Managing Organizational Change: A Practical Guide

How does a company survive for over 100 years? Chances are the answer to that question is never going to be by doing the same thing it has always done. Typically, corporate survivors have long histories of innovation in both products and business practices. Company history probably includes consolidations, mergers, acquisitions, liquidations, and diversifications, as well as numerous ramp-ups and subsequent layoffs. So the real answer to the question of how a company survives is likely to be by changing.For modern companies to survive, even in the short term, change is no longer an option - it's a requirement. In an age where global communication is instantaneous and technological innovations are constant, an organization's ability to change becomes one of its key assets.Consider how many times things have changed in your work environment in the last few years or even the last few months. How did those changes impact you and your coworkers? Chances are the changes were quite different in each case, with more or less resistance and greater or lesser success. There are different types of organizational change, ranging from incremental improvements to complete overhauls. There are many different methods for dealing with change as well.This book presents the fundamentals of organizational change, including what is meant by change. The time-honored model of change developed by social psychologist Kurt Lewin in the early part of the twentieth century is used to explain the different phases of change as well as the actions to take in each.One topic details the two broad categories of organizational change: evolutionary change and transformational change. Within these categories, you'll learn how to distinguish between strategic adjustments, strategic reorientations, and organizational transformations.Finally, this book covers some of the different theoretical approaches for managing organizational change and the practical application of combining strategies for greater effect.You'll also learn about weighing the various factors affecting change strategy, such as the time frame and extent of the change, the potential resistance within the organization, and the risks involved.It's becoming more and more important to know how to effectively implement change, and how to make your organization more readily changeable.As a leader, you will be required to manage or lead organizational change throughout your career. A good understanding of change fundamentals will serve as a strong foundation from which to craft your change strategies.Good leaders know that success is directly related to the support of those they're leading. If you're going to lead organizational change, you need to know how to build support for the change.Organizational change requires people to change - potentially the way they work, think, their habits, routine, and schedule. Faced with change, especially where their livelihood is concerned, people can react negatively; they may get anxious and defensive. Feelings are affected. As a leader, you need to manage your employees' feelings in the best interest of the organizational change.So how do you gain support in the face of almost certain resistance? Through open and honest communication. Involve your employees in the change by inviting their input, and listening to and considering what they say. Employees are a valuable source of information. And involving them demonstrates you value their opinion and respect their contributions, which will build support for the change.This book explores tips, techniques, and strategies that will help you successfully build support for change in your organization.Promoting support for organizational change will require you to motivate, listen, and support your employees through the change.