BUS661: Leading Organizational Change (MFV1314A)
SMIRKY-When you do final assignment-please do in paragraphs-no numbered or bullet points -apparently he does not like. And wants everything half inch-5 spaces indention (not 5-7)-He is really a stickler!
Week Six Learning Outcomes
This week students will:
· Discuss a productive failure and the significant lessons that emerged.
· Identify key leadership skills necessary for change leaders in modern organization,
· Propose specific methods for developing change leadership skills.
· Analyze the impact of organizational change initiatives on an organization’s success.
· Demonstrate a clear understanding of the organizational change process.
Week Six Overview
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Assignment
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Due Date
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Format
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Grading Percent
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Productive Failure
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Day 3
(1st post)
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Discussion Forum
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3
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Change Leader
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Day 3
(1st post)
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Discussion Forum
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3
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Organizational Change Report
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Day 7
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Written Assignment
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25
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Readings
Read the following chapters in your text, Managing Organizational Change:
1. Chapter 12: Sustaining Change
Recommended Readings
The following articles can be found by clicking the Library link in the left navigation bar. Select the ProQuest database from the table and search by author last name and article title within the database
1. It is recommended that you read the following articles to gain further understanding of productive failure and change leadership:
a. Hung, D., Chen, V., & Lim, S. (2009). Unpacking the hidden efficacies of learning in productive failure. Learning Inquiry, 3(1), 1-19. (Document ID: 1894617401). Retrieved from ProQuest in the Ashford University Library
b. Maccoby, M. (2010). Learn change leadership from two great teachers. Research Technology Management, 53(2), 68-69. (Document ID: 1993536111).
c. Sanders, M. (2010). The practice of adaptive leadership: Tools and tactics for changing your organization and the world. Personnel Psychology, 63(1), 255-258. (Document ID: 1980857661).
d. Scott, C. (2010). Perceptions of leadership under conditions of environmental uncertainty. Journal of American Academy of Business, 16(1), 30-35. (Document ID: 2040537041).
Discussions
To participate in the following Discussion Forums, go to this week's Discussion link in the left navigation:
1. Productive Failure
Sometimes things go wrong and it's not always a bad thing. Discuss a time in your organization’s history when a change process failed. Explain what happened and what was learned in the process. Respond to at least two of your classmates’ postings.
2. Change Leader
What skills are appropriate for a leader of change in a modern organization? How do you cultivate them? On reflection, what skills do you possess and how do you compare with your list of skills? What can you do to improve your skills? Respond to at least two of your classmates’ postings.
Assignments
To complete this assignment, go to this week's Organizational Change Report link in the left navigation:
Organizational Change Report
The Organizational Change Report is due in Week Six.
Focus of the Organizational Change Report
Submit an eight to ten page paper (excluding appendixes, cover page, abstract, and references). The paper should focus on a topic or concept in the course that has proven to be especially interesting to you. An outline of the chosen topic will be presented to the instructor in Week Three for review and approval.
Writing the Organizational Change Report
The Organizational Change Report:
· Must be eight to ten double-spaced pages in length and formatted according to APA style as outlined in the approved style guide.
· Must include a cover page that includes:
· Title of Paper
· Student’s name
· Course name and number
· Instructor’s name
· Date submitted
· Must include an abstract after the title page according to APA style in the approved style guide.
· Must include an introductory paragraph with a succinct thesis statement.
· Must address the topic of the paper with critical thought.
· Must include citations to references that support the assertions made in the paper.
· Must conclude with a restatement of the thesis and a conclusion paragraph.
· Must use APA style as outlined in the approved style guide to document all sources.
· Must include, on the final page, a Reference List that is completed according to APA style as outlined in the approved style guide.
Carefully review the
Grading Rubric
for the criteria that will be used to evaluate your assignment
INSTRUCTOR GUIDANCE
Week 6 Guidance - Dr. Paul Frankenhauser
Week 6 Objectives
· Discuss a productive failure and the significant lessons that emerged.
