...A Comprehensive Discussion on the Similarities of Change as Discussed in The Heart of Change and Organizational Behavior and Management Webster University Introduction A famous Greek philosopher, Heraclitus, once said, “Change is the only constant.” That can be said of business too. “Business as usual” is no longer the world of the eight to five workday, Monday through Friday with the safety net of cornering the market place in the selected region. As Thomas Friedman’s bestselling book “The World is Flat” states due to globalization and advances in technology, “the world is on a level playing field, where all competitors around the globe have equal opportunity to compete,” in a global market that historically and geographical has been impossible several decades ago (The World Is Flat ). In light of this, the authors of “The Heart of Change”, John Kotter and David Cohen (2002) and “Organizational Behavior and Management” textbook by Ivancevich...
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...Chapter Creating a Strategic Direction Visions and Values Paul Olk, Peter Rainsford, and Tsungting Chung ncreased globalization and the incorporation of many new information technology (IT) tools have enhanced the need for top management to set a clear strategic vision for a company. As market demands and the ability to communicate globally encourage companies to continue to expand into new geographical and product markets—and as they also enter into long-term buyer-supplier relationships or contract out activities previously conducted internally—companies are spread more thinly. This creates a challenge of how to coordinate all of the activities conducted around the globe and by partner organizations. While sophisticated software programs (e.g., enterprise resource planning [ERP]) or intranet capabilities enhance internal communication, these are not adequate. Establishing and maintaining a consistent strategic direction for the company begins with setting a clear vision for the company. A strategic vision provides multiple benefits to a company. First, it presents a broadly shared sense of organizational direction and purpose. Direction is needed because few organizations have achieved greatness by being all things to all consumers. To instill a purpose, most successful companies achieved their leadership position by adopting a vision far greater than their resource base and competencies would allow (de Kluyver & Pearce, 2002; Hamel & Prahalad, 1989). A vision also provides...
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...What is Leadership? Leaders are people who do the right thing; managers are people who do things right.– Professor Warren G. Bennis Leadership is the art of getting someone else to do something you want done because he wants to do it.– Dwight D. Eisenhower The word "leadership" can bring to mind a variety of images. For example: • A political leader, pursuing a passionate, personal cause. • An explorer, cutting a path through the jungle for the rest of his group to follow. • An executive, developing her company's strategy to beat the competition. Leaders help themselves and others to do the right things. They set direction, build an inspiring vision, and create something new. Leadership is about mapping out where you need to go to "win" as a team or an organization; and it is dynamic, exciting, and inspiring. Yet, while leaders set the direction, they must also use management skills to guide their people to the right destination, in a smooth and efficient way. In this article, we'll focus on the process of leadership. In particular, we'll discuss the "transformational leadership" model, first proposed by James MacGregor Burns and then developed by Bernard Bass. This model highlights visionary thinking and bringing about change, instead of management processes that are designed to maintain and steadily improve current performance. Note: Leadership means different things to different people around the world, and different things in different situations. For example...
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...people’s behaviour?” You’ll also learn how The Heart of Change can alter the way organisations and leaders approach change management. Since this guide covers a lot of ground and is a long read (3,000 words) you may want to check out the table of contents below for some quick jumping around. And if you want to read more high quality articles please sign up for email updates and never miss another post. Want to read something shorter? Visit our related post: The Heart of Change. Or download the ebook of this article from our member resources section. Table of Contents * Successful Change Management * Kotter’s 8-Step Change Model for Leading Change * Creating a Climate for Change * Increasing Urgency * Building the Guiding Team * Getting the Right Vision * Engaging and Enabling the Organisation * Communicate for Buy-in * Empower Action * Create Short-term Wins * Implementing and Sustaining Change * Don’t Let Up...
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...Leadership and Corporate Culture What is Leadership? What is Leadership? Ability to persuade others to do things for the good of the organization make difficult decisions make unpopular decisions deliver results create long-term commitments Why is the Leader Important to An Organization? Why is the Leader Important? Establishes vision Develops and implements strategies Allocates and controls resources Chooses key employees Shapes culture Affects organizational performance Projects image to the public Levels of Leadership (Jim Collins, HBR, Jan. 2001) Highly capable individual Contributing team member Competent manager Effective leader – catalyzes commitment to and vigorous pursuit of a clear & compelling vision, stimulate high performance Executive – builds enduring greatness through humility and professional wills What are the Leadership Traits of Highly Productive Organizations? Leadership Traits of Highly Productive Organizations Attention to details Highly ethical and moral Embracing simplicity & disdain for waste Long-term focus Humility Coaching leadership style Trust and believe in others Management Practices That Work (Nohria, et al., HBR, 2003) Primary Strategy, Execution, Culture, Structure Secondary (Two of Four) Talent, Leadership, Innovation...
