Reflection Paper
There are a number of traits that can distinguish a good manager from a great one. No, this isn't just about developing great talent but also knowing when to be flexible, especially in time of change. Being observant is a key skill that is as good as any other as one should know what it is like to be at the right place and at the right time.
Speaking of change, how can a manager know when an organization is ripe for change? Probably the most important thing to realise is that change is the only thing that's constant and one, along with his team, must learn to thrive in such environments. Businesses aren't what they were years ago given that change is definitely what they thrive on, be it cross-functional or interdependent change that occurs on a daily basis (“Why Change Management”). Of course, there are certain signs that clue a manager into knowing that it's the right time for organizational change. While some of them might be obvious, others might not be so given that the pace of these changes might be too rapid. As for the obvious changes that occur, this could be acquisitions and mergers or even the implementation of new technologies too. This could even be cause certain products, markets or even subsidiaries might be abandoned or even because there is both internal or external pressures from within the organization or from their valued customers. Of course, a crisis within the organization will be certainly the most obvious of them all. As for the not-so-obvious changes that might be occurring, this could be because new opportunities have been identified by upper management or the performance gaps that managers have identified themselves (Swaim, 2011).
Simply put, at times, it is a necessity while during others, it is merely an opportunity for grow or to improve on existing systems. Speaking of change, the ways an organization will change, for the most part, includes changing organization culture and structure, technology, employees’ knowledge and skills, the way the work is performed or even the mission, vision and strategy of the organization itself. Having said that, it must be pointed that even if one of these elements are altered, it can have an effect on the others. Still, an excellent manager will not only anticipate these changes that will being rolled out and know how to communicate these changes to the employees of the organization ahead of time. The last thing that he needs, as a result of these changes, is for his employees to resist the aforementioned changes (Swaim, 2011).
References
Swaim, R W. (2011). Nine Reasons Organizations Need To Change. Process Excellence Network Website. Retrieved from http://www.processexcellencenetwork.com/organizational-change/columns/why-organizations-change-and-what-they-can-change
Why Change Management? (n.d.) Prosci Website. Retrieved from https://www.prosci.com/change-management/why-change-management
