Assignment: Dealing with Change
Keki Dadiseth, retired Unilever business executive, followed some basic rules that can trigger change (Goleman, Boyatzis, & McKee, 2002). They are described below:
• Focus people's attention of the underlying issues and solutions to create a common ground and understanding about what needs to be changed and why.
• Focus on the ideal, combining resonance-building leadership styles to get people talking about their hopes for the future and tap into the dedication people feel for the organization.
• Move from talk to action.
Helping people realize the reason or need for change is one of the strategies that leaders should use to overcome resistance to change. A related concept in organizational literature is readiness for change.
Dadiseth's rules, as stated above can be understood within the context of creating readiness for change. Based on these rules, what steps can leaders take to prepare followers for change? How exactly does readiness for change impacts resistance for change and the likely success of change initiatives?
Jack Welch, former CEO of General Electric, said, "We've long believed that when the rate of change inside an institution becomes slower than the rate of change outside, the end is in sight. The only question is when" (GE Annual Report, 2000).
• What did Mr. Welch mean by this statement?
• What are some ways in which leaders can overcome change?
Have you ever as a leader demonstrated this kind of leadership? What happened? What did you do? How did your actions affect the followers? What lessons did you learn?
References:
Goleman, D., Boyatzis, R., & McKee, A. (2002). Primal leadership: Learning to lead with emotional intelligence. Boston, MA: Harvard Business School.
GE Annual Report (2000). Letter to share owners.