NEW HR006 AUGUST
Running head: LEADERSHIP REPORT AND CHANGE MANAGEMENT PROPOSAL 1
10
Leadership Report and Change Management Proposal
Olufunmilayo Adeleke
HR006
Walden University
Leadership Report and Change Management Proposal
Part I: Organizational Leadership Development Report
LO1.1: Leadership Traits Exhibited By Leadership at Mount Sinai Hospital, NY
Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City is one of the nation’s largest and most respected hospitals best known for its excellent healthcare services, both locally and internationally. The hospital has been consistently ranked among the best hospitals in the country over the past decade due to its commitment to continuous improvement, adoption of new technologies, and investment in healthcare research (Venditto, 2017). Thus, change management is at the core of the hospital's approach to healthcare delivery, ensuring the facility is up-to-date with the changes taking place in the industry. Leaders at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York exhibited a wide range of leadership skills in ensuring the process was managed properly. Some of the top leaders in the organization that was involved in the change management process include the Chief Executive Officer, the Operations Manager, the Project Manager, and the Business Analyst. Each of these team leaders plays a critical role in the implementation process, which required them to bring on boards crucial leadership skills that would ensure the project succeeds.
For example, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the hospital provided skills like emotional stability and charisma. The CEO showcased the trait of emotional stability in the process, particularly when it came to managing conflicts. Emotional stability was instrumental in helping the leaders maintain a cohesive team despite the differences of opinion. In addition, the CEO also had a lot of charisma, which played a significant role in arousing strong emotions within the team. His charismatic leadership was crucial in keeping the team together and determined to achieve the main objectives of the change process.
The Operations Manager was also crucial to the team as he was in charge of ensuring the change process did not have a negative impact on the ongoing processes at the hospital. To play this role, he brought on different board skills including effective communication and integrity. Integrity was the main fabric holding the team together. Since every member of the team was a highly experienced professional in their respective specialties, they needed to act professionally and behave in a respectful manner within the team (Mumford, 2012). These ensured conflicts were managed properly throughout the team’s deliberations. Effective communication was key in the team (Mumford, 2012). The team leaders encouraged each member to air their views and opinions on each step of the process. This helped to create understanding, reduce unnecessary tensions, and build trust among the team members.
The Project Manager was the overall leader of the team as he was the one charged with the responsibility of coordinating the project team to ensure successful implementation. This required a lot of moral strength and great leadership skill. As such, the Project Manager exhibited many different leadership skills including collaboration and commitment. He ensured collaboration was the backbone of the team. Since each member in the team had unique skills, knowledge, and experience, it was easy for them to complement each other and help each other to achieve the common objective (Venditto, 2017). The other important trait he showcased in the team is commitment. This encouraged every team member to remain committed and dedicated to the cause because they trusted in each other and in the team as a whole (Mumford, 2012).
Finally, the Business Analyst, who was mainly charged with the responsibility of evaluating the business case of the project, was on the team due to her enthusiasm, and critical thinking skills. In some instances, she was required to make decisions based on her critical analysis to keep the wheel of change moving. This was important in ensuring timely implementation of the change. The other important leadership trait that she manifested in the change management process is enthusiasm. Throughout the process, she was energetic, active, and highly motivated. This often translated to the other remembers of the team. In identifying the various leadership skills that these team leaders exhibited in the project management process, National Center for Healthcare Leadership (NCHL) model was relied upon to pinpoint the prominent skills that each leader brought to the team.
LO1.2: Leadership Traits and Factors that Contribute to High Performing Teams at Mount Sinai Hospital, NY
Members of a high performing team share a deep sense of purpose as well as believing in a common set of values that hold the group together. A shared purpose gives the team a sense of direction and the main focus of their energy (Mobley, 2010). Therefore, the main vision and purpose of the team have to be properly articulated for every team member to understand. The leader of the team, it is essential to make sure that each team member is on board with the team's goals and objectives and buys into the shared purpose.
High performing teams are also based on the levels of empowerment within the team. This relates to the number of resources that team members have access to and the level of authority that each member has when it comes to making crucial decisions in the team. Teams are useful opportunities for members to learn from each other to advance their knowledge and skills (Mobley, 2010). Therefore, a highly diverse team provides a good resource for learning; hence, better chances of effectiveness. The team members must also be empowered in terms of participating in the decision-making process democratically (Mumford, 2012).
