Leading change–jack welch essay

LEADING CHANGE: WHY TRANSFORMATION EFFORTS FAILPage 1 Leading Change: Why Transformation Efforts Fail Lynda Greene MMOL 601A Dr.

Toni Pauls October 23, 2012 Leading Change: Why Transformation Efforts FailPage 2 Summary of Leading Change: Why Transformation Efforts Fail John Kotter, a former professor of Leadership at Harvard Business School, has studied both success and failure in change initiatives in business. “ The most general lesson to be learned from the more successful cases is that the change process goes through a series of phases that, in total, usually require a considerable length of time. Skipping steps creates only the illusion of speed and never produces satisfactory results” and “ making critical mistakes in any of the phases can have a devastating impact, slowing momentum and negating hard-won gains. ” (HBR, 2007) The positive will be focused on, rather than pitfalls, for this paper. Kotter summarizes the eight stages in his case study, Leading Change Why Transformation Efforts Fail as follows: 1. Establish a sense of urgency 2. Form a powerful guiding coalition 3.

Create a vision 4. Communicate the vision 5. Empower others to act on the vision 6. Plan for and create short-term wins 7.

Consolidate improvements and produce more change 8. Institutionalize new approaches These eight stages in the case study, Leading Change Why Transformation Efforts Fail will be compared with a change model example on page 257 in the textbook, Practicing Organization Development for this paper. There are many similarities in the change management theories in the case study and the textbook. The case study contains eight stages Leading Change: Why Transformation Efforts FailPage 3 and the textbook example explains it in three stages with 20 total steps.

A few of the eight steps include more than one main idea that is discussed in several ideas in the textbook. “ Change is inevitable for survival (cf Darwin). But change can often be difficult, painful and slow. ” (slooowdown. wordpress. com) In my opinion, change is necessary to grow.

“ This is often due to the interconnectedness of things (change one thing in a system, and it impacts others things). Thus change usually means changing everything (that’s why everyone needs to be involved) and it’s more than likely that you will never get complete or perfect change. ” (slooowdown.

wordpress. om) Change requires constant and never ending ‘ pushing’ and support to ensure it stays (else the system will rapidly default back to the old patterns of behavior). ” (slooowdown. wordpress. com) Establishing a sense of urgency is described as Stage One in the case study as: * “ People need to know why they must change. * This sense of urgency needs to be there constantly. * They need to experience the need for change themselves to truly internalize it * Need to get the big issues from below the tables, and get them talked about (as awareness/acceptance is the first and most crucial step of change).

(slooowdown. wordpress. com) Leading Change: Why Transformation Efforts FailPage 4 Stage One in the textbook example is Preparation. Step One in the Exploration Section is Identify a need or opportunity for improvement or change. The case study describes the change as urgent, while the textbook simply states that the change needs to be identified.

Form a powerful guiding coalition is Stage Two in the case study and is noted with the following: * “ No one individual can do it all alone – s/he needs to inspire a team who want to follow that vision. Needs a team to spread the word – but not to do all the work. The whole organization needs to feel responsible for change – everyone is an agent of change. * The guiding coalition should be made up of people who are credible/authoritative so can influence others; and have the expertise & skills to help guide the decision making process through the change. * Management style is critical to employee engagement. ” (slooowdown. wordpress. com) Steps 2 – 4 in Stage One—Preparation, Exploration Section, in the textbook match Stage Two in the case study.

The text lists these four steps as the following: “ 2. Involve one or more change champions, change agents, a change team, or some combination of each in a preliminary needs assessment and consideration of alternatives for change. Leading Change: Why Transformation Efforts FailPage 5 3. Clearly identify the key stakeholders and explore ways to involve them in planning and managing the change process.

4. Build support and seed the organization for change (develop advocates, share information and ideas, etc. ). ” (Rothwell, 2010, p.

