Pathways to change

Organizational change was defined within the parameters of differences in status, form, or quality over time (Van de Ven & Poole, 1995, as cited in Van de Ven & Sun, 2011). In their own definition of organizational change, Herold and Fedor (2008, as cited in Seo, Shin, & Taylor, 2012) focused rather on the “alterations of existing work routines and strategies” (p. 727) and their impact on the people who experience them as part of the organization itself. Change implies modification, adaptation, evolution, learning, often struggle, and just as often, rewards.
 
I resonated with the teleological model proposed by Van de Ven and Sun (2011). “A teleology or planned change model views development as a repetitive sequence of goal formulation, implementation, evaluation, and modification of an envisioned end state based on what was learned or intended by the people involved” (Van de Ven & Sun, 2011, p. 61). The cyclical setting of goals, implementation, assessment, and adaptation resonates with how change is approached in my current institution. Special attention and care are dedicated to giving a voice to all stakeholders, especially in the goal setting and assessment stages, which supports the institution’s core values of respect, appreciation, and open-mindedness.  
 
Any leader who has tried to implement change at a given moment, be it a significant change or a minor one, knows that the way one envisions change and the way change is perceived by those who have to experience it and live with it may be very different. Thus, I learned early on as a novice leader that people need certain steps to be taken by the leadership, to prepare the ground and the stakeholders for the introduction and the implementation of change. Here are 4 aspects that I always try to consider, to help our employees not only accept, but also embrace change.

1.  One of the most vital things that a leader should do when bringing about change is starting with the WHY. In his viral TED Talk “How Great Leaders Inspire Action” (2011) which was viewed by more than 46 million people, Simon Sinek explained in a very convincing and factual manner why the WHY matters and why businesses and people who put the WHY first are more successful than those who first address the HOW and the WHAT. If employees understand the reasons for change, they will buy into it more easily and more wholeheartedly (Shin, Taylor, & Seo, 2012).
2. Secondly, it is important to explain and justify how the change represents an improvement both for the individuals, and for the institution as a whole. This, again, will help the employees buy into the vision for change and work alongside the leadership to do their part in promoting and implementing change. Shin, Taylor, and Seo (2012) discuss the concept of inducements, which refers to the rewards (psychological, professional, emotional or material) that the employees should or could receive from the institution to help them accept and believe in change. Understanding how the intended change is an improvement both at a personal and at an institutional level is therefore a process that employees have to go through as they process and experience the change themselves.
3. Thirdly, in Brown’s (2018) words, “clear is kind”. It is therefore very important for the leadership to explain what is the give-take tandem that change requires. What do employees and the institution have to give in order to achieve the desired results? How does the end-product justify the ‘sacrifices’ to be made along the way? Answering these questions proactively, alongside the explanation and justification of the benefits, may help provide clarity to all stakeholders and to all those who are affected in one way or another by the proposed change.  
4. Last, but definitely not least, giving people a voice helps them feel like they are part of the change, instead of experiencing it as passive receivers. Surveying, interviewing, listening to employees’ voice and concerns before, during, and after the change implementation will help the leadership gain a clearer and broader picture of the reality of the institution, as it is perceived by each stakeholder, and will ensure that the leadership understands the points of view and the perspectives of others as well.

 
Change is never easy, but change is inevitable, and it is its unavoidable nature that makes it exciting.
 
References:
Brown Brené. (2018). Dare to lead: brave work, tough conversations, whole hearts. New York: Random House.
Shin, J., Taylor, M. S., & Seo, M.-G. (2012). Resources for change: the relationships of organizational inducements and psychological resilience to employees’ attitudes and behaviors toward organizational change. Academy of Management Journal, 55(3), 727–748. https://doi.org/10.5465/amj.2010.0325
Sinek, S. (2011). How great leaders inspire action. [TED Talk].Retrieved October 11, 2019, from https://www.ted.com/talks/simon_sinek_how_great_leaders_inspire_action.
Van de Ven, A. H., & Sun, K. (2011). Breakdowns in implementing models of organization change. The Academy of Management Perspectives, (3), 58. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&AuthType=sso&db=edsgea&AN=edsgcl.267864968&site=eds-live&scope=site 

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