Cycle of Change in an Organization

Submitted by MnE Expert on Sat, 08/02/2014 - 12:37
 
 

Change is about challenging the status quo, bringing a move in the normal routine of individuals and the organization. Resistance and friction is to certain extent a normal activity. It is important that business organization analyze and understand the resistance in order to effectively deal with them.

Change is about challenging the status quo, bringing a move in the normal routine of individuals and the organization. Resistance and friction is to certain extent a normal activity. It is important that business organization analyze and understand the resistance in order to effectively deal with them. The resistance to change witnesses a shift over a period of time, starting for few people who support change it moves to mass support to change. The Cycle for change is being divided into 5 Phases, the characteristics of the Phases are identified below

Phase 1

  • Few people who support change
  • They are criticized, ridiculed, persecuted
  • Massive Resistance
  • Change May Die or Grow
  • Change is Easy at Small organization, Difficult at Bigger
  • An executive was asked at the IBM about Change he referred to it as akin to Swimming in Peanut Butter

Phase 2

  • Forces for and against change become identifiable
  • Change is discussed and more people start to understand change
  • Greater Understanding means lesser resistance
  • Novelty and Strangeness to change starts to disappear

Phase 3

  • The phase sees Direct Conflict between forces for and against change
  • Phase means life and death to the change effort as the proponents may underestimate opponents due to lack of information about opponents.
  • Proponents of Change fails to understand how far opponents will go to stop change

Phase 4

  • If Supporters are in power, resistance is seen as Stubborn and nuisance (irritation)
  • Balance of power can shift from proponents to opponents
  • Wisdom needed in dealing with resistance, both openly and covertly

Phase 5

  • Very little in Resistance and higher supporters contrary to what the situation was in Phase 1.
  • Actual conflict is in the form of Verbal Disagreements, Questions, and Reluctance.

How to of Organizational Change Implementation

The Change is not about a single intervention, but requires multiple interventions, for instance Changing the Way teams Work in the Organization would require the business to being change to its Structure, as this would enhance the ability to share and communicate, it would require linking Rewards to Group performance.

The interventions must be based on

Valid and Useful Information

  • One that Describes factors and relationship that create problems for the Organization.
  • Practitioner obtains valid information; it will reflect need for change
  • If practitioner responds to change, he will have to do it through valid and useful information

Free Choice

  • Locus of Decision making is in the client system
  • Client should be provided with the alternatives in decision making.
  • Client must be able to relate Choices of decisions to their needs
  • Able to explore the alternatives

Internal Commitment

  • Client is responsible for implementing the decision
  • Internal Commitment comes when there is thought about both the individuals and the Organization alike.

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