managing change theories

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Managing Change - Theories

David StonehouseSenior LecturerTel: 01695 657003E-mail: [email protected]


Change Theories

■ Leaders & Change Agents

■ Planned Change■ Emergent

Approach■ Kurt Lewin

■ Resistance to Change

■ Comfort Zone■ Project

Management


Change is the constant & stability the exception.

“A round man cannot be expected to fit into a square hole right away.

He must have time to modify his shape.” Mark Twain


“Change is not the same as transition. Change is situational: the new site, the new structure, the new

team, the new role , the new procedure. Transition is the

psychological process people go through to come to terms with the

new situation. Remember that change is external and transition is

internal.”

William Bridges


Leaders in Change. “It is the leader who is the innovator, who is

proactive and a motivator. He/she has a vision of how things could be and the drive and commitment to bring that vision to fulfilment” (Stonehouse, 2011:510).

“managers cope with the complexities and results of change while leaders inspire and initiate change” (Smith and Langston,1999:6)


Change Agents

Often the person given the job of implementing and leading the change

is called the change agent

(Marquis and Huston, 2009).


Planned Change

■ Cyclical process involving diagnosis, action & evaluation, and further action & evaluation

■ Triggered by the need to respond to new challenges or opportunities presented by the external environment, or in anticipation of the need to cope with potential future problems.

■ An intentional attempt to improve


The Emergent Approach

■ Change is seen as a continuous process■ Stresses the developing & unpredictable nature

of change■ Environment is increasingly dynamic & uncertain■ Change as a period of organisational transition

characterised by disruption, confusion & unforeseen events that emerge over long time-frames.

■ No universal rules with regard to leading change


‘Unfreezing, Moving & Refreezing.’ – Kurt Lewin

Unfreezing

•The nature of the change needed

•The methods planned to achieve the change.

•The needs of those affected

•The ways that progress will be planned & Monitored.

Moving

•Defining problems

•Identifying solutions

•Implementing solutions

Refreezing

•Stabilising the situation

•Building & rebuilding relationships

•Consolidating the systems


Forcefield Analysis – Lewin (1947)

Driving forces Restraining forces

for change for equilibrium

STATUS

QUO

For effective organisational change to take place the status quo has to change:• Identify forces for and against• Identify key forces – list actions for reducing restraining forces

and maximising driving forces


Why Resistance?

“Because change disrupts the homeostasis or balance of the group, resistance should always be expected” (Marquis and Huston, 2009:176).


Key reasons for resisting change

Don’t care

Don’t see the problem

See the problem but not the solution

See the problem but don’t agree with

the solution

See problem and solution but resist as do not feel

involved in finding the solution

See problem and solution but resist as feel threatened

by the solution

Level of emotional/politicalinvolvement

Level of understanding


Resistance Can Be

■ Overt/Immediate

■ Covert/Implicit

The aim is for the resistance to be overt, so that it is out in the open and can be dealt with.


Individual Resistance To Change

■ Do not recognise the need to change.■ ‘If it isn’t broke, don’t fix it!’■ Other things are the priority.

- Patients/staff needs

- do not have the time.

Kantor (2009:181) states that “the effort it takes to manage things under routine circumstances needs to be multiplied when things are changing.”



■ Embarrassment about admitting that what they are doing could be improved.

As the ‘Code of Conduct for Assistant / Associate Practitioners and Healthcare Support Workers – Working to Standards’ (Assistant Practitioners Coordinator Network, 2011), states as support workers you must improve the quality of your care through updating your skills, knowledge and experience.

If we continue to try and hold onto our old way of working we find ourselves trying to defend our past practices while fighting against the change (Kanter, 2009).



■ Lacking trust in a person or organisation.■ Anticipating a lack of resources.

- Time- Equipment- Staff- Training- Support


Organisational Resistance To Change

■ Culture – traditions, customs, beliefs, unwritten rules.

“If an organisations culture is one which is not open to change and development then it will be resistant” (Stonehouse, 2013: ).

May need a culture change.

Change of top management may be required before a change in culture can take place.



■ Maintaining Stability – change is seen as being risky, a time of uncertainty.

Mullins (2010:757) states “the more mechanistic or bureaucratic the structure, the less likely it is that the organisation will be responsive to change.”



■ Threats to power or influence.

“the main resistance may well come from middle and, especially, senior managers who see their status, power and personal beliefs challenged”

(Burnes, 2000:171)



■ Investment in resources, time and personnel.