Effective communication is the bloodline of high-performance teams. Team leaders must create an environment where members are free to share their thoughts and opinions without being victimized (Mobley, 2010). Conflicts and differences of opinions must be handled in a cordial, humane and dignified manner. There should also be enough room for collecting feedback on the progress made in the team (Carter, Ulrich, & Goldsmith, 2004).
Flexibility is also the hallmark of high performing teams. The business environment is constantly changing and evolving. Therefore, teams must be flexible enough to adapt to environmental changes as well as changes within the team itself (Mobley, 2010). Everyone should be ready to take up leadership whenever called upon. High performing teams are also known based on their productivity. The teams must be results-oriented and show their commitment to high standards of quality in their output (Carter, Ulrich, & Goldsmith, 2004). Therefore, team leaders must create avenues for evaluating progress and celebrating milestones achieved (Mumford, 2012).
Another major leadership trait for high performing teams is the ability to recognize and appreciate everyone’s contribution (Carter, Ulrich, & Goldsmith, 2004). Every member of the team must feel valued for their contribution to the success of the team. Finally, the team leader must be able to build the morale of the team by ensuring high confidence levels and enthusiasm among the members (Mobley, 2010). This creates a sense of pride, belonging, and satisfaction among the members.
LO 1.3: Leadership Traits and Factors that Promote a Culture for Creativity and Innovation within Mount Sinai Hospital, NY
There are effective leadership traits that organizational leaders can develop to create a culture of creativity and innovation in the workplace. Some of these traits and qualities include risk tolerance, openness, emotional stability, confidence, and action-oriented (Medley & Akan, 2008). Innovation entails a great deal of risk. Therefore, as a leader, one must be risk tolerant to foster an environment or culture of innovation and creativity in the workplace. Secondly, the leader must be open to new ideas (Mobley, 2010). He or she must create a culture of open communication where every employee is encouraged to come up with new ideas, even radical ideas that can take the organization forward. Furthermore, the leader must also be emotionally stable to handle the pressure associated with uncertainty and risks of trying out new ideas. The leader must also demonstrate self-confidence, as well as confidence and belief in the team by empowering the team members to come up with solutions to challenges facing the organization (Mobley, 2010). Finally, the leader must be action-oriented to implement new plans to completion. This will encourage the team members to brainstorm and come up with creative and innovative ideas because they know that these ideas will be put to the test and implemented (Carter, Ulrich, & Goldsmith, 2004).
Most of the leadership traits above were exhibited by the project management team of Mount Sinai Hospital, New York during the change management process in the Epic Project. For example, the team in the Epic project had a culture revolving around creativity and innovation as evidenced by the team leader’s ability to create an environment that promotes open communication, feedback gathering, trust, empowerment, and collaboration (Mumford, 2012). These three traits are instrumental in creating a positive environment for innovation and creativity in the team because the team members feel respected, values, and empowered to make contributions that help achieve the general vision (Medley & Akan, 2008).
The ability to be creative and innovative was assessed based on the ability of the leader to empower the team members in the organization to make significant contributions to the change process (Mumford, 2012). This is because innovation thrives in an environment where employees and team members can be heard, respected, and feel valued (Carter, Ulrich, & Goldsmith, 2004).
These traits have also been overly emphasized in different classical leadership theories such as authoritarian, situational, and autocratic leadership styles. These classical theories recommend basic qualities and traits that leaders must possess to drive the agenda of innovation and creativity in their organizations to help achieve their organizational goals and objectives (Winkler, 2010). These classical theories of leadership tend to focus more on issues such as individuality attributes of the leaders and how these can enhance their leadership approach, the ability of leaders to respond and deal with emergencies, and various behaviors that are defined and learnable, which can help the leaders foster a culture of creativity and innovation (Winkler, 2010). Comment by Dr. Steve: OK
Similarly, new perspectives on leadership through contemporary leadership theories also provide appropriate mechanisms for leaders to enforce creativity and innovation in their organizations. Some of these contemporary leadership theories include servant leadership, democratic leadership, and transformational leadership (Appelrouth & Edles, 2008). Unlike the classical theories which focus more on the ability of leaders to lead, the contemporary leadership theories focus more on the need for leaders to empower, inspire, and motivate their followers to make a significant contribution to the team (Appelrouth & Edles, 2008). Leaders create the vision, but help their team members to understand and execute the vision. Both of the aspects of leadership have been adequately illustrated through the leadership styles that the top management at the Mount Sinai Hospital used in implementing the Epic Project. Comment by Dr. Steve: Not similiarly – you are contrasting these differing approaches. Classical leadership approaches were not focused on fostering creativity and innovation like contemporary styles are; Please revise this to illustarate that you understand this distinction. Comment by Dr. Steve: Very good! Comment by Dr. Steve: So, I re-read your first section, and I do not see evidence that leaders at Mt Sinai exhibited classical attributes – it seems to me that they exhibited attributes from the contemporary approaches – this sentence suggests otherwise. Do you think this is accurate?
LO 1.4: Specific Strategies the Leadership could Apply For Working Successfully With Teams and Effecting Change
Teamwork is at the core of any change management process. Major change processes such as that being implemented at Mount Sinai Hospital, New York often involve different stakeholders that are expected to collaborate in one way or the other to achieve a common objective (Carter, Ulrich, & Goldsmith, 2004). Therefore, it is crucial to have in place relevant strategies for ensuring teamwork to implement change processes. Consequently, several recommendations can be put forward to help the management team at the organization work better with teams. For example, one such recommendation is embracing consensus. Teams function better when there is mutual agreement amongst the members (Carter, Ulrich, & Goldsmith, 2004). Therefore, the management at Mount Sinai Hospital can put in place mechanisms for promoting consensus building within the employees, these include approaches such as democratic governance, which creates more space for individuals to participate in the decision making process in the organization.
The other important recommendation that can help improve teamwork in the organization is trust building. Teams where members trust each other have better cohesion and excellent working relationships (Carter, Ulrich, & Goldsmith, 2004). The organization can ensure the team builds trust amongst the members through team building activities where the team members engage in different games and activities that help them to understand each other better.
Leaders could adopt a broad range of strategies for applying in theory change management processes as well as for ensuring effective leadership. Some of the strategies recommended include building a highly cohesive team, creating a deeper sense of purpose, and empowering team members (Carter, Ulrich, & Goldsmith, 2004). Building a cohesive team is an important step in establishing commitment and trust among the team members. The members feel indebted to each other and to the main objectives of the team.
Secondly, creating a deeper sense of purposes helps to create a common direction that all members of the team have to focus all their efforts (Carter, Ulrich, & Goldsmith, 2004). This entails creating a common vision and mission and ensuring every team member buys in the idea.
Finally, the strategy of empowering team members focuses on building the skills, enhancing knowledge, and creating meaningful experiences within the team (Carter, Ulrich, & Goldsmith, 2004). The team members must feel valued and respected by being allowed to participate in the decision making processes in the team.
Part II: Change Management Proposal
Executive Summary
This change management proposal analyzes change management at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City. The proposal addresses several key issues involved in organizational change management, including issues such as change models, resistance to change, stakeholder involvement, evaluating change, and the role of effective communication in change management among other core issues. Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City is New York’s premier healthcare organization that prides itself on being the frontrunner or improving the delivery of healthcare to the residents of the city and its environs.
The major change taking place in the organization is an Epic Project, which is projected to be completed by 2020. The project is aimed at replacing the hospital’s paper charts, as well as an obsolete GE Logician system with the latest Electronic Medical Records (EMR) system that comes with several modules with the capacity of transforming every aspect of care in the organization, including financial management and human resource management. Effective change management can be achieved through various strategies. Some of the most widely used change models include Ross Five-Stage Model and Kurt Lewin’s change model.
LO2.1: Overview of Mount Sinai Hospital, NY and the Change That Is Taking Place
Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City is New York’s premier healthcare organization that prides itself for being the frontrunner or improving the delivery of health care to the residents of the city and its environs (Venditto, 2017). The hospital’s integrated healthcare system provides exceptional care throughout the five boroughs of New York City, the metropolitan area, and beyond. The hospital’s mission is to “provide compassionate patient care with seamless coordination and to advance medicine through unrivaled education, research, and outreach in the many diverse communities we serve” (Venditto, 2017, p.1). The organization is one of the largest healthcare organizations in the region operating several hospitals in more than 300 locations. There are more than 6,500 physicians working in the organization together with a workforce of more than 38,000 members of staff (Venditto, 2017). Furthermore, the organization has about 36 institutes dedicated to ensuring sufficient investment in multidisciplinary research, healthcare education, and clinical progress (Venditto, 2017).
