Organizational Change (feat. Cheryl Lynn Mobley)

How change can be successfully implemented within an organization. The steps established by John Kotter to help improve change efforts and avoid pitfalls that often lead to failure. In my organization, we often talk about how change is inevitable in this evolving world of business. The vision of change and understating how to create a sense of urgency can help in establishing a powerful coalition. This coalition requires a clear and concise vision. The communication of this effort will help empower the coalition and plan for short-term wins. Using those wins we can find improvement and perpetuate this change by documenting and solidifying the change.

Many companies are facing extraordinary challenges that require flexibility and adaptability. Changing technologies, faster processes, and global business markets are helping to develop new and improved business strategies. In a dog-eat-dog world, it’s either change or get left behind.

“Life is change. If you aren’t growing and evolving, you’re standing still and the rest of the world is surging ahead” (Penny, 2008).

Companies are responding to a barrage of threats and continue using archaic standardized processes. But what happens when the threat forces change or the standard process no longer works? A business must learn quickly and shift accordingly or face certain extinction. The question of how business is most effective in promoting change requires a simple approach to flexibility. The fundamental steps necessary for any business to make a change would be to focus on the exchanges between leaders and followers that deal with both aspects of transactional and transformational leadership styles. These exchanges must go beyond individual interests in pursuit of a shared vision. These leadership styles are not exclusive nor do leaders necessarily exhibit one more than the other. Depending on the situation, a leader may change and pivot to gain the most traction over the desired behavior (Lumen, 2017).

In business, we find that change is inevitable. Change is the evolution of which companies continue to compete, succeed and perform at peak performance. Is all change good or do we just embrace the idea that we should transform regardless of need?  In theory, flexibility and good business practices lean toward a successful transition. A seasoned company may practice certain skills favorable to change. Inevitably, we see businesses using a myriad of change techniques to improve manufacturing, inventory, accounting, sales, operations, procurement, information security or customer service. Processes can be turbulent within a company and use the correct approach to change requires business legerdemain. John Kotter is a leading professor and speaker dedicated to promulgating the efficiencies of successful change transformation and transitioning within an organization. The effectiveness of change within an organization can easily fail and steps can be taken to improve its success (Matsu**bleep**a, 2018). John Kotter focuses on 8 elements of change that contribute to boosting quality and improving the chance of success when implementing change (Kotter, 1996).

1. Establishing a sense of change
2. Forming a powerful coalition within the organization
3. Creating and vision for change
4. Communicating this vision effectively
5. Empowering others on that vision
6. Planning for short-term wins
7. Consolidating and improving change to influence additional change
8. Institutionalizing new approaches

The now-retired John Kotter has established himself at the forefront for change management success using these steps.

Establishing a Sense of Change

It has become common in business that people become complacent to immersing themselves in the very day, mundane routine of their job without thinking twice about how a change would affect their situation. Once compan