Leaders and Sustained organizational change

by Anthony Williams 

Leaders are the Driving Force of Change                                                  

Leaders who see the vision of the possibilities of any change must be internally driven to accomplish the objective. Because, the path to obtaining the objective may not be appealing to others since it will be out of their norm, and comfort zone. As such, the task of driving change will be a difficult one (Quinn, 1996).

Leaders Own the Change

Leaders must be active participants of change. In doing so, leaders should take the time to learn about the objective. One cannot walk-the-talk if he or she has no knowledge what the end goal is. Then leaders need to teach their employees what is required of them. As well as, articulate how pending change will affect employees. The line of communication between employees and managers must remain open. Also, leaders’ verbiage should be one that express ownership of the organizational change (Nadler, 1998).

Leaders are Examples of Change

 

It will take some time for sustainability to set in. However, managers who get promoted during the change initiative and follow through to top positions will have a full understanding of the new environment. These same leaders along with middle management may be an example to subordinates. Leaders must keep employees mindset on the desired activities. So too, by the company rewarding favorable performance in favor of the objective by its employees, change may take hold.

When the Change becomes the Culture

 

When behavior conducive to the change initiative takes root, the change has now become the norm. Thus, when the change has become the normal operating environment, then indeed a new culture is formed. At this point change is sustained. Though, great care must be given to ensure complacency does not rear its ugly head (Nadler).

Reference

 Nadler, D. A. (1998). Champions of change: How ceos and their companies are mastering the skills of radical change. John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Jossey-Bass, San Francisco.
Quinn, R. E. (1996). Deep change: discovering the leader within. John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Jossey-Bass, San Francisco.

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