The major change taking place in the organization is the Epic Project, which is projected to be completed by 2020. The project is aimed at replacing the hospital’s paper charts as well as an obsolete GE Logician system with the latest Electronic Medical Records (EMR) system (Venditto, 2017). The new system comes with several modules with the capacity of transforming every aspect of care in the organization, including financial management and human resource management (Medley & Akan, 2008).
LO2.2: Analysis of Drivers of Change at Mount Sinai Hospital, NY
The change project being implemented in the organization is driven by several factors both within and without the hospital’s environment. For instance, the growth witnessed in the hospital in the past decade as evidenced by the increased number of employees, customers, and physicians necessitated a system that would make it easier to manage the growth (Venditto, 2017). Like most other healthcare organizations in the region, Mount Sinai Hospital was experiencing internal changes that required the management to prepare the organization for the future (Venditto, 2017). Therefore, the desire to change the organization was driven by the organization’s desire to manage its growth. Given this situation, it is safe to assume that the top leadership of the organization would play a critical role in embracing and implementing the new change. Furthermore, it is envisioned that there will be minimal, if any resistance, from employees and other members of staff.
The other major driver for organizational change in the organization is the need to remain competitive. The healthcare environment is one of the most affected by changes due to technological advancements (Medley & Akan, 2008). The organizations that remain relevant in the industry are those that are able to adapt to changes taking place in their environment. Therefore Mount Sinai was prompted to change in order to acquire new technologies that would give the hospital a competitive edge and positioning it better to achieve its objectives. The Epic Project allowed the organization to acquire new technologies that would reenergize the organization and make it more effective in terms of managing its operations (Venditto, 2017).
LO 2.3: Summary of Resistance to the Change Process at Mount Sinai Hospital, NY
Resistance to change is a common challenge whenever implementing a change process in an organization. Change processes affect many different stakeholders who have various interests in the organization. Therefore, if the interests of the stakeholders are not properly managed, there is likely to be resistance from some sections of the organization’s stakeholders. Resistance to change can stall the change implementation process, thereby limiting the ability of the change to achieve its objectives (Medley & Akan, 2008). However, resistance to change is not a negative force in its entirety because it has its own positive aspects. For instance, resistance to change allows time for the organizers of the change to reorganize themselves and figure out the best way to effect the change process (Mulang, 2015). Furthermore, resistance to change allows leaders to buy in more time to get everyone on board. While change is necessary, it is usually an uncomfortable process.
Change demands that all stakeholders change their mindset, move from their comfort zone, and adopt new ways of conducting their day-to-day business. For the most part, employees are usually comfortable with the status quo; therefore, they may become upset when new changes are introduced. Furthermore, change processes are usually demanding because they require the employees to learn new ways of doing things (Medley & Akan, 2008). Therefore, employees are most likely going to resist any change process that may require them to change their preferred way of working. Thus, the change managers must be aware of this fact and try to educate and engage with the employees throughout the process to ensure the process goes on smoothly (Medley & Akan, 2008).
Therefore, in the wake of the Epic Project being implemented at Mount Sinai Hospital, New York, there are several instances of resistance to change that need to be considered and addressed accordingly. For instance, the change process is expected to affect the operations of more than 38,000 employees in the organization. These employees have been accustomed to the old way of conducting their work in the organization through the paperwork and the GE logician system. Therefore, they are likely to feel uncomfortable with the introduction and implementation of the epic project; hence, a major source of resistance.
The other major source of resistance could come from the physicians, who could also be required to migrate from the older system to the new system (Medley & Akan, 2008). Therefore, if they are not properly engaged and trained in the interacting with the new system, they are likely to resist the change process being implemented.
