Over the last couple months I have repeatedly seen a series of IBM TV commercials on that convey the message, “We must stop ‘ideating’ and start implementing.” One commercial shows an executive going to a corporate meeting dressed up as a superhero, Innovation Man. The “I” on his chest stands for Ideating, Innovating and so one, however, he forgets to include the word Implementing. In many cases like this organizations focus so much on creating new visions that they lose focus on how to actually put their vision into action. In general, there are five key components to turning vision into action.
The first component to turning vision into action is to challenge current practices and to take risks. This first step is usually one of the hardest. Too often organizational members become comfortable in their environment and they soon begin to resist change. Creating an environment that allows members to take on risks in order to explore new opportunities opens up chances to take on even more actions. People who are willing to challenge the process are usually willing to learn new things. Therefore, it should be these people that leader’s turn to when they seek to inspire other members into acting.
The second component is to create a collective vision. A collective vision includes the thoughts and opinions of all members. By having a collective vision individual members feel as if they have a greater sense of involvement and they feel more responsible for ensuring the vision is carried out. This invokes a positive attitude, increases members willingness to listen, and promotes a team oriented environment for collective and collaborative action.
The third component is to enable other members to turn their vision into action. The most important factor to ensure this component is successful addresses strengthening members. By giving strength to other members they become more capable of acting on their own. Increasing employees’ competence and confidence are just a few of the ways that a leader can strengthen organizational members. Additionally, allowing members to have the power to get power motivates them to work harder and to see rewards for their outstanding performance.
The forth component is ensuring organizational leader’s model the actions you wish the members to do. By ensuring your leaders are capable of modeling the action it will increase the likelihood that others will follow. An increased sense of trust and understanding will lead to more collective and collaborative actions.
The fifth component is to encourage the heart. In general, there are four simple methods to encourage people. The first method is to show genuine interest. Talking and asking sincere questions gets organizational members moving. The second method is to acknowledge what’s important to the members. Affirming and validating what is important to members increases their confidence and self-esteem. The third method is to recognize achievement. This is basically another form of acknowledgement that motivates individuals to continue their efforts. The fourth method is to ask for advice or to confide in the members. This form of flattery also increases a person’s confidence and sense of capability.
All in all, taking a vision and implementing it is not easy. Unlike the IBM commercials that make fun of companies who create vision but never act on them, organizations must find a way to make the shift from dream to reality. By developing this capability and fostering an action-ready environment an organization can be more effective in implementing innovative ideas.
References
1) Challenging the Process. College of Saint Benedict. Accessed on 11/13/07, https://www.csbsju.edu/sald/club_resources/psctp.aspx
2) Inspiring a Shared Vision. College of Saint Benedict. Accessed on 11/13/07,
https://www.csbsju.edu/sald/club_resources/psisv.aspx
3) Brown, S., Cahill, S., Hensley, G., Offutt, N., Starr, J. (4/13/05) Accessed on 11/13/07, http://www.71originaltitans.com/Boone-Leadership.pdf
4) Naeve, A. Communicative Modeling as way to Facilitate Professional Collaboration. Royal Institute of Technology. (4/19/07). Accessed on 11/13/07, http://www.ectel07.org
5) Cheong, D. 8 Simple Things you can do to Encourage Others. (7/12/06) Accessed on 11/13/07, http://www.davecheong.com
6) Calderon, R. The Five Fundamental Principles and Ten Commitments of Exemplary Leadership. University of Southern California.
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Implementing Adaptive Leadership
In our modern economy of reorganization, revolution, and change, adaptive leadership must be maintained in an organization in order to sustain its competitiveness and development. Management and administrative talent are also necessary for an organization to function properly however it is essential that adaptive leadership be cultivated to make the organization more ready for market and environmental changes. Although adaptive leaders have been associated with the “rocking the boat” notion, these leaders are the ones that drive positive change and organizational success(1). There are multiple characteristics that make an adaptive leader and various processes that an adaptive leader must perform.
Unlike managers and most administrators an adaptive leader is less focused on how to solve the problem than on how to get others to solve the problem. The leader also realizes that the power of change comes from those capable of coming up with solutions. Once an adaptive leader has developed solutions with their organization it then becomes their responsibility to convince the organizational members that they are capable of carrying out those solutions. Adaptive leaders promote changed thinking and reward members for solutions. Unfortunately, there are many issues involved in group projects and this requires adaptive leaders to be proficient in mediating opposing viewpoints, personalities, and communication styles. Another duty of the adaptive leader is to make sure that less powerful but important organization members are attended to. All in all, an adaptive leader must be prepared for controversy, conflict, long timeframes and setbacks(2,3).
There are four main techniques to the success of an adaptive leader. The first technique, Focusing Attention, is most concerned with getting members to pay attention to the issue at hand. The issue may be a problem, solution, or new project. Adaptive leaders may use creative ways to focus members’ attention. The second technique, Generating and Maintaining Productive Distress, addresses the issue that most adaptive problems often take a lot of time to resolve and progress comes in waves. The unstable progress usually distresses project members and requires an adaptive leader to harness the stress so that it doesn’t overwhelm the members. It should be noted that reasonable amounts of stress keep members on task. The third technique, Framing the Issues, is based on the fact that people must be able to see that complex, multifaceted problems present opportunities as well as difficulties. By framing the issue members can be more aware of issues that may arise and a general idea of what good will come from the project at hand. The fourth and last technique that must be mastered by an adaptive leader is the ability to Mediate Conflict Among Stakeholders. Sometimes the biggest obstacles of a project come from the most minute detail or discrepancy between stakeholders. Companies have collapsed under the pressure of change and controversy. Since organizations will host members with a variety of solutions it is essential that an adaptive leader be able to get them all moving in the same direction. Along the way there may be conflict across racial, cultural, or socioeconomic lines. The leader must squash conflict before it spins out of control and be accustomed to uncomfortable public controversies(4,5).
The development of an adaptive leader is resource intense and requires enthusiastic and motivated individuals. The aforementioned personality skills required are only a few of what constitute a true leader. Technique training for adaptive leadership helps them to successfully implement organizational change. All in all, the personality and characteristic skills as well as leadership techniques necessary to become an adaptive leader are not easy to come by but in the end will guide organizations in the proper direction.
References
1) Vicere, A. “The Strategic Leadership Imperative for Executive Development.” Human Resource Planning. Vol. 15 (1992) (accessed 10/16/07),
2) Daughtry-Weiss, D. “Technical versus Adaptive Leadership.” National Resource Center e-Newsletter. (3/29/05) (accessed 10/16/07),
3) Randall, L., Coakley, L. “Applying Adaptive Leadership to Successful Change Initiatives in Academia.” Leadership and Organizational Development Journal. Volume 24.4(2007) 325-335(accessed 10/16/07)
4) Heifetz, R., Kania, J., Kramer, M. “ Leading Boldly.” Stanford Social Innovation Review. (Winter 2004) (accessed 10/16/07)
5) Jamison, M. “Leadership and the Independent Regulator.” World Bank Policy Research Working Paper. (June 2005) (accessed 10/16/07)
Unlike managers and most administrators an adaptive leader is less focused on how to solve the problem than on how to get others to solve the problem. The leader also realizes that the power of change comes from those capable of coming up with solutions. Once an adaptive leader has developed solutions with their organization it then becomes their responsibility to convince the organizational members that they are capable of carrying out those solutions. Adaptive leaders promote changed thinking and reward members for solutions. Unfortunately, there are many issues involved in group projects and this requires adaptive leaders to be proficient in mediating opposing viewpoints, personalities, and communication styles. Another duty of the adaptive leader is to make sure that less powerful but important organization members are attended to. All in all, an adaptive leader must be prepared for controversy, conflict, long timeframes and setbacks(2,3).
There are four main techniques to the success of an adaptive leader. The first technique, Focusing Attention, is most concerned with getting members to pay attention to the issue at hand. The issue may be a problem, solution, or new project. Adaptive leaders may use creative ways to focus members’ attention. The second technique, Generating and Maintaining Productive Distress, addresses the issue that most adaptive problems often take a lot of time to resolve and progress comes in waves. The unstable progress usually distresses project members and requires an adaptive leader to harness the stress so that it doesn’t overwhelm the members. It should be noted that reasonable amounts of stress keep members on task. The third technique, Framing the Issues, is based on the fact that people must be able to see that complex, multifaceted problems present opportunities as well as difficulties. By framing the issue members can be more aware of issues that may arise and a general idea of what good will come from the project at hand. The fourth and last technique that must be mastered by an adaptive leader is the ability to Mediate Conflict Among Stakeholders. Sometimes the biggest obstacles of a project come from the most minute detail or discrepancy between stakeholders. Companies have collapsed under the pressure of change and controversy. Since organizations will host members with a variety of solutions it is essential that an adaptive leader be able to get them all moving in the same direction. Along the way there may be conflict across racial, cultural, or socioeconomic lines. The leader must squash conflict before it spins out of control and be accustomed to uncomfortable public controversies(4,5).
The development of an adaptive leader is resource intense and requires enthusiastic and motivated individuals. The aforementioned personality skills required are only a few of what constitute a true leader. Technique training for adaptive leadership helps them to successfully implement organizational change. All in all, the personality and characteristic skills as well as leadership techniques necessary to become an adaptive leader are not easy to come by but in the end will guide organizations in the proper direction.
References
1) Vicere, A. “The Strategic Leadership Imperative for Executive Development.” Human Resource Planning. Vol. 15 (1992) (accessed 10/16/07),
2) Daughtry-Weiss, D. “Technical versus Adaptive Leadership.” National Resource Center e-Newsletter. (3/29/05) (accessed 10/16/07),
3) Randall, L., Coakley, L. “Applying Adaptive Leadership to Successful Change Initiatives in Academia.” Leadership and Organizational Development Journal. Volume 24.4(2007) 325-335(accessed 10/16/07)
4) Heifetz, R., Kania, J., Kramer, M. “ Leading Boldly.” Stanford Social Innovation Review. (Winter 2004) (accessed 10/16/07)
5) Jamison, M. “Leadership and the Independent Regulator.” World Bank Policy Research Working Paper. (June 2005) (accessed 10/16/07)
Creating Self-Directed Work Teams
Success in today’s increasingly complex work environment is usually a result of organizational teamwork and employee empowerment. This form of work democratization is due to globalization, increased diversity, the development of technology and rapid environmental change. More and more companies are embracing the self-directed work team, (SDWT), organizational structure and taking advantage of all it has to offer. In general SDWTs increase organizational effectiveness and improve personal satisfaction. SDWTs have also been shown to increase customer satisfaction, reduce operating costs, produce higher quality solutions, retain employees, rapidly respond to technological change, increase innovation and creativity, and create organizational growth through learning. For individuals, SDWTs provide motivation, personal growth, job satisfaction, sense of community, fulfilling relationships, leadership development, empowerment and trust. In general there are four key principles to consider when an organization decides to develop SDWTs and there are anges to current human resources systems. The third key principle assumes that the organization and teams must build trust. In a SDWT course given by Alliance Training and Consulting they teach that, “In order to build trust, the two cultures including the formal culture (the rule making process where the bottom line is typically the most important thing) and the informal culture (the group that cares most about people and relationships) have to be opened up to one another.” The fourth key principle to be considered is that leaders should share information and responsibilities, display respect and demonstrate how SDWTs function in day to day operations.
When implementing SDWTs there are four main groups to acknowledge through the transition. The first group that should be created when developing SDWTs is a “Steering Committee.” The steering committee represents both the formal and informal culture. The members of the steering committee should be appointed or elected based on their leadership capabilities. These committees are usually best served if members are rotated in and out every 12 to 18 months. In addition to the steering committee there will be a group of supervisors in each SDWT. Their primary role is to coach the team through projects. When the organization transitions from the hierarchical business structure to the SDWT structure the supervisors must gradually hand their duties down to the team members. The last group is made up of the team members. The team must learn how to govern itself and this process will be done gradually. Typically the steering committee will decide what the criteria will be for each stage the team progresses through.
Creating SDWTs is highly dependent on job enrichment. Enriching jobs can be done by removing controls and increasing accountability, granting authority to employees in their activity, making any and all information available to employees, introducing new and difficult tasks, and allowing employees to become experts in what they choose. All in all, moving from a traditional hierarchical business structure to a SDWT structure is not easy. Effective leadership, education and organizational leadership are necessary to develop successful Self-Directed Work Teams.
References
1) Franz, N. K. (2004). Self-Directed Work Teams: The Antidote for “Heroic Suicide. Journal of Extension, 42, Number 2, Retrieved November 6, 2007 from http://www.joe.org/joe/2004april/tt1.shtml
2) Richard, W.S. (1991). Empowered Teams: Creating Self-Directed Work Groups That Improve Quality, Productivity, and Participation. Jossey-Bass, Inc., Retrieved November 6, 2007 from http://www.eric.ed.gov/
3) Grazier, P.B. (1999) Living with a Self-Directed Work Team & Why Self-Direction Works: A review of Herzberg’s Concepts. El Network. Retrieved November 6, 2007 from http://www.teambuildinginc.com
4) Simkovits, H. (2007) Self-directed or Mis-directed Work Teams? Business Wisdom. Retrieved November 6, 2007 from http://www.business-wisdom.com/articles/ArtclSelf-Directed.html.
5) Developing Self-Directed Work Teams. Alliance Training and Consulting, Inc. Retrieved November 6, 2007 from http://www.alliancetac.com/?PAGE_ID=219
When implementing SDWTs there are four main groups to acknowledge through the transition. The first group that should be created when developing SDWTs is a “Steering Committee.” The steering committee represents both the formal and informal culture. The members of the steering committee should be appointed or elected based on their leadership capabilities. These committees are usually best served if members are rotated in and out every 12 to 18 months. In addition to the steering committee there will be a group of supervisors in each SDWT. Their primary role is to coach the team through projects. When the organization transitions from the hierarchical business structure to the SDWT structure the supervisors must gradually hand their duties down to the team members. The last group is made up of the team members. The team must learn how to govern itself and this process will be done gradually. Typically the steering committee will decide what the criteria will be for each stage the team progresses through.
Creating SDWTs is highly dependent on job enrichment. Enriching jobs can be done by removing controls and increasing accountability, granting authority to employees in their activity, making any and all information available to employees, introducing new and difficult tasks, and allowing employees to become experts in what they choose. All in all, moving from a traditional hierarchical business structure to a SDWT structure is not easy. Effective leadership, education and organizational leadership are necessary to develop successful Self-Directed Work Teams.
References
1) Franz, N. K. (2004). Self-Directed Work Teams: The Antidote for “Heroic Suicide. Journal of Extension, 42, Number 2, Retrieved November 6, 2007 from http://www.joe.org/joe/2004april/tt1.shtml
2) Richard, W.S. (1991). Empowered Teams: Creating Self-Directed Work Groups That Improve Quality, Productivity, and Participation. Jossey-Bass, Inc., Retrieved November 6, 2007 from http://www.eric.ed.gov/
3) Grazier, P.B. (1999) Living with a Self-Directed Work Team & Why Self-Direction Works: A review of Herzberg’s Concepts. El Network. Retrieved November 6, 2007 from http://www.teambuildinginc.com
4) Simkovits, H. (2007) Self-directed or Mis-directed Work Teams? Business Wisdom. Retrieved November 6, 2007 from http://www.business-wisdom.com/articles/ArtclSelf-Directed.html.