· Identify key leadership skills necessary for change leaders in modern organization,
· Propose specific methods for developing change leadership skills.
· Analyze the impact of organizational change initiatives on an organization’s success.
· Demonstrate a clear understanding of the organizational change process.
As was discussed in during the previous five weeks, managers, in order to maintain effective evaluation and accountability process, must continue to develop and evolve. Several recommendations are offered which will serve to further enhance this process. Although the recommendations are focused upon a governmental setting within a law enforcement environment, the recommendations are transferrable to other organizations beyond the scope of governmental employment.
· Creation of structured learning forum to enhance the skills of analysts through exposure and training in the applications of newly developed analytical software products.
· Analyses of crime trends need to be looked at from a regional standpoint. Supervisors, isolating crime trends to confined jurisdictional areas are failing to see the whole picture. Criminals are not concerned with jurisdictional boundaries but realistically seek opportunity.
· Provide for an atmosphere of feedback and testing for employees to ascertain if the tools are being used properly and are effective.
· Enhanced communication by senior management to ensure that the goals and objectives are cleared understood. If employees are provided adequate information on the organization’s vision for the future, they will be more accepting of those changes.
· Ongoing training of current trends in criminal activity, management goals, and the direction of the agency. This training should be both top-down and bottom-up, so that all ranks are given the opportunity to understand what is expected of them. This allows all employees the opportunity to understand the accountability concept and become part of the decision-making process.
· Feedback, both positive and negative, is recommended in order to measure the strategic change; feedback can provide a platform for senior management to educate employees about the challenges facing the organization and get their input to make better decisions in the future.
· The sixth recommendation is to encourage employees to be a part of the solution and not the problem. Employees like to feel that their input is important, even if their ideas are not accepted for implementation. This should be followed by frequent and specific accolades when organizational objectives, measured through benchmarks, are achieved.
· Maximize use of resources for the most effective results. Through placement of experienced and qualified personnel in the most qualified assignments the agency will make better use of their most valuable assets, their employees. Senior management should looks at education and experience of an employee as a measure for selection of assignments. This exemplifies the concept of a round peg in a round hole.
· Encourage participation at all levels. This can be accomplished by giving recognition for exemplary work performance, development of the new strategies, noting successful reductions of crime and money saving concepts.
The process of taking on and motivating non-productive employees in a direct and positive manner can be applied to all personnel regardless of tenure or rank. Management should not have to succumb to dead wood within the organization. All members of the agency must be willing to contribute positively to the goals and objectives within the organization in order to be progressive and effective within the community. In the private sector, if an employee is not doing the job and profits are adversely affected, that employee is terminated. This should also hold true in a government setting. In community policing, the profit margin of a law enforcement agency is ultimately measured by the successful initiatives toward crime prevention. Each officer must be willing to equally and aggressively contribute to the goals and objectives of the agency. Once accomplished, the agency may be considered successful within a community.
Week 6 Preview of Readings, Discussions, and Assignments
Readings
1. Read the following chapters in your text, Managing Organizational Change:
a. Chapter 12: Sustaining Change
2. Recommended Reading:
a. Hung, D., Chen, V., & Lim, S. (2009).
Unpacking the hidden efficacies of learning in productive failure
. Learning Inquiry, 3(1), 1-19. (Document ID:
1894617401).
b. Maccoby, M. (2010).
Learn change leadership from two great teachers
. Research Technology Management, 53(2), 68-69. (Document ID: 1993536111).
c. Sanders, M. (2010).
The practice of adaptive leadership: Tools and tactics for changing your organization and the world
. Personnel Psychology, 63(1), 255-
258. (Document ID: 1980857661).
d. Scott, C. (2010).
Perceptions of leadership under conditions of environmental uncertainty
. Journal of American Academy of Business, 16(1), 30-35.
(Document ID: 2040537041).
STUDENT RESPONSES
Sometimes things go wrong and it's not always a bad thing. Discuss a time in your organization’s history when a change process failed. Explain what happened and what was learned in the process. Respond to at least two of your classmates’ postings.
