The_Essential_Manager_s_Handbook

MANAGING CHANGE / 69

Managing change

Individuals, managers, teams, and organizations that do not adapt

to change in timely ways are unlikely to survive in our increasingly

turbulent world environment. Managers that anticipate change, learn

to adapt to change, and manage change will be the most successful.

problems by scanning the external

environment, the manager needs to find

ways to communicate the information

broadly and dramatically to make others

aware of the need for change. Managers

also have to develop and articulate a

compelling vision and strategy that

people will aspire to, that will guide the

change effort. The vision of what it will be

like when the change is achieved should

illuminate core principles and values that

In focus

PHASES OF CHANGE

Planned change progresses through

three phases:

Unfreezing This involves helping

people see that a change is needed

because the existing situation is

undesirable. Existing attitudes and

behaviors need to be altered during

this phase to reduce resistance, by

explaining how the change can help

increase productivity, for example.

Your goal in this phase is to help the

participants see the need for change

and to increase their willingness to

make the change a success.

Changing This involves making

the actual change and requires

you to help participants let go

of old ways of doing things and

develop new ones.

Refreezing The final phase involves

reinforcing the changes made so

that the new ways of behaving

become stabilized. If people

perceive the change to be working

in their favor, positive results will

serve as reinforcement, but if not,

it may be necessary to use external

reinforcements, which can be

positive or negative.

pull followers together. Lastly,

institutionalizing changes in the

organizational culture will refreeze

the change. New values and beliefs

will become instilled in the culture so

that employees view the changes as

normal and integral to the operations

of the organization.

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