| Top management sometimes plans extensively | | | | during change by exercising a new type of |
| for strategic changes in an organization, but | | | | leadership. You will be less of a controller |
| places very little emphasis on how to handle | | | | and more of a coordinator. Only you and your |
| the transition from the old way to the new. | | | | staff together can make things happen. You |
| When this happens, the new goal, system, | | | | must learn how to delegate intelligently some |
| organization or project is simply presented | | | | of your control to your team. |
| as a direction or decision to a work team. | | | | |
| When the team has not been consulted, this | | | | As a manager, you have special |
| comes as a shock. The change is announced and | | | | responsibilities to maintain strong upward |
| implementation is left to the group. When | | | | lines of communication. If you keep the |
| this happens to you, as the manager involved, | | | | information you receive from above to |
| you are put on the spot. You need to produce | | | | yourself, or feel you are the only one who |
| results but you can only do this when your | | | | knows how to handle change, this will not be |
| team is fully behind the changes. Top | | | | helpful in implementing changes. Your staff |
| management too often considers implementation | | | | will not learn, will not have the information |
| of the change a footnote to their plan. Your | | | | they need to make changes and will not feel |
| work team may consider the same change as a | | | | they share in the change unless you involve |
| crisis of the first magnitude. | | | | them by giving up some of your control. |
| | | | |
| Most of the difficulties manifest themselves | | | | Power and influence |
| in this transition period. This is where | | | | |
| people get stuck. They become confused, | | | | Most of the major organizational changes you |
| anxious, angry, and often unproductive. Your | | | | will experience in your career will not be |
| job as manager is to move your team through | | | | initiated by you. You may be able to |
| change in the smoothest possible way, | | | | anticipate change or see it coming (for |
| regardless of how well or poorly the change | | | | example, the need for new technology); |
| was introduced. | | | | however, most of the time change will be |
| | | | handed to you as a fait accompli. When this |
| Gaining control by giving it up | | | | happens, a typical reaction, regardless of |
| | | | level, is an attitude of helplessness. What |
| A major lesson in leadership is that you can | | | | can I do? or Has anyone taken us into |
| not move through change and keep previous | | | | account? can lead to inactivity and |
| levels of tight control over your staff. The | | | | frustration and workers will spend their time |
| lesson is to gain control over change by | | | | bemoaning the change, dreaming of the old |
| giving it up. | | | | days, or criticizing the judgment of top |
| | | | management. |
| In effective organizations, people share | | | | |
| basic goals and communicate clearly, directly | | | | Your task as change agent is to direct energy |
| and regularly about what they are doing. Each | | | | away from the feeling of powerlessness, and |
| person goes about his or her work with | | | | security from the past, and towards seeing |
| greater flexibility than is common in less | | | | the opportunities of the future. You can do |
| effective organizations. If you manage an | | | | this by calling attention to the ways in |
| effective organization you will benefit | | | | which your team can make a difference. |