White Paper on "Leading Organizational Change for Results"

White Paper 8 pages (2327 words) Sources: 8

[EXCERPT] . . . .

Leading Organizational Change for Results

Leadership of organizations face challenges in policy and decision-making, implementation, evaluation, and directing of individuals and organization in today's dynamic business environment. One of the greatest challenges is organizational transition since it affects not only the organization, but also the people who have to accept and implement the changes. Bridges & Bridges (2009) identifies that for management the most difficult task is the management of workplace change. This is because poor management of change can result to poor morale and workplace stability. Successful organizational change occurs when employees have a picture, plan, purpose, and are part of the implementation of change (Bridges & Bridges, 2009). This is a detailed report of an organizational change challenge that faced the Federal Housing Administration (FHA). The report begins with a description and identification of the problem in the change process. The laying down of a change plan to solve the problems, will lead to a smooth change process using theories of change management.

At the surface of things, the analysis identifies the main problem as a failure to approve the Course of Action (COA) plan. The approval and implementation of the COA plan was long overdue, since its initiation in 2008. Closer examination of events indicates that a failure in presentation to the Office of Inspector General (OIG) of the approval of an acceptable COA. This is despite the development and approval for the go ahead of the COA. The problem was that the Financial Statement Audit program officer responsible for the development of the COA, was not willing to concede the existence of a deficiency in the policy making process. This is in the policies mandated and regulated by the Investment Technology Security Policy of FISMA, for external partners. Secondly, there is a lack of collaboration between parties involved in the development, approval, planning, and implementing of the COA. This is evident in the lack of communication between the executive team in charge of the project involving the directors, the senior staff, Secretary, deputy secretary, and assistant sectary to the executive board. The problem with the implementation of the COA plan is that the directors in charge for the implementation of the policy cannot agree. The first director has stopped the OIG's 2008 audit finding to go ahead. The third director in charge of collaboration in the implementation of the policy is finding it difficult to coordinate activities from the poor communication between project team. The lack of collaboration between the project team is leading to a stagnation of the COA plan implementation, enforcement of it security compliance policies, and failure of compliance with FISMA and OIG. The failure of implementation of the COA plan and the failure to meet compliance standards imply that the company will have a lower public image and overall revenues. This is because failure to meet it security compliance policy will cause insecurity to stakeholder's investment and business partners, increasing insurance funds, lowering revenues, and reducing profits. Employees involved in the change process as described by Bridges & Bridges (2009) characterize several emotional effects. These are frustration, resentment, low morale, anxiety, skepticism, and denial as evident with the directors and executives in the Federal Housing Administration.

Organizational Change Model: Building a Cohesive Alliance

Identify and Organize

In the capacity of director in charge of building collaboration in the team, in the implementation of the COA plan, there are several measures to be effected for the successful change process. This calls for the ordering of individual and organizational goals, resources according to the basics of organizational leadership. All key elements identified as necessary for an effective organizational change process are identified and grouped according to this plan. This follows the ABCsD of organizational effectiveness Basics, as:

1. Purpose: The goal of the change process model is to create cohesion in the group, thereby increasing collaboration for improved corporation in the implementation of COA and it security policies. This is through the development and implement of the COA, train auditors on carrying out their field audits, and issue revised guidelines.

2. People: This is the personnel directly or indirectly involved in the implementation of the COA plan. They are identified as the executive directors from the Federal Housing Administration, the Office of Inspector General, and Financial Statement Audit Office. Others include the OMB, secretary, deputy secretary, OCIO-CISO and ISSO, and senior staