Change management is an approach that ensures that changes are smoothly and thoroughly implemented to achieve benefits in the end. According to the article leading through change by Kimberly King, various critical points assist one in developing change management skills in an organization. First, communication should be done upwards and not sideways or downwards. As a manager who is focusing on introducing change in any organization, one should emphasize on communicating with those above in position. It will enable one to understand more and get enough information, which will help to introduce change downwards and sideways (Upchurch, 2016, p. 195).
Secondly, introducing change involves listening to the concerns of other employees and not necessary feeding into them. During the process of change, much information is said which may be true or false depending on the assumptions. It is advisable for a leader to ask questions where necessary during change implementation (Eddy & Boggs, 2010, p. 21). Clarification of issues is important to support change and lead to success. Finally, positive influencers have a great impact on any process of change. Surrounding oneself with such followers will catalyze the process of implementation of change. Despite change being a little scary, embracing the act of change will enable one to be comfortable in any organization. Kimberly emphasizes on looking for opportunities for better growth and transformation of the company.
Change takes the first line in both the industrial and academic research and practice. Various concepts and theories are employed for the effective implementation of change in an organization. Change may be either planned or unplanned (Brook Lapping Productions, 2006). While it may be assumed that a company's change is planned, there are exceptional situations where unplanned change occurs (Martin, 2006, p. 365). For effective lead change, it is advisable to give much attention especially to people helping in the improvement of the process. According to John Kotter, a professor at Havard Business School, leading change has several steps (Harvard Business School, 2006).
Firstly, for change to happen, it is important to create a sense of urgency in the organization. It increases the initial motivation to all the employees of a particular company. As was stated in the article leading through change that mobilizing followers help in the process of implementation, Kotter emphasizes on identifying the potential threats that could disrupt the process of change (Kotter, 2016). Honest discussions and giving convincing reasons to people is not easy. However, in the process of leading through change, it is recommended to give dynamic and relevant information to people why change is important to a particular organization (King, 2016). Secondly, linking concepts with the vision for change is necessary for helping people to understand the process of change clearly. It can be done by creating a strategy and determining the values that are relevant to the change (Pugh, 2007).
The issue of communication is also an important element in leading change. Addressing people's anxieties and concerns should be done regularly to accommodate everyone and keep all the employees comfortable (Levasseur, 2013, p. 566). It increases the chances of eliminating obstacles that may hinder the process of implementation of change. Employing leaders who have a motive of delivering change will greatly influence the thinking of other employees. It will, therefore, help to identify those that are resisting change in the organization (Harvard Business School, 2006).
Finally, short-term targets give a sense of motivation since they are accomplished within a short period. However, failure to succeed in short term goals may lead to distortion of the whole change initiative. Rewarding and recognizing workers involved in the performance improvement is significant since it mobilizes others to worker harder for a better achievement. In addition, changes should be made to be part of the organization for it to stick (Levasseur, 2006, p. 71). Talking about its success and progress should be common to enable smooth adaptation of the process by the corporate (Lewis, Passmore & Cantore, 2011, p. 21).
However, change in an organization has various disadvantages. Despite managers having a positive imagination on the impact that change will be made in an organization, several obstacles hinder smooth implementation. Change is expensive. In some cases, the process is not equal to the cost of change hence leading the organization into a loss (Dinsmore & Cabanis-Brewin, 2011, p.34). An act where the organization chooses the wrong solution since they have troubles that need to be solved may negatively influence to the organization. Many times the real cause of the problem is never investigated leading to a bad solution. As a result, it may bring malfunctioning in the areas that were functioning well in a company (Khademian, 2010).
In conclusion, change is a common issue in all industries and businesses' regardless of the age or size. Companies that handle change accurately succeed in many ways. If one has to implement change, one must not be impatient since it's a gradual process (Forsyth, 2012). Recruiting strong change leaders and developing a sense of urgency will effectively lead to a successful change implementation process (The processes of change in public services and public service organizations, n.d.). According to Lewin's theoretical model, implementing the change as required can be done through distinct stages, which include unfreezing, change and refreeze.
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