Introduction
Employees need to appreciate the fact that change is inevitable and capable of supporting the introduction of new programs and initiatives. Both leaders and followers should be keen on emerging trends, ideas, and concepts that have the potential to drive organizational performance. People who accept and remain aware of possible developments and transformations will develop the best strategy for pursuing the intended goals. As a team leader in my workplace, openness to change is a useful strategy that helps me identify new situations, accept emerging ideas, and formulate proper strategies to achieve outlined objectives. Managers who embrace the concept of openness to change find it easier to moderate, guide, and monitor their employees’ attitudes, thereby empowering them to pursue their goals.
Literature Review
The available evidence from past research presents unique arguments and ideas regarding the power of openness to change in organizational settings. In their study, Arieli et al. (2020) indicated that people who possessed various predictors were able to guide others and support the delivery of positive results. Specifically, successful workers promoted positive opinions towards any form of change. In the same study, personal resilience emerged as a unique determinant of how a specific person identifies and pursues change at the workplace. Some of these major attributes associated with resilience include optimism, personal esteem, and control (Arieli et al., 2020). When individuals exhibit high levels of openness to change, the involved companies are associated with increased levels of job satisfaction and reduced employee turnover (Aulia & Soetjipto, 2021). These attributes explain why the topic remains critical in the business world.
Leaders who guide their workers and equip them with a wide range of resources make it possible for them to develop additional perspectives. They will remain committed and ready to adapt following the recorded situations (Arieli et al., 2020). By enhancing openness to change, most of the workers would be willing to establish new working strategies, routines, and initiatives that can drive performance (John et al., 2020). In their study, Aulia and Soetjipto (2021) believed that the idea of organizational resilience was essential and capable of guiding workers to embrace change, remain open, and consider emerging strategies to manage possible crises. When challenges emerge, this form of culture makes it possible for companies to adjust accordingly, create new procedures, and focus on the best ways to maximize profits.
Additional studies have been completed in the past to examine some of the best procedures to maximize openness to change among employees. For example, Aulia and Soetjipto (2021) revealed that the concept of appreciative discourse could guide workers to discuss and analyze recorded situations and focus on desirable improvements. The approach would encourage more workers to become more aware, improve their communication processes, and maximize their energy. The emerging consensus allows the targeted employees to remain involved and ready to address most of the recorded challenges. Consequently, leaders in organizations associated with the outlined practices will identify emerging challenges, guide employees to become more engaged, and eventually introduce additional change that can maximize performance.
Individuals who embrace openness to change and make it part of their philosophies identify emerging situations and respond accordingly. They will be ready to engage others, identify gaps, and implement desirable strategies. In the workplace, the strategy creates room for persistence, engagement, and the ability to become informed (John et al., 2020). People who focus on the concept will support the delivery of desirable results, such as increased morale among the workers, better working environments, and a desirable organizational culture (Aulia & Soetjipto, 2021). The idea of continuous improvement in the area of openness to change can guide more employees to maximize their awareness and develop superior personal strategies for responding to change.
Methodology
Purpose of Study
The purpose of this study is to learn more about my experience with the concept of openness to change and how it has impacted my performance at my workplace. The emerging findings would inform my future behavior and thinking toward the concept and how it could be applied to deliver desirable outcomes.
Research Questions
The guiding research questions for this study include:
- To what extent does the idea of openness to change contribute to success in the workplace?
- To what degree do I practice and promote openness to change as qualitatively and quantitatively measured at the beginning and the end of my undergraduate degree program?
Participant
I was the only participant involved in this specific study.
Data Collection Methods
Two methods were identified and applied to collect data in this study. The first one entails the use of the Big Five Personality Inventory as the quantitative instrument. The second includes these two qualitative instruments: class response assignments and course discussion.
Results and Findings
The results of the completed investigation are presented in the table below.
Table 1: Results of the Big 5 Personality Survey
The completed investigation presented unique findings about my personality traits and their application in different aspects of my workplace. At the beginning of the course, I had an openness score of 13 and 3 at the end (see Table 1). These figures reveal that I had become less engaged and unwilling to embrace change or new experiences. The other declining personality trait throughout the course was that of agreeableness (see Table 1). However, I recorded significant improvements in several attributes that define my personality, such as natural reaction, extraversion, and conscientiousness. By focusing on these aspects, I can identify my areas of weaknesses and strengths recorded throughout the course (John et al., 2020). The emerging information can guide me to make timely decisions and focus on the best ways to deliver positive results in my workplace.