5) Developing Self-Directed Work Teams. Alliance Training and Consulting, Inc. Retrieved November 6, 2007 from http://www.alliancetac.com/?PAGE_ID=219
Creating an Environment for Innovation
When an organization decides to create an environment for innovation many questions on “how to start” arise. Before taking steps to create an innovative environment the organization should come to an agreement on how the word “innovate” is defined. Innovate will be defined in this paper as the practice of introducing something new or making changes to something old or established. The idea of developing innovative environments within organizations has become increasingly important in the face of our continually changing markets and fast-paced economy. In order to successful implement innovative environment organizational leaders, administrators and employees must work together to change the overall work atmosphere, establish communication channels, challenge old and established practices, create a brainstorming activities, facilitate the process of innovation, and work in a timely fashion. In addition to these procedures there are five other ingredients to inspiring innovative thinking in organizational members.
The first area of the organization which should be targeted for change is the overall atmosphere. It is important that the idea or mission of the company be nurtured through gradual change. Changing the atmosphere of an organization isn’t like flipping a light switch. An innovative environment moves away from the traditional “structured” business atmosphere. For this reason, organizations are advised to encourage thinking away from the ordinary. Another long term component to establishing an innovative environment is to establish thorough communication. Openness and trust are established over long periods of time. Once an open and trusting environment is created organization members will be more compelled to effectively participate. The third component of change involves challenging organizational members. By putting members under a reasonable amount of stress they will be more efficient, they will also be given a greater sense of accomplishment for any objectives completed. Allowing organizational members to voice their opinions and ideas is an important fourth component. Employees are often the ones in the trenches and are closest to the problems, for this reason they may come up with the most viable solutions. The fifth component of creating an environment for change is to develop a procedure in which innovative ideas can be put into practice. These processes are essential to putting ideas in motion. Finally, putting time constraints on goals and objectives gets organizational members moving and achieving.
In addition to the aforementioned components of creating there are five ingredients that inspire innovative thinking. The first ingredient , creating a clear purpose, gives a unified description and inspiration that energizes and focuses the thinking of the organization. Purpose is assumed to drive energy and create focus. The second ingredient, allowing ownership of outcomes, makes people accountable for things beyond their immediate responsibilities. Allowing ownership predicts reliability for producing the outcomes. The third ingredient, inspiring risk, allows people to take risks. Allowing people to speak freely, speculate, and question established practices releasing creativity. The fourth ingredient, creating affinity among the organization, creates interpersonal trust and strong relationships. This allows members to focus on the task at hand and speeds up task execution. The last ingredient, promoting interdependence, encourages members to collaborate and work together. Interdependence leads to increases productivity and quality of work.
Establishing an innovative environment is not a simple task. The long-term goal takes a great deal of organizational integrity, however, an innovative organizational environment is priceless. All in all, it takes a combined effort at the organizational and individual levels to succeed in this process.
References
1) Baldwin, D. Creating an Environment for Innovation. Center for Simplified Strategic Planning, Inc. (accessed 10/30/07)
2) Callahan, R.H. How to create a more innovative business environment. Corante. (accessed 10/30/07) < http://ideaflow.corante.com/>
3) Dominic. Creating an Environment for Innovation. Business Innovation Insider. (accessed 10/30/07) < http://www.businessinnovationinsider.com/>
4) Natarajan, G., Subramaniam, S. Creating the Environment for Innovation. National Association of Software and Service Companies. (accessed 10/30/07) http://www.nasscom
5) Gass, D. Creating an Environment for Innovation in the Office. The Online Article Place. (accessed 10/30/07) < http://www.theonlinearticleplace.com/>
The first area of the organization which should be targeted for change is the overall atmosphere. It is important that the idea or mission of the company be nurtured through gradual change. Changing the atmosphere of an organization isn’t like flipping a light switch. An innovative environment moves away from the traditional “structured” business atmosphere. For this reason, organizations are advised to encourage thinking away from the ordinary. Another long term component to establishing an innovative environment is to establish thorough communication. Openness and trust are established over long periods of time. Once an open and trusting environment is created organization members will be more compelled to effectively participate. The third component of change involves challenging organizational members. By putting members under a reasonable amount of stress they will be more efficient, they will also be given a greater sense of accomplishment for any objectives completed. Allowing organizational members to voice their opinions and ideas is an important fourth component. Employees are often the ones in the trenches and are closest to the problems, for this reason they may come up with the most viable solutions. The fifth component of creating an environment for change is to develop a procedure in which innovative ideas can be put into practice. These processes are essential to putting ideas in motion. Finally, putting time constraints on goals and objectives gets organizational members moving and achieving.
In addition to the aforementioned components of creating there are five ingredients that inspire innovative thinking. The first ingredient , creating a clear purpose, gives a unified description and inspiration that energizes and focuses the thinking of the organization. Purpose is assumed to drive energy and create focus. The second ingredient, allowing ownership of outcomes, makes people accountable for things beyond their immediate responsibilities. Allowing ownership predicts reliability for producing the outcomes. The third ingredient, inspiring risk, allows people to take risks. Allowing people to speak freely, speculate, and question established practices releasing creativity. The fourth ingredient, creating affinity among the organization, creates interpersonal trust and strong relationships. This allows members to focus on the task at hand and speeds up task execution. The last ingredient, promoting interdependence, encourages members to collaborate and work together. Interdependence leads to increases productivity and quality of work.
