What Impacts Organisational Change - Essay Example

This essay focuses on the impact of how change agents and change agency through their traits, attributes, qualities and features can have a significant impact on the success or otherwise of a change programme. The same has been discussed in an elaborative and sequential manner to facilitate a climate for social construction of change and involvement. The report in its initial phase explains the meaning of change agents and their unique attributes and traits to lay a foundation to understand their climatic impact on the success or failure of a change programme. The report focuses on the real meaning of change agents and their role towards a change programme. The report than shifts towards the various attributes and differing roles played by change agents which helps in achieving success in a change programme. A complete discussion on change agents with a comprehensive study has been elaborated to highlight the importance and impact of change agents in environmental changes and provides an understanding of the topic under discussion. Finally the report is concluded to provide both theoretical and practical approach of the impact of change agents on the success or failure of change programme. A change agent is a noble aspiration which constantly seeks to bring changes in an organization and society with a basic aim of making people better. A change agent is someone who acts a catalyst to motivate and initiate change in human capability and thinking to ensure that the organization achieve a higher level of output and self actualization by creating a win-win situation for all segment of the organization and society at large (Bishop, 2001). Change agents help individuals to adapt to environmental changes and stick to changes with lesser or no retaliation from individuals to adapt to the changes as the same is directed towards betterment and growth of the individual and the organization. Change agent activities enable people to do more and help individual find a new and better life with attainable future goals which previously seemed impossible for an individual (Pettigrew, Woodman & Cameron, 2001). It is to be noted that it has been always an arguable question by most managers, employees and HR professionals about the exact role of change agents or agencies in an organizational framework or in context to any change programme. However, it is be noted that organizations and society faces continuous unrelenting changes in the environment and there is always a need of individual who can capably turn potential strategies into reality and thus there emerges a need for change agents and change agencies (Mallak, Kurstedt Jr. and Patzak, 2007). Change agents are someone who has a futuristic approach and takes into consideration the current environmental conditions and contribute equally towards organization’s current performance and develop a platform to achieve future goals with ease and adapt future changes with less or no retaliation from its adapters (Yardley, 2002). Broadly looking a change agent looks towards the following two major objectives It focuses on individual and groups ability to manage future changes in a more comprehensive and synchronized manner (Galpin, 2006) It enables individual and groups to work more effectively and efficiently as has been planned, implemented and anticipated experienced change by the people (Galpin, 2006) Thus, these prime objectives of change agents definitely have a great impact on the success or failure of a change programme as the very initiative taken by change agents builds a platform for change programme. Traits and attitudes of change agents/agency play an important role in determining the success or failure of a change programme. It is to be noted that not every change process or programme leads to expected results. There can be a large number of reasons for failure of a change programme like typical barriers from external conditions and environment, lack of commitment and wrong implementation of the plan, lack of both physical and un-tangible resources, resistance to change from people involved in the process and people affected by the change etc. The failure of a change programme has a major impact particularly it demoralize the people involved in the process, negative thoughts, de-motivation along with people becoming dissatisfied within the team of their own performance and many a times it can have a more sharper impact by creating a mind set of people to never ever willing to commit to changes (Huntoon, 2008). Hence we see that in light of change programme, change agents help in lowering the risk associated with the same to a considerable extent. Thus role of change leader or change agent have a major impact on the success or failure of a change programme and on the unwanted side effects of the same. It is to be further noted there are various traits and attributes of change agents/ agency which shows that change agents clearly have a major impact on the success or failure of a change programme. The same has been discussed as under. Change agents acts as Detective: Implementing a change requires a critical understanding of the current dynamics of the change programme and anticipating in a correct manner about the people’s behaviors and attitude towards the change programme. Change agents here acts as detective and find clues that are actually preventing the change and the reasons behind the same, so as to determine plans accordingly and ensure success of the change programme. Change agent acts as an Advocate: Every change program needs someone who speaks in favor of the change process and keeps the attention of people involved in the same towards the desired change process (Szamosi & Duxbury, 2002). Change agents act as an advocate to the same and build in support and engage people to participate in the change process. The Facilitator approach: Change agents acts as a facilitator in designing the entire change system programme, gathers tools and resources, develop forms and processes to ensure that people achieve success as they go through the change program (Covington, 2002). The change agents clearly clarify the entire process and help and provide a desired direction which plays a vital role in the successful implementation of the change programme. Change agent acts a Mediator: Change program are often characterized by opposing priorities and resistance to change from individual and groups towards the desired change. Change agents act as a mediator and help in resolving such conflicting ideas and finding a common goal to create a win-win situation for all (Chapman & Ward, 2007). Change agents help in reducing friction