The article by Claire Brisson-Banks analyzes the common aspects of various change and transition models that have been developed with time to assist and support in managing change within organizations. In the following critique, the focus is mainly on the different aspects of organizational change, role of leader vision in change management, influencing organizational performance through change initiatives and comparing leadership styles to change models.
Organizational change assumes a wide range of aspects. Change within an organization can be achieved through a 3-step model. This approach requires that change be achieved through three stages namely unfreezing, changing and refreezing (Brisson-Banks, 2010). Organizational change can be achieved through a change program that involves setting goals and defining the future, and defining the commitments and activities needed to ensure change occurs. Finally, change is time consuming, and assumes numerous steps to happen. The organization has to start by creating sense of urgency, establish a powerful guiding coalition, create vision, communicate the vision, and influencing others to buy the vision.
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Leader vision is vital in a change management strategy. Leader vision is needed in a bid to keep talking about the need for change. It fosters a climate of change, and is involved in the entire change process. The organization risks falling short of realizing the change needed, whenever the leadership does not embrace the vision. To foster change, a plan ought to be created by the leaders, and followed dutifully. Vision leader are knowledgeable that, transition does not just occur automatically. Therefore, they make change to happen successfully through their contribution. The vision leader is familiar with the organization culture, and is fully aware that the employees are the greatest contributors to realizing change.
Possibly, effective change initiatives influence on the performance of an organization. Brisson-Banks (2010) observes that, an organization is likely to receive the quarterly reports and note that change is needed to contend with the current or future competition. In that sense, they will embrace the change program by Richard Beckhard, which requires that the organization set goals and define the future organizational conditions. According to Bridges (1986), change is inevitable, especially in the corporate world. He observes that, the ability and desire to embrace change is one of the requirements towards achieving the American dream. This secret has often been used the Coca-Cola Company for decades, in a bid to influence their organizational performance (Bridges, 1986). In the same vein, Pollack & Pollack (2015) explores the use of Kotter’s process in bringing change to an organization. The two authors demonstrate the way Australia the Financial and Insurance Services sector used Kotter’s process to influence performance. The first stage of Kotter’s process involves creating a sense of urgency, or awareness of the need for change within an organization. Although the Australia the Financial and Insurance Services boasts of having a younger workforce, their failure could emanate from the aging workforce (Pollack & Pollack, 2015). Notably, their aged workers could affect their operations if left unaddressed. Specifically, their senior products could be under threat for lack of younger employees to take up the roles. To influence organizational performance and sustain a competitive advantage, the company had to respond to this issue effectively. The management resolved to come up with a Knowledge Management Program to counter knowledge loss due to retirement (Pollack & Pollack, 2015).
Notably, Brisson-Banks (2010) embraces the fact that, leadership styles determines the models of change that an organization assumes. Through their contributions, leaders can make change to take place thoroughly and successfully. They are familiar with the organization culture, and as such, leaders are a great asset. The leadership is likely to force change through dictating, change policies without issuing warning and expecting that it will work. Clearly, this demonstrates that models of change are only part of the process, and that the leadership at the organization plays a role. Effective leadership is mandatory, a business structure complete with mission plans, a model, and strategy. Whenever a change model is integrated with the business structure, success becomes a reality. Whenever the senior officials in an organization are committed to change, they foster a climate of change. As seen, the study admits that, there lacks a single model that can be applied universally. Different times demand unique and different responses in varied circumstances, and as such, managers have to look for a change model that is either contingency or situational.
References
Bridges, W. (1986). Managing organizational transitions.
Brisson-Banks, C. (2010). Managing change and transitions: A comparison of different models and their commonalities. Library Management , 31(4), 241-252.
Pollack, J. & Pollack, R. (2015). Using Kotter’s Eight Stage Process to Manage an Organizational Change Program: Presentation and Practice. Syst Pract Action Res , 28:51–66