257). Stage Three in the case study is Create a Vision. The main points are: * “ Having a clear vision & strategy directs, aligns and inspires action in all employees. * Also helps provide clarity over every single decision made within an organization and clears the decks of unnecessary projects/actions. * The ‘ Vision story’ needs to be constantly told – when you think you have told everyone, tell them again (and again…). * Actions speak louder than words so need to enact it – we learn primarily through modelling. ” (slooowdown. wordpress.

om) The Create a Vision stage is comparable to the textbook’s Step Five in the Exploration Section as: “ 5. Contract for change by involving the appropriate people in designing and negotiating a change strategy that provides a clear vision of what has to be done. ” (Rothwell, 2010, p. 257) Also, Step Seven in the Diagnosis and Planning Section is: “ 7. Implement the diagnosis. ” (Rothwell, 2010, p. 257) Leading Change: Why Transformation Efforts FailPage 6 The case study does not clearly state when the vision is implemented or started.

However, it does state that “ If you can’t communicate the vision to someone in five minutes or less and get a reaction that signifies both understanding and interest, you are not yet done with this phase of the transformation process. ” (HBR, 2007) Stage Four in the case study is communicate the vision. Summarized it is a follows: “ Great visions are nothing if they cannot be communicated. Thus use of story/metaphor, multiple media (/people), simplicity and repetition, and leading by example all apply.

” (slooowdown. wordpress. com)This corresponds to the textbook’s Step Ten, in the Commitment Building Section: “ Communicate the change vision to the appropriate people who can impact or will be impacted by the changes, educate them on the change process, involve them when appropriate in the change process, and address their concerns and suggestions.

” (Rothwell, 2010, p. 257) Empower others to act on the vision is Stage Five of the case study. It can be summarized as “ remove or alter systems or structures undermining the vision and encourage risk taking and nontraditional ideas, activities and actions. (HBR, 2007) The textbook similarities are Stage Two—Implementation, which is also the Managed Change section. Steps 11 – 13 are: “ 11. Educate and train the key players in the paradigms and skills needed to implement the changes. Leading Change: Why Transformation Efforts FailPage 7 12.

Select and implement the appropriate strategies and changes. 13. Manage resistance to change.

” (Rothwell, 2010, p. 257) Plan for and create short-term wins is Stage Six in the case study. This is described as: * “ It’s critical to maintain the belief and support for the change. Generating some quick wins helps to maintain belief, keeps the critics at bay and refuels the momentum. * Short term wins need to be visible, unambiguous, clearly related to the change program and authentic. ” (slooowdown. wordpress.

com) The textbook has Stage Three in the Planned Follow-Through section listed as: “ 18. Reinforce, reward, and communicate successes; learn from mistakes or failures; make adjustments; keep people informed about program progress and integrate changes into the culture. ” (Rothwell, 2010, p.

257)Consolidate improvements and produce more change is Stage Seven in the case study. Summarized as follows: * “ Start slowly with just a few (often smaller) projects – but this is the time where it really can get pushed on, with up to 20 change projects. * Having gained some momentum it’s now possible to tackle some of the bigger change projects. Leading Change: Why Transformation Efforts FailPage 8 * Also need to create a more ‘ open system’ where anyone can contribute ideas/raise issues/identify extra areas that need change. (slooowdown.

wordpress. com) The textbook does not have a comparable step for this stage. Finally, Stage Eight in the case study is institutionalize new approaches.

This can be summarized as “ need to get the new behaviors/ values/ beliefs firmly rooted and change is never ending so need to instill a culture of constant change (and learning). ” (slooowdown. wordpress. com) The textbook simply states Step 17 as ensuring the change is “ accomplished, supported, and sustained. ” (Rothwell, 2010, p. 257)In conclusion, I agree with the website, http://slooowdown. wordpress.

com. “ This is a solid model built more on experience than theory (both a strength and a weakness). That said any model simplifies a complex situation – and no model fits all organizations. Change is incredibly complex and thus cannot be controlled so precisely. This model starts from a basic assumption that people will resist change – and that is not always true. ” That is why I chose to accentuate the positive. I embrace change and consider it the best way to avoid stagnant procedures. Change can be good when it is approached positively.

References Kotter, J P. (January, 2007). Leading Change: Why Transformation Efforts Fail. Harvard Business Review. Boston: Harvard Business School Publishing.

R0701J Rothwell, WJ. Stavros, JM. , Sullivan, RL. , & Sullivan, A (Eds. ) (2010).

Practicing organization development: A guide for leading change (3rd Ed. ) USA: Pfeiffer. ISBN-13: 9780470405444. http://slooowdown. wordpress.

com/2012/04/22/summary-of-leading-change-by-john-p-kotter. October 22, 2012.