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In 2005 the Deputy Chief of Administration (DCA) decided to purchase mobile data terminals for the fire department suppression apparatus of the organization. This meant that every vehicle that responded to emergencies would be equipped with this new technology. The cost of the hardware for this organizational change was about $500 per vehicle, multiplied by 30 vehicles. The hardware change to apparatus would prove the easiest component to the intended organizational change.
This change process was destined to fail from the beginning as this course has so handily pointed out. The individual had the right intentions but all of the wrong skill sets from a leading organizational change perspective. There was no collaboration with colleagues or end users. The DCA made up his mind that this would be a benefit to the line firefighters without asking any of them. The Deputy Chief of Operations (who is the top of the chain of command for the operations side of our department) was unaware that the DCA was even working on something that his firefighter would be mandated to use. The Finance Director had not been consulted regarding the expenditure (for which there was no money budgeted). In short there truly was zero-collaboration.
In the end, prior to anyone’s knowledge, he signed an agreement with a vendor and too delivery of the equipment. Since this was an unfunded liability, there was no money to see the project through beyond installation. As a result, by the time we had money for training and software, these devices became outdated and very expensive post-it® note pad holders. It bears mentioning that the DCA signed the agreement with a friend and, although never proven in a court of law, may have received a kickback for the deal. After an investigation into this and other deals the DCA was fired. He has since been fired from another organization that hired him to do the same job our organization fired him from.
The lessons learned are several. When our organization hired this person, he was the chief of a one-station fire department that ran less that 1200 calls a year. At the time we were only ten stations and ran over 12,000 calls a year. In short, he did not possess the skills needed to be a successful change agent in our organization. He did not communicate or collaborate with others very well as he never needed that skill set in his previous organization. He did not have a vision for the future and the whole organization. He was not a mentor or a coach.
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Respond
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Hi Scott,
Thank you for your comments. Implementing change by adding functionality that is not clearly understood or developed will almost certainly result in failure, or at best, great confusion and inefficiency.
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Respond
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Sometimes things go wrong and it's not always a bad thing. Discuss a time in your organization’s history when a change process failed. Explain what happened and what was learned in the process.
As much as you try to plan and prepare for every possible contingency there are always going to be unexpected occurrences that can throw a change initiative off track. Sustaining change is a process where change managers, in order to ensure long-term success, need to properly research, plan and create a way to measure their initiative in order to track their progress. According to Robert Reisner’s lessons learned of the U.S. Post Office change initiative, change managers need to ensure their change initiative is timely. The change initiative is connected to the core business; the planned changes is deliberate, in other words, decide if incremental change is needed compared to strategic transformation; and lastly, create realistic expectations (Palmer, Dunford & Akin, 2009).
Within my department, we are immersed in change initiatives daily. Most initiatives are low-level; however, some are organizational wide. Rarely do change initiatives go exactly as planned; however, most are successful. The change process within my organization is extensive; there are many checks and balances. If the proposed change is a large-scale initiative, we will generally run a pilot to measure expected outcomes to actual outcomes.
A few years ago, in an effort to create more engagement with our military community, we decided to pilot military cohorts for our military affiliated students. The instructors used for the cohorts were either current military or veterans. The cohorts were offered to military affiliated students for our entry-level classrooms and were strictly voluntary. Approximately 50% of our military affiliated students opted into one of the cohorts. After the 90-day pilot, we measured persistence and retention seeing very little increase in student engagement. The cohorts were never fully implemented.
Upon further review of the cohorts, and the results, we determined that there were several reasons that the cohorts failed. First, the classrooms did not facilitate engagement beyond what a normal online classroom has. At the time, we had not really reached out to our military community to see what they would like to see. We did not allow the experience to be one of a student led community. In a sense, we had done nothing other than put a group of military affiliated students into one classroom.
