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Wk4 Assignment: Change Management Strategy
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Wk4 Assignment: Change Management Strategy - Kotter's Eight Steps
Introduction
Given how in the modern age, companies are continuously compelled to keep up with the changing times. This requires them to bring about both internal as well as external change in the system from time to time. This change can range from improving the company culture to providing new training opportunities to the members of the staff. However, organizations need to take complete responsibility with regard to what works and what does not work for their organization. It also needs to address issues and keep improving and innovating to better itself with time. This paper will seek to address the change management strategy for an organization and how the use of Kotter’s eight steps can transform an organization.
Background and Rationale
According to ADDIN ZOTERO_ITEM CSL_CITATION {"citationID":"ny71FFpF","properties":{"formattedCitation":"(Kotter, 2007)","plainCitation":"(Kotter, 2007)","noteIndex":0},"citationItems":[{"id":1089,"uris":["http://zotero.org/users/local/0omESN17/items/G6P62GVQ"],"uri":["http://zotero.org/users/local/0omESN17/items/G6P62GVQ"],"itemData":{"id":1089,"type":"article-journal","title":"Leading change: Why transformations fail","container-title":"Harvard Business Review","volume":"85","author":[{"family":"Kotter","given":"John P."}],"issued":{"date-parts":[["2007"]]}}}],"schema":"https://github.com/citation-style-language/schema/raw/master/csl-citation.json"} Kotter, (2007)," the most general lesson to be learned from the more successful cases is that the change process goes through a series of phases, that in total, usually require a considerable length of time. Skipping steps creates only the illusion of speed and never produces a satisfying result" (p. 97).
The Kotter eight-step method can be held responsible for transforming an entire system and making it possible for the organization to improve itself in an effective manner. This change management strategy not only motivates positive change but also aligns the required change in a manner that works well with the goals of the business and the associated risks with regard to the change. Thus, it is often used by businesses to bring about a positive change in their system, which aligns with the business philosophy and makes it easy for them to rationalize change in a good and positive manner.
Assessment of Strategic Influences
As the name states, the process involves eight steps in order to achieve the desired results. The first step of the process is called “Establishing a Sense of Urgency”. In Kotter’s point of view, successful change can only be brought about when individuals or group at individuals working together carry out a detailed assessment of their competition. This assessment includes a look at the position, financial performance, and technological performance of the competition. This step decides on what sort of change is needed and then gives ways to implement the required change in a self-sufficient manner, paving the way towards transformation ADDIN ZOTERO_ITEM CSL_CITATION {"citationID":"B48vXAmj","properties":{"formattedCitation":"(Kotter, 2007)","plainCitation":"(Kotter, 2007)","noteIndex":0},"citationItems":[{"id":1089,"uris":["http://zotero.org/users/local/0omESN17/items/G6P62GVQ"],"uri":["http://zotero.org/users/local/0omESN17/items/G6P62GVQ"],"itemData":{"id":1089,"type":"article-journal","title":"Leading change: Why transformations fail","container-title":"Harvard Business Review","volume":"85","author":[{"family":"Kotter","given":"John P."}],"issued":{"date-parts":[["2007"]]}}}],"schema":"https://github.com/citation-style-language/schema/raw/master/csl-citation.json"} (Kotter, 2007). The second step of the process is called “Forming a Guiding Coalition”. This step is carried out by assembling a group of individuals that have the strength and the ability to lead change and the effort required to encourage the team to work together as a group. Here, a key role is played by team leaders to bring about effective change.
“Creating a Vision” is the third step of the process. It clarifies the direction that the organization needs to take in order to bring about an effective change. This step is immediately followed by the fourth step, called “Communicating the Vision”. In order to make the transformation successful, the executives and the team leaders involved need to broadcast the required change to the masses in an effort to show everyone what is it that needs to be done and bring about an effective change within the system ADDIN ZOTERO_ITEM CSL_CITATION {"citationID":"4FqDpPii","properties":{"formattedCitation":"(Kotter, 2007)","plainCitation":"(Kotter, 2007)","noteIndex":0},"citationItems":[{"id":1089,"uris":["http://zotero.org/users/local/0omESN17/items/G6P62GVQ"],"uri":["http://zotero.org/users/local/0omESN17/items/G6P62GVQ"],"itemData":{"id":1089,"type":"article-journal","title":"Leading change: Why transformations fail","container-title":"Harvard Business Review","volume":"85","author":[{"family":"Kotter","given":"John P."}],"issued":{"date-parts":[["2007"]]}}}],"schema":"https://github.com/citation-style-language/schema/raw/master/csl-citation.json"} (Kotter, 2007). Here, the concept of communication is seen as key and stressed in an effort to ensure that the system of change flows in a smooth manner.
