into prioritised work
Methods: affinity mapping, root cause checks, quick A/B experiments
Exercise: 20 minute hackathon, from 60 feedback comments to three prioritised actions (with owners and timelines)
6. Governance, cadence and escalation
- Create a feedback governance board (a small cross functional committee)
- Cadences: daily stand signals on critical operations, weekly pulses with project teams, monthly summative review with leadership
- Template: escalation thresholds and decision rights
7. Tech enabled (a pragmatic guide, not prescriptive)
- Summary of typical tools and their limitations (pulse surveys, enterprise feedback tools, MS Forms, Slack channels)
- Governance and privacy implications
- Chalk and talk on building a pulse check and alert automation
8. Preparing leaders to drive feedback infused change
- A single page coaching playbook for managers: how to run feedback huddles, coach towards action, and close the loop
- Managers role play delivering a 10 minute post habits formation debrief
9. Impact measurement and storytelling
- Picking the right KPIs: adoption, compliance, qualitative sentiment, speed to resolution
- Constructing a short narrative for execs to consume: what we heard, what we did, what changed
- Practice: 2 teams presenting 5 slide exec summary + peer critique
Learning resources and participant materials
Participant workbook with: templates, including stakeholder map, survey draft and roleplay rubric dashboard template manager briefing pack
Pre work micro modules short readings (PDFs)
Sample scenario bank (industry specific)
Shared resource folder for post programme material
Facilitator guide & trainer notes
- Includes estimated timing, facilitator prompts and debrief questions
- Recommended profile of the facilitator: Change practitioner with coaching qualification (or willingness to learn) and min 8 years' experience in organisational change
Facilitator pair out calibration session prior to delivery
- Contingency virtual notes: Breakout rooms, timed roleplays, tech check
Risk register and programme success mitigation
- Risk: low participant engagement. Mitigation: need manager sign off, pre work; accountability pods
- Risk: Confidentiality in sharing real issues. Mitigation: explicit confidentiality requirements; anonymisation templates
- Risk: technology fails. Mitigation: Bonus exercises not tied to a platform; printed workbooks for in person
The feedback fatigue risk. Mitigation: Plan short pulse tools and avoid survey overlap
Practice tools, templates and artefacts that the participants take away
- Ready to use pulse survey (10 questions) and NPS variant suitable for internal change
- Stakeholder mapping template with sample governance charter
- One page manager play book and some conversation scripts
- Dashboard Excel template with simple macros for trending flag changes (no IT needed)
Delivery embedded behaviour change techniques
- Distributed practice: micro learning + spaced practice through peer pods
- Deliberate practice: role plays with instant feedback and re runs
- Social learning: peer critique / cross industry examples
- Commitment devices: public pledges / manager verified checkpoints
Two contrarian views
- View 1: Anonymous surveys are often more honest than town halls (yes there's a problem of not having names attached but if You are in most ops orgs it surfaces the real problems very quickly)
- View 2: Overly polished change comms are wasteful until people are telling you You are on the right track, better be directional and iterate
Standard time line to impact (practical)
- Week 0: Diagnostics and pre work
- Week 1 to 4: Workshops and initial roll out of feedback architecture, two real feedback cycles
- Week 5 to 8: Measurement, iteration and manager validation
- Week 9 to 12: Consolidation, business case for scale and executive briefing
Look for observable behaviour change by Week 6 and measurable operational improvements by Week 12, in many contexts
Case examples and practice vignettes (examples)
- Scenario A: Retail chain deploying a new point of sale interface to 120 stores; front line feedback indicated that checkout times worsened. Participants perform a minute pulse and corrective action within 48 hours
- Scenario B: Professional services firm implementing new time recording process; some consultants are resisting. Activity emphasises peer feedback and manager coaching to reduce resistance
- Scenario C: Warehouse scaling up automation; safety issues increase. Exercise uses anonymity and focused groups to address concerns
Metrics and KPI examples
- Behavioural KPIs: Managers adopting Playbook in Weekly Huddles (% + normalised target to be 80% within 8 weeks)
- Usage KPIs: Rates of system usage (e.g., adoption reaches 60% within 30 days)
- Performance KPIs: Reduction in error rates or customer complaints by X% after Y days
- Sentiment KPIs: internal NPS or engagement pulse increasing +10 points
- Participant self rated competence increase +20% average
Options:
- Executive briefing workshop (90 minutes) to align and set decision rules
- Deep dive on survey analytics (half day) for HR/analytics partners
- Train the trainer package so inhouse champions can run peer pods
- Extended coaching: three one hour executive coaching sessions with sponsors
Scalable implementation
- Rollout approach for Organisation wide scaling: pilot → measure → scale
- Set up a central feedback operations team (small hub) to facilitate cadence, tools and training
- Recommendations for a 12 month embedding plan and audit cycles
Return on investment (practical justification)
- Example ROI arguments: Time Saved With Faster Issue Resolution Reduction in Rework Increased Adoption and Quicker Realisation of Benefit
This is something that consistent data collected by Prosci and our in house research always shows: Companies who provide formal feedback will save downstream costs incurred from failed change. Then if You can make a 1% improvement in adoption and reduce cost or lost revenue, the program pays for itself very quickly within medium to large teams
Facilitator competencies and suggested pre engagement
- Competencies: effective coach, knowledge of change management, adept in workshop technology, practical experience as a facilitator in mixed cohorts
- Pre engagement: sponsor interview, administration of baseline survey and executive alignment session
What success feels like (3 practical signposts)
1. Managers close the loop: they not only request feedback but reveal specific actions taken along with follow up to the team
2. Feedback leads to less incidents: operational flags are at least one tier down (e.g., critical to moderate) for the pilot area
3. Staff are consulted: statistically significant improvement in reported perceived voice, a 10 point jump in the internal pulse reading on "I can influence change"
Typical pushbacks and ready replies
- Pushback: "Feedback is slowing us down." Reply: "Bad feedback processes do. A disciplined loop accelerates decision making by bringing the right problems to light earlier."
- Pushback: "We don't have the money for surveys." Response: "Short, targeted pulses and quick focus groups are cheap compared to a failed rollout."
Closing thoughts and facilitator reflections
- Keep it laid back and practical. Real change is rarely neat. Tell participants to bring real work, the learning is going to stick
- Build manager accountability into the entire journey; nothing sticks without sponsor follow through
- Expect variation between cities, cultural nuances do matter. There are teams that like to talk directly and then there are the asynchronous communicators
Sources & notes
- Prosci, "Best Practices in Change Management" research; Prosci (2020), summary finding: adopting change management drives six times the likelihood of meeting or exceeding objectives
- AHRI 'change and communication insights', survey summary, 2022, used to support Australian workplace sentiment about communication and change barriers
- Internal practitioner experience, We have run blended feedback driven change pilots across Sydney and Melbourne professional services clients that have consistently delivered adoption increase and manager capability improvement
Programmatic resources include templates, rubrics and sample pulse surveys for customisation