100-Day Challenges as New Way of Working

100-Day Challenges as New Way of Working

100-Day Challenges as New Way of Working

Why do this?

  • Pique the interest and curiosity of the leadership group about this work: this is about a way of thinking, leading and working, not just short term projects, quick wins, etc.
  • Clarify their role as a leadership group before, during, and after the 100 days.
  • Set the stage for a productive discussion about the focus of the 100-Day Challenge(s).
60 min

Facilitation steps

  1. Show the 100-Day Challenge introduction and Shaping a 100-Day Challenge, short videos.  In between the videos ask for questions.  The second video deals with the decisions the leaders have to make during the Design Workshop.

Facilitate a discussion: how do I feel about this? What excites me about it? What worries me about it? If possible, do an exercise to get them to experience collaboration under pressure. 

If possible, do an exercise to get them to experience collaboration under pressure. The Tennis Ball Game works very well and could be used between the two videos.  (25 min)

Tennis ball challenge

  1. After the discussion, share the story of Jeha, a mythical character – the village fool – in the oral storytelling traditions of Mount Lebanon.  Introduce the story by saying:  “A key idea of 100-Day Challenges is committing to results that will be delivered in 100 days. Why 100 days? What’s special about this time frame?”  You can show the video or tell the story using the slides.

  1. Show slides about the process and roles. Zero in on the role of leaders and unpack this into “before the 100 days; during the 100-day; and after the 100 days”.
  1. Ask them to pair up and do a TRIZ exercise: “If we were to ensure failure of the 100-Day Challenge, what would we do as leaders?” Gather these on a “leadership red alert” chart that can be reviewed and revisited in later leadership meetings.
  1. Set up leader peer buddies, with bi-weekly check-ins to see how they are doing on “enabling behaviours”.
  1. Leaders Letting Go – depending on the mood and time, you can end this session with a video that reinforces the power of leaders letting go of ‘decision power’. Emphasise that they are practicing in the 100 days a powerful shift that can be transformative in the long term.

Dive deep (if you have time)

What if’s

Thought starter reflection questions

Jot down thoughts on these questions – to the extent they are relevant to your experience at the session:
  • When did the mood in the event shift from “why are we here?” to “this could be interesting – I am excited to be part of this.” What triggered this shift? 
  • When did you have to go “off script” on the agenda or to change the agenda? What triggered this? What did you adjust? How did it go?
  • What was most surprising to you at the event?
  • What new insights did you gain about the issue at hand, and about the way leaders in the system interacted with each other?
  • Where did the conversation get stuck? What got it unstuck?
  • How would you characterise the level of trust among participants in the meeting? To what extent did this shift as the meeting progressed? To what do you attribute this shift, if indeed it happened?

Thought starter...

Reflection Questions 

Jot down thoughts on these questions – to the extent they are relevant to your experience at the session:

  • When did the mood in the event shift from “why are we here?” to “this could be interesting – I am excited to be part of this.” What triggered this shift? 
  • When did you have to go “off script” on the agenda or to change the agenda? What triggered this? What did you adjust? How did it go?
  • What was most surprising to you at the event?
  • What new insights did you gain about the issue at hand, and about the way leaders in the system interacted with each other?
  • Where did the conversation get stuck? What got it unstuck?
These are 100-Day Challenge Mentors. 

They did some work before you received the Challenge Note. This included:

  • Writing the Challenge Note, and making sure that the leaders of all the organisations represented on the team are comfortable with it – and committed to supporting the work of the team
  • Helping the leaders of these organisation recruit you and your colleagues to the team
  • Gathering some baseline data and other information that will help you and your teammates set your 100-Day goal and develop your plan.
  • Making sure all the preparations are made for a successful Lift-Off workshop, when you and your teammates will meet and get your 100-Day Challenge started. This includes venue, facilitation support, food, swags, comms, travel arrangements and whatever else is needed.

 

Mentors will participate in all or part of the Lift-Off Workshop, mostly at the start to provide context and answer questions, and at the end to give you and your teammates feedback about the goal and plan you develop.

During the 100 days following the Lift-Off Workshop, here’s what the Mentors will do:  

  • They will check in every two weeks with the team leaders to see how the team is doing and what support they and the team need.
  • They will keep other organisational leaders informed and engaged during the 100 days, and pull them in to help as needed.
  • They will participate in the last part of the Refuelling Workshop, halfway through the 100 days, to see what additional support the team needs, and to begin to plan with the team for sustainability and scale-up.
  • They will work with the team at the Sustainability Workshop to finalise recommendations on sustaining the results and building on the work of the team.