Resources need to be invested in the short term to get rewards in the long term.

Costs need to be acceptable to the organisation.



■ Existing legal contracts or agreements.

May need to wait until these can be re-negotiated before a change can take place.


The Change Agent

“The role of the change agent is to recognise the causes of resistance ad to address each one. If this is not done, then the change will be much harder to implement successfully and may not even succeed at all” (Stonehouse, 2012:256).


Rosabeth Moss Kanter Interesting Solutions to Resistance to Change

■ Wait ■ Wear them down■ Appeal to a higher

authority■ Invite them in■ Send emissaries■ Display support

■ Reduce the stakes■ Warn them off■ Remember that only

afterwards does an innovation look like the right thing to have done all along


Ways to Overcome resistance!

■ Communication.■ Open, honest, with no secrets or surprises■ Involve everyone, which develops ownership

“The More that staff are actively involved in reaching towards an agreed solution, the more constructive their response is likely to be”

(Aubrey, 2011:140).■ Share the vision.


Resistance to Change a Positive!!

■ Should be seen positively.

■ Resistance strengthens the change outcome, making it more robust and error free.

■ Often the fault is not with the recipients of change, but with the Change Agent.


Resistance to Change a Positive!!

“Resistance is not simply a force to overcome; it indicates a different viewpoint that should be listened to and explored”

(Newton, 2009:257).

COMFORT ZONE

PANIC ZONE

DISCOMFORT ZONE

Comfort Zone – people stay here, don’t change, don’t learn

Discomfort Zone – people uncertain, most likely to change, most likely to learn

Panic Zone – people freeze, will not change, will not learn


What Is A Project

■ “A unique set of co-ordinated activities, with definite starting and finishing points, undertaken to meet specific objectives within defined schedule, cost and performance parameters.”


What Is A Project

■ Has a start and finish time

■ Creates something new or improves something already there

■ Performed by people and teams

■ Has resource issues

■ Planned and controlled


What Is A Project

■ “A temporary endeavour undertaken to create a unique product service or result.”

- Temporary

- Unique


What Is NOT A Project

■ Your day to day activities.

■ What is routine.


Project Teams

For people who are working together on a common task or project.

Come together for a specified time.

- Used within the military, aeronautics and space agencies.


A Successful Project is

■ Completed on Time.

■ Within Budget.

■ Quality

■ Satisfaction of Stakeholders & Organisation.

■ Satisfaction of the Project Team Members.


A Project Should BeSMART

S = Specific

M = Measurable

A = Achievable or A = Agreed To

R = Realistic or R = Realistic

T = Time-based.


The Five Phases of Project Management

1. Initiation

2. Planning

3. Executing

4. Monitoring

5. Closing


References Assistant Practitioners Coordinator Network (2011) Code of Conduct for

Assistant / Associate Practitioners and Healthcare Support Workers – Working to Standards. National Health Service North West, Manchester.

Aubrey, C. (201) Leading And Managing I The Early Years. Second Edtiion. London: Sage.

Burnes, B. (2000) Managing Change: A Strategic Approach To Organisational

Dynamics. Third Edition. Essex: Pearson Education Ltd.

Kanter, R.M. (2009) ‘Managing The Human Side Of Change.’ In: Price, D. (ed) The Principles And Practice Of Change. Hampshire: Palgrave MacMillan. Pp 175-183.

Kanter, R.M; Kanter, R.M; Stein and Jick (1992) The Challenge of Organizational Change. New York: Free Press.

Marquis, B. L. & Huston, C. J. (2009) Leadership Roles and Management

Functions in Nursing. Sixth Edition. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.


References Mullins, L.J. (2010) Management and Organisational Behaviour. Ninth

Edition. London: Financial Times Prentice Hall.

Newton, R. (2009) The Practice And Theory Of Project Management: Creating Value Through Change. Hampshire: Palgrave Macmillan.

Smith, A. & Langston, A. (1999) Managing Staff in Early Years Settings. London: Routledge.

Stonehouse, D. (2011) ‘Management and Leadership For Support Workers.’ British Journal of Healthcare Assistants. October. Vol 05. No 10.

Stonehouse, D. (2012) ‘Resistance To Change: The Human Dimension.’ British Journal of Healthcare Assistants. September. Vol 06. No 09

Stonehouse, D. (2013)

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