Research Paper - Leaders as Change Agents

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Research Paper

Walden University

Organizational Leaders contribute to continuous learning,

MMSL 6905

Dr Marilys de Long Taylor

Capstone Paper

The research question: How do organizational leaders contribute to continuous learning, research, and development to facilitate effective change implementation?

Change has become a common issue in today's firms. Various variables are transforming the corporate world's landscape, including additional technology, acquisitions to downsizing, and other changes, all of which necessitate firms to implement change processes or risk becoming obsolete (Suh, 2021). Thus, it can be said that the change process is driven by external and internal causes, which necessitate the need to adapt to new methods of doing things. Every time a new paradigm shift occurs, organizations find themselves in an epoch of paradigm shift when a set of assumptions that had previously been regarded as the standard are no longer relevant. Since the marketplace is continually evolving, firms need to devise strategies and frameworks that may keep them on top of their game.

The success of any change in the organization is achieved when the top management is change leaders, especially the CEO that is expected to create an environment favorable to facilitate the adoption and implementation of change (Patfield et al., 2021). In this research, more focus is directed towards evaluating how the top executive management creates an environment for change by considering adopting education learning and research as the framework necessary always to prepare the employees ready to comfortable to agree and support changes.

I hope to accomplish the perspective that executive leaders should be change-oriented and open-minded, ready to bring new energy to the organization on a continuous basis by funding research, education, and learning that ensures that the employees are competitive (Swain, 2019). I target researching about the leadership qualities that the CEO has to have to deliver the best guidance to the junior staff in the organization that eases the adoption of new technology changes or any other changes and achieves success. Every change brought to an organization aims to improve processes, follow market trends, and remain relevant and competitive in the industry.

Introduction

In an organization, the executive management is responsible for bringing change by initiating a culture that the other stakeholders emulate. The CEO should be the change leader in the organization that facilitates training and starts the process of bringing transformation in the sector. The problem of chronic diseases associated with the population's lifestyle burdens the healthcare organization and requires change leaders to improve the intervention. A change leader can start a disease prevention program for lifestyle diseases like diabetes, obesity, and high blood pressure. Prevention is considered relatively cheaper as compared to treating diseases. Preventive measures include spotting illness patterns before they manifest themselves. A better understanding of illness occurrence, transmission, and the incubation period is critical to developing preventative rather than therapeutic interventions. Furthermore, an injury can be avoided if risk factors are identified in advance. Nurses must be aware of their patients' requirements and health issues for better intervention (Popham & Iannelli, 2021). The cost of healthcare can be dramatically reduced if primary prevention is implemented correctly. Preventing a health issue is less expensive than treating an existing one. The prevention strategy applies critically well when it comes to lifestyle diseases that need a proper diet and exercise to reduce the possibility of getting sick.

Problem Statement

Chronic diseases have been a problem in healthcare organizations for a long time, burdening the healthcare systems due to the high costs of offering the services to the patients. There are increasing cases of obesity and diabetes among young people showcasing a real challenge in society. The lifestyle diseases are associated with improper diet and lack of exercise within the population. There is no change in the healthcare organization regarding how the issue is addressed; instead, they are allocated more funds to managing the patients, but limited intervention is done towards bringing the prevention intervention as a change program to the community (Gillard, 2016). Healthcare organizations are responsible for developing education and awareness programs about lifestyle diseases that encourage the population to engage in exercise and proper diet. There is a limited understanding in society about the risk factors of most lifestyle diseases, increasing the risks of getting the diseases that have already claimed many lives. Understanding the problem makes it possible to conduct an awareness and education program to ensure that the people understand the risks and they can be prevented.

In addition, educating the public about disease prevention measures is considered primary prevention. A well-educated population, for example, will be able to recognize and appreciate the importance of immunizations, exercise, and seeking screening services from healthcare facilities. Achieving health education for everyone is still a considerable challenge, and it may require the cooperation of all community members to do it. In program creation, primary prevention is essential because it is easier and less expensive to avoid an illness, disease, or dysfunction by promoting healthy choices and behavior from the beginning (Yannakoulia & Panagiotakos, 2020). The effectiveness of population education and awareness is well-documented and supported by scientific evidence. Developing a primary prevention program necessitates identifying appropriate populations to target for treatment.

