Change management refers to the controlled identification of the need for change as well as the implementation the required change. It encompasses a systematic approach to transformation and transition about the organization’s objectives, goals, and use of technology. Employees are the main drivers of change and any change management strategy must largely involve them if it is to succeed. The project of Yad Vashem was highly engaging and consequently required a workforce that is not only innovative but equally highly committed employees. Therefore, there was a need to boost the morale of the people working on this project.
Shimon Kornfield should have used various change management techniques in managing employee motivation during this change. First, Shimon Kornfield would have continuously recognized devoted workers and outstanding ones (Kloppenborg, Shriberg & Venkatraman, 2003). This would motivate the employees to be devoted and committed to the process of change. It could also involve suggesting to the workers on how best they can improve in their specific tasks. Through such a strategy, Shimon Kornfield would be offering leadership during the change process (Laufer, 2012). The team would be motivated by realizing that they have the support of their leader and that the leader appreciates their efforts commitment and sacrifice towards the change project.
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The second technique would have involved removing demotivators. This would require the identification of things that demotivate workers in the context of this particular project and change management (Kloppenborg, Shriberg & Venkatraman, 2003). The deactivators could include lack of recognition, boredom or unfairness (Laufer, 2012). Such factors kill the morale and commitment of the team.
Lastly, the Maslow’s hierarchy of needs could have helped in the management of employee morale. This motivational theory lists the hierarchy of human needs. It states that people tend to raise their threshold for the needs that satisfy them. Understanding this motivational theory framework would have been greatly valuable in the management of change and employee morale in the project of Yad Vashem.
Communicating proposed changes in a project to the project team members is an essential component of any change management process. The strategy ensures that the change process takes along all project members in its implementation. To keep the team members abreast of this change, Shimon Kornfield would have undertaken three fundamental steps. First, he would have orally communicated to the project team about the intended changes to the overall project. Oral communication would have enabled project members to ask questions and seek clarifications in points where they did not understand (Laufer, 2012). Moreover, oral communication would have been effective in communicating and clarifying the rationale behind the proposed changes in a way that all the project team members can understand and relate with (Kloppenborg, Shriberg & Venkatraman, 2003).
The second approach in communicating the intended changes in this project would have been written communication forms such as memos and letters. The rationale behind such strategy is that each team member can keep the communicated change for future reference in the course of implementing the change. Secondly, this strategic communication is effective in reaching all members because the project team members get a copy of the communication. The third step would have been receiving feedback from the team members about the proposed changes. Such feedback may be positive or negative. Therefore, Shimon Kornfield would have weighed the team feedback and incorporated significant ideas in the proposed change. The rationale behind seeking feedback is to ensure that all employees are taken along the change implementation process (Laufer, 2012). Secondly, such feedback process creates a sense of ownership for the change process. In the end, it would have greatly motivated the project team members to embrace the proposed change.
The timing in communicating changes in the process of managing a project is very critical not only to the success of the change management process but also in the success of the overall project. This timing in communication was equally significant in the management of Yad Vashem project. The complexity of this project required the involvement of all stakeholders at every stage of its implementation. The timing of communication in this project was critical in three instances. First, the timing in the communication of the project design was very critical. It was essential that the project design is communicated to the team members in good time to enable them to give their input and prepare for the implementation (Kloppenborg, Shriberg & Venkatraman, 2003) . For instance, the early communication in project design enabled Shimon to obtain adequate time required to source the best contractors for the project.
Secondly, timing in the communication of plans and requirements in this project proved an essential tool in convincing stakeholders to accepted decisions made in the course of the project implementation (Laufer, 2012) . Getting stakeholders to agree with an idea is often hard and time-consuming as such timely communication of such an idea is essential to convince stakeholders about the rationale behind their decisions. For instance, Shimon was forced to take the client to an airport to demonstrate to them the importance of contractor selection by benefit as opposed to cost. Lastly, the timing in the communication of changes in the project was equally critical. For instance, the complexity of the project design necessitated minor changes to the project. Early communication about the intended changes in the design of this project was essential in ensuring that all team members accept and own up the proposed changes.
Assuming that two of the participants in this project were replaced due to a family crisis, Shimon would require undertaking drastic efforts to build the trust and credibility among the remaining project team members. To do so, Shimon could take several steps to maintain this credibility and trust. First, Shimon could consider holding dilly meetings with the team members to establishing the issues that affect the team members. This would not only help him to address such issues earlier but also create the feeling of care for the team members (Kloppenborg, Shriberg & Venkatraman, 2003) . As such he would be able to earn trust and credibility among the team and equally motivate them to be enthusiastic about the job. Moreover, he could engage in more personalized meetings with each team member and create a personal relationship with each of the team members. It could greatly help in creating confidence in the team and boosting his trust among the team members. Moreover, Shimon would constantly review the progress of the project in the course of its implementation.
The constant review would help him to identify any shortcomings in the implementation of the project both from a workforce perspective as well as from a technical perspective. This would then inform a corrective action plan that would direct the developing of the project. This constant review of the project and the leadership in the implementation of corrective action would greatly help in earning Shimon credibility among the team members. Lastly, Shimon would have adopted an open-minded approach (Laufer, 2012) . Under this approach, he would have been open to suggestions from other team members. The tactic could have greatly improved the implementation of the project and equally contribute in helping him to build a rapport with the rest of the team.
References
Kloppenborg, T., Shriberg, A., & Venkatraman, J. (2003). Project leadership. Vienna, VA: Management Concepts, Inc.
Laufer, A. (2012). Mastering the leadership role in project management: practices that deliver remarkable results . Upper Saddle River, NJ: FT Press.
