Change Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Change Management - Essay Example The first stage involves creating a sense of urgency and advocating for change through strong leadership. Kotter advises organizations to hire new leaders or designate change champions who act as the driving force of change (Kotter, 1996, P. 125). The second stage is the engagement of senior managers in the implementation of change. Senior managers form a guiding coalition which is committed to excellence through renewal. This coalition exists outside normal hierarchy and is guided through efforts and the commitment of the top management. The next stage is the creation of a vision by the guiding coalition. The vision is a guiding strategy that clarifies the direction which the organisation intends to take. The ideal vision is brief and concise (Kotter, 1996, P. 125). The fourth step is communicating the vision through newsletters and speeches. If downsizing is part of the vision, new growth possibilities and commitment to fair treatment of those who are laid off is critical. Executives should constantly use the existing communication channels to broadcast the vision. The next stage involves removing of obstacles to change such obstacles include constraints in the compensation or performance appraisal systems and a rigid organizational structure. It is important for the appraisal and reward system to be consistent with the vision (Kotter, 1996, P. 125; (Wilson, 1999, P. 57)). The transformation process should accommodate short-term wins. As such, the process should set short-term goals to be met and celebrated. Managers should actively design ways to obtain performance improvements and to achieve objectives with the people involved being rewarded and celebrated. Victory is not attained until the changes are embedded in the organisation culture. Rather than declaring victory managers should use the milestones achieved by short-term gains to tackle bigger challenges (Kotter, 1996,