Over the past several years, we have learned a lot from this experience, as well as the feedback we have received from our military community. It helped facilitate the creation of our Military Veteran Student Task Force which sole focus is the student experience for military. We are now at a point where we are talking about revisiting this initiative, now with more knowledge and better tools designed to engage.
References
Palmer. I., Dunford, R., & Akin, G. (2009). Managing organizational change: A multiple perspectives approach (2nd ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.
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DISCUSSION 2--Change Leader
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What skills are appropriate for a leader of change in a modern organization? How do you cultivate them? On reflection, what skills do you possess and how do you compare with your list of skills? What can you do to improve your skills? Respond to at least two of your classmates’ postings.
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The skills appropriate for a leader of change in a modern organization are Interpersonal communication, collaboration, coaching and mentoring, character, vision, and passion. A leader of change most be a strong communicator to relay their message with as much clarity and as little superfluous information as possible. They must also be a collaborator; solo acts rarely effect change in organizations. For organizational change to be successful it must be a team effort. A successful leader of change is a coach and mentor, therefore creating training and a succession plan to establish change. They possess character for successful change, often having to debate those not willing to embrace needed change. Vision is another critical skill an organizational change agent possesses. They must be able to visualize the greater picture of change and how the change will affect the entire organization as a whole. Finally, they must possess the passion to forge change regardless of the obstacles they may face. Organizational change is not an easy process regardless of size of the organization.
These skills are cultivated through a strong organizational communication process combines with solid mentors and coaches. Executive management of an organization must model this behavior and mentor the senior management who in-turn will mentor and coach supervisors. This takes time to implement but will create a good succession planning foundation.
All of these skills are still a work in progress. I have worked throughout my years in the military and fire service to develop a solid foundation as a coach and mentor. I am blessed with the privilege of being the mentor for new Tower Ladder (the long fire truck with the 100’ ladder on top) officer candidates for our shift. As for the other skills, my 360 degree evaluations at work have revealed that my interpersonal communications skills, passion, collaboration, and character are strong skills. Still, after 30 years in the fire service, I learn something on every call, every day on the job. My greatest challenge, at times is worrying about the largest picture which is that of the entire organization. The ladder truck and paramedic unit I supervise, my station and the technical rescue team I manage when I am on shift are my largest responsibility. At times I lose organizational perspective. I am working on that every day!
To improve on these skills I keep a list on a white board as a reminder to keep the big picture in mind and always look at things from another perspective before acting on them. I also have a mentoring discussion group with colleagues in this very subject.
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Respond
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What skills are appropriate for a leader of change in a modern organization?
Although there are going to be differing opinions on what skills are needed to effectively lead change, I have to agree with Kotter’s Eight-Step Change Management Model, and the change management steps and skills needed. According to Kotter, the change leader needs to be able to establish a sense of urgency; the leader needs to ensure that they have powerful backing. The change leader must have the skill to develop and communicate a vision that others will follow. Have the confidence to know how and when to empower staff. Ensure that there are built in short-term benchmarks in order to create wins and excitement. Consolidate gains and embed the change into the culture to ensure sustainment of change (Palmer, Dunford & Akin, 2009).
In order to drive the eight-step model, leaders must possess internal skills that give them the ability to motivate and drive performance and buy-in from staff. It takes the ability to sell the change, not as a want, as a need and necessary action. This can only come from a vision that everyone can taste, see, and feel. The change leader needs to have patience, mental fortitude, persistence, charisma, and drive.
How do you cultivate them?
Skills can be developed through studying past practices and change leaders lessons learned, as well as thoroughly examining your own strengths and opportunities for improvement. Cultivation is a constant process where leaders need to be cognizant of where they need improvement, and where they may need to bring in others to help make up for their deficiencies.
According to Kotter, the actions needed to be successful in the Eight-Step Change Management Model are to properly prepare and analyze the problem and opportunities. Develop a vision that will focus and motivate followers. Ensure that vision is disseminated via multiple avenues. Remove anything that could inhibit the change; and link the change to the success of the organization (Palmer, Dunford & Akin, 2009).
