1. In general, what are the challenges and opportunities for overcoming resistance to change whether it originates laterally or below or above?
Change in an organization must be accompanied by visionary leadership. However as the leaders attempt to take the organization through the change process, resistance from people is a natural barrier that might occur. Ethical handling of resistance to change involves handling several challenges. They include,
Establishing a Sense of Urgency for Change
When a true need for change is established, the management should soften resistance by generating a sense of importance and urgency to implement the change. Sometimes, organization crisis motivates the employees to devote their time and energy in adapting new ideas and technologies. A good analogy in the Jacksons case is that, adopting the BSO software was urgent for them to handle the vast western company’s portfolio in responding to clients needs with agility, adaptability, and rapid response.
Establishing a Coalition to Guide the Change
For successful implementation of change in an organization, the management must build a coalition of people in the organization with enough power and influence to steer the change. Support from top management is crucial for any major change project to take off. Lack of support from top management is one of the leading causes of implementation failure. Additionally, lower level supervisors and middle managers from across the organization should be actively involved in the coalition. Incase of smaller changes, support from the managers in the affected department is important.
Creating a Vision and Strategy for change
Formulating a good vision and strategy showing how the future can be better, acts as a good guide for the change thus motivating the employees to embrace change.
Finding an Idea That Fits the Need
Creation of new ideas is a excellent chance to encourage employee participation. The freedom to think of new ideas gives the employees a good understanding of the project thus helping to eliminate resistance. Other ways of finding new ideas are through talking with fellow managers, asking creative people within the organization to find new relevant ideas, and developing a task force to investigate the problem.
Developing Plans to Overcome Resistance to Change
Many brilliant ideas are never implemented as a result of the failure by the managers to prepare for resistance by fellow managers, consumers, and employees. No matter how brilliant the innovation is, there will always be conflict of interest from other quotas in the organization. To ensure successful implementation of change managers must address the threats, conflicts, and potential losses perceived by the employees.
Opportunities for Overcoming Resistance to Change
Resistance to change prompts proper education and communication about the change helping the employees to understand the need for change. This boosts ethical coexistence among the employees in the work place who in turn help in the implementation of the change.
Personal involvement and participation helps to dispel any fears the employees might have regarded the change which in turn helps them own the change. This leads to personal commitment by the employees to implement the change.
Fear and anxiety are some of the chief causes of resistance to change. Facilitation and support from the management through particular training, compensatory time off, and job stress counseling greatly help employees in adjustment problems.
Manipulation and cooptation is sometimes used by managers in case of resistance to change by employees. This method greatly benefits the organization since it is quick and cheap to implement.
Managers sometimes use negotiation and agreement method to neutralize resistance to change. This method involves cooperation in exchange of something value. This greatly benefits the employees since they are given the opportunity to request what they want for a smooth transition of the change.
Managers who do not invest the time required for other strategies use explicit and implicit coercion. They promise the employees promotions, and pay raise for them to go along with the change. This benefits the employees by getting better salaries and benefits through promotions whereas to the organization it is a quick method of overcoming any resistance from the employees.
2. What has Steve Jackson done right in introducing BSO at Western? In other words, how effective has he been as a change agent?
In order to implement change effectively, Steve Jackson took a number of steps involving key people in management, developed a plan, supported the plan, and always tried to communicate often about the progress of the change. According to the case, as part of the project evaluation group, his main role was to assess organizational and financial factors to determine the feasibility of projects. This job entailed lots of financial modeling and risk assessment which he was good at following his ten years experience in the job. Before presenting the idea of converting to the BSO software to his boss Williams, Steve did a good research about the BSO software and had several meetings with BSO consultants to understand further the technicalities of this software. This presentation impressed Williams who in turn agreed to support Steve’s idea of a demo session to allow Abu Dija, Barnet, Williams, and other western project professionals to sample the software themselves. This demo was a success since almost all evaluation officers who would be using BSO attended and were greatly impressed by the software capabilities. A second demo was scheduled as suggested by Williams and his boss Abu, to facilitate further understanding of BSO by the Western company employees. Jackson worked with BSO consultants after the second demo, to fine tune the products specifications and the projected cost for western. Additional meetings with BSO executives were held, after which Dija approved a switch and a roll out date was set. In my own opinion, Steve Jackson was a good agent of change following his well executed plan, and effective communication in convincing western company employees to accept the new software change, and management to approve the switch.
3. What could he have done better to introduce BSO at Western?
In my opinion, the best way Steve could have introduced BSO is by handing over the finished project to his boss Williams, who in turn could have handed it over to his boss Dija. Since the relationship between Dija and Barnet was good from their time in university and with their vast experience in western company, he was the best person to introduce BSO to Barnet. Further more, according to western company management hierarchy Dija was Barnets boss. Probably according to Barnet he perceived Steve Jacksons invitations as in subordination.
4. Why is Barnett resisting (changes) the introduction of BSO?
According to the case, Barnet is resisting the shift to BSO citing that it is too complex to understand, it will slow down processes and procedures at western company thus wasting a lot of time, and finally the shift will cost western a lot of money to implement.
How effective is Jackson at communicating his position?
In my own opinion, Jackson is very effective in communicating his position. According to the case, before the first demo took place, Jackson personally invited Barnet to attend the demo session. In citing some resistance from Barnet, he tried encouraging him by outlining some of the better BSO capabilities compared to their current software. During the second demo, in addition to the e-invitation, Jackson appeals to Barnet directly by sending him a personalized invitation email message.
Barnett in listening?
Barnet is a poor listener. This is clearly shown in the case during the first demo invitation. When Steve encouraged him to attend the demo, he was quick to make no firm commitment and his response was “I’ll check my calendar”. During the second personalized email invite to the second demo from Jackson, Barnet responds by heavily criticizing BSO citing that it will increase more problems , yet he knew that BSO was a product specifically designed for their industry due to its better detailing. Barnet never honored the invitations but after BSO was approved he was quick to come out and oppose the move something he could have comfortably done during the demo sessions. Barnet directs his anger towards Jackson even after Dija tries to explain to him that the switch to BSO was a collective decision.
5. What should Jackson do next regarding Barnett?
The best solution to solve this stand off is for Steve to request Williams to ask his boss Dija for a one on one board meeting to iron out the problem with Barnet present. According to the case, Steve has tried all his best to approach Barnet but to no avail. His boss Williams is afraid of confronting Barnet and instead of Dija taking his position as the overall boss; he is referring the problem back to Steve. The relationship between Steve and Barnet is already compromised since Barnet is recommending the sacking of Steve. Further more, instead of Williams supporting Steve as a good and competent worker on the email forward from Barnet, he remains mum. This sends mixed signals to Steve wondering on whose side Williams hi boss is.
6. List three lessons you learned from the case.
Being an agent of change has both pros and cons. The change might bring a big positive influence if accepted yet it can lead to your career downfall if rejected.
Regular communication to the management and employees on the importance and progress of the change is critical in helping the staff understand, and get involved in the whole change idea thus owning it.
