Leading Change in the Workplace: A Guide for Leaders

Introduction 

Due to the ever-growing global business competition, companies have been forced to adopt new strategies for them to improve efficiency and maintain a competitive advantage. This has made it necessary for the managers to introduce changes in the workplace to ensure that there is efficiency and that everything is directed towards meeting the goals of the organization. Change in the organization can occur in various aspects which can include a change in the culture or even in the processes. Whatever the kind of change that the manager wants to introduce, effective leadership is the foundation for a successful transition. The manager must provide effective leadership and direction while at the same time recognizing the employees need for change along with their individual needs at the workplace. Technology, economy and the needs of the customers are some of the factors that can spark changes in the organization ( Ganz, 2010 ). Even as the change is being introduced, it is essential that the leader provides effective leadership that will make both the new and old employees motivated and felt like part of the organization. While a change in the organization is essential to help the company maintain a competitive advantage and successfully meet the needs of the customers, it is also crucial that the person leading the change apply effective leadership skills that will collaborate and promote understanding among the employees. 

Importance of Change in the Workplace 

There have been many studies that have shown that when a change is successfully led and managed, the company can have a competitive advantage. The firms that are always ready and willing to embrace change have remained healthy, and dynamic while those that seem to be rigid and fearing change tend to be slow in their path to achieving competitive advantage. The need for change usually emerges when there is something that needs improvement or some innovation that has been identified. Factors such as the need to introduce new technology that will enhance efficiency, the need to increase customers’ satisfaction and the existence of a culture that does not seem useful can spark the change in an organization. ( Xerri, Nelson & Brunetto, 2014 ) Once the need for change is identified, it remains the responsibility of the leader to lead the rest of the organization towards that change. Change is therefore essential and necessary to increase competitive advantage and enhance work efficiency. 

While planning and initiating the process of leading a change in an organization, the manager must first identify the need for change. At least in every organization, there is always a need for change, and this is what makes them survive in the competitive business world. Organizations must change according to the market forces and the need for innovation as well as technology. What has been a complex area on the issue of change in the workplace has been the focus on the right area at the right time. However, to identify the need for change, the leaders can consider certain three elements. The first element is for the current customers. Here, the manager can ask questions such as what needs to be done to serve the existing customers better. The second element is to focus on the potential customers where the question involves what needs to be changed to attract more customers ( Xerri, Nelson & Brunetto, 2014 ). The third element focuses on efficiency and what needs to be changed to improve the efficiency and output of the workforce. After identifying the priority need for change, the manager must communicate the need for change to all members of the organization and especially to the employees who can always be an obstacle to change. 

Change and Effective Leadership 

Leading change can be one of the most hectic issues for the organizations if there is no effective leadership provided. First, leading change requires the leader to understand the landscape of the change. While planning to lead a change in the workplace, leaders must first understand that there are people who will respond to the change within the organization. The response can either be positive or negative depending on the group. Among the people who will respond to change in the workplace are the victims. These are people who will view change at a personal level rather than at an organization level. They will consider the change as a personal attack either on their role, their job or on any of their responsibility ( Cameron & Quinn, 2011 ). In most cases, the victims of the change are the employees who see change as something that will affect them negatively. For example, a change to introduce new technology within the workplace will be viewed by employees who do not have modern technological knowledge as a threat to their job. The leader must, therefore, have skills on how to deal with people’s perception of change. Unless the victims are handled with care during the change, they may form resistance which could thwart the efforts to make the change successful. Another group involves the neutral bystanders who are people neither supporting nor opposing the change. This group goes with the flow of the majority. Critics, on the other hand, are a group of people who will come out to openly criticize the change. 

