Individual Contribution to Organizational Changes
Organizational change begins with the individual, as it is people and their ideas that lead the way in shaping society. In an organization, every employee must contribute to shaping the workplace culture. With the help of employees who are capable of development and growth, the organization will be able to move towards strategic change (Deszca, Ingols & Cawsey, 2020).
Change will be possible if people themselves want to move in this direction. Integrating change against the will or with explicit sanctions towards specific individuals is not the way to adequately introduce organizational change. Starting with a person who can move the workplace climate forward by example, the productive implementation of new strategies and/or goals can be achieved.
Barriers to Organizational Changes
I encountered a mental barrier, which is an attitude within an organization that is the most difficult to overcome due to the actual barriers to development that it creates. The video by INSEAD (2008) gives the example of Toyota entering new markets with new products, which is the most realistic representation of the problem of barriers. In the practice of organizational change, there comes a stage when the introduction of an innovation actually turns out to be a drop in the ocean and does not lead to change (Hubbart, 2023).
The worst situation occurs when the change leads to the collapse of the organization. In my management experience, I have faced the need to integrate change, and I have spent quite some time explaining the need for it. The most challenging task is the process of properly and completely restructuring rationales that would authorize people to make changes. Without grounding the conscious aspect in the need to follow the changes, this would not be possible.
Principles of Changes
Among essential aspects, the video discusses the value of senses that allow people to see change and accept it as a necessary part of themselves. It is noted that through gradual educational integration, employees feel supported and can accept change (INSEAD, 2008). This means that any new things must first be taught and explained, and only then can success await the organization. Supporting each individual enables managers to implement changes smoothly and determine the way forward (Albrecht, Connaughton, & Leiter, 2022).
Through such principles, the organization will attract staff who understand their capabilities and are open to change, as feedback and communication are developed to a high degree of trust (Hubbart, 2023). If employees understand why they are working and how innovation will positively impact them, the organization will easily transition into the new work model. Consequently, change will only be seen when the goal is clear and understood by all members of the organization responsible for creating its image.
Comparison of Principles
The models and principles studied previously were associated with structured schemes for assessing organizations and designing their future development based on values, management types, and core strengths. Some models place several management principles at the center of the organization (p. 89), while others emphasize the role of production processes and change (p. 99) (Deszca, Ingols, & Cawsey, 2020).
However, all models and principles in one way or another pointed to the value of human resources as the primary force needed to implement change. In the video, the need for individuality and personal contribution to create well-established teamwork is more valued (INSEAD, 2008). The models of management through service and individuality are the most similar because they provide a clear reference point – without people, any organization cannot cope with overcoming difficulties and adopting change.
References
Albrecht, S. L., Connaughton, S., & Leiter, M. P. (2022). The Influence of Change-Related Organizational and Job Resources on Employee Change Engagement. Frontiers in psychology, 13, 910206.
Deszca, G., Ingols, C., & Cawsey, T. F. (2020). Organizational change: An action-oriented toolkit. SAGE.
Hubbart, J. A. (2023). Organizational change: The challenge of change aversion. Administrative Sciences, 13(7).
INSEAD. (2008). It starts with one: Changing individuals changes organizations. YouTube.