How Can Organizations Prepare Their Current and Future Managers for Todays Dynamic Environment - Coursework Example

How can organizations prepare their current and future managers for today’s dynamic environment? Name Institution Professor Course Date Outline I. Introduction II. Constant changes facing organisations External an internal changes such as competition, technology advancement and commercialisation III. Management skills Technical skills, Human skills Conceptual skills IV. How to motivate people during change Definition of motivation Maslow’s hierarchy of needs theory Herzberg Two-factor theory V. Conflict management during change Causes of conflict: adversity, perceived different and different opinions Eunson’s conflict-spiral model VI. Conclusion VII. Recommendations Ample and effective management skills Effective and efficient change management 1.0 Introduction In the modern challenging and dynamic times, there is a call to look for motivation in how organisations and their management can change the manner in which they function to attain their social, environmental and economic responsibilities. No successful firm or its management can function devoid of comprehending and addressing the dynamic environment surrounding it. One of the major mistakes organisational management make is failing to adapt to the changing world. With the challenges of addressing the aftermath of globalisation, competition, leadership and organisational changes, technological changes, market changes, natural disasters and the threat of climate change and global warming there is a call to get motivation in how successful organisations address the constant changes and conflict facing them. Managers need to focus on motivation and conflict management to keep their firms successful. Motivation increases employees’ performance while conflict management helps in establishing a conducive work environment. Conflict management skills, change management skills, motivational skills, supervision, administration, technical competence and interpersonal skills facilitate establishment of a conducive work environment that promotes employees and organisational productivity. Management strives for employee compliance, seek stability and prosperity and focus on continuity and optimisation of resources. The aim of this report is to establish how organisations can prepare their current and future managers for the contemporary dynamic environment. The report discusses constant changes and conflict facing firms and management skills needed to address the changes. 2.0 Constant Change Facing Organisations Organisations face different types of changes. This include changes that affect organisations, changes that affect systems and changes that affect people. The challenge of managing change preoccupies management in most modern organisations. Particularly, system changes that are a result of constant technological advancements preoccupy managers. According to West (2002), the external and internal contextual changes facing organisations are multifarious and include increasing competition, technological advancement and commercialisation. Changes in technology create social and economic consequences that impact upon all societal levels. Apparently, the rapid pace of technology advancement has instigated a rise in improvements of services and products surfacing from constant up-gradation and innovation to handle changing business setting. The speed, power and accessibility of technology instigate constant changes in organisations. A change is a sign of improvement and progress (Pugh, 2012). As technology continues to change each, futurists maintain that organisations will need to change in order to keep up with the pace of technological changes and advancements. They believe that changes are inevitable. Although organisations cannot predict changes, they can learn how to manage them. The pace of change is so rapid that many firms face constant market realignments and managers must react quickly to ensure the survival of their organisations. Firms need a novel paradigm in comprehending change management that surpasses conventional or predictable events (Ricardo, 2012). Management theorists maintain that the best approach to manage change calls for proper understanding of the cause of change, its nature, determining the most suitable approach, feasible and devoted team and sponsorship models and schemes. Attending to the wider effects of the change is paramount. It is essential to put into consideration the people affected by the change and their expedition towards behaving and working in a manner that support the change. Senge believes that effective change management requires establishment of ways that ensures adaptive responses to change and orientation towards the efficient management ambiguity. Effective change management requires development and maintenance of relationships, good management principles, competencies and problem solving skills (Brown & Osborne, 2012). The change curve model helps in describing the steps of personal move entailed in organisational change. It assists change managers in understanding how individuals respond to the changes to allow better planning. This model calls for good communication, competence, supervision, and interpersonal skills. With respect to Lewin’s change management theory, change managers disintegrate the states of things to make progress through applying the unfreeze- change-refreeze concept. This model calls for competencies, problem solving skills, communication skills, interpersonal skills and supervision principles. Good communication, supervision and technical competencies facilitate proper change management and implementation of these changes. These skills help in ensuring acceptance of change, preventing resistance and addressing conflict that may arise because of the change. 