Introduction/Overview, Problem Statement-Research Paper

Workplace success and employee engagement go hand in hand when you have employees that like and are dedicated to their jobs. This kind of commitment goes beyond the wage for engaged employees who are enthusiastic about what they do. Managing employee engagement in a fast-changing environment is a complex issue many businesses face today. This issue exists as a result of the increasing leadership challenges posed by organizational change, as institutions strive to remain relevant in a business environment that is constantly evolving (Popli & Irfan, 2016). It is critical how leaders approach sustaining their employees' engagement to ensure success. This research describes how transformational leaders motivate employee engagement in rapidly changing environments to achieve organizational objectives.

Today, organizations need to understand how to manage employee engagement effectively to accomplish institutional and state-level goals (Zahid & Özyapar, 2017). Although employee engagement is crucial for any business, it has grown more challenging to manage due to numerous rapidly evolving factors that could negatively affect staff. The conditions that directly affect the working environment in organizations include employment eligibility, reduced state support, cost-cutting measures, complicated working conditions, and local regulations which do not align with those of other businesses. It is crucial to express thanks for laborious effort. When employees feel valued, they are more inclined to work harder and be involved in their work. Incentives and bonuses can help encourage staff, keeping them interested while they work to finish projects.

Although the existing literature uses statistical data to quantify the effect of transformational leadership on employee engagement, there is a knowledge gap regarding how transformational leaders spur employee engagement through rapid change (Aarya, 2019). Research is needed to show how engagement is inspired during the numerous quick changes that employees must implement in various organizations, to be more precise. Organizational reorganizations brought on by changes in leadership, reductions in state and local funding, and policies, procedures, and initiatives developed to comply with new state and federal laws are just a few examples of these rapid changes. This study is important because it can better educate incoming business ventures on how to increase engagement through quick change and transformational leadership.

An essential element for the success of a change management process is employee involvement. Obviously, the backbone of each business function is a reliable communication line and watchful project management. However, when employee engagement, involvement, dedication, ownership, and accountability are fostered, the situation becomes far less difficult. However, this does not mean that an organization can expect that engaged employees would always embrace a change program with open arms. As soon as they perceive that it is not bringing about a beneficial change in their working style, organizational culture, work environment, or general personality development, they will be unwilling to participate.

The organization must explain it carefully so that employees interpret it similarly to how it has been communicated. It is nearly impossible to take a certain change project to the next level and implement it until both senior management and staff are on the same side and share the same beliefs.

Organizations cannot force their terms; rather, they must embrace employee contributions and ideas and establish a balance in order to adopt them. Regardless of the size of the change, each phase of the process demands rigorous action planning and follow-up.

Research Question

In terms of employee engagement, the constant need for change poses a challenging position. While leading organizational transformation, you must be able to garner the ongoing support and comprehension of your team. Too much change from the top down can distract staff, resulting in a loss of productivity. Today, many businesses struggle with the challenging problem of managing employee engagement in a rapidly changing environment. This problem exists because organizations face more leadership challenges due to organizational change as they try to stay relevant in a constantly changing market. To succeed, leaders must be strategic in how they maintain employee engagement.

My research question is how do leaders keep employees engaged during change? This research question relates to my problem statement in that in my problem statement stated that in many businesses today, managers are faced with the challenge of ensuring employees are engaged even in times of change. Businesses encounter change many times since it is a sign of growth. This problem statement then leads to our research question on how do leaders keep employees engaged during times of change?

According to (Wong, 2019), the experience of guiding a business through a reorganization or an acquisition is naturally fraught with stress and uncertainty.

During a tumultuous transition, it is easy to lose sight of the needs of employees, which is a common occurrence. During unstable times, it isn't easy to motivate employees. You risk decreasing their engagement or losing them if you do not proactively address their concerns and demonstrate your appreciation.

According to (Jarred, 2019), a company may have many competing priorities during times of change. Still, one of the most crucial things for leaders to concentrate on is ensuring employees are engaged. A strong corporate culture that responds well to change and develops with the company and its employees is essential to a company's longevity and, ultimately, success. Any business leader knows how challenging it is to keep everyone on task and moving in the right direction, especially in the current political and economic climate. As leaders, we must interact with our team members in a more efficient, ongoing, and sincere way than ever. We must empower them by giving them a voice, the capacity to listen (wherever they are), and a sense of agency. This is particularly true during periods of change.