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...Organizations face the continuous prospect of change as they fight to survive and remain competitive in a globalized economy. Changes exist in both the external and internal environments. As organizational environments exert pressure for change, organizations must adjust if they are to survive and prosper. According to Medley and Akan (2008), theories concerning organizational change were dominated by Lewin’s planned change approach (1947), which brings together four complex elements: (1) field theory, which seeks to map the totality of human behaviors taking place; (2) group dynamics, which seeks to understand the behavior of groups; (3) action research, which requires analyzing the situation and choosing the best change for the situation; and (4) the three-step planned change model, consisting of (a) unfreezing human behavior that is supported by a complex field of driving and restraining forces, (b)changing- moving to learn new behaviors and effectuating required changes, and (c) refreezing an equilibrium to ensure new behaviors. Unfreezing According to Burnes (2004), Lewin believed that the stability of human behavior was based on a quasi-stationary equilibrium supported by a complex field of driving and restraining forces. He argued that the equilibrium needs to be destabilized (unfrozen) before old behavior can be unlearnt and new behavior successfully adopted. Unfreezing is altering the present stable equilibrium which supports existing behaviors and attitudes...
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...strategic planning in order to achieve the future success for a company as it has described the method of reinvention to satisfy corporate needs to be achieved through experience and discovery in the critical situation where company’s were fallen flat by the lack of integration and to have a fresh change that make the employee to work. It also focuses on combining companies and corporate visions for function operations. This book was very insightful in the area of teaching senior and top management skills and qualities that need to be possessed to be a successful company. The core competencies are not product specific but some exceeding resources and patience of single business unit create more options in the market. Business needs involving continuous leverage of core competencies with major contribution at all level of management for building and nurturing sophisticated, and more positive, and strategic architecture as a high-level blueprint for the reconfiguring of the interface with customers. As strategic intent is strategic architecture’s capstone but it’s an ambitious and compelling strategic intent that provides the emotional and intellectual energy for the journey. They are trying to create ambitious aspiration for the future and all in its importance. Gary Hamel and CK Prahalad emphasize that companies are focusing now and not concerned about the future companies to come. Companies were in risky situation if they do not change their ways and adapt to popular ways...
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...Kurt Lewin's Change Theory Organizations face the continuous prospect of change as they fight to survive and remain competitive in a globalized economy. Changes exist in both the external and internal environments. As organizational environments exert pressure for change, organizations must adjust if they are to survive and prosper. According to Medley and Akan (2008), theories concerning organizational change were dominated by Lewin’s planned change approach (1947), which brings together four complex elements: (1) field theory, which seeks to map the totality of human behaviors taking place; (2) group dynamics, which seeks to understand the behavior of groups; (3) action research, which requires analyzing the situation and choosing the best change for the situation; and (4) the three-step planned change model, consisting of (a) unfreezing human behavior that is supported by a complex field of driving and restraining forces, (b)changing- moving to learn new behaviors and effectuating required changes, and (c) refreezing an equilibrium to ensure new behaviors. Unfreezing According to Burnes (2004), Lewin believed that the stability of human behavior was based on a quasi-stationary equilibrium supported by a complex field of driving and restraining forces. He argued that the equilibrium needs to be destabilized (unfrozen) before old behavior can be unlearnt and new behavior successfully adopted. Unfreezing is altering the present stable equilibrium which supports...
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...person influences the behavior or actions of other people in an organizational context. It is a dynamic two-way process of leading and following that can affect both individual and organizational performance. For example ,a leader can influence the interpretation of events, the choice of objectives and strategies, the organization of work activities, the motivation of people to achieve the objectives, the maintenance of cooperative relationships, the development of skills and confidence by members and the enlistment of support and cooperation from the people outside the group or organisation Leadership in an organizational role involves: (1) Establishing a clear vision, (2) Sharing that vision with others so that they will follow willingly, (3) Providing the information, knowledge, and methods to realize that vision, and (4) Coordinating and balancing the conflicting interests of all members or stakeholders LEADERSHIP AND STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT Leadeship is mostly connected with how the work should be done by the people and strategic management is mostly with what the work should be done by the people.when good leadership is combined with effective management,you can set a direction and be able to manage the resources the way you want,not only that you will arise to your destination the way you have planned and wanted it. The key to business success largely depends on two main factors, good leadership and effective management. Leadership and management are both...
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...The leadership style adopted by Steve Jobs: Steve Jobs was an unconventional leader and his management style was complex. He was an autocratic and missionary leader driven by beliefs and a vision of creating an enduring company with a motivated workforce that created great products and would be remembered by future generations. In relation to Apple, many people refer to Steve Jobs as a Visionary. Steve Jobs was a willful and driven leader and he demanded excellence from his staff and was known for his blunt delivery of criticism. He was focused and committed, confident to take risks and combined with his sheer genius, he had the charisma and an ability to successfully communicate his vision and, thus, gain the support of employees, customers and investors. His criteria for creating products and services were simplicity, functionality, and consumer appeal before profit, cost and sales volume. Also, he had an eye for detail, understood the power of cultural influence and was innovative and a perfectionist. Steve Jobs would not be described as warm and fuzzy. He wasn't known for his consultative or consensus building approach and was not a giving, caring organizational mentor. He didn’t mince his words and had a habit of distorting reality to fit his purposes which caused people to question his credibility. Steve Jobs had an abrasive personality and was not known for his interpersonal skills. He was impatient, stubborn, rude and hypercritical. Also, he had a whimsical...