3.0 Management Skills Management entails a discipline that considers and integrates leadership skills. The temperament of management is to inspire and coordinate others to deal with far-reaching and diverse challenges. The ability to manage others calls for effective management skills. Management skills refer to the capacity to lead subordinates and make business decisions within a firm. The three major management skills include technical skills, human skills and conceptual skills. Effective management calls for diverse skills, which include supervision, administration, communication and technical competence. According to Leonard and Trusty (2015), technical skills entail the capacity to perform one’s responsibility well, human relations skills entail the ability to work with people and motivate them while communications skills entail the ability to get and give information. Administrative skills is the ability to plan, organise and coordinate activities while conceptual skills refers to the capacity to obtain, interpret and apply information in making sound decisions. Emotional intelligence skills entail the intelligent application of emotions to guide conduct while leadership skills entail establishment of a leadership style that stresses collaboration. Political skills entail the practical understanding to ascertain the hidden laws for organisational games and acknowledge the roles played by different people in getting things done outside the formal organisational channels. The ability to manage change depends on management skills. Management skills helps in establishing trust, openness, dialogue, self-awareness, personal resilience and networking that lead to acceptance and successful implementation of change. Besides, managerial skills help in addressing issues relating to the change resistance and conflict. 3.1 How to Motivate People during Change Change in organisations is demoralising for employees and destabilising for a firm. Getting motivation right during change is important for long-term success. Motivating employees is important in managing the change and in upholding the health and performance of an organisation. For instance, the impact of acquisitions or mergers greatly affects the morale of employees. To ensure good performance, managers should motivate employees extrinsically and intrinsically. Motivation entails the procedure of stimulating and upholding goal-oriented conducts provoked by the anticipation of fulfilling individual needs. According to Shah and Gardner (2012), motivation entails psychological procedures that cause the stimulation, direction and diligence of voluntary activities that are goal oriented. Motivation is essential in modern organisations as it promotes organisational performance. Motivation is an essential aspect that determines the productivity of an organisation (Kumar, 2011). Staff needs to be motivated because a motivated workforce is productive and ensures attainment of organisational goals. In addition, staff needs to be motivated to ensure their retention, to promote commitment, creativity and energy and to prevent complacency. More so, motivation lowers absenteeism, turnover and increases productivity in an organisation. A motivated workforce implies highly effective staffs that promote attainment of organisational goals. 3.1.1 Motivation Theories: Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs Theory There are several theories of motivation, which include Maslow’s hierarchy of needs theory, and Frederick Herzberg’s two-factor theory. Maslow’s hierarchy of needs theory is valid in modern organisations. Given that motivation is highly individualised, managers use Maslow’s motivation theory to motivate employees at all levels in a firm. Managers understand that employees needs differ depending on the level of employees in an organisation. The subordinates are motivated through fulfilment of the lower needs in the hierarchy while the top managers are motivated through fulfilment of the highest needs in the hierarchy (Harrison, 2005). Managers in modern organisations use this theory keeping in mind that people are inspired when their needs are satisfied. Managers use incentives such as money, bonuses, promotion, recognition and time off to motivate employees. According to Maslow, physiological needs, safety needs, social needs, esteem needs and self-actualization needs creates internal force that hold the power to influence an individual conduct ( Ricardo, 2012). 3.1.2 Herzberg Two-Factor Theory Herzberg two-factor theory is commonly applied in modern organisations through maintenance of productive employee relationships, favourable working conditions, job security, company policies and effective supervision. The theory includes hygiene requirements and when they are attained, employees demonstrate job satisfaction and increased motivation. The motivation factors according to Herzberg include achievement, personal growth, responsibility, promotion, advancement and recognition (Udechukwu, 2009). Managers ensure attainment of these needs by ensuring autonomy of employees, practical firm policies, responsibility and interesting work. Herzberg’s hygiene factors are comparable to Maslow’s physiological, security and social needs while motivating factors are comparable to Maslow’s esteem and self-actualization needs (Ricardo, 2012). The two theories are applicable in all forms of organisations including correctional facilities, business organisations, manufacturing firms and service industries such as the Virgin Australia (Udechukwu, 2009). 