Establishing an innovative environment is not a simple task. The long-term goal takes a great deal of organizational integrity, however, an innovative organizational environment is priceless. All in all, it takes a combined effort at the organizational and individual levels to succeed in this process.
References
1) Baldwin, D. Creating an Environment for Innovation. Center for Simplified Strategic Planning, Inc. (accessed 10/30/07)
2) Callahan, R.H. How to create a more innovative business environment. Corante. (accessed 10/30/07) < http://ideaflow.corante.com/>
3) Dominic. Creating an Environment for Innovation. Business Innovation Insider. (accessed 10/30/07) < http://www.businessinnovationinsider.com/>
4) Natarajan, G., Subramaniam, S. Creating the Environment for Innovation. National Association of Software and Service Companies. (accessed 10/30/07) http://www.nasscom
5) Gass, D. Creating an Environment for Innovation in the Office. The Online Article Place. (accessed 10/30/07) < http://www.theonlinearticleplace.com/>
Communicating Change
Change has become a tenet of our modern society. Unfortunately, change isn’t readily accepted in organizations because most people would rather continue in the comfort of their own complacency than alter their habits and current work routines. However, can people be blamed for their resistance to change? The fact remains that organizational change brings out feelings of insecurity, grief, and a necessity for more effort. Insecurity alone is created by fear of failure, fear of loss of status, and a general fear of the unknown. Grief is caused by the loss of familiarity, a loss of confidence, and a loss of comfort in routines and procedures. Change also requires increased effort from organizational members that some may struggle with. For example, learning new skills and building new relationships can be extremely stressful on an individual(1,2). Although there are many resistance factors that may hamper change a few key things leaders should keep in mind when communicating change.
The first and foremost thing to be considered when an organization is considering change is to create a climate for change. By establishing an environment where people are prepared and expecting change there will be less resistance than there would be otherwise. This environment can be established in multiple ways (3). When creating an environment that is adapted for change an organization should first ensure that there are adequate channels for communication. In the highly emotional climate that surrounds programs changes existing communication channels can easily break down. Also make sure that employees are capable to get answers from administrators. In a time of change employees are more hungry than usual for answers and information. If employees are not given the specific attention they need they may become restless and rumors mill.
Once an environment has been established in which change can be effectively communicated leaders should then specify the nature of the change to the organization. In this step the leader should specify how the change will affect the organization’s market influence, productivity, etc. They should also communicate the change in a context of a tangible goal to ease acceptance. In the next step leaders should then explain to the organization why they are pursuing change. In most cases the people who study the facts and decide to change the organization neglect to inform the organization members why they are pursuing change. A third step in communicating change is to let the employees know the scope of change, even if it’s bad news. It’s better to not sugarcoat news because it causes speculation and distrust. A forth step that should be practiced before and throughout the change is to continually repeat the purpose of the change and the actions planned. Don’t assume that employees accept the need for change, multiple meetings brings more opportunities for employees to ask questions and become more comfortable with organizational change. A helpful tool when communicating change in meetings or memos comes in the form of graphics. By using graphics organization members can easily understand plans for change. A fifth thing to keep in mind during an organizational change is to communicate progress. By using benchmarks employees are more aware of their accomplishments and the target goal seems to become more reachable(4). Other organizational issues that should be considered when pursuing change include targeting supervisors. Supervisors are the closest links between management and employees. By ensuring that they understand the plan for change is essential to communicating that message on the other employees. It is also imperative that supervisors and management model the change themselves. If organization leaders are not good models employees cannot be expected to change behavior(5).
Change can be daunting and even scary for some people; however, all organizations will have to go through change at some point in time. Whether the change affects the structure of an organization or the product it’s not easy. Effective communication and information dissemination is essential to success. All in all, it comes down to the leadership of an organization to exemplify and inspire other during these times of change and insecurity.
Main Concepts
Have vision
Have plan
Include everyone
Face to face communication
Modeled by leaders
Address emotions and feelings (fear, insecurities)
Has to be repeated over and over
Utilizing multiple channels to communicate
Create clear and compelling message (Put things into Lehman’s terms, communicate to average grade minus four years)
References
1) Communicating Change.Diane Bailey Associates. (accessed 10/23/07)
2) John Stark. Communicating Change. (accessed 10/23/07)
3) Dilling, L., Moser, S. Creating a Climate for Change: Communicating Climate Change and Facilitating Social Change. Cambridge University Press (2/5/07)
4) Communicating Change: A Dozen Tips from the Experts. Harvard Management Communication Letter, Vol. 2, No. 8, August 1999. (accessed 10/23/07)
5) Fenson, S. 10 Tips for Communicating Change. Inc.com. (June 2000) (accessed 10/23/07)
The first and foremost thing to be considered when an organization is considering change is to create a climate for change. By establishing an environment where people are prepared and expecting change there will be less resistance than there would be otherwise. This environment can be established in multiple ways (3). When creating an environment that is adapted for change an organization should first ensure that there are adequate channels for communication. In the highly emotional climate that surrounds programs changes existing communication channels can easily break down. Also make sure that employees are capable to get answers from administrators. In a time of change employees are more hungry than usual for answers and information. If employees are not given the specific attention they need they may become restless and rumors mill.