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...Leadership Inspirational leadership is essential along with the forward-looking strategy aligned with the organization’s vision, values, and mission goals, to maximizing employee engagement and organisational performance. Leadership behavior is extremely important as employee’s perception about their leaders has direct impact in the performance of the organisation. Leading challenge for the organisation today is the gap in leadership pipeline. Our strong belief that better leaders produce better business results for the organisation helped us create leadership development interventions enabling leaders to make much larger impact on the organisation. People want to be guided by those they respect and who have a clear sense of direction. A sense of direction is achieved by conveying a strong vision of the future. People demand visionary leaders who trust and respect of their teams; let them know what they do is important and difference; able to create organisational cultures that foster not only performance, but also a sense of pride and fun. A leader’s role is to raise people’s aspirations for what they can become and to release their energies so they will try to get there. Leaders need to inspire others to achieve and grow as quickly as the environment and responsibilities demand. But it is essential to remember that being in a leadership role can be lonely and frustrating; one must be prepared to take the rough with the smooth. Leadership is now recognised as a transferable...
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...in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. 3 And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper. 4 The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away. 5 Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous. 6 For the LORD knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish. Message One of the inevitable benefits of righteousness is the ability to generate good success. Success is self-inviting and attractive. It has a compelling force around it that draws people to its possessor. Everyone desires good success. We all are being drawn by the compelling force of success consciously or unconsciously. There are many ways of describing success. Success describes the process of setting out to achieve an outcome and actualising this outcome as anticipated. Someone observed that there are at least two indispensable requirements of good success. These are creativity and innovation. Creativity describes thinking up new ideas and concepts while innovation describes doing new things, products and processes. The relationship between creativity and innovation generates success. The above mentioned...
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...Department (IAD) was reorganized. The expected results were obtained later than planned, with large resistances, process and relationships disruptions and bureaucracy increase. Main reasons were due to a simplistic approach to change, an inadequate leadership style, lack of compelling vision and insufficient communication. The IAD restructure could have been managed more effectively with a different approach in terms of: Organization metaphor: IAD has aspects of both Machine and Organism (Morgan, 1986); Model of change: William Bridges’s Model (Managing the transition, 1991) and Kotter Eight Steps (1995); People’s management, keeping into account the Behavioral (Pavlov, 1928 – Skinner, 1953) and Psychodynamic (Kubler-Ross, 1969 – Satir et al, 1991) approaches; Team’s management, building a project team taking into account the personal traits of team members (Belbin, 1981), involving external consultants and HR; Leadership Style, moving from Coercive towards a mixed use of Authoritative, Affiliative, Democratic and Coaching Styles (Goleman, 2000). The change management plan, defined bringing together the Bridges’s and Kotter’s approach, focuses on: creation of the need for change and of a compelling vision; constant, extensive communication to all involved employees,...
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...innovation, government, suppliers, global forces and so on-is changing so rapidly that the firm, with its finite resources and limited organizational capabilities, is hard-pressed to keep up (which it must do because of the rapidly changing environment). The Job of the General Manager The general manager’s job is to create value of the enterprise. You need to recognize emerging opportunities and challenges, prepare a response, and ensure the success of whatever plan of action you decide upon. After establishing a long-term direction and creating the strategy, the general manager must make important decisions such as making drastic reductions in the workforce, develop new technologies/capabilities, face new competitors, develop new distribution channels, establish new customer relationships, and convince employees/investors that it is moving in the right direction. Fundamental Components of the GM’s Job 1. Setting Direction 2. Creating Strategy 3. Implementing Change 4. Assessing Performance 1) Assessing Performance Our assessment of organizational performance is based on two sets of measures: a) operating performance - quantitative measures of financial and market performance b) organizational health - qualitative measures such as management and work enthusiasm We use the performance matrix to ask three questions: where were we three years ago, where are we today, and where are we currently moving towards? Quadrant...
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...Running head: LEADING WITH VISION Leading with Vision LEADING WITH VISION Abstract This essay summarizes the importance of leading with vision and goal setting. An effective leader understands and recognizes the importance of creating and communicating a clear vision as well as setting the goals to achieve said vision. Important aspects of setting goals, goal characteristics and the six steps of goal setting are detailed. LEADING WITH VISION Leading with Vision Leading with a clear and concise vision or purpose is the primary step to developing and leading a team. According to Friedman (2013), “True leaders lead with vision. The best and most effective leaders are able to paint a compelling and inspiring picture of what the future will look like”. People want to be involved in a successful and winning vision and want to follow someone that communicates clearly and effectively as to where the future will lead. No one wants to be involved in a dead-end project, it simply isn’t engaging. In order to lead a team to the end purpose or vision, a leader must understand that goals must be set. Setting Goals There are several things to keep in mind when setting goals including reality, attainability, organizational improvement, team involvement and processes. First and foremost goals need to be tough to reach yet still attainable. Setting goals that are impossible to reach will either discourage employees and make them quit trying altogether or will simply...
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