Change Management Strategy

Change Management Strategy

PART 1

Question 1

In the change management plan, one can account for the organizational readiness to change.  This can be done through assessment of the depth, scope and the size of change. The scope of change can be examined on how it will impact employees, departments and overall organization.  Secondly, in the change management plan one should also consider the existing culture and value system, and whether they are conducive for change. Alternatively, factors such as existing leadership styles, employee readiness for change, residual effects and even middle managements predisposition to change should also be examined. It is evident that some organizations have limited capacity to have change. This means that if an organization is experiencing a change it means that having another change being implement is a difficult affair. The readiness to change can be examined through the employee preparedness to achieve change in the organization.

If you have an organizational culture that is resistance to change but the clients wants to proceed with the change initiative without addressing the pertinent culture issues, it is advisable to introduce democracy in the organization and collaborative leadership. Pertinent issues that prevent change from being achieved can be addressed through improved communication about the benefits of having the change.All the doubters to the change should be encouraged to be actively engaged in the process. In addition, it is also advisable to create a platform for feedback, listen to the critics and encourage them to change their perspectives.  Throughout the change process, it is important to encourage people to adapt to the change process so as to improve their understanding to the process. This will encourage every individual to have improved readiness for the change process (Burnes, 2004).

Question 2

            In the article, Mapping out a game plan for change, the Austin argues that one should always plan to be wrong.In this statement, the author means that in some cases resistance to change is evitable. This can be demonstrated in cases where the organization had not adequately planned for change.  It is important for organizations to motivate their stakeholders so as to interest them in the change plan. Any potential interest in the achievement of a change will lead to improved acceptance to change. However, if the management does not encourage its employees to accept the change process, it is difficult to achieve it.Consequently, it is always advisable to create a change management process that is flexible for discussion in case of any resistance. This will help the organization to generate momentum and enthusiasm in the change process (Griffin, 2007).

One of the real life examples is introduction of new technology in an organization. Some employees may resist its introduction due to lack of interest in technology usage or the lack of knowledge about the technology. When mapping out the change plan for the new technology, it is advisable to plan to be wrong. This is because even if the management implements the new technology without involvement of the employees in the process, this could derail the process in which the employees shall acquire understanding about the technology (Skyttner, 2005).

Question 3

            As a consultant, I shall act as a change agent in many ways so as to inculcate it to my client. Firstly, I shall inspire a clear vision to be achieved by the change. This will help to tap the strengths of every stakeholder in the organization hence improve their performance. Secondly, I shall also be patient yet persistent since a change can only be sustained through a step to step process. Thirdly, as a consultant, I shall also be asking tough questions to ensure that there is accountability in the change process. Asking questions helps people to think about their ideas and what they would accomplish in the long run.  I shall also demonstrate character and credibility through knowledge that helps me to lead by example.  I shall also build strong relationships that are built on trust. It is evident that when there is a solid trust between people it is easy to push for the achievement of change (Burnes, 2004).

Some of the potential limits that may hinder my ability to initiate change include any form of resistance from the employees. It is evident not all people will like you especially when you are initiating change to them. Any form of resistance may hinder one from having necessary changes.A culture of negativity may also hinder the organization from having effective changes.When people are negative it is difficult to change their mindsets to become change agents. Sullen hostility and lack of participation are some of the factors that can prevent change from being accomplished in an organization.  Lack of effective leadership can act as a limitation for a change to be accomplished. This might cause a lot of problems hence prevent the change from being effective (Sobia Khan et al., 2014).

Question 4

            The success of change in a change management plan can only be measured through benchmarking and gap analysis. Benchmarking consists of comparing the processes of the firm and the impact of the change in the organization. If the organization offers the best practices, then it is easier to know whether the change will have an impact on the organization. If the change was successful in other organization there is likelihoodor a probability that the change will have a significant impact on the current organization.Secondly, one can also undertake a gap analysis to measure where the firm stands currently and the direction it is heading. The gap is analyzed as a strategy to help realize whether a change could lead to organizational success (Skyttner, 2005).

There are many challenges for consultants that are present in measuring the success or failure of a plans implementation. Firstly, it is evident that different organization may have different cultures that make it impossible to know whether the change would be successful or otherwise failure.Another challenge is that employees may first fail to demonstrate the failure to the change hence make it impossible to predict failure. At first there might be little resistance in the organization that might prevent the management from predicting what might happen in the future (Burnes, 2004).

PART 2           

Business Case for the Change	The proposed change initiative is implementation of new performance testing software technology in the workplace. The new technology should be implemented since it helps to maximize the performance of the employees. This project supports the goals of the business as it helps to monitor performance and provide the top management with feedback on areas that need to be improved in the workplace. The benefits of this software outweigh the costs in the long run. This is because they help to improve company’s bottom line as a result of improved effectiveness from the part of the employees.  The main expected return on business is improved employee efficiency and improved returns from the employees.
Barriers to Change	There are many barriers to change that may exist in an organization. These include, existing culture and values that may lead to resistance. Secondly, resistance from employees who fear change and the managers might feel threated by the change.
Change management Strategy	In order to influence change, several factors need to be taken into account so as to make that change effective.One of the processes that need to be put into account is involvement, planning and measuring the aims. This will help to create a team that is ready to undergo a process of change. As a change agent, I shall increase agency and get the vision right. This shall help to create an emotional aspect of the change process. Moreover, I shall also inspire action that will lead to the management of the change process. It is evident that communicating vision helps to involve as many people as possible hence improving the way people accepts the change process. This also improves their understanding to the change process.
Define Solution	The process of change can take approximately one year. It is difficult to achieve change in a short period of time. This means that if any change has to occur, the organization should be willing to ensure that everyone has been educated on the benefit of implementing it. In order to execute the technology implementation, I shall first carry out a gap analysis during the planning phase to assess what is needed so as to implement the change. I shall then communicate the objectives to the relevant stakeholders in the organization and then begin the process of implementation. During this phase, I shall engage every individual in the workplace so as to encourage feedback from the employees and encourage them to adapt to the change effectively.

References

Burnes, B. (2004). Kurt Lewin and the planned approach to change: A re- appraisal. Journal of Management Studies, 41(6), 977-1002.

Griffin, R. W. (2007). Fundamentals of management: Core concepts and applications. Boston, Mass: Houghton Mifflin.

Skyttner, L. (2005). General systems theory: Problems, perspectives, practice. Hackensack, NJ: World Scientific.

Sobia Khan et al (2014). The development of online decision support tool for organizational readiness for change. Article from NCBI. Retrieved fromhttp://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4030031/