Anchor meetings: how to organize and conduct them well during change management?

In order to prepare for a large-scale transformation, it is essential to organize anchor meetings, in order to delimit the contours of the project. To be effective, these exchanges must be organized and conducted according to a rigorous methodology.

 

What is an anchor meeting?

An anchor meeting is an organized exchange with several employees, managers and executives, at the dawn of change management.

The aim of this meeting is to lay the framework and foundations for the transformation to come, and must bring together all the stakeholders involved in the change project (decision-makers, local managers, key employees, etc.)

The organization of an anchor meeting makes it possible to:

• Agree on the final vision and the results to be achieved;
• Develop an action plan, based on clear steps and time-bound objectives;
• Carry out an audit of the existing situation to comprehensively assess the means and resources available to lead the change;
• Define the roles and missions of the various key actors who will participate in the management of change;
• Discuss any resistance, fears, doubts and reluctance that could slow down or hinder the smooth running of the change management;
• To set the actors of change in motion and to ensure the commitment and motivation of everyone;
• Provide stakeholders with an opportunity to express themselves and share their ideas and suggestions;
• …

 

How to properly organize an anchor meeting during a change management meeting?

Here are some key steps to follow to properly organize and conduct an anchor meeting during a change management:

Rigorously prepare the meeting in advance

Any team meeting must be rigorously prepared beforehand, all the more so before change management. Whatever it is (digital transformation, restructuring, organizational change, CSR transition, change of governance, etc.), it is indeed a pivotal and delicate period that requires the involvement of all stakeholders to achieve a positive outcome.

To properly prepare for the anchoring meeting before a change management process, it will be necessary to:

• Define the precise objective of the meeting (develop an action plan, audit the existing situation, define the key stages of change, discuss potential obstacles, etc.)
• Identify the participants in this meeting;
• Gather the documents and resources that will be needed during the meeting;
• Define the duration of the exchange;
• Set the day and time of the meeting;
• List the key points to be discussed and write the agenda;
• …

Choosing the right meeting format

There are many formats of meetings (information, review, exchange, decision-making, problem-solving meetings, etc.).

It is therefore important to clarify and communicate, in advance of the meeting, the format that this exchange will take to inform the participants of the expectations concerning them and to allow everyone to prepare the exchange individually if necessary.

Choose a moderation for your anchor meeting

It will also be very beneficial to define an animation style to adopt during the anchor meeting. Indeed, any change management involves Onboard and federate the teams. The meeting must therefore be dynamic, energetic and structured.

The meeting leader can thus adopt different postures to choose from:

• A directive style: he directs the exchange in a structured way and leaves little time for the participants to speak;

• A facilitative style : participants exchange in a rather informal way, under the supervision of the facilitator;

• A coordinating style : participants discuss a specific issue (How to remove the obstacles to change? How can we mobilize the teams? What are the actions to be deployed as a priority? …), but the facilitator rigorously organizes, supervises and structures the exchanges and interactions throughout the meeting.

Structure the anchor meeting

To be effective, the anchor meeting must be rigorously structured beforehand. It will therefore be necessary to build a grid with different parts:

• The Introduction : greet the participants, thank them for their presence and, if necessary, go around the table to allow everyone to introduce themselves. Also remind them of the time allotted, the objectives of the exchange, the agenda and the main areas to be discussed.

• The exchange phase : It is important that the meeting facilitator has a clear idea of the issues to be discussed and the expected results. It will also be necessary to ensure that the exchanges are framed, that digressions are avoided as much as possible and that speaking times are balanced. It is the facilitator’s responsibility to ensure that the exchange evolves fruitfully and in the right direction.

• The conclusion : close the exchange with a summary of the points discussed, the decisions made and the next steps to come.

Write meeting minutes

In order to avoid misunderstandings or any form of ambiguity that could lead to tensions or conflict situations during the management of the change, it is imperative toformalize the words and the main axes discussed during the meeting in a written report. This document can then be communicated to the various participants and it will serve as a roadmap to implement the next actions throughout the change management.

Invite each party to share their fears

One of the first causes of failure in a transformation project is the resistance to change of teams. It is therefore essential, during your anchor meetings, to build confidence among the participants to allow them to freely share their fears and concerns related to this transformation and to promote acceptance and buy-in from everyone. A collective reflection can then make it possible to find constructive solutions to these potential obstacles.