Organizational Change - Four Key Management Strategies For Leaders

Every leader faces the need for change. Determining the need for change is based on numerous internal and external factors. Once a leader has determined that change is necessary, he or she must be diligent in managing the change process. How a team is guided through the change process ultimately determines its success or failure. Thriving organizations have leaders who know how to manage the change process.

The following steps are essential components to successfully manage the change process:

Step 1: Set up an accountability system that clearly outlines who is responsible for each important aspect of the change process.

Organizational Change - Four Key Management Strategies For Leaders

Once a leader has determined that a significant organizational change is necessary, a change leader should be identified. The change leader is responsible for overseeing each aspect of the change cycle including planning, implementing, monitoring, and transitioning into routine business. The change leader must be empowered by senior leadership in order to succeed. A change leader must be able to direct resources and staff from all levels of an organization to effectively drive organizational change. For large initiatives, a change leader will need to assign responsible parties for each major action area. In addition, each individual action item should have a responsible party. Accountability is necessary to ensure that the change process is focused and driven. It is also key to include representatives from a variety of levels and job functions in change planning and implementation. It is impossible for a leader to predict the impact that changes will have on every level and facet of an organization. By including a variety of staff, a leader is able to obtain a clearer picture of how the organization will be affected and will be able to achieve the greatest degree of success while avoiding or minimizing any negative impact.
Step 2: Effectively communicate with the change team and others impacted by the change.

The flow of information in an organization is its life force. To maintain and improve the strength of the organization, information must be shared upward, laterally, and downward. Regular communication is vital to a successful change process. The following must be clearly communicated to staff:

Why the change is necessary for the organization? Ideally this will include an overview of external and internal factors driving the change and the benefits to the organization. Who will be responsible for the change process? This includes identifying the change leader as well as the key team members responsible for major action areas. What mechanisms will be used to implement the change? This involves a description of the work plan and group processes that will be used to design, implement, and monitor the change process. Where staff assistance is needed to facilitate the change process? This includes clearly outlining how job duties will be affected and what is expected of staff during the change process. How the organization is progressing toward the desired change objective(s). This communication should occur at a regular frequency throughout the change process. It is important for the above information to be communicated in a timely and understandable manner to all staff impacted by the change. In addition, it is recommended that multiple forms of communication be used, including verbal (e.g., conference calls, voice mail) and written (e.g., e-mails, memos). Written information, such as phone lists and process flow charts, are more critical for staff that will need to frequently reference the information during the change process.

Step 3: Support the team in the challenges related to the process. Implement a mechanism to quickly problem solve barriers and answer questions related to the change process.

Successful change is dependent on staff understanding, investment, and focus. A team needs to be supported through each aspect of the change process. The following table suggests areas and examples of appropriate staff support:

Tools needed to get the job done: · Providing staff with revised policies and procedures and detailed written instructions regarding the change. Information needed to proceed with change initiative: · Set up daily meetings or an electronic site (via intranet and/or e-mail) where staff can ask questions and obtain assistance with issues. Staff training related to the change: · Providing staff with training on new policies and procedures, changes in their job function, how to communicate the change internally and externally, etc. Timely response for urgent issues:· Set up a quick response system for immediate issues such as a telephone tree with cell phone and pager numbers by area of issue.
Step 4: Acknowledge employee and organizational successes.

It is very important to acknowledge employee and organizational successes during the change process. This allows employees to know that their efforts are making a difference. People want to know that there is a meaningful purpose and a productive outcome resulting from their investment of time and energy.

Leaders can easily make the mistake of focusing on what is left to do and not taking enough time to celebrate the gains that have been made. While understandable, this mistake can lead to a loss of staff investment in the change process. If staff begin to think that an objective is unachievable, or that the organization will never be satisfied, it can lead to a reduced intensity of effort and even loss of employees.

Below are a few examples to acknowledge accomplishments along the road to successful change:

Thank you notes to staff for their investment and hard work related to the change initiative. Celebrations involving food, such as a cake with an applicable message, being brought into a staff meeting. Certificates of achievement for noteworthy staff accomplishments. Small gifts such as pens, candy, or gift certificates for special contributions. Leaders reporting on successes during meetings or in written communication. Staff will appreciate knowing that their contributions are recognized by leadership. They will also know that their time and effort is positively contributing to the organizational achievement of stated change objectives.

Organizational Change - Four Key Management Strategies For Leaders
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Zohreh Piurek is the senior vice president of Piurek & Associates and a specialty consultant. She specializes in strategic planning, project management and leadership development. Piurek & Associates is a values-based firm specializing in the delivery of management consulting services to health and human service organizations. Zohreh can be contacted through Piurek & Associates' website at: http://www.piurek.com

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Does Information Technology Contribute to Organizational Performance in Today Organizations?

Information technology (IT) has significantly affected many organizations. The dramatic growth of the Internet and telecommunications technologies offers various benefits to organizations. For instance it allows many supporting operations to be outsourced to countries like India, Singapore, Philippines and the like.

Some IT products such as the Internet, Intranet, voice mail, e-mail, voice and video conferencing, groupware, Web services, and knowledge management can help organizations to provide faster, more efficient, and more complete services to the customers.

Phone Conferencing

Before discussing whether information technology contributes to organizational performance, let us define organizational performance. Although many researchers have tried to provide a clear definition of performance, there is still no universal definition t. In general, organizational performance refers to how well an organization is doing relative to a predetermined set of standards.