Once an environment has been established in which change can be effectively communicated leaders should then specify the nature of the change to the organization. In this step the leader should specify how the change will affect the organization’s market influence, productivity, etc. They should also communicate the change in a context of a tangible goal to ease acceptance. In the next step leaders should then explain to the organization why they are pursuing change. In most cases the people who study the facts and decide to change the organization neglect to inform the organization members why they are pursuing change. A third step in communicating change is to let the employees know the scope of change, even if it’s bad news. It’s better to not sugarcoat news because it causes speculation and distrust. A forth step that should be practiced before and throughout the change is to continually repeat the purpose of the change and the actions planned. Don’t assume that employees accept the need for change, multiple meetings brings more opportunities for employees to ask questions and become more comfortable with organizational change. A helpful tool when communicating change in meetings or memos comes in the form of graphics. By using graphics organization members can easily understand plans for change. A fifth thing to keep in mind during an organizational change is to communicate progress. By using benchmarks employees are more aware of their accomplishments and the target goal seems to become more reachable(4). Other organizational issues that should be considered when pursuing change include targeting supervisors. Supervisors are the closest links between management and employees. By ensuring that they understand the plan for change is essential to communicating that message on the other employees. It is also imperative that supervisors and management model the change themselves. If organization leaders are not good models employees cannot be expected to change behavior(5).
Change can be daunting and even scary for some people; however, all organizations will have to go through change at some point in time. Whether the change affects the structure of an organization or the product it’s not easy. Effective communication and information dissemination is essential to success. All in all, it comes down to the leadership of an organization to exemplify and inspire other during these times of change and insecurity.
Main Concepts
Have vision
Have plan
Include everyone
Face to face communication
Modeled by leaders
Address emotions and feelings (fear, insecurities)
Has to be repeated over and over
Utilizing multiple channels to communicate
Create clear and compelling message (Put things into Lehman’s terms, communicate to average grade minus four years)
References
1) Communicating Change.Diane Bailey Associates. (accessed 10/23/07)
2) John Stark. Communicating Change. (accessed 10/23/07)
3) Dilling, L., Moser, S. Creating a Climate for Change: Communicating Climate Change and Facilitating Social Change. Cambridge University Press (2/5/07)
4) Communicating Change: A Dozen Tips from the Experts. Harvard Management Communication Letter, Vol. 2, No. 8, August 1999. (accessed 10/23/07)
5) Fenson, S. 10 Tips for Communicating Change. Inc.com. (June 2000) (accessed 10/23/07)
Building Support for a Strategic Plan
Different organizations have different goals and objectives which require various internal and external partnerships to succeed. As a result of this, each organization has to realize its potential and decide the means in which it will gain member support and commitment. Support and commitment are two key factors in any business or organizations success. Together they create a cooperative and cohesive work group that can work toward a common goal. There are six tasks which organizational leaders should carry out in order to insure effective support and commitment systems.
The first task that should be addressed by an organizational leader is to maintain open lines of communication. By allowing information to flow freely upwards and laterally organizational members are more in tune to what’s going on and they are more likely to identify with a project’s purpose. By maintaining open lines of communication it also adds to members’ perception of self worth. That is, they gain confidence in their ability to make change and to achieve, this leads to increased participation and work output. Additionally, by maintaining open communication members develop a deeper sense of trust because all the information is out on the table. Trust leads to higher work ethic and sense of comfort.
The second task that should be addressed when building a support system is to be unambiguous about what is required from organizational members. This means that as a leader you must be clear and concise about what the project is and what it will accomplish. By making sure the participating members understand what is going on in the workplace they can be more aware of what will be required from themselves, (time and resources). Other than the obvious by being clear you avoid confusion and vague communications.
The third task is to focus on action goals. This step to gaining support is multifaceted. The first part of developing a clear focus requires a selection of members who will be involved. By doing this you insure that resources are more properly allocated and that members whose work or knowledge is unrelated to the task at hand don’t diffuse the projects focus. Once a focused team has been assembled the leader or manager must explain short term goals and the actions that must be taken to achieve those goals. Finally, in focusing the team members the leader should outline the benefits of any actions and clarify those of what the final outcome will be.
The fourth task is to continually monitor team members and measure project progress. Firstly, by measuring throughout the projects timeline team members are given a sense of achievement, “If you can’t measure it you can’t manage it.” Secondly, by monitoring team members a leader will be more aware of group sentiment and whether or not there is commitment for a project. At this point the leader can assess whether or not there is enough support to go on with a project.
The fifth task is to create a work environment that maintains interdependence and growth. Interdependence leads to decreases in absenteeism because members are more aware of how others are affected by their absence. Interdependence also helps build ownership, trust and commitment among team members. By establishing an environment of commitment growth, a leader can create an organization where members, “want to be.” This typically creates a harmonious environment where members feel like they are part of the organization.
The last task is to recognize members’ achievements. By giving incentives or recognition members’ perception of their value to the company goes up. This final task leaves a lasting effect on members that can last through current projects and well on into the future.