between various individuals and groups and synchronize different ideas and thoughts to ensure successful implementation of the change programme. The Counselor approach: It is to be noted that the success and failure of a change programme clearly lies in the attitude of the people taking initiative for the change which are the change agents. Change happens when an individual himself alters his own behavior, attitude and activities (Baca, 2005). Change agents are experts in doing the same and peacemakers by coming out of their comfort zone and guiding and counseling the entire change programme. The law: Change agents in order to give a specific direction to change programme ensures that various goals, targets, achievements and due dates are made within the desired time frame. Change agents through their skills and attributes ensure that people are on track to achieve the change programme and develop mechanism to find ways to hold people accountable and further develop a system to ensure rewards and punishments as per the environmental situation and demand (Ibbs, Lee and Li, 2008). The Expertise Approach: Change agents utilize their own expertise to build responsibility, authority and accountability within the change programme. Change agents demonstrate and develop trust within the team and ensure that they can be relied upon and further build trust and confidence among others with a sense of commitment to ensure the success or failure of a change program (Cadle & Yeates, 2008). Change agents are experts in their own field and act as a leader to ensure adaptability of change programme by all. Thus we see that there are various attitudes, traits and attributes which indicate that it is the notion of change agents whose contribution have a major and clear impact on the success or otherwise of a change program (Tiong, R. 2010). As already has been highlighted that change agents play an important role in the success or failure of a change programme. Here is a more comprehensive detailed analysis of the various aspects of real life situations where change agents acts in a different role and impact the change programme. Change agents have a team building ability and establish effective group, ensuring delegated authorities and responsibilities among various people which help in achieving the change programme by mitigating the risk of failure to a considerable extent. Change agents build a network connecting both internal and external opportunities and remove threats of failure. Interpersonal skills, stimulating motivation, commitment and a personal enthusiasm of the change agent in expressing the future and current plans and ideas helps in setting a social environment and lay down the foundation for a successful implementation of a change program (Burke, 2003). Resistance to change is a common outlook in every perspective hence to develop futuristic plans and having a clear vision plays a vital role. It is important to synchronize various differing goals and objectives towards a common goal. Japanese people are often considered to adapt changes with open arms, however it has been seen in a renowned Japanese company that organization resisted to working hours shift changes which was fabulously dealt by change agents explaining the real reason for shifts in the working hours was for better production and ensure a healthy life to all employees of the organization as the same shall ensure higher earning for people and provide them with a better management of time (Cummings & Worley, 2005). However, it is to be noted that role of change agents is of prime importance in a change programme as the same if not dealt in a proper manner can eventually lead to dissatisfaction among employees, with negative thoughts and ultimate failure of the change programme. Change agents also acts as an evaluator of the change programme and draw variances and find out new steps and measures to overcome such variances and change plan accordingly to ensure success of the change programme. It is to be noted that just as change agents acts as a catalyst in determining the success of a change programme, the same if not handled in a proper and realistic manner can be of one of the major reason for the failure of the entire change programme. A de- motivated, sluggish, non enthusiastic and a follower than a leader attitude can impact the change programme towards higher resistance from people towards change than actually accepting the change (Pinto and Kharbanda, 2005) It is to be further noted that change agents in order to mitigate the risk of failure of a change programme constantly recognizes the effect of having a negative movement and carries a skeptical approach in the entire change progress (Chapman, 2010). Change agents are not persons who follow a traditional or routine approach. In similar contrast he is not someone who follows a modularization, reorganization or optimization approach but rather looks towards a reorientation approach. Change agents act a migratory from a known and undesirable environment to an unknown environment with promising future (Andersen, Grude & Haug, 2004). One of the core competencies of change agent is to act as a “Change Management” which ensure proper and correct alignment an organization people’s, culture, business strategy, organizational structure and the complete system resulting in higher commitment to change with sustained and measurable improvements and enhancement of capability to manage future changes. This essay has been drafted in a sequential and synchronized manner to provide a complete understanding of how the change agents have an impact on the success or failure of change programme. To discuss the impact of change agents on the change programme, various traits and roles of change agents like counselor, advocate, law, facilitator, mediator etc has been elaborated to provide an understanding of how the change agents actually lays down the foundation and majorly affects the success or failure of a change programme. A comprehensive discussion of change agents have been further discussed to throw light on real life situations and clearly provide an understanding of the climatic impact of change agents on the social construction of change and involvement. References Andersen, E.S., Grude, K. V. & Haug, T. 2004. Goal directed project management: effective techniques and strategies (3rd ed.). London: Konan Page. Burke, R. 2003. Project management: planning and control techniques. Chichester: John Wiley & Sons. Baca, C. 2005. Project Manager’s Spotlight on Change Management. Alameda: Sybex. Bishop W, C. H. 2001. How does change management need to change? 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