LO2.4: Applying Appropriate Change Management Theory the Change at Mount Sinai Hospital, NY
Effective change management can be achieved through various strategies. Some of the most widely used change models include Ross Five-Stage Model and Kurt Lewin’s change model. Elisabeth Kubler-Ross Five-Stage Model uses the approach of people’s feelings towards a change initiative to describe the major stages of change management. Kubler-Ross introduced this model in her book ‘On death and dying,’ which was published in 1969. She related change to tragic news (Medley & Akan, 2008). Therefore, people’s reactions to change are similar to the reactions they show when they receive tragic news. Specifically, the five steps of managing change are denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance (Medley & Akan, 2008). The period during which a single step lasts varies from one individual and organization to the other. This change management approach is more effective in big organizations that have a huge human resource (citation?). Comment by Dr. Steve: You still need a citation here.
Kurt Lewin’s theory of change model involves three main steps in the management of change. These are unfreezing, changing and refreezing. The first step in the three-step model, unfreezing, basically involves preparing for change (Medley & Akan, 2008). This entails deliberating on the change process to determine if the change is necessary. It also focuses on evaluating the resources available for implementing the change and reaching a consensus with key stakeholders in the change process (Medley & Akan, 2008). The second step in the process is the change itself (Cheema, Akram, & Javed, 2015). This involves the actual implementation of the change by introducing new technologies, restructuring the organization, or any other new change that may demand the stakeholders in the organization to move from their comfort zone, to adopt a new way of behaving and executing their mandate (Medley & Akan, 2008). Unfreezing, which is the final step in the change implementation process, focuses on creating stability after establishing the change process (Cheema, Akram, & Javed, 2015).
The various change management models discussed above are all effective in managing many change process. However, Kurt Lewin’s model of change management is best suited for the change management taking place at Mount Sinai Hospital. This is because the theory takes into consideration several factors, including creating sufficient time for stakeholder engagement, thereby making it easier to avoid resistance to change (Cheema, Akram, & Javed, 2015). The freezing step of the process ensures that the change is planned properly with the views and interests of each stakeholder being considered. This ensures that before the implementation process begins, there is a consensus among stakeholders as to what the change process entails (Cheema, Akram, & Javed, 2015). Therefore, Kurt Lewin’s theoretical model stands out as the most appropriate for managing the Epic project due to its ability to bring all stakeholders on board. Kurt Lewin’s theory can be summarized as illustrated below.
Unfreezing
Changing
Refreezing
Fig 1: Kurt Lewin’s Change Model. Source: Mobley, W. (2010). Advances in global leadership. Bingley: Emerald Group Publishing Limited. Comment by Dr. Steve: OK
LO3.1: Applying Systems Thinking to Assess the Impact of Change at Mount Sinai Hospital, NY
A systems approach to management focuses on understanding the organization from a holistic perspective. An organization must be viewed as an organization that has different constituent parts that all work together to achieve a common objective. Therefore, from a systems perspective, change management must address the impact of the change on the organization as a whole (Cheema, Akram, & Javed, 2015). A change in a specific unit or department has an impact on the entire organization because the organization works as a whole. Every department tor business unit in the organization works towards helping the broader organization achieve its goals and objectives. Therefore, a systems thinking ensures a holistic approach to change by evaluating how the change is likely to affect the organization in its entirety (citation?). Comment by Dr. Steve: Still needs a citation
For example, in the case of Mount Sinai Hospital, NY, the Epic Project was aimed at improving how the hospital managed its records. However, this change had widespread implications for the wider organization in terms of improving how the physicians interacted with patients. Consequently, this affected or influenced the main objective of the hospital, which is to provide quality healthcare. Thus, from systems thinking perspective, it should be understood that organizational change is a broader process that needs to be thought through and evaluated keenly (Cheema, Akram, & Javed, 2015). Rushing through change can limit the chances of success.
LO 4.1: Recommended Strategies and Innovations that Could Be Implemented to Effect Organizational Change at Mount Sinai Hospital, NY
One strategy that can enforce innovation in the organization for purposes of improving change management is reducing bureaucracies in the workplace. Bureaucratic systems can discourage innovation because they make it difficult for innovative employees to get their ideas approved and funded by the responsible managers (Medley & Akan, 2008). The organization can also adopt the strategy of recognizing and rewarding inventive and innovative employees in the workplace. This will go a long way in encouraging and motivating employees to come upon with big ideas because they realize that they will be rewarded for their efforts. The organization must also put in place policies that tolerate the risk of failure. For example, it is important to have in place proper contingency plans that take care of the risks associated with taking up new ideas (Medley & Akan, 2008). This will encourage employees to be innovative.