In the rapidly changing business environment, quick identification of the emerging opportunities and taking an appropriate action through change is not a new thing to the current company leaders. In today’s competitive business environment, the difference between the winners and losers will be determined by one aspect; change. Being an effective change leader is not something easy for the managers, and it requires some leadership skills. There are various characteristics of effective change leaders that are essential for the realizing of excellent change implementation in the organization. The first characteristic of an effective change leader is having a low level of anxiety. Anxiety comes out as emotions that can prevent individuals from coping with the current situations ( Higgs &Rowland, 2011 ). Such feelings can have negative impacts on the leader making him unable to make rational decisions regarding the change. Effective change leaders are therefore expected to have the least level of anxiety. The second trait of an effective change leader is emotional stability. To effectively lead others through a process that requires collaboration and communication with different parties, leaders are expected to have emotional stability so that they can lead others towards a successful change. Leading and managing change in an organization involves challenges such as resistance from the employees, and unless the leader can manage his emotions well, the whole process of change might fail. 

Action orientation is another trait that is expected of effective change leaders. The adaptation and leading change require action. The purpose of the change is to take it into action and realize the intended goal ( Higgs &Rowland, 2011 ). These leaders are expected to stand up and participate in the actions leading to the change implementation. Change leadership, therefore, requires energy and strength that will push an individual to take action towards the intended change. At the same time, confidence is also expected to play a critical role in effective leadership. A leader is expected to provide direction so that the employees can follow. Unless a change leader has confidence in what he is doing, the followers will not trust his visions, and this will make change difficult. Even though new opportunities can come with uncertainties, an effective change leader must demonstrate confidence and self-belief. This will steer the other team members also to show confidence in the change path taken by the leader. Openness must also be part of an effective change manager. Exploration of new ideas and applying them require one to be receptive to those ideas. Approaching change with an open my where the leader sees multiple possibilities can always work well towards successful change management. Finally, effective change managers must be risk tolerance. Any change that an organization tries to pursue has some degree of risks and uncertainty. However, a leader must be ready and willing to tolerate risks if a successful change leadership is to be provided. This can even go to the employees who can be encouraged to be risk takers rather than being penalized for making a mistake. 

8-Stage Process to Leading Change 

John Kotter came up with an 8-step process that can be used by the organizational managers to lead change. The first step to leading change is to establish a sense of urgency. This involves developing a feeling that something needs to be done while at the same time making the employees understand that the change will positively affect them. This is where the leader identifies significant opportunities or areas that are not working well and need improvement. The leader must then convince the employees that the change will affect them in a better way as this will help minimize resistance ( Kazmi & Naarananoja, 2013 ). A period within which the change is to be implemented must also be identified by the leader to avoid procrastination and complacency. 

The second step is to create a guiding coalition. Leading a change in the workplace is not a one-person show, but it has to involve all groups of people from the organization. This, therefore, calls for a need to build a coalition that will give guidance to the change initiatives. The leader has to identify a team of experts who will help him implement the change. These people must have the skills and credibility to handle the expected change and make it successful. The third step is for the manager to develop a change vision. The leader should think of the vision of the organization as the central theme for the change initiative ( Kazmi& Naarananoja, 2013 ). The vision for the change should be the guiding force that directs the strategies for the overall change. This vision should also act as a motivator to the employees so that they feel the enthusiasm to work towards the vision. As a result, the leader will win the support of the employees and this will be the first milestone towards realizing a successful change. The support of the stakeholders including the employees is significant in ensuring that the change process does not experience a lot of barriers and friction resulting from various groups opposing the change. The change leader must communicate with people and make them feel like they want to join the change. Make people feel connected with the change and allow them to become part of it. 

The fourth step of the change leadership in the workplace is to communicate to the people the vision and the reason for the intended change. Here, the leader must not only communicate the transition to the employees and all people of the organization, but he must also convince them to accept and embrace that change. It is through communication and consistency that can ensure that people understand and agree with the change. Communication goes beyond just putting memos or the CEO giving a few speeches. It must be internalized and incorporated into the day to day activities of the organization so that people can see every aspect of the change. It can even go to offering education programs and issuing memos as well as meetings to explain to people so that they understand and embrace the change. People have to see that the change will not negatively affect them, but will instead better them of. The fifth step is the empowering of broad-based actions. Here, the leader must remove all the barriers to change and then empower the people to offer their full potential. The major obstacles that usually arise are the structures which emerge from the organization of the company. For example, the layers of the management in some organizations may slow down the process of making decisions. 