Does Information Technology Contribute to Organizational Performance in Today Organizations?

For example, let us say, the company "ABC Logistics Inc." might define their performance in terms of quick response time, improve customer service, reduce error, improve data control, reduce paperwork, reduce manpower in terms of percentage as a goal for this year. If we want to see the role of IT in organizational performance for this company, we need to investigate how IT contributes to these performance indicators.

I should confess that I have not done any serious extensive research to explore how IT contributes to organizational performance. However I have looked at the IT enabled activities of 2010 Baldrige Winners to explore the role of IT in organizational performance. For those who are not familiar with Baldrige award, let me give a quick summary about the award. The U.S. government established the Baldrige Award in 1987 to promote awareness of quality excellence; to recognize quality achievements of U.S. companies, and to publicize successful quality strategies. The dual goals of the Baldrige criteria are to improve value to customers, which results in marketplace success, and to improve overall financial and company performance to meet the needs of shareholders, owners, and other stakeholders.

The National Institute of Standards and Technology(NIST) manages the award and it may be given each year in six categories such as manufacturing, service, small business, health care, education, and nonprofit organizations. The Award criteria classify performance into five major categories: customer evaluation of product and services, financial and market results, human resource results, supplier and partner performance, and organizational effectiveness results. Below shows the Information Technology enabled Activities of 2010 Baldrige Winners.

MEDRAD: This Company develops, markets, and services medical devices that diagnose and treat disease. In this company, Customer Relationship Management (CRM) databases being used to understand the voice of customers. They use extensive IT networks to understand the voice of processes. They use Systems Applications and Products in Data Processing (SAP) to manage their daily operations. Also, MEDRAD utilizes SharePoint extranet capability to establish collaboration forums with key partners and outside organizations, including suppliers and OEMs. Databases and IT tools being used for collecting and transferring workforce knowledge.

Freese and Nichols Inc: It is a water and wastewater engineering firm from Texas, US. Their majority of work was done by CAD and 3-D software. They use web-based software for project management, accounting and payroll functions; they use customer surveys to identify customer needs. They use databases to store all type of data including clients, staffs and projects. Employees working in multiple locations have laptops. Web, audio, and video conferencing, as well as chat and desktop sharing being used to support collaboration across all locations. Electronic newsletters being used to communicate organizational updates. Microsoft Outlook is being used for day-to-day communications.

Studer Group: It is a healthcare consulting firm in the US. They use public websites and emails as one of the approaches to obtain information about customer. Also, they use Portal, VPN access, online expense reporting systems for Information Sharing.

Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS): They use electronic grade book, online assessment applications, and Web-based application for completion of the state Individualized Education (IEP) form; online student surveys and online Parent surveys to handle their day to day operations effectively. Similarly, a web-based system for human resource management and online access to MCPS curriculum guides being used help the students. Also, a Web-enabled solution being used for tracking and managing MCPS financial business functions

K & M Management: This company operates two fast-casual restaurant in Texas, US. Real-Time dashboard being used for decision making and process management. Likewise, Website, e-mail, and phone communication being used to gather guest comments.

Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital: This hospital uses various IT products including Network attached and wireless computers, Voice over Internet Protocol (VOIP) telecommunication devices Wi-Fi connections, a secure internet portal and secure hardware based business-to-business virtual private network computers. Microsoft Online Services being used for email communications. Also, Decision support tools/resources including electronic scorecards on the GSAM G2G intranet, the AHC data warehouse (CHIS), the Advocate Learning Exchange (AleX), Nursing Compass, Revenue Cycle Compass and AMS are being used for decision making and process management. Likewise, electronic medical record (EMR) system, e-ICU® technology, Centralized telemetry system and Electronic bed board information system being used to help patients. Also External GSAM website being used to provide patients, families, and the community the ability to find a doctor, research an illness, register for various health programs and screenings.

If we look at the previous year awards recipients, we can see the IT role in organizational performance. For example, few awards recipients have used Online computer databases to find customer growth opportunities; paperless technology (EDI and electronic funds transfer) for customer communication; data warehouse to measure the performance of processes; appropriate software for SPC charts, process control charts, design of experiments, and Intranet; and VPN and Lotus Notes and e-mails for information sharing. Likewise, few recipients have used Real-Time dashboard and customized software for decision making and process management, Internet as communication medium and installed various software including payroll software; accounting software; production software to handle the processes effectively. Also, few used Dashboard/balanced scorecard for strategic planning, Internet/intranet for customer relations, and a centralized IT enterprise network (some of the components included EDI, paper, fax, intranet, e-mail, personal computer bedside workstations, and voice recognition) for better management and online training to employees.

By looking at the IT enabled activities of Baldrige Winners, I would say Information Technology contributes to Organizational Performance. An effective IT system and various IT-related products can provide the infrastructure to facilitate information flow between processes; between people inside and outside of an organization; help organizations to automate more processes; provide more flexibility and several other benefits which can be closed to link to organizational performance. In summary IT can act as an enabler to improve organizational performance.

Does Information Technology Contribute to Organizational Performance in Today Organizations?

Joseline Edward is a guest writer of Lucas Project Management Consulting Company which is offering 60 days PMP and CAPM® Prep courses and Mock Up exams online. The course is offered worldwide at a very reasonable price. The company also sells consumer products worldwide. Check out the URL http://www.way2pm.com/ or our blog http://www.way2pm.com/blog/ for additional information.

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