LO 4.2: The Role of Communication in a Change Management Plan.
Communication is at the core of any change implementation process. Communication ensures all the stakeholders understand the issues involved in the process and that everyone is on the same page. In addition, communication is important in the process because it helps to create trust among the different stakeholders involved in the change process (Cheema, Akram, & Javed, 2015). Therefore, communication plays a significant role in sharing ideas and gathering feedback from the stakeholders to ensure that any differences and conflicts are better managed.
Effective communication is also crucial in change management plan because it affects the sustainability of the change. Good communication creates unity among the stakeholders and ensures each person moves at the same speed throughout the implementation process. There is more room for creating consensus on contentious issues, thereby limiting any chances for resistance to the change (Medley & Akan, 2008). For example, communication plays a significant role in training, where each stakeholder is supported and given sufficient information about the change and how they need to adopt the new systems and processes. Communication also allows each stakeholder to consider the change based on the information available at their disposal and make appropriate decisions on whether to support or reject the change (Medley & Akan, 2008).
LO4.3: Recommended Strategies for Motivating Stakeholders to Accept, Embrace, and Sustain Organizational Change
In any change process, it is important to create an environment where each stakeholder is motivated to accept, embrace, and sustain the change. Most change implementation processes fail to achieve their objectives because little attention is given to ensuring every stakeholder buys in the new changes (Cheema, Akram, & Javed, 2015). This leaves more room for conflicts and resistance to change from various sections of the stakeholders affected by the change. Consequently, several strategies can be implemented to motivate the stakeholders to support the change process and ensure its sustainability. For example, an organization such as Mount Sinai Hospital can adopt strategies such as inviting feedback, establishing accountability, and leading by example (Cheema, Akram, & Javed, 2015).
Stakeholders are motivated to adopt a new change if there are adequate mechanisms and structures in place for them to provide feedback throughout the implementation process (Cheema, Akram, & Javed, 2015). This can be achieved through encouraging stakeholders to make use of suggestion boxes located at strategic points in the workplace, regular employee surveys, or town-hall format meetings where employees interact freely with the management to give their feedback (Cheema, Akram, & Javed, 2015). This is important because it makes the stakeholders feel part of the process. When all their issues and concerns are addressed, they will be highly motivated to be part of the change.
The stakeholders can also be motivated to embrace the change is there are proper mechanisms for ensuring accountability. Accountability helps to build trust among the stakeholders and instilling in them a belief that the change is for the good of the organization and for their own benefit as well (Cheema, Akram, & Javed, 2015). Accountability can be created through sufficient reporting and evaluating every progress made based on the established metrics and key performance indicators for the change (Cheema, Akram, & Javed, 2015). Once the stakeholders gain belief and trust in the change, they will most likely adopt it and support it to its successful conclusion.
Leading by example is also an effective strategy for encouraging another stakeholder to support the change process. Other stakeholders can also be highly motivated to embrace the change if the senior management in the organization walks the talk (Cheema, Akram, & Javed, 2015). Top managers in the organization must demonstrate their acceptability of the change. The management must go an extra mile in demonstrating that the change is healthy for the organization. Thus, they must allocate sufficient resources tool the process and create more time for engagements with other stakeholders (Cheema, Akram, & Javed, 2015). This will create an image among other stakeholders that the change is important; hence, the need to embrace it and support it to the end.
LO 4.4: Recommended Training and Support Required For the Successful Implementation of an Organizational Change
Training and support are essential in implementing organizational change. Training creates more room for all stakeholders to understand the change and be guided through the process of change implementation (Burnes, 2009). This helps to build consensus and ensure every stakeholder affected by the change is on the same page throughout the implementation process (Burnes, 2009). Therefore, training must be viewed as an indispensable component of ensuring a smooth transition whenever implementing change. Consequently, several strategies can be adopted for training employees and other stakeholders for purposes of ensuring successful implementation of organizational change. Some of the strategies for training and support that are recommended for an organization such as Mount Sinai Hospital are addressing employee attitudes and general organizational behavior, focusing on organizational goals and objectives, and promoting employee engagement (Burnes, 2009).