In the sixth step for leading change in the workplace, the leader should generate the short term wins by making a plan for the visible performances. The leader should create a win for those who have recognized and accepted the change while at the same time rewarding the employees who have supported the change ( Kazmi & Naarananoja, 2013 ). The seventh step is to consolidate the gains and produce more change. Here, the leader is expected to keep the spirit and move forward with the change initiative. At this stage, employees started to see the impacts of the change and associated with it. The last step is to introduce new approaches to the corporate culture of the organization. Enhance better results through outcome-oriented strategy and better leadership that will push the organization towards more success. 

Overcoming Resistance to Change 

The fact that people will always resist change is an idea that every change leader should know. Various employees resist change for various reasons. Some of the reasons that can make people resist change include fear for the unknown, having insufficient information about the intended change, fear of job security and fear of the loss of power. Others also resist change because they are no reasons to change. Whatever the reason that makes people resist change, it is the responsibility of the leader to manage and overcome the resistance. This is because resistance to change can act as a barrier to the planned change initiative. The first strategy that the change leader can use to overcome the resistance to change is to communicate and educate the employees ( Heath & Heath, 2011 ). Providing education and sufficient information concerning the proposed change can make employees understand why the change is essential. This can be useful in helping the employees embrace the change. The next strategy that the change leader can use to overcome the barriers to change is the participation and involvement of all people in the change process. The leader should allow people to take part in designing and implementing the changes by engaging them in activities such as providing ideas and opinions on what they feel about the change. Participation and involvement will help the employees embrace the change and think that they are part of it. 

Change can be troublesome to some people within the organization. This can then force them to resist the change. To avoid this, it is essential that the change leader facilitate and support these people by providing them with both emotional and resources so that they can adjust to the change. Also, the manager can engage in a negotiation with the members resisting the change by offering them with the incentives so that an agreement can be reached ( Heath & Heath, 2011 ). Coercion and manipulation can also be used to convince the employees to accept the change. This is mainly done by making them understand that the change will not negatively affect them but will instead better them. 

Sometimes the need for change in the workplace can happen so fast forcing leaders to adapt to the new circumstances. The technology, business environment, customers’ needs among other things can change so rapidly and continuously. A leader is therefore faced with a specific crisis such as the stress from the employees, need to adopt new tasks and procedures and problem-solving activities. To cope up with all these situations, a leader must be a multi-dimensional person who has the ability to adapt and work in different situations. While there is always a need for the change in the workplace, it is critical that the change leader has an understanding of the skills that are required to carry out an effective change. Communication remains a key to leading change, but leaders must also demonstrate high levels of transparency and honesty. Having the right change management skills is essential in ensuring that the change is successful and that all members of the organization embrace the change. 

Roles of a Leader during Change 

The success of any workplace change depends on the kind of leadership that is provided by the managers. The managers have the authority to direct and influence the people going through the change. They can offer support while at the same time execute change by influencing and executing their authority on the people. Effective change leaders are aware and acknowledge that they have to provide support to the employees even while they lead through the change process. The first role of a leader in change management is to provide the required resources so that the change initiative becomes successful ( Burke, 2017 ). Change initiatives require resources for them to be successfully be implemented. Also, a leader acts as a role model while leading the change in the workplace. A leader must demonstrate to the followers what is to be done through their actions and attitudes. Employees learn from the actions of the leader, and therefore, a leader is expected to lead by showing the best example to the employees whom he leads. Without acting as a role model, the employees might not believe in the change initiative being proposed by the leader, and they will end up resisting it. 

Another role of a leader is to make critical decisions concerning the change initiative. In their managerial positions, leaders have the capacity to control various resources of the company such as financial, people and budgets and as a result, they have the authority in making decisions concerning these resources. The change process is within their authority and they have the right to make specific changes as they feel could best help the change initiative be successful. During the change process, managers have the right to apply their decision making authority and decide on the best option that will support the change initiative. All other members of the organization rely on the leader to provide direction for them and tell them what is required of them at every stage of the change management. 