These six keys to building support and commitment among participating members for a project or plan are key to success. Unfortunately, there are many personalities in any team and sometimes they will be incompliant. However, it is a leader or managers duty to put every effort into gaining their organizational members support. Leading through action can be effective but creating an environment conducive to growing membership support is essential.
References
1) Korostensky, K. How to Gain Respect and Support for Yourself and Your Business. Ezine Articles. (accessed 10/9/07)
2) Bruderl, J., Preisendorfer, P. Support and the Success of Newly Founded Business. Small Business Economics. May 1998. (accessed 10/9/07)
3) Fields, B. 3 Key Steps to Gaining Employee Support for Organizational Change. Carolina Newswire. (accessed 10/9/07)
4) Queensland Government. Gain Employee Commitment. (accessed 10/9/07) http://www.sdi.qld.gov.au/dsdweb/v3/documents/objdirctrled/nonsecure/pdf/22586.pdf
5) Strebel, P. Why do Employees Resist Change? May 1996. (Word Document)
The first task that should be addressed by an organizational leader is to maintain open lines of communication. By allowing information to flow freely upwards and laterally organizational members are more in tune to what’s going on and they are more likely to identify with a project’s purpose. By maintaining open lines of communication it also adds to members’ perception of self worth. That is, they gain confidence in their ability to make change and to achieve, this leads to increased participation and work output. Additionally, by maintaining open communication members develop a deeper sense of trust because all the information is out on the table. Trust leads to higher work ethic and sense of comfort.
The second task that should be addressed when building a support system is to be unambiguous about what is required from organizational members. This means that as a leader you must be clear and concise about what the project is and what it will accomplish. By making sure the participating members understand what is going on in the workplace they can be more aware of what will be required from themselves, (time and resources). Other than the obvious by being clear you avoid confusion and vague communications.
The third task is to focus on action goals. This step to gaining support is multifaceted. The first part of developing a clear focus requires a selection of members who will be involved. By doing this you insure that resources are more properly allocated and that members whose work or knowledge is unrelated to the task at hand don’t diffuse the projects focus. Once a focused team has been assembled the leader or manager must explain short term goals and the actions that must be taken to achieve those goals. Finally, in focusing the team members the leader should outline the benefits of any actions and clarify those of what the final outcome will be.
The fourth task is to continually monitor team members and measure project progress. Firstly, by measuring throughout the projects timeline team members are given a sense of achievement, “If you can’t measure it you can’t manage it.” Secondly, by monitoring team members a leader will be more aware of group sentiment and whether or not there is commitment for a project. At this point the leader can assess whether or not there is enough support to go on with a project.
The fifth task is to create a work environment that maintains interdependence and growth. Interdependence leads to decreases in absenteeism because members are more aware of how others are affected by their absence. Interdependence also helps build ownership, trust and commitment among team members. By establishing an environment of commitment growth, a leader can create an organization where members, “want to be.” This typically creates a harmonious environment where members feel like they are part of the organization.
The last task is to recognize members’ achievements. By giving incentives or recognition members’ perception of their value to the company goes up. This final task leaves a lasting effect on members that can last through current projects and well on into the future.
These six keys to building support and commitment among participating members for a project or plan are key to success. Unfortunately, there are many personalities in any team and sometimes they will be incompliant. However, it is a leader or managers duty to put every effort into gaining their organizational members support. Leading through action can be effective but creating an environment conducive to growing membership support is essential.
References
1) Korostensky, K. How to Gain Respect and Support for Yourself and Your Business. Ezine Articles. (accessed 10/9/07)
2) Bruderl, J., Preisendorfer, P. Support and the Success of Newly Founded Business. Small Business Economics. May 1998. (accessed 10/9/07)
3) Fields, B. 3 Key Steps to Gaining Employee Support for Organizational Change. Carolina Newswire. (accessed 10/9/07)
4) Queensland Government. Gain Employee Commitment. (accessed 10/9/07) http://www.sdi.qld.gov.au/dsdweb/v3/documents/objdirctrled/nonsecure/pdf/22586.pdf
5) Strebel, P. Why do Employees Resist Change? May 1996. (Word Document)
Building Internal and External Relationships
With the vast amount of information provided on the internet and countless other resources it has become easy for organizations to “go it alone,” in their journey to success. Unfortunately, the chance of a company or organization making it on their own is slim to none. The simple truth is that in order to succeed organizations must establish unyielding internal and external relationships. There are many factors which help organizational leaders and managers to establish and maintain good internal and external relationships. There a few key actions that an organization must commit and continue in order to establish and maintain good relationships for partnering.
Building strong relationships with others is the best way to build up a strong network, but in the words of Kathleen Barton, “A strong business network is like a tree. If you get busy and don’t nurture the relationships the tree will wither and die. On the other hand, if you nurture the network it will flourish.” Once a person becomes part of an organization it is essential that the individual establish their place within that organization and to develop internal relationships which will lead to professional success. The first thing that an individual must do once they have become involved in an organization is to communicate frequently. Communication can be done through email, phone, face to face, and note leaving, all valid and effective ways of keeping in contact. As a leader it is important to ad incentives to work. It doesn’t matter if the incentive is just a feeling of accomplishment, a financial incentive, or a simple positive remark, however, by rewarding co-workers the workplace can be successful. Another effective device in building internal relationships is to hold special events like department meetings to discuss progress and issues. Social events that don’t revolve around work can also develop relationships. Internal relationships can be easily established and sustained with mutual respect and cooperation.