The results gained after completing the survey and studying the course materials appear to support the ideas and discussions in the literature. For instance, I have realized that my declining level of openness has made me less productive and incapable of delivering most of the needed goals. The findings support the idea that I usually apply traditional strategies to emerging challenges in life and the organization (Aulia & Soetjipto, 2021). This revelation could explain why it would be appropriate to consider new strategies to maximize my openness to change, be ready to solve emerging problems and maximize my potential.
Discussions
The completed investigation presented unique insights regarding the major issues revolving around personality traits. For this investigation, openness to change was the much-needed attribute that was capable of determining performance at the workplace. The findings supported the idea that openness to change could decrease over a specified period if people fail to develop the necessary attributes. This was the case for since I mostly focused on the studied class material during the time (John et al., 2020). The reduction in such scores means that the individual might find it hard to identify emerging changes and respond to them accordingly.
The analysis encourages people to undertake similar investigations after 4-6 months if they want to learn more about their current personality traits. The emerging observations can make it easier for them to identify areas of strengths and weaknesses, thereby being on the lookout for new ideas. The concept of continuous practice can guide them to identify recorded challenges and respond accordingly (Singhal et al., 2021). Workers who complete similar exercises will be ready to learn more about the recorded gaps and consider how they can improve them. These findings show conclusively that people who want to become more open to change will increase their chances of succeeding in their respective professions and workplaces.
Employees in different organizations and capacities will find these observations and arguments useful in practice. For instance, those undertaking leadership roles would appreciate emerging situations and apply desirable decision-making approaches. They will engage in critical thinking, engage others, and identify the best strategies to deliver results (Aulia & Soetjipto, 2021). Whenever a new change is introduced, such workers will remain supportive and ready to transform the situation. They will guide their followers to make informed choices and align their actions to the wider organizational goals.
By combining all the outlined observations, it becomes quite clear that workers should monitor their levels of openness to change and consider how they can grow their skills. Companies that guide their employees to follow the strategy would be associated with increased job satisfaction, motivation, and productivity (Singhal et al., 2021). The specific organizations will be in a position to identify emerging challenges and respond accordingly using meaningful change processes. The involved leaders will apply the power of critical thinking to address emerging issues and consider the best ways to improve performance.
Based on these observations, future research would be needed in this area to learn more about openness to change and its possible impact on the individual performance of an employee. Analysts can consider how companies could introduce additional strategies for encouraging and guiding workers to become more involved and open to emerging experiences (John et al., 2020). Such studies will maximize the existing knowledge on the topic and make it possible for firms to guide their employees accordingly.
Conclusion
The completed investigation has indicated that my openness to change has been reducing throughout the course period. This trend has led to reduced participation in organizational activities and the adoption of traditional strategies for leadership and problem-solving. By considering the materials studied in class, current literature, and emerging insights, I will consider better ways to maximize my abilities in this area. I will practice widely, consult past research, and undertake additional activities. The ultimate aim would be to develop a superior philosophy associated with an increasing level of openness. Such an achievement will eventually take me closer to my personal and professional goals.
References
Arieli, S., Sagiv, L., & Roccas, S. (2020). Values at work: The impact of personal values in organizations. Applied Psychology: An International Review, 69(2), 230-275. Web.
Aulia, T. R., & Soetjipto, B. W. (2021). Effect of openness to change, empowerment, customer orientation, and marketing innovation to resilience and survival of a convenience store business amid Covid-19 pandemic. Advances in Economics, Business and Management Research, 202,100-106. Web.
John, R., John, R., & Rao, Z. (2020). The big five personality traits and academic performance. Journal of Law & Social Studies, 2(1), 10-19. Web.
Singhal, A., Nema, P., Chakraborty, A., & Kumar, P. (2021). Big five personality traits and well-being: Evidence from university students of India. Journal of Contemporary Issues in Business and Management, 27(1), 4064-4072. Web.