One strategy that can be used for training and support is changing organizational behavior and employee attitudes in the workplace. New changes in the organization often demand that employees alter their way of thinking, attitude, and their general approach to work (Burnes, 2009). It calls for a new way of doing things. Therefore, whenever implementing change, it is important to train employees on how they need to react to the new systems and processes being introduced in the workplace (Burnes, 2009). They should be advised on how to interact with the new systems or processes. This will help improve their attitudes towards the change and facilitate a change in behavior in relation to the changes being introduced.
Similarly, the training process needs to address the relationship between the change and organizational goals and objectives. The employees must be able to understand how the new changes will affect the organization in terms of helping it achieve the set objectives (Burnes, 2009). In cases where the change calls for the introduction of new goals and objectives, the stakeholders must be made aware of the new goals. This is important because it helps the employees another stakeholders understand their roles and how they can utilize the change to improve their work and performance (Burnes, 2009).
Training and support also need to address the issue of employee engagement. Employees, as well as other affected stakeholders, must be taught, supported and trained on how they can contribute meaningfully to the change process. Each person must have a role to play. These roles must be clearly defined to ensure that the change is delivered on schedule. Employee engagement basically calls for active participation and contribution of the employees in the cage management process (Burnes, 2009). This also includes providing relevant feedback during the implementation process. Therefore, training on this aspect ensures the employees understand their roles and how they contribute to the success of the change (Burnes, 2009).
LO4.5: Recommend Strategies for Sustaining an Organizational Change.
Sustainable organizational change is difficult to achieve for most organizations. This is because change is usually uncomfortable to deal with for most because it is demanding and requires a lot of effort for people to settle in the new environment. Therefore, it is important to put strategies in place to ensure the change process is sustainable once it has been implemented. Among some of the strategies that an organization such as Mount Sinai Hospital can implement to ensure a sustainable change process include training and development, effective communication, and progressive implementation of change.
First, through training, the stakeholders get acclimatized to the change by understanding the intricacies of the process and learning to deal with the new environment (Cheema, Akram, & Javed, 2015). This encourages acceptability of the change, which ensures sustainability in the long run. Training also ensures that the main stakeholders that will be affected by the change are introduced to the change process early enough (Cheema, Akram, & Javed, 2015). This early involvement in the change process promotes the acceptability of the change among the stakeholders.
Secondly, organizational change can be made sustainable through effective communication. Effective implementation of organizational change largely depends on adequate communication (Medley & Akan, 2008). For example, the need for change has to be communicated in good time. All stakeholders must understand why the change is important and how it will affect their routines in the workplace. Therefore, it is necessary to provide all the stakeholders with sufficient information on the change and in a timely manner. This is important for them to make crucial decisions on whether to support the change or not (Cheema, Akram, & Javed, 2015). In the event that any section of the stakeholders rejects the change, further deliberations can always take place to iron out the differences and clarify contentious issues (Medley & Akan, 2008). However, if there is no objection, the change can go on without any fear of hitches along the process.
Thirdly, sustainability in a change process can be ensured through progressive implementation of the change. Change is more acceptable if it is gradually introduced so that it evolves progressively in the workplace (Medley & Akan, 2008). Introducing change in a rapid and revolutionary manner can result in resistance, which will ultimately make the process unsustainable (Medley & Akan, 2008).
LO 4.6: How Stakeholders are Involved in and Held Accountable for Organizational Change
Stakeholder involvement is critical in ensuring successful implementation of organizational change. Stakeholders are the different individuals and organizations that have vested interests in the change process is initiated. These could be the employees, management, customers, or other secondary stakeholders (Cheema, Akram, & Javed, 2015). Each stakeholder is affected differently by the change process based on the nature of their interests and association with the organization (Burnes, 2009). Stakeholder involvement in change is important because it ensures everybody’s interests are taken care off in the change implementation process (Medley & Akan, 2008). This is crucial in minimizing any instances of resistance to change since it is easier to build consensus among the various stakeholders on the right approach to adopt and implement the change process.
There are several approaches to implementing stakeholder involvement in change. For instance, the stakeholders can participate in the change management process by sharing their views, opinions, and concerns about the change. This is usually done before the change is implemented. This is an important step in managing the expectations of various stakeholders and allaying their fears reading the change process (Burnes, 2009). Furthermore, the collection of views helps to create consensus and develop a common understanding regarding the direction in which the organization intends to take with the new change process.