Communication is an essential part of successful change implementation and management. A leader must at every stage communicate with the employees on what is required of them during the change process. Communication is essential as it allows the people to understand the need for the change. Without communication, people will always resist change because they will feel insecure about it. The leader has a role of communicating the purpose of the transition to the employees so that they feel part of that change and ready to embrace it ( Burke, 2017 ). Communication goes beyond just writing memos; it gets to teach people on the importance of the intended change. Tell people to understand what the problem is at the current situation and how the change will help solve that problem. With this, the employees will be more cooperative and will be willing to embrace the change. 

Case Study: Microsoft Corporation 

Microsoft is one of the companies that have witnessed a successful change in the past few years. The company have been evolving both internally and externally. The company went through a reorganization following a crisis that had rocked it in the year 2014. After an extended period of success with its Windows operating systems and office products, the company went through a long struggle to retain its stability in the market following the stiff competition that it faced ( Anderson, Sweeney & Williams, 2014 ). The opportunity to innovate had been put in a stall by the toxic environment that had fixed the company to rely on two of its major products. Other companies such as Google and Apple were continuing to own the market as Microsoft struggled to keep up with the pace. 

However, after the company named Satya Nadella as its new CEO in 2014, he took significant changes in the company. In the new change, the CEO restructured most of the processes in the company. These included reinventing the new business processes and creation of a more personal computing system. The company decided to reorganize the office unit to combine all the activities into a single application which was different from the previous method of selling the individual products. The purpose of this change was to look broadly into the future technology by combining to give a more modern technology than before ( Anderson, Sweeney & Williams, 2014 ). The CEO communicated with the employees and share with them a new sense of mission and why the change was necessary. His aim even as he introduced the change was “to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more.” 

To the employees of Microsoft, the innovation was a vast improvement on their work because instead of them being divided into product groups, they would then be divided based on the customers’ tasks. The CEO made the employees understand the need for the change, and when it was finally implemented, all employees embraced it and there was no resistance met. The CEO led to change appropriately by first considering those who will be impacted by the change and making them understand the need for change. Since the restructuring took place, the future of Microsoft has been looking better following the ongoing reorganization. One of its most significant achievements has been; the employees of the company have realized a new sense in their work. 

Conclusion 

Leading change in the workplace is undoubtedly one of the most challenging tasks for the managers. However, change is vital for the survival of any organization, and thus all companies must be ready to adapt to changes. Due to the complexity of the issues involved in leading change, leaders are expected to have effective leadership skills that will help them steer the organization towards the intended goal. An effective change leader must be a multidimensional person who can handle different situations at any given time. Difficulties arise in leading change due to the barriers that avail themselves even as the managers try to lead the organization towards the change initiative. Barriers such ad resistance to change must be overcome if the change initiative is to be successful. Communication also remains a critical factor in ensuring the success of a change initiative and preventing resistance. Leaders must, therefore, communicate the purpose of the change to the employees. Despite the challenges, change is what makes an organization survive in this competitive business environment and thus must be embraced. 

References 

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Cameron, K. S., & Quinn, R. E. (2011).  Diagnosing and changing organizational culture: Based on the competing values framework . John Wiley & Sons. 

Higgs, M., & Rowland, D. (2011). What does it take to implement change successfully? A study of the behaviors of successful change leaders.  The Journal of Applied Behavioral Science ,  47 (3), 309-335. 

Kazmi, S. A. Z., & Naarananoja, M. (2013). Collection of change management models-an opportunity to make the best choice from the various organizational transformational techniques.  GSTF Business Review (GBR) ,  2 (4), 44. 

Heath, C., & Heath, D. (2011). Overcoming Resistance to Change.  School Administrator ,  68 (3), 28-32. 

Burke, W. W. (2017).  Organization change: Theory and practice . Sage Publications. 

Anderson, D., Sweeney, D., & Williams, T. (2014).  Modern business statistics with Microsoft Excel . Nelson Education.