Take A Position

a framework for mapping attitudes towards change

What is it for?

As internal or external innovation teams look to implement new services, programs or protocols, it’s challenging not knowing in detail where stakeholders stand in relation to the organizational change.

This tool is a framework that visualizes a matrix interpreted from David Kantor’s four positions: Bystander, Mover, Follower, and Opposer. By guiding participants to reflect on and articulate their momentary position regarding the change, stakeholders’ viewpoints and emotional responses are shared. This process also facilitates further discussion based on that understanding.

Emotion-Centered Design

Impact

This framework allows a leadership team to get a sense of people’s attitudes towards the change in a visual and measurable way.

What does this look like?

A strategist, facilitator, or innovation lead adapts this framework to their specific needs. They distribute the printouts for individual stakeholders to work on during a workshop. This exercise may also be done as a performative exercise where the matrix is mapped onto the floor and participants stand at their chosen position.

Participants’ State of Mind

reflective, open, courageous

Level of Complexity (1–5)

2

Time for Participation

15 to 30 mins

Use Case

Organizational change project for Services for the Underserved.

Image Description: A worksheet naming and describing the components of the Four Player Model and a large matrix where a participant has drawn their position as a bystander an arrow pointing to their new position as a Mover. Photos by Lillian Tong

Source

Adapted to Matter–Mind Studio from David Kantor’s Framework.

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