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Week 5 Discussion - Positive Organizational Change

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Week 5 Discussion - Positive Organizational Change

Kotter’s 8-step Change Model helps leaders manage transformational change. It helps

create and enabling environment for change, engage and enable the organization, and implement

and sustain change (Boff & Cardwell, 2020). According to the model, successful change occurs

by combining several factors, including a well-executed plan, strong leadership, clear

communication and vision, openness, stakeholder engagement, momentum or a sense of

urgency, and commitment (Radwan, 2020). In the case of Shell, successful change occurs

because of collaboration (coalition), with experienced and skilled employees, a change in its

organizational structure, strong leadership, and embracing technological expertise (knowledge).

Creating a sense of urgency is among important steps of the Kotter’s 8-step change

model. A sense of urgency is important in the change process because it motivates people to

work harder by fighting against complacency (Radwan, 2020). Creating a sense of urgency

around change involves connecting to people’s deepest values and making them buy into the

vision by engaging their senses and creating imaginative straightforward messages that inspires

them to become the best version of themselves in line with the organizational culture and

efficiency(Radwan, 2020). In Shell’s case, the new chairperson, Jeroen van der Veer, simplified

the company’s vision from the previous complex management structure and standardized the

processes across all its locations worldwide. The chairperson changed the company’s structure to

a more centralized one, with the operations under one head and basing leadership reshuffles

based on competency and skills to increase efficiency.

Collaboration creates a team of competent and skilled individuals. Working as a team

helps understand and address problems better while increasing the prospects of learning from
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one another (Boff & Cardwell, 2020). Besides, collaboration increases team cohesion,

culminating in an efficient work culture.

Lastly, changes in organizational culture contribute to change in employee behavior. For

instance, the behavior tends to change among employees when the work process changes due to

employment of new technology. When changes in work process thrust employees into a new

environment characterized by utilizing a new set of rules, they can resist change if it makes the

uncomfortable (Boff & Cardwell, 2020). Leaders can change the tendency towards maintaining

the status quo through proper skills training or introducing employee-friendly habits gradually.
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References

Boff, C. T., & Cardwell, C. A. (2020). Anchoring Change: Using the Kotter Change

Management Framework to Analyze & Facilitate Change in Academic Libraries.

Radwan, A. (2020). Lead transformational change, minimize resistance with 8-step model. Dean

and Provost, 21(7), 1–5.