According to (Penny, 2021), When the pandemic started to spread, HR leaders had the chance to take the initiative and offer new programs and resources to workers to boost engagement in the face of the most significant amount of unpredictability in a generation. she continues to add that her "HR in the Moment" research found that HR leaders believe they have played a critical role in facilitating remote working, promoting wellbeing, and driving change during this time—all things that have increased employee engagement.

HR executives can now build on the accomplishments they have created with these fresh initiatives to raise employee engagement.

According to (Bangasser, 2014), most organizations experience constant change, which is crucial for development. Leaders frequently overlook the human element of change when implementing change initiatives in organizations. Leading their team toward the new vision, altering culture, encouraging development and performance, and communicating are some of these human elements. Whether your company is undergoing a merger or acquisition, changing how it operates, or promoting new services, employees must think, act, and behave differently to align with the new direction. It is important to keep in mind that employees will not always adapt to new procedures because they are only human. Keeping in mind that employees are only human, they may not be able to adapt to new procedures. When they are frustrated and resist, it is only natural for them to do so. In order to allay employees' fears of change, a good leader must give them some say in how it is implemented.

And finally (Davis, 2019) explains that there are different ways in which change impacts different employees in the company; therefore, not all strategies work for each employee. In that case, (Davis, 2019) highlights that manager should develop a communication program that will provide employees with relevant information which will involve them in change-making processes.

Methodology

Data collection methods and procedures are described in the methodology section of a study. For my investigation, I opted for a qualitative strategy. Qualitative research was used to investigate the implementation of organizational transformation methods devised by leaders. My project used qualitative design to analyze the business issue, generate suggestions, and gather information from participants through interaction. I was the principal data collector in my project as a researcher. In this qualitative multiple case research, semi-structured videoconference interviews, document analysis, and audio recordings were used. To assure the study's quality, reliability, and validity, researchers use a variety of methods for collecting data. The interviews lasted 45 minutes and were semi-structured with seven open-ended questions. Participants were asked to send me documents from their companies, including training manuals, employee handbooks, minutes of weekly meetings, and user guides with step-by-step instructions on job functions, so that I could research strategies for implementing change initiatives based on what they had to send.

Chapter 6: Literature Review

Over the years, there has been a significant shift in leadership models across businesses, whether they are startups or multinational corporations. This shift is driven by the increasing awareness of how business impacts the triple bottom line, that is, people, planet, and profit. Consequently, many scholars are arguing for the importance of embracing sustainable leadership in order to promote sustainable business practices (Iqbal, Ahmad, & Halim, 2020). In this context, this research seeks to answer the question, does effective leadership equate to sustainable leadership? Leadership that prioritizes sustainability at the individual, corporate, and societal levels is essential to achieving this goal. In addition, sustainable leaders place an emphasis on capacity building and sustainable changes all of which make it vital to achieve Sustainable Development Goals (Iqbal & Ahmad, 2020). Long-term company performance is substantially driven by sustainable leadership practices. These behaviors include appreciating people, having a common vision, being socially responsible, and maintaining cordial labor relations.

Underlying Theory

A theory that applies to sustainable leadership is the resource-based view (RBV) theory. According to Assensoh-Kodua (2019), the RBV theory takes the position that resources are sustainable, inimitable, and rate. In this regard, organizational resources include things like intellectual, human, and financial resources. A leader who adopts sustainable leadership will ensure that such resources are not depleted with the objective of caring for all stakeholders. A leader who adopts the RBV theory will ensure that his/her organization protects its internal and external resources to offer value to its internal and external stakeholders for a sustainable period. In turn, this allows the organization to offer more value to its clients while maintaining a competitive edge over rivals.

Sustainable Performance

Traditionally, organizations measured performance based on factors like liabilities, assets, and market position. However, with organizations embracing sustainability, they align their financial performances with their environmental and social impacts. Hence, sustainable performance embraces a strategy that promotes corporate social responsibility. Jabbour (2020) reveals that sustainable performance is appraised based on how an organization impacts the economy, society, and environment simultaneously. Sustainable performance is typically characterized by reduced gas emissions, minimum resource usage, promotion of environmental initiatives, creation of value for all stakeholders, and an increase in positive financial performance.

