Posts by Mark


Theories/Models of Change within the Digital Learning Context: Questions

Theories/Models of Change within the Digital Learning Context: Questions


Posted By on Feb 16, 2020

  1. How have the theories/models for change adapted to take into consideration our current technological, economic and societal contexts?

To unpack technological, economic and societal contexts in one question maybe too difficult to answer in one blog post. However, Al-Haddad and Kotnour (2015) suggest the simple notion that change models have adapted simply because organizational structures, systems, strategies and human resources are in a constant state of change. As time moves forward, so do change models and the theories that guide them. Yet, after all these adapted change models to meet the current technological era we live in, the true success rate of change initiatives is less then thirty percent (Al-Haddad & Kotnour, 2015; as cited by Balogun & Hope Hailey, 2004; Beer & Nohria, 2000; and Grover, 1999). Clearly, organizations of any type need to be attuned to both their internal and external environments to effectively know which change models/theories will best suit their needs.

  1. Which theories/models do you think best align with your own approach to leadership? Do these approaches align with your organizational context?

The participatory action research (PAR) method for change is something that routinely occurs within a military context on a tactical level, or in other words, lower work levels. This systemic approach wherein a group of people go through a particular change process and with the aid of their own experience, enact change in a meaningful way is arguably very effective. The issue with this method, in my opinion, is that large scale organizational change can be difficult to enact via using the PAR method alone. Military strategic and operational change methods follow more rigorous methods more aligned with the process reengineering methods.

  1. What role does leadership play in managing change?

Leadership is critical in enacting change. More specifically, in my opinion, it is the single most important sustainer for change. In other words, it may not necessarily be the leader who is responsible to start change; however, I argue that successful change is possible with leaders who drive and sustain change within a particular organization. Winston (2004) suggests a leader is a person who makes sure that the organization is heading in the right direction. Al-Haddad and Kotnour (2015) build on this thought by stating “the continually changing business environment needs quick responses that only a leader can provide” (p. 239). Leaders sustain change in order that it can be realized. Al-Haddad and Kotnour (2015) continue in their reasoning by saying “it is leaders who have to make the right decisions at the right time to align the organization with the changing environment; and who motivate the people to work and implement the changes” (p. 239; as cited by Goleman, 2000; Haidar, 2006). Military leadership needs to play a major role in the sustainment of change initiatives…lead by example and motivate others to sustain the change along with them.

  1. What are the unique challenges in managing change for learning in digital environments? What attributes do you think would work well within your own context?

One of the biggest challenges to leading change for learning in digital environments is simply that technological advances often move too quickly. A change method process such as process engineering, aimed “as a redesign tool to achieve radical improvements and innovations in organizational processes” can take too long to complete start to finish. By the time the change has been finally enacted, the technology one was trying to change has already changed leading now, your new change, as incompatible with today’s market or irrelevant to the today’s learning environment (Al-Haddad & Kotnour, 2015, p. 248). The fact that technology moves faster than change initiatives should not mean that change should not occur or organizations should not encourage a culture of innovation. In fact, I believe that organizations need to have realistic expectations that don’t hinder innovation, but at the same time, develop processes or methods for change that keep up with technological process at a realistic tempo.

 

Reference

 

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. doi:10.1108/JOCM-11-2013-0215

 

Balogun, J., & Hope Hailey, V. (2004). Exploring Strategic Change, 2nd ed., Prentice Hall: London.

 

Beer, M., & Nohria, N. (2000). Cracking the code of change. Harvard Business Review, 78(3), 133-141.

 

Goleman, D. (2000). Leadership that gets results. Harvard Business Review, 78(2), 78-90.

 

Grover, V. (1999). From business reengineering to business process change management: A longitudinal study of trends. IEEE Transactions on Engineering Management, 46(1), 36.

 

Haidar, E. (2006). Leadership and management of change, Journal of Community Nursing, 20(4), 13.

 

Winston, A.W. (2004). Engineering management – a personal perspective. IEEE Transactions on Engineering Management, 51(4), 412-413.