On reflection, what skills do you possess and how do you compare with your list of skills?
Reflecting on the skills listed above, as well as the needs that Kotter lists, for the most part I believe that I bring passion, drive, and motivation to those around me. I believe that I am charismatic and can sell the need for change. I have a lot of experience in this area, so I also know how to measure expectations versus real results.
What can you do to improve your skills?
Patience is probably my biggest opportunity for improvement. Because I live in a very fast-paced environment, I tend to have an expectation of others that may not be realistic. I need to heed my advice and accept things that I cannot change. Additionally, I need to find ways to create more excitement and drive from those that are dragging their feet. Many times, it is showing why the change is good for them.
References
Palmer. I., Dunford, R., & Akin, G. (2009). Managing organizational change: A multiple perspectives approach (2nd ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.
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Respond
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Hi Charles,
Good response! I would also add that research has demonstrated that there are nearly a limitless number of traits that have been identified as necessary for effective leadership. As you have alluded, leaders who effectively handle/manage change tend to be viewed as more successful. If we consider Lewin's Change theory, note the times of chaos/change in an organization, and look to what the leaders do it may be possible to truly assess the traits possessed by the leader.
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Natalie Mell
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5/8/2013 1:44:06 PM
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I wanted to find a source that was current, and professional. I reached out to a source that included information from certified management consultants. I have highlighted the top 2 skills as Turner (2012) presents Dr. Somerville’s thoughts as being the most important skills for a leader of change (pg. 1):
1. Manage the change process
2. Reduce conflicts and resistance during change
3. Build coalitions and networks
4. Develop a desirable vision and translate it into action
5. Secure and manage the necessary resources
6. Communicate effectively
7. Create and sustain interpersonal and social relationships to inspire, motivate, influence, and help with concerns
8. Lead with confidence, emotional intelligence and resiliency in the face of setbacks
9. Negotiate to address and influence the power and political dynamics of the organization as it moves through the transition
10. Analyze the internal and external factors needed for change, and their effect on the change initiative
11. Build and maintain trusting relationships before, during and after the change
How to cultivate: First, the leader of change must explain to the upper management how the change will unfold. Why? What is the change? How is it going to affect the management and their teams? The normal culture of the organization may not be controlling. In the time of change, control must be stricter to control emotions. Still give the information that is needed, and do not allow any room for confusion. Also, discuss the content and who decided that this change was going to occur. Why is this change 100% necessary? Then once that is completed, describe the future, and as above 3 states, develop a desirable vision and act upon that vision. This plan may be discussed with upper management so they are able to communicate the information to their teams. Gaining or retaining trust during the change process will cause less stressed employees, a trusting culture for their performance in the future, and a wholesome view of the corporation as a whole.
As I reflect on the skill above, I do not feel confident that I would be a good change leader. Experience will bring the above skills with only two years in the professional field; I have some more time to get experience. I believe that getting experience, and being aware of my actions 100% of the time will help me get to that point.
Turner, D. (2012, May 17). 11 Organizational Change Skills Every Leader Needs. Think Transition. Retrieved April 28, 2013, from http://www.thinktransition.com/articles/11-organizational-change-skills-every-leader-needs/
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Instructor Frankenhauser
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5/9/2013 7:47:06 PM
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Hi Natalie,
The significance of the relationship between the leader and follower in an organization are visible through the impact of those relationships upon management and the workplace environment. Several competing theories attempt to explain the leader-follower phenomenon as the relate to performance and outcomes. The impact of leader - follower theory rests with the particular style of leadership undertaken by the organization and its managers. Realizing that you were to select from a predetermined list of traits, are there other traits not mentioned here that you believe would be especially important for a leader to possess? Why?
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Bruce Pullens
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5/8/2013 10:52:11 PM
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What skills are appropriate for a leader of change in a modern organization?
