Change Management Mason City IA

Change is inevitable. No matter what type of business or organization you run, significant changes will need to take place over time in order to keep up with trends, evolve, and grow. An organization that faces constant demands for change, and uses effective change management techniques when these demands must be met may experience a fundamental shift in the way in which it is operated. Sponsors of the organization begin to repeat certain activities that made the last change possible and successful, and managers learn skills that help support employees through the entire process. When this happens, employees see the need for change and are better able to understand their part in it.

Organizational change is a multi-level process that follows the natural chain of command. If you want your employees to accept the change, you will have to do so first. If you aren’t taking an active part in making it happen, your employees probably won’t either. When all parties do their part, the organization will have internalized its role in change and developed the necessary skills and acquired the knowledge to react in a positive way.

When this has been accomplished, an organization is sufficiently ready and able to embrace change, and has, therefore, developed competency where change is concerned. Change management competency has been shown to have direct bottom line results. This means that organizations are much more effective when they are able to manage change. Building change management competency has even become a strategic goal for many organizations, and is being more widely implemented.

Building change management competency in an organization is not like installing a brand new computer system in your organization, or implementing a new policy. When these things occur, someone makes the decision to do them and they are done without a change in organizational structure. Change management, however, requires a complete change in attitude. If everyone in the organization is opposed to the change, it will be much more difficult to implement than if everyone is accepting of it. Even if one level, say management, is accepting of the change that needs to take place, another level, say the employees, may not feel it necessary, and may, therefore, resist it. Effective change management requires a positive attitude, which starts with a clear understanding of how the change will both benefit and affect the organization as a whole.

Individuals in an organization that is considered change competent are able to define their jobs in relation to change. They value their ability to change as one of the primary responsibilities, and are able to see both sides of any change. They are able to perform their job duties before, during, and after the change without interruption.

Change management competency is the presence of a business culture that expects change, and that reacts with the understanding, perspective, tools, and techniques that make change seem both seamless and effortless. During any organizational change, it is crucial that the business run as smoothly as ever, and that the change not affect the customer side of everyday operations. That is what change management competency is all about; the ability to make the transition from one change to another, while retaining the continuity that is expected of your organization.

Change management differs slightly from change management competency. While the objective is the same, the focus is different. Change management is the use of specific activities that are used to manage the people side of change. This includes: communication, coaching, sponsorship, and training. These activities are necessary in order to realize the success outcomes of any business change.

Change management competency is not a specific activity, but rather the ability for an organization to react to and successfully manage change time after time. It is the capability of an organization to apply the practices of change management routinely.

Change management, on the other hand, can be both taught and learned. You can teach each employee the importance of properly managing organizational change, but if these skills are not used everyday by all, it will be quite difficult to establish change management competency. Also, change management competency must penetrate every part of the organization, and must be evident in all levels, especially for sponsors, managers, and front-line employees. When these parts of the organization lack the lack the fundamental understanding and skills needed to implement change, they are unable to successfully pass these skills on to the next level of employees.

Organization Effectiveness Research Group

507-389-5829
Department of Psychology
Mankato, MN
http://www.mnsu.edu/iopsych/