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Digital Aged Leadership: A Military Context

Digital Aged Leadership: A Military Context


Posted By on Feb 7, 2020

The military is an evolving organization within a nation. When culture, individuals, values, global stability, and even technology change, the military of any particular nation needs to adapt and change accordingly. But leaders, particularly in a military context, are often much older, albeit more expernced, than the subordinates who serve under them. One question that arises, and poignantly stated by General Stanley McChrystal, is “how does a leader stay credible and legitimate when the leader hasn’t done what his/her subordinates are doing?” (McChrystal, 2011, 11:48). McChrystal frames a relevant question as it pertains to the digital landscape of the global culture we see today. When a leader reaches the top, let us say the rank of general in remaining in the military context, often thirty to sometimes forty years have passed since they were working as a lowly second lieutenant or untrained private. It should be obvious what sheer changes of technology advance within a three to four-decade period of time; yet, the general is a leader that must lead troops of all ages, all backgrounds, and all experience levels in order to achieve mission success and to form the future leaders of the military when he/she is gone.

Issues arise in the modern battlefield, with management and C3 (Command, Control, and Communication) aspects of war being exercised differently now. Communications and orders are given via long distance secure military networks, tactical data links, and secure phone lines. General McChrystal stated “in a complex theater of war, we have to instill confidence, build up young leaders and do this all without putting a hand on a shoulder or seeing them face-to-face in the same room” (TED, 2011, 9:30). This is a challenge the military faces in an increasingly digital world; arguably, this is a challenge many environments with leadership structures are currently facing. What is the answer, what is true military leadership within the context of the modern digital world we live in today? If you asked General McChrystal, he would state something upon these lines: “leaders are those who are willing to step down from their position in the sense that they are ready and willing to listen and learn” (TED, 2011, 11:48). General Mattis would echo this message by stating: leaders must stay teachable by “assuming you must keep improving” (General Mattis, 2016, 3:48). O’Toole (2008) gives the notion that leadership is almost impossible to define; however, he does point to the question “what do all leaders have in common? Answer: followers. He would conclude, the role, task, and responsibility of all leaders is to create followers” (p. 7). I believe both General Mattis and General McChrystal are giving insight to O’Toole’s question by answering a new question, how do leaders create followers? Leaders create followers by ensuring they listen, understand, and learn whist leading. By doing so, a military leader will most likely be better prepared to lead their troops, to simply put. In end, their troops, if provided with good leadership, will be ready to fight and obey lawful commands willingly as they follow their leadership, whatever the circumstances dictate.

Reference

Marines. (October 13, 2016). Leadership lessons from General Mattis (Ret.) . Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3EYU3VTI3IU

O’Toole, J. (2008). Notes toward a definition of value-based leadership. The Journal of Value Based Leadership, 1(1), 1-9. Retrieved from https://scholar.valpo.edu/jvbl/vol1/iss1/10/

TED. (2011, April 06). Listen, Learn, then lead|General Stanley McChrystal|TED Talks . Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FmpIMt95ndU

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Innovation Defined

Innovation Defined


Posted By on Dec 15, 2019

Dron (2014) elaborates that organizations need to have innovative culture at the forefront of their enterprise. This means organizations need to have visible initiatives to foster innovative changes within their respective environments. The denotation of innovation according to Merriam-Webster’s (n.d.) can “refer to something new or to a change made to an existing product, idea, or field.” In following Dron’s (2014) notions, organizations such as those with embedded learning environments, need to “build processes and organizational forms that provide space for innovation to occur” (p. 252). Examples of learning innovation may include things or ideas that create a positive change within students’ learning or within the process of instruction. A specific example as told by Dron (2014) can be 3D printers which have allowed innovative learning through the use of technology producing physical learning objects from virtual learning tools. There are many to count, but the key to specific innovations boils down to a positive change in learning or instruction. If one doesn’t have a positive change, how can one call it innovative? Now, a person may have a so-called ‘innovative’ idea. But the idea may turn out to actually have a negative impact to learning or instruction, in this case, I argue that innovation has not taken place despite a change being made. Dron (2014) elaborates in his research that innovators should be weary of disruptive technologies that may do the opposite to innovate. One should have a thorough innovative procedure or policy in which to enact positive learning and instructional changes within their respective learning environments.

Dron, J. (2014). Chapter 9: Innovation and Change: Changing how we Change. In Zawacki-Richter, O. & Anderson, T. (Eds.), Online distance education: Towards a research agenda. Athabasca, AB: AU Press. doi: https://doi.org/10.15215/aupress/9781927356623.01

Innovation. (n.d.). In Merriam-Webster’s online dictionary (11th ed.). Retrieved from https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/innovation

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