A leader of change in a modern organization must possess fearlessness, intelligence, instinct, patience, and humility. A leader of change in a modern organization must absorb information, feedback, and data with the ability to convert success from mediocrity. A leader in the modern organization cannot make change for the simple fact of making his distinct mark on the organization. A leader in a modern organization demonstrates sound judgment and rational decision-making based on consultation, data, and facts. Successful leaders are not busy for the sake of doing meaningless tasks. Successful leaders remain dedicated and focused on growing the business through efficient operations. Ethical, responsible, and effective leaders do not make unnecessary change. They practice change principles based on the purpose to sustain and grow the organization.
How do you cultivate them?
Cultivating leadership skills come through talent selection, focus on the right priorities, and establishing employee development plans. If employee development is aligned to the organizational goals and communication is effective, the purpose for change is clear. Selecting diverse, intelligent, ambitious, and confident change agents create advocacy and leadership.
On reflection, what skills do you possess and how do you compare with your list of skills?
I am a trusted, hard-working, versatile executive that demonstrates the ability to be a global thinker. I have a balanced approached to optimizing the performances of people and processes. I model the skills and attributes that institute, sustain, and drive organizational reform through instilling values, commitment, and critical thinking in my staff. I am highly effective in my ability to analyze manual procedures to result in systemized processes. I am a quality control expert with a proven record of accomplishment in driving change, leading by example, and obtaining results.
What can you do to improve your skills?
To improve my skills I am required to focus on the roles of the CIO, CEO, and COO. Focus on self-development is a routine for me to incorporate in my daily tasks. I need to demonstrate continued resilience and ability to accept challenging assignments. I am required to improve my networking skills. I need to manage my staff with clear and concise vision, direction, and goals.
References:
Palmer, I., Dunford, R. & Akin, G..(2009). Managing Organizational Change: A Multiple Perspectives Approach. 2nd Edition. McGraw-Hill Primis Custom Publishing, 38503
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Brianna Jackson
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5/9/2013 11:02:46 AM
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According to a study assessing leadership attributes in an uncertain environment, the following traits were found to have importance (Scott, 2010):
1. Intelligence
2. Self-confidence
3. Determination
4. Integrity
5. Sociability
In thinking about my past experience, I would agree that these are traits that are needed in leadership in regards to leading change. These attributes can help foster the skills that are needed to implement change successfully. During change important skills that are appropriate are: excellent communication, strategic-thinking and the ability to engage employees. Each of these skills has implications for change being successful. A leader has to be able to communicate the vision, a leader has to be able to develop a plan for change and finally a leader has to be able to engage their employees to help power the change in moving forward. These skills can be cultivated through trial and error, professional development (formal classes) and comprehensive evaluation of performance. Although it may be more difficult to demonstrate these skills based on one’s innate traits, these skills can be taught as long as there is the passion and commitment to being an effective leader.
As I think about my own journey in leadership and the evaluation of my own skills, I believe that I am big-picture and detail oriented which helps me to be able to see a situation from different perspectives. Also I feel as if I have a skill in being able to relate to employees and articulate the vision of any project successfully. In relation to the list of skills outlined above, I believe I have high performance in those areas however with that being said I also believe that when it comes to leading my own team of employees I am strong but need more development in being able to lead amongst my team of department directors. This requires that I bring more of the systems and processes I use with my site directors to the administrative office. Right now we are in somewhat of a transition but there is no guidance on what we need to do and how we need to do. This is where I can bring my skill set to the table. In reality to improve in this area, I have to practice, practice, and practice. I must take advantage of the opportunities as they arise among my peers. I can take leadership courses as I am now however I also have the courage to put them in practice if I am going to truly see improvement.
Palmer. I., Dunford, R., & Akin, G. (2009). Managing organizational change: A multiple perspectives approach (2nd ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill. ISBN: 978-0-07-340499-8
Scott, C. J. (2010). Perceptions of leadership under conditions of environmental uncertainty. Journal of American Academy of Business, Cambridge, 16(1), 30-35. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/324730059?accountid=32521
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