The other approach for implementing stakeholder involvement in the change management process is through training and development. Once a new change has been adopted and implemented, it is important to train the stakeholders affected by it on how to incorporate it into their day-to-day operations (Burnes, 2009). This is important for employees whose work may have been affected by the adoption of new technologies and systems.
Finally, the stakeholders can also be incorporated into the project at the end of it by providing feedback on the change process. This is during the evaluation phase at the end of the change process to determine whether the change has been a success or failure based on its initial objectives (Cheema, Akram, & Javed, 2015). The stakeholders affected by the change must be given time to provide feedback regarding the change process to see if it has been able to improve their working conditions in the organizations.
Nevertheless, while ensuring stakeholder engagement in the change management process is attained, it is also important to focus on promoting accountability of the various stakeholders in the change process. Each stakeholder must be accountable for the role they play in the change process to ensure successful completion of the process (Burnes, 2009). Accountability can be enforced through a binding code of ethics that holds all stakeholders together, the existing legal framework, and the commitment to each stakeholder in playing their role in the process.
LO5.1: Recommended Ways to Measure Success of Organizational Change
The success of any change management process can be evaluated in different ways. For example, the success of the change can be evaluated based on the goals and objectives that the project had identified earlier. Each change project is based on specific goals and objectives. However, during the implementation process, certain challenges may make it difficult for the change to achieve these objectives (Burnes, 2009). Therefore, it is important to evaluate the success of the change project at the end of the implementation process based on the goals and objectives to determine which among them have been achieved successfully (Cheema, Akram, & Javed, 2015).
Alternatively, the success of the change process can be evaluated on the basis of the resource mobilization and utilization (Cheema, Akram, & Javed, 2015). Successful projects are able to make use of available resource efficiently to ensure a smooth implementation process
Finally, the success of the change implementation process can also be evaluated based on the ability of the organization to overcome its challenges during the implementation process for the change. Change management is all about ensuring minimal interruptions to the change process (Burnes, 2009). Therefore, at the end of the change, it makes sense to evaluate the level of success achieved by determining how well the organization was able to avoid or overcome the various hurdles that might have stalled the implementation process (Burnes, 2009).
Summary
This change management proposal has sufficiently analyzed a change management process at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City. The proposal has addressed several key issues involved in organizational change management, including issues such as change management models, resistance to change, stakeholder involvement, evaluating change, and the role of effective communication in change management among other core issues. Several recommendations have been provided on how the change implementation process can be improved through more stakeholder involvement, ensuring sustainability, training, and motivating stakeholders to embrace the change process.
References
Appelrouth, S., & Edles, L. D. (2008). Classical and contemporary sociological theory: Text and readings. Los Angeles, Calif: Pine Forge Press.
Burnes, B. (2009). Reflections: Ethics and Organizational Change - Time for a Return to Lewinian Values. Journal Of Change Management, 9(4), 359-381.
Carter, L., Ulrich, D., & Goldsmith, M. (2004). Best Practices in Leadership Development and Organization Change: How the Best Companies Ensure Meaningful Change and Sustainable Leadership. Hoboken: Wiley.
Cheema, S, Akram, A, & Javed, F. (2015). 'Employee Engagement and Visionary Leadership: Impact on Customer and Employee Satisfaction', Journal Of Business Studies Quarterly, 7(2), pp. 139-148.
Medley, B. C., & Akan, O. H. (2008). Creating positive change in community organizations: A case for rediscovering Lewin. Nonprofit Management & Leadership, 18(4), 485-496.
Mobley, W. (2010). Advances in global leadership. Bingley: Emerald Group Publishing Limited.
Mulang, A. (2015). The Importance of Training for Human Resource Development in Organization. Journal of Public Administration and Governance, 5(1), 190 - 197.
Mumford, M. D. (2012). Handbook of organizational creativity. London: Academic Press.
Venditto, G. (2017). How Mount Sinai is transforming its systems with a multi-year Epic EHR rollout. Retrieved from https://www.healthcareitnews.com/news/how-mount-sinai-transforming-its-systems-multi-year-epic-ehr-rollout
Winkler, I. (2010). Contemporary leadership theories: Enhancing the understanding of the complexity, subjectivity and dynamic of leadership. Berlin, Germany: Physica-Verlag.