Organizational Learning

Sustainable leadership is promoted by organizational learning. Iqbal, Ahmad, and Halim, 2020) describe organizational learning as "a continuous process to obtain organizational knowledge and experience over time." It allows a business to have a sustainable competitive edge over rivals within a highly dynamic market. An effective leader will utilize organizational learning by embracing open communication, knowledge sharing, transformational leadership, and participative decision-making. These factors will allow the leader to motivate his/her employees to perform beyond the standard expectations in specific areas like the conservation of resources. Through organizational learning, a leader will promote civic virtue in the employees to ensure they act responsibly in a manner that promotes sustainability in the organization.

Sustainable Leadership

In a society that is continually embracing a green economy, a sustainable leader is seen as a top priority for many organizations. According to Hategan and Hategan (2021), sustainable leadership is characterized by practices and behaviors, which establish lasting value for various stakeholders. A sustainable leader will bring opportunities to his/her organization through long-term success, sustained competitive advantage, continuous improvement, and innovation. Hategan and Hategan (2021) assert that a sustainable leader is an effective leader since he/she will enhance the performance of his organization by increasing potential revenue and limiting costs. Such a leader is also a proactive individual who constantly evaluates the environment to identify how best to increase the profitability of the organization without increasing costs or harming the external and internal environment.

Annotated Bibliography

Fløvik, L., Knardahl, S., & Christensen, J. O. (2019). The effect of organizational changes on the psychosocial work environment: changes in psychological and social working conditions following organizational changes. Frontiers in psychology, 10, 2845.

The study's goal was to determine how different kinds and rates of organizational change might affect features of the psychosocial work environment. A collection of questions was used in a unique format as part of an online survey. There is evidence to suggest that when a company undergoes change, the effects may be felt by employees psychologically for up to a year. This research shows that an employee's psychological state at work must be carefully assessed and documented in order to successfully execute a change strategy.

Li, J. Y., Sun, R., Tao, W., & Lee, Y. (2021). Employee coping with organizational change in the face of a pandemic: The role of transparent internal communication. Public Relations Review, 47(1), 101984.

As a business undergoes a period of transition, this research explores how workers cope with the uncertainty that comes along with it. The authors came up with three ideas on how interactions affect transitions and the removal of ambiguity. Results validated two of these three ideas, showing that employees may become more hesitant about and accept change in the company while realizing that it cannot be controlled by management. Supervisors should be given practical knowledge during times of organizational change so that they may convey this information effectively to their staff.

Grenway, B. (2021). A Review and Application of John Kotter's" Leading Change". Journal of Sociology and Christianity, 11(2), 91-95.

For the sake of adapting to changing market conditions, Grenway insists on being able to reinvent itself. When transformation attempts fail, Grenway looks into why that is, and offers eight essential measures that executives may follow to effectively alter their firm. Creating a feeling of urgency, putting together a team to drive change, creating a vision, communicating that vision, and getting people on board with it are just a few examples. Other examples include planning for the near term, incorporating achievements, and putting new ideas into action.

Faupel, S., & Süß, S. (2019). The effect of transformational leadership on employees during organizational change–an empirical analysis. Journal of Change Management, 19(3), 145-166.

Transformational leadership has been shown to have a long-term impact on staff engagement and behavior. According to the authors, workers' willingness to adapt to a new work environment is influenced by their perceptions of organizational change, and managers' actions may either bolster or weaken that desire to adapt. The findings imply that senior managers may have a significant influence on employee participation in organizational transformation, both in the short term and over the long run.

Bligh, M. C., Kohles, J. C., & Yan, Q. (2018). Leading and learning to change: the role of leadership style and mindset in error learning and organizational change. Journal of Change Management, 18(2), 116-141.

With this paper, the major goal is to highlight the methods that help employees respond positively to change. Transactional and transformational approaches to management are compared to workers' changes in assessments as a result of manager involvement, according to the author's research. In order to achieve this, one must examine the causes of change as well as the explicit responses that occur. Managers' level of commitment to their jobs is closely tied to the leadership style of their bosses. Organizational transformation needs good leadership and employee involvement from managers in order to reduce opposition.

Assensoh-Kodua, A. (2019). The resource-based view: A tool of key competency for competitive advantage. Problems and Perspectives in Management, 17(3), 143.

In this article, the author explores the RBV theory, which is vital in helping an organization attain a competitive advantage over rivals. This theory is essential in promoting sustainable leadership in an organization. Thus, by exploring the RBV theory, one gets a theoretical framework for basing the sustainability leadership argument.

