Health Angel’s Rebuttal to HC1 team’s Opposition OP

Change is learning

Change is not a linear process because effective change initiatives require learning, and learning is not linear.  As Hughes et al. (2014) suggest, linear thinking cannot solve challenges in the nonlinear [environment] (pg. 64). When there are people involved with a change initiative (and there are always people involved) there are always outside factors that come into play, even when a well-strategized change plan is in place.   In team HC1’s team blog post, they illustrated eight steps that are required to going through a change initiative from step 1: clarify the change that is necessary to step 7: follow the action plan. We would suggest in reality of a change initiative, there are a few additional steps that are missing from the above: monitor, learn, then repeat the process.  Complex initiatives require plans to monitor progress and ensure deliverables are produced (Lepsinger, 2010). Continuous monitoring of the change initiative is the only way to evaluate the progress of the change. After monitoring the progress, the leader must learn from its results and evaluate what is working and what is not.  It is all right to step back to re-evaluate, reflect and understand if the change is necessary. As Kraemer advocates, “Self-reflection can serve as a wake-up call to live your life fully in the present. Rather than spending your time obsessing about what will happen down the road or continuously planning for the next move, you will become more connected to the actions, decisions and interactions today” (2011, p. 26). The results of this learning lead to the updating of the action plan and make adjustments to the change initiative.  When we are dealing with the VUCA world, this monitoring and learning process repeats itself again and again. It is this continuous process that makes the change initiative non-linear.

Change is not predictable

Change is more than just planning and execution. It is always difficult to predict what course of action the change will take or what will be the actual consequences. There are always unanticipated and unpredicted events that occur in the market and socio-economic environment. (Styhre, 2002, p. 343)The idea of linear change is, therefore, an ideal scenario which however does not occur in reality.

The complexity theory that depends on non-linear dynamic systems also helps understand how traditional approaches to change and transformation is limited and unsatisfactory (Grobman, 2005, p. 352). It requires the realization of the organization’s own hindrances and limits and finding new ways to approach things.

Change Readiness

During the change Process, not everyone including leaders may be ready for the change.  This may be due to fear of the unknown, lack of knowledge, and having to learn new skills in order to adapt to change.  Leaders at each level need support through this change process. “ The first step is to make a different choice: take a leap of faith by accepting and embracing the change, in spite of our natural instincts to the contrary. In order to do this, we must accept that we won’t necessarily understand or agree with the changes — and we maintain the right to challenge them constructively — but we trust that the answers will come. Equally, we must agree to accept the intentions of our leaders as good-hearted, and embrace the role of change champion”(Jones, 2017).  Change process is a team effort, however, the leader needs to be more invested in helping to create change readiness. As Lepsinger suggest, “How you approach and interact with people at each level of readiness will have a tremendous impact on the extent to which they will be open and receptive to your efforts”(Lepsinger, 2010).

References

Grobman, Gary M. (2005). “Complexity Theory: a new way to look at organizational change” (PDF). Public Administration Quarterly. 29 (3).

Hughes, R., Beatty, K. & Dinwoodie, D. (2014). Becoming a strategic leader: your role in your organization’s enduring success. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Jones, K. (2017, September 28). How To Motivate Your People Through Change – Better Humans. Retrieved from https://betterhumans.coach.me/how-to-motivate-your-people-through-change-7f7f94586790

Kraemer, H. (2011). From values to actions: the four principles of values-based leadership. San Francisco, CA: John Wiley & Sons.

Lepsinger, R. (2010). Closing the execution gap: How great leaders and their companies get results. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Styhre A, (2002) “Non‐linear change in organizations: organization change management informed by complexity theory”, Leadership & Organization Development Journal, Vol. 23 Issue: 6, pp.343-351, https://doi.org/10.1108/01437730210441300