discussion

WCM 610 DEFINE Supplementary Document Change can affect the organization’s structure, causing stress. For instance, think of what can happen when a new branch office is opened in a different city, state, or country. Other organizational structural stress can arise when an organization is expanding. This can affect external stakeholders, leadership, and employees. No one is quite certain what is going to happen, and people can feel some insecurity. The insecurity typically is stressful, and an interpersonal conflict over something that would ordinarily be quite trivial can erupt between employees. Only by defining and clearly recognizing that the stress of change has caused individuals to feel anxious and impatient or intolerant with one another, can the conflict analyst intervene to manage the conflict while also strengthening and building the interpersonal relationship with each party. Blaming the employees for arguing would be an inaccurate definition of the problem, causing one to go through the DMAIC process from an incorrect initial perspective. In addition, a person’s choices and the actions that are informed by his or her choices can have unintended consequences. In Modules Seven and Eight, you will be working with the C, or Control, part of the DMAIC process model, which will include examining your I, or Improvement, for unintended consequences of your decision making. Examples of unintended consequences, examples that also speak to an organization’s espoused values and what can happen when those values are omitted in actuality, can be found in the final project case studies: Final Project Case Study One and Final Project Case Study Two. Any decision made in an organization can have far-ranging consequences that were unforeseen by the decision makers. Although you cannot foresee all consequences, thinking several steps ahead and making sure to control improvement, the C and I of the DMAIC process, is crucial. You then have the opportunity to learn about what unintended consequences have emerged, and can work to control them. As part of Module Two, you will have an opportunity to practice thinking several steps ahead, considering potential unintended consequences of your decisions.