Hategan, V. P., & Hategan, C. D. (2021). Sustainable leadership: Philosophical and practical approach in organizations. Sustainability, 13(14), 7918.

This article reveals how philosophical leadership can allow a leader to practice sustainable leadership. It identifies personal development programs that leaders can participate in to ensure they are well-versed with sustainability issues and their effects on their organizations. Overall, this article is vital in identifying the qualities and characteristics of a sustainable leader.

Iqbal, Q., Ahmad, N. H., & Halim, H. A. (2020). How does sustainable leadership influence sustainable performance? Empirical evidence from selected ASEAN countries. Sage Open, 10(4), 2158244020969394.

In this article, the authors explore how psychological empowerment and organizational learning can promote sustainable leadership and sustainable performance. They note how these two aspects can help effective leaders cope with the challenges that arise when practicing sustainable leadership.

Iqbal, Q., & Ahmad, N. H. (2021). Sustainable development: The colors of sustainable leadership in a learning organization. Sustainable Development, 29(1), 108-119.

This article provides an argument for why sustainable leadership is central to effective leadership. The authors explore two major theories that support their argument: the dynamic capability theory and the NRBV theory. The authors then offer effective management advice that sustainable organizations can adopt.

Jabbour, C. J. C. (2020). Stakeholders, innovative business models for the circular economy, and sustainable performance of firms in an emerging economy facing institutional voids. Journal of Environmental Management, 264, 110416.

This article explores various elements that impact the sustainable performance of organizations in emerging economies. Jabbour (2020) emphasizes the significance played by an organization’s stakeholders in pushing for sustainable practices. The article reveals why a sustainable leader will be effective in leading an organization that embraces sustainability.

References

Patfield, S., Gore, J., & Harris, J. (2021). Shifting the focus of research on effective professional development: Insights from a case study of implementation. Journal of Educational Change. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10833-021-09446-y\

Suh, B. (2021). Workplace learning: how to build a culture of continuous employee development. The Learning Organization, 28(4), 457-459. https://doi.org/10.1108/tlo-05-2021-269

Swain, P. (2019). Organizational learning: developing leaders to deal with continuous change ‐ a strategic human resource perspective. The Learning Organization, 6(1), 30-37. https://doi.org/10.1108/09696479910255693

Gillard, A. (2016). Identity Awareness through Outdoor Activities for Adolescents with Serious Illnesses. Research in Outdoor Education, 14(1), 107-125. https://doi.org/10.1353/roe.2016.0005 Comment by Taylor, Marilys: Please make sure all references are double spaced and all lines after the first one are indented 1/2 inch.

Popham, F., & Iannelli, C. (2021). Does comprehensive education reduce health inequalities? SSM - Population Health, 15, 100834. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssmph.2021.100834

Yannakoulia, M., & Panagiotakos, D. (2020). Weight loss through lifestyle changes impacts the primary prevention of cardiovascular diseases. Heart, 107(17), 1429-1434. https://doi.org/10.1136/heartjnl-2019-316376

Bangasser, R. (2014). Five ways to engage employees in change. https://www.shrm.org/hr-today/news/hr-magazine/pages/0314-tools.aspx

Davis, A. (2019). How to engage employees during organizational change. https://alisondavis123.medium.com/how-to-engage-employees-during-organizational-change-eced8cc725cc

Jarred, K. (2019). Leadership: How to maintain employee engagement during a time of change. https://www.hrzone.com/engage/employees/leadership-how-to-maintain-employee-engagement-during-a-time-of-change

Kamil Zahid & Ahmet Özyapar, 2017. Leadership in employee engagement in organizations: An analysis on correlation. https://www.diva-portal.org/smash/get/diva2:1151272/FULLTEXT02

Penny, C. (2021). How can businesses drive employee engagement during change? 8 tips for HR leaders. https://www.sage.com/en-gb/blog/hr-leaders-employee-engagement-change/

Popli, Sapna & Rizvi, Irfan. (2016). Drivers of employee engagement: The role of leadership style. Global Business Review. 17. 10.1177/0972150916645701

Singh, Aarya, 2019. Role of transformational leadership in enhancing employee engagement: Evolving issues and direction for future research through literature review (January 6, 2019). Proceedings of 10th International Conference on Digital Strategies for Organizational Success, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3316331 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3316331

Wong, K. (2019). How to engage employees during times of change. https://www.achievers.com/blog/12-ways-to-engage-employees-during-times-of-change/