- Introduction to Organizational Dynamics
Organizational Dynamics is a subject that deals with reactions and behaviors of people within an organization when they are subjected to change. It also studies how the changes can be made effective and how the organization can run smoothly without affecting individual as well as the organizational interests. The level of success within an organization is dependent on the effectiveness with which the organizational structure operates. Understanding the dynamics of an organization is important for effective and successful outcome of a change. A very important role is of the leader, his communicating ability and the way he illustrates change to the people working for him.
- Managing and Leading Organization Change
Change is the only constant in life. Change is always intended to make situations better, however some decisions may get wrong ultimately. There are many opportunities to capitalize when an organization embarks on the journey of change management. But if the reason and purpose of change is not identified for everyone affected, people see it as threat. Change is about an effective leadership, and the way it is communicated further below. Employees will always have options to leave and get a new job fearing performance issues or coping issues post change. It is on the part of the leader to lead and manage change so as to convince the effected employees of a better and sustainable future.
Change should be a slow moving process. Too much expectation from employees to adapt and perform can be fatal. Change is difficult to adapt for most. People should be given ample time to learn and perform.
Connecting change to business improvement goals of an organization and thus of an individual’s personal goals is important to sustain change. Everyone in the organization must connect to change and not fear of change.
- Challenges of Organization Change
One important reason why changes are unsuccessful is distrust within team members or between leader and the team members. Everyone is different and they must be handled differently. Many people generally don’t have unwillingness to open up, so they either fear change or fear competition. Fear of change and unhealthy competition breeds lack of commitment and accountability. These factors affect the base of a functional organization. With dysfunctional individuals or a divided team change fails thrive. It also affects the collective goals of the organization.
- Communication is the key
Communication is the only way to improve the chances of success with change. As individuals everyone fears of losing the job. For example with the advent of new IT systems many people who were working on manual scripts feared losing their jobs. A good communication of a retention plan or training plan to eliminate the fear can help.
Organizations need to adapt to changes for flourishing. People understand the goals behind the change and react positively most of the times. If the purpose of change is known, to everyone the effect on the most reluctant people can also be minimized.
Another important aspect of change is handling issues with sensitivity. A leader of the organization must be sensitive to individual interests, professional goals of an individual, and be sure to understand the conflicts. He should create positive environment for everyone to thrive.
- Conclusion
Leadership is the key in organizational dynamics. The behavior or of a leader who is managing change often creates a positive or negative impact on the team. A change can be handled successfully when there is proper communication and the personal interests of people are respected and handles sensitively. This fosters trust and ensures successful implementation of goals and objectives of the organization.
References
Barney, J. (1991). Firm Resources and Sustained Competitive Advantage. Journal of Management, [online] 17(1), pp.99-120. Available at: http://jom.sagepub.com/content/17/1/99.short