Unfortunately, building and sustaining external relationships can be a little bit more difficult. The first step in developing these relationships is to go to conferences and key industry functions in order to network. In these types of situations the individual should be prepared to socialize and even talk about petty things completely unrelated to work. Additional preparation should be put into learning about the people who will be at the function beforehand, this gives the individual an opportunity to develop an idea of who they would like to meet and how they will allocate their time to networking. It is essential to have business cards in these first meetings. Not only do business cards leave the new contact with a physical thing to remember the individual by but they will also give the new contact the means to get in touch with the individual. In initial conversations the individual should offer their help to new contacts. Rather than demanding help or assistance it is important in these first steps to show the new contact how your relationship can benefit their organization. The next step after the initial meeting would be to follow-up. A simple, “Thank you for your time,” note and a brief message of how your new relationship will benefit the new contact’s organization as well as your own. From this point on the individual should communicate with the new contact on a regular basis to discuss new developments and opportunities for the two organizations to collaborate. Simple progress notes and questions will help maintain the relationship and develop trust.
All in all the development of internal and external relationships isn’t easy. To initiate contact is sometimes not easy. In the hectic work week follow-up can be very demanding. However, it is extremely important for employees and leaders to establish strong relationships. These relationships will not only bring people within the organization together but they will also bring the organization closer with related organizations in collaborations that will lead to business success.
References
1) Carnegie, D. (1990). How to Win Friends and Influence People. Pocket Publications. New York
2) Gordon, T. (1/05/04) 7 Relationship-Building Strategies for Your Business. Entrepreneur.com, (accessed 9/29/07)
3) Building Business Relationships. (2005). Leading Insight, (accessed 9/29/07)
4) Barton, K., Building and Maintaining Strong Business Relationships. (accessed 9/29/07) < http://www.the-success-connection.com/pdf%20files/Articles/Building%20and%
20Maintaining%20Strong%20Business%20Relationships.pdf >
5) The Top 10 Benefits of Building Business Relationships. (1997). CoachVille. (accessed 9/29/07) < http://topten.org/content/tt.AC40.htm>
Building strong relationships with others is the best way to build up a strong network, but in the words of Kathleen Barton, “A strong business network is like a tree. If you get busy and don’t nurture the relationships the tree will wither and die. On the other hand, if you nurture the network it will flourish.” Once a person becomes part of an organization it is essential that the individual establish their place within that organization and to develop internal relationships which will lead to professional success. The first thing that an individual must do once they have become involved in an organization is to communicate frequently. Communication can be done through email, phone, face to face, and note leaving, all valid and effective ways of keeping in contact. As a leader it is important to ad incentives to work. It doesn’t matter if the incentive is just a feeling of accomplishment, a financial incentive, or a simple positive remark, however, by rewarding co-workers the workplace can be successful. Another effective device in building internal relationships is to hold special events like department meetings to discuss progress and issues. Social events that don’t revolve around work can also develop relationships. Internal relationships can be easily established and sustained with mutual respect and cooperation.
Unfortunately, building and sustaining external relationships can be a little bit more difficult. The first step in developing these relationships is to go to conferences and key industry functions in order to network. In these types of situations the individual should be prepared to socialize and even talk about petty things completely unrelated to work. Additional preparation should be put into learning about the people who will be at the function beforehand, this gives the individual an opportunity to develop an idea of who they would like to meet and how they will allocate their time to networking. It is essential to have business cards in these first meetings. Not only do business cards leave the new contact with a physical thing to remember the individual by but they will also give the new contact the means to get in touch with the individual. In initial conversations the individual should offer their help to new contacts. Rather than demanding help or assistance it is important in these first steps to show the new contact how your relationship can benefit their organization. The next step after the initial meeting would be to follow-up. A simple, “Thank you for your time,” note and a brief message of how your new relationship will benefit the new contact’s organization as well as your own. From this point on the individual should communicate with the new contact on a regular basis to discuss new developments and opportunities for the two organizations to collaborate. Simple progress notes and questions will help maintain the relationship and develop trust.
All in all the development of internal and external relationships isn’t easy. To initiate contact is sometimes not easy. In the hectic work week follow-up can be very demanding. However, it is extremely important for employees and leaders to establish strong relationships. These relationships will not only bring people within the organization together but they will also bring the organization closer with related organizations in collaborations that will lead to business success.
References
1) Carnegie, D. (1990). How to Win Friends and Influence People. Pocket Publications. New York
2) Gordon, T. (1/05/04) 7 Relationship-Building Strategies for Your Business. Entrepreneur.com, (accessed 9/29/07)
3) Building Business Relationships. (2005). Leading Insight, (accessed 9/29/07)
4) Barton, K., Building and Maintaining Strong Business Relationships. (accessed 9/29/07) < http://www.the-success-connection.com/pdf%20files/Articles/Building%20and%
20Maintaining%20Strong%20Business%20Relationships.pdf >
5) The Top 10 Benefits of Building Business Relationships. (1997). CoachVille. (accessed 9/29/07) < http://topten.org/content/tt.AC40.htm>
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