3.2 Conflict Management during Change In the event of change in an organisation an amount of stress that comes with change surfaces. Change sometimes is stressful even if it is for the better. More stress during organisational change implies more conflict. Conflict during change can be because of adversity, perceived differences, different opinions, and reduced tolerance to disputes (Gross, Hogler & Henle, 2013). In this regard, managers must learn to manage conflict effectively to promote unity and harmony in an organisation. Management of change and conflict that emerges during change is an essential management function (Robbins, Bergman & Coulter, 2011). Managing conflict promotes harmonious and feasible relationships and productivity in an organisation. Apparently, managing conflict instigates a more effective and efficient use of human resources. Managing conflict prevents people from using all their energy, withhold helpful information, and divert their attention and effort from the most crucial problems facing the firm. 3.2.1 Eunson’s Conflict-Spiral Model Several models can be used in conflict management. They include Eunson’s conflict-spiral model. According to this model, conflict prompt conflict. Every party intensifies and extends the conflict through reacting in a defensive or punitive manner to another person’s behaviour. As a result, a continuing spiral of intensification surfaces that traps the people involved. The initial origin of conflict may have been insignificant (Gross, Hogler & Henle, 2013). However, instead of focusing on the origin of the conflict, the conflict-spiral illustrates the vibrant, interactive procedure by which people find themselves in an ascendant spiral of hostilities. Negative spirals are founded on selectively selecting the information signals, which confirms the negative feelings of a negotiator prompting him to an escalation of negative emotions toward the other party. In modern organisation, the conflict-spiral model is used in conflict management to help in establishing the first cause or origin of conflict. The conflict-spiral model provides managers with helpful tools for assessing the whole conflict that took place. By understanding the origin of conflict through following the negative spirals, managers establish strategic communication styles in negotiation that assist in managing differences that instigate the conflict (Gross, Hogler & Henle, 2013) . The conflict-spiral model is mostly applicable in cross-cultural negations given the differences at three major levels; disparities in internalised norms and values, disparities in emotional expression and disparities in linguistic styles. The model is applicable in international business negotiations. 4.0 Conclusion Managers are accountable for ensuring organisational success. They are tasked with planning, organising, coordinating and controlling a firm’s resources to ensure attainment of set goals and objectives. For managers to be successful, they require effective management skills. Management skills refer to the capacity to lead subordinates and make business decisions within a firm. These skills include technical competence, human skills and conceptual skills. The management skills help in the running of an organisation and in management of change and conflict. Change in an organisation is inventible and as a result calls for effective management skills. Changes in modern organisations are caused by technological advancement, globalisation and changes in the workforce. Effective change management depends on the skills of the change managers. Understanding the temperament and effect of the change in the firm is paramount. In addition, the motivation of employees also affects the success of changes in organisations. Apparently, a change in a firm can be demoralising thereby calling for staff motivation. Staff motivation during change is essential as it increases employees’ morale, performance and acceptance of the change. As regard conflict, conflict in the event of change can surface because of different views thereby requiring managers to manage conflict effectively in order to promote harmony and unity in the organisation. Understanding the source of disputes is an essential factor in effective conflict management. 5.0 Recommendations Effective management is key to organisational success. To ensure effective management, firms should ensure that their manager hold ample management skills. Learning and development should be implemented in firms to ensure that managers are equipped with adequate skills to manage the organisations. Managers should strive to comprehend the nature of their workforce and inspire good relations. They should strive to select and develop the right people, delegate effectively, motivate people, manage disciplines and address conflict besides communicating effectively. Change in organisations is inevitable given the rapid advancement in technology. To ensure effective change management, organisations and their management should always be prepare to handle any change at any time. To best manage change, managers should articulate and identify the, origin, the specific benefits, risks and impacts linked to the changes before their implementation. This helps in reducing resistance to change, conflict and negative effects on employee’s morale. 6.0 References Gross, M, Hogler, R., & Henle, C.(2013). Process, people and conflict management in organisations. International Journal of Conflict Management, 24 (1), 90-103. Harrison, S.(2005). Maslow: Simon Harrison reviews Maslow hierarchy of needs and evaluates its usefulness in a business context. Business Review, 11 (3), p.8 Kumar, S. (2011). Motivating employees: An exploratory study of knowledge workers. South Asian Journal of Management, 18 (3), 26-47. Leonard, E., & Trusty, K.(2015). Supervision: Concepts and practices of management. UK: Cengage Learning. Osborne, S., & Brown, K.(2005). Managing change and innovation in public service organisations. USA: Psychology Press. Pugh, L.(2012). Change management in information services. UK: Ashgate Publishing Ltd. Ricardo, C.(2012). Enhancing the modern organisation through information technology professionals: Research, studies, and techniques. USA: IGI Global. Robbins, S., Bergman, R., & Coulter, M.(2011). Management. Australia: Pearson Higher Education. Udechukwu, I .(2009). Correctional officer turnover: Maslow’s needs hierarchy and Herzberg’s motivation theory. Public Personnel Management, 38 (2), 69-82. West, P.(2002). Organisational learning in the automotive sector. UK: Routledge. Read More