The fifth step of the process is called “Empowering Others to Act on the Vision”. Kotter (2007) speaks about “getting rid of obstacles to change and changing systems or structures that seriously undermine the vision” (p. 99). Of all the steps, this step is one that takes time to get employees on board, as all change does. If the process is started with management and integrated into everyday business, then employees will be more willing to make the change. The sixth step is called “Planning for and Creating Short Term Wins”. Kotter (2007) states that “real transformations take time and a renewal effort risks losing momentum if there are no short-term goals to meet and celebrate” (p. 102). It is important to create those check-in moments of every few weeks or months, depending on the proposed change. Making sure that if there are issues with it being rolled out, the organization can address and correct those.
The seventh step is called “Consolidating Improvements and Producing Still More Change”. Kotter (2007) states that this can be completed by “hiring, promoting, and developing employees who can implement the vision” (p. 99). I believe that once a vision is established, that the SOESC would succeed in this step by completing all of the above. The eighth and final step is called “Institutionalizing New Approaches”. According to Kotter (2007) states that this step is done by “developing the means to ensure leadership development and succession” (p. 99). In this step, the process should be finalized, and change should be taking place.
Practical Application
The steps listed in the process are extremely beneficial to the entire system, especially considering that change is something that is not always considered positive. However, the way these steps operate makes the implementation of change successful. It gives the organization the right climate of change and even organizes the change in a manner that makes it possible to link the change to the organization in the right manner ADDIN ZOTERO_ITEM CSL_CITATION {"citationID":"76vCjVoF","properties":{"formattedCitation":"(Stragalas, 2010)","plainCitation":"(Stragalas, 2010)","noteIndex":0},"citationItems":[{"id":1090,"uris":["http://zotero.org/users/local/0omESN17/items/54WZDDKF"],"uri":["http://zotero.org/users/local/0omESN17/items/54WZDDKF"],"itemData":{"id":1090,"type":"article-journal","title":"Improving change implementation","container-title":"OD practitioner","page":"31-38","volume":"42","issue":"1","author":[{"family":"Stragalas","given":"Nicole"}],"issued":{"date-parts":[["2010"]]}}}],"schema":"https://github.com/citation-style-language/schema/raw/master/csl-citation.json"} (Stragalas, 2010).
Benefits to Strategic Business Leadership
Strategic leaders are often responsible for encouraging employees and fostering a sense of encouragement among them to follow their own ideas. Often, such employees make use of the reward and incentive system to ensure the productivity of the organization as well as the employees, which allows and even encourage employees to do better ADDIN ZOTERO_ITEM CSL_CITATION {"citationID":"S67lhKiC","properties":{"formattedCitation":"(MICEKA, 2014)","plainCitation":"(MICEKA, 2014)","noteIndex":0},"citationItems":[{"id":1091,"uris":["http://zotero.org/users/local/0omESN17/items/NWHAF6YF"],"uri":["http://zotero.org/users/local/0omESN17/items/NWHAF6YF"],"itemData":{"id":1091,"type":"thesis","title":"STRATEGIC CHANGE MANAGEMENT PRACTICES AND SUSTAINABILITY MODELS ADOPTED BY INTERNATIONAL LIVESTOCK RESEARCH INSTITUTE (ILRI) IN KENYA","publisher":"SCHOOL OF BUSINESS, UNIVERSITY OF NAIROBI","author":[{"family":"MICEKA","given":"GRACE KAWIRA"}],"issued":{"date-parts":[["2014"]]}}}],"schema":"https://github.com/citation-style-language/schema/raw/master/csl-citation.json"} (Miceka, 2014).
Thus, given the practical application of these four steps and how easy they are to implement makes it easier to carry out strategic leadership by organizational leaders. For instance, given the conscious-raising among people with regard to the existing workplace biasedness and lack of diversity in workplace, the managerial employees can task the Human Resource Department to ensure that the people being recruited to the company are the best candidate for the job despite belonging to a different social class, ethnic group, and even age. This would keep applicants from feeling like the company is operating on its own employment bias as if they are being passed over just so that the organization can create a diverse population.
Furthermore, the Kotter’s Eight Step Method is also helpful in giving an organization a well throughout plan about taking their company public through an online platform. Given the prevalence of eCommerce and online marketing, more and more organizations are making an effort to move online nowadays. Thus, in this regard, the step can even out the process for them, making the system a whole lot smoother.
Conclusion
With every change, comes benefits and risks. The organization needs to weigh the pros versus cons to see what would be most beneficial at the time. By using Kotter’s eight-step method, any business can successfully create, hire, promote, and train employees to prepare for more diversity within the organization. Change is inevitable, it is how companies prepare their staff for that change that can make a world of difference.
References
ADDIN ZOTERO_BIBL {"uncited":[],"omitted":[],"custom":[]} CSL_BIBLIOGRAPHY Kotter, J. P. (2007). Leading change: Why transformations fail. Harvard Business Review, 85.
Miceka, G. K. (2014). Strategic Change Management Practices and Sustainability Models Adopted By International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) In Kenya. School of Business, University Of Nairobi.
Stragalas, N. (2010). Improving change implementation. OD Practitioner, 42(1), 31–38.
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