Managing change in organizations...

Change is the only thing remaining constant today in organizations. The failure to recognize change quickly leads companies to low efficiency and profitability... so what should companies possess to succeed in the turbulent waters of change?

Companies basically need three characteristics to cope with changes: high responsiveness, flexibility and adaptiveness.  But it is not as easy as it seems! because change is not always planned and expected, sometimes it comes as a surprise to the organization and members have to respond in a highly reactive way.

Examples of unplanned changes: when companies are negatively affected by natural disasters or when a top executive suddenly decides to leave the company.

Scope of change:

• Incremental: like for example the implementation of new IT systems to better coordinate customer needs and the company´s services.
• Strategic: New marketing strategies are implemented for launching a a product.
• transformational: Re-engineering processes.

Change agents are usually leaders or groups responsible for introducing and managing change in irganizations, it is very important that change agents learn how to communicate the change to the rest of the organization, creating practical strategic courses that balance both, where the company is right now and where the company wants to be in a near future.

Organizational conflict, is it always bad news?

Conflict in organizations doesn´tnecessarily has to create a negative climate and hostile attitudes, it can also be directed towards problem solving and organizational improvement. The key ingredient is to learn to manage conflict effectively and this implies that parties should understand the nature of conflict.

Models
Thomas Kilman conflict management modes
It helps people identiify which style they trend towards when conflict arises.(compromising, avoiding, collaborative...)

Force Field analysis
Technique that allows people to identify which factors may hinder and which factors may help them when attaining their objectives.


Model of Kurt Lewin (freeze-unfreeze model)
model that allows people to understand change in three simple steps: unfreezing, changing and freezing.

• Unfreezing: people become aware of their routines and decide they are ready to change.
• changing: Implementation
• Freezing: making change permanent, make it stick!

Model of Beer
This model focuses on how to enforce changed ways of thinking, attitudes and behaving.

Paths to managing change and learning

• Environmental
• Psycho-phylosophical
• Organizational

Ubuntu

Ubuntu is a philosophy that invites its followers to open their mind and engage with local cultures understanding the different cultural codes. Nelson Mandela believed that humans should not lived in isolation but must always be interconnected with others.

Question for the blog...

Think of a change you would like to make in your life.

Using Lewin’s force field analysis for that change. How will you overcome the forces for the status quo? How will you make sure to “refreeze” following the change?

Summarize your analysis in an action plan.

My action plan

the change I want to introduce in my routine is : I want to start french classes.

Unfreeze Stage:  Realizing that I have to learn french in order to be able to graduate from international business in 2 years, Until now, I´ve been very busy receiving cooking lessons but it´s time to change the status quo.
Specific action: Look for french courses, separate time in my daily routine to receive
the classes.

Change: Studying the language, assisting to class with no interruption, watching movies in french, listening to french music.

Refreezing: always planning my schedule taking into account that some time must be reserved only for french classes

References
Major types of organizational change. Available at: http://managementhelp.org/misc/types-of-orgl-change.pdf

Force field analysis. Business Dictionary. Available at:http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/force-field-analysis.html

Sin Kit I. 2011. Organizational change making, Organization and cultures course, 2011, Universidad EAFIT.

Learn French. (Image). Available at: http://www.lyceum.com.au/lfrench.htm

Change. (Image).http://nittinsagar.blogspot.com/2011/01/hr-mentor-of-change-management.html