Archived News Item

Productive change

March 29, 2007

The Leadership Councils of Adelaide, Ballarat, Melbourne, Perth and West Perth Congregations, along with the Institute’s Vice-President, Sister Caroline Ryan, recently gathered in Queenscliff, Victoria for meetings to discuss reconfiguring. Sister Meredith Evans reports.

 

The Leadership Councils of Adelaide, Ballarat, Melbourne, Perth and West Perth Congregations, along with the Institute’s Vice-President, Sister Caroline Ryan, gathered in Queenscliff, Victoria from March 4 to 6.

 

Josephite Sister Lauretta Baker facilitated a very engaging conversation using William Spady’s change theory – five pillars of productive change – to help us in our conversations around re-configuring.

 

The five pillars are: purpose, vision, ownership, capacity and support. All five pillars are interconnected and parallel. Capacity increases when vision is clearer. Knowledge increases ownership.

 

One of the key outcomes of this gathering was a clearer recognition that revitalising of Mercy religious life in Australia could be the fruit of our re-configuring as an Institute.

 

One of the quotes Lauretta shared with us around change was: “The single factor common to every successful change initiative is that relationships improve. When relationships improve, the group is stronger.”

 

This was the experience of our time together.

 

From: Sister Meredith Evans RSM (Congregation Leader, Adelaide)

 

Email: mercysec@chariot.net.au