We live in a time when organizations, regardless of industry, are in a constant state of flux which requires adapting to shifting environments (Nastase et al, 2012) yet the foundations for change management theories and models have remained virtually the same since Lewin’s Three-Step change model was developed in 1947 (Biech, 2007). Regardless of which models or theories an organization utilizes to manage change, success will ultimately depend on two factors, having a plan and carrying out that plan (Biech, 2007).

Leadership should approach change to the organization and have it seen as progress, instead of more change for the sake of change. Employees have to be inspired and understand the reason for the change in order to be on board. With that, leaders have to be change enablers (Al-Haddad & Kotnour, 2015) and ensure clarity, capability, and commitment (BlessingWhite, 2017) from within the organization.

My personal approach to leadership tends to follow the Luecke method (Al-Haddad & Kotnour, 2015) where communication and encouragement are key drivers for success. I am one to be quieter but lead by example while also being empathetic to employees who require support during the change. In my current employment role, I am not in a designated leadership position but I do bring a mentor-style process to the team I work with. Through that, I openly assist my team members with daily issues as well as modelling certain work processes that may benefit them in the future. It’s about team work and creating a cohesive unit that can then respond in a more positive way to our customers. By creating a positive department environment and work ethic, my team members have responded accordingly which in turn has caused executive management to adjust their training methodologies and incorporate some of my work ideas into company training and communication procedures.

When it comes to the unique challenges of managing change within organizational contexts, Bryan Weiner’s (2009) article about readiness for change stood out to me as one that provided an interesting glimpse into preparing an organization for change. Not only will change occur when the leadership provides the proper communication of why the change is required but there must be “a shared psychological state in which members of the organization feel committed to implementing the change and be confident in their collective ability to do so” (p. 6). So how does a leader measure and determine when that psychological change has been reached? What tactics are to be used to encourage members to embrace the planned change? Is readiness a structural construct or a psychological one? How does a leader discern between organizational readiness and successful implementation? These are questions that I find intriguing and ones that have an impact on an organization regardless of industry or depth of proposed change. I look forward to upcoming learnings within the current LRNT525 course and from my fellow cohort to enable me to find answers to these questions for my future endeavours.

 

References

Al-Haddad, S., & Kotnour, T. (2015). Integrating the organizational change literature: a model for successful change. Journal of Organizational Change Management, 28(2), 234–262. https://doi.org/10.1108/JOCM-11-2013-0215

Biech, E. (2007). Thriving through change : a leader’s practical guide to change mastery. ASTD Press. Retrieved from http://library.books24x7.com.ezproxy.royalroads.ca/toc.aspx?bookid=22651

BlessingWhite (2017, January 25). 3 c’s of change: Change management in a world of constant change. Retrieved from http://blessingwhite.com/article/2010/05/20/3-cs-of-change-change-management-in-a-world-of-constant-change-2/

Nastase, M., Giuclea, M., & Bold, O. (2012). The impact of change management in organizations – a survey of methods and techniques for a successful change. Review of International Comparative Management, 13(1), 5–16.

Weiner, B. J. (2009). A theory of organizational readiness for change. Implementation Science, 4. https://doi.org/10.1186/1748-5908-4-67