The Subject of Change Management - Essay Example

Running head: Change Management Date: Change Management The subject of change management is normally an issue regarded very lightly in most organizations. Most managers do not effectively understand the importance of learning all the imperatives of change and change management so as to mitigate most of the problems that normally arise out of improper methods of conducting change. In the business context, change connotes the often-planned process of improving the effectiveness of the operations of the business.

As such, it is a subject that cuts across entirely all the facets of the organization since progress and success are functions of better operational ways that are basically brought about by positive change. In whatever respect, any process of change should always be planned so that its implications are taken into account and the concerned parties be able to adapt. The survival of any organization depends on its ability to adapt to various environmental changes. Most of these strategies are either reactive or proactive thereby making the process of change a source of many challenges (Schiesser, 2008).

Various situations will normally create the need for change. Technological changes realized in operations will normally force organizations to adapt to new procedures which might be costly or untimely. In the same vein, changes in the management of organizations will always demand the adoption of new ways of operations not previously experienced. Nevertheless, whichever the cause of change, certain considerations should always be taken into account to ensure that the change process benefits the organization and is accepted by all the stakeholders.

Conventional wisdom confirms that change is normal and healthy and should therefore be pursued by anybody aspiring to advance in life. On the contrary, human beings are always haters of change. In organizational situations, any form of change is normally viewed very suspiciously since people are always on the watch to safeguard their positions and maintain the status quo. However, this attitude can effectively be reversed if the managers clearly familiarize the employees with the importance, implications, and strategies in place with regard to the proposed change.

Leaders have the solemn responsibility to ensure that any organizational change becomes successful and is accepted by all employees. Most of the complications arise out of the simple mistakes that the managers make in the process of managing change. At the center of change management, is the process of communication. Stakeholders deserve the right to be informed about all that pertains to the proposed change so that they become positive and welcoming (Spencer, 2001). Proper forecasting should also be conducted to predetermine the negative implications of the change process and whether the cost of the change warrants the resources invested in it.

This certainly demands sufficient environmental scanning and the assistance of technical expertise so that the process is managed professionally. In the same vein, the timing of the change process comes very central in the whole analysis. More often, managers institute changes in the organization without regard to the concept of time. This contributes to the failure of the change process (Kreigler, 1999). It must be remembered that change should never be a one-time affair. It is a gradual process that undergoes phases of trial and error so that its success is assured.

The process of change should never be the sole prerogative of the management. It should always be a consultative affair where all the stakeholders have the capacity to give their opinions on the best way forward. Entrepreneurs and other managers should therefore be aware of the importance of change, the reasons for the antipathy toward change, and all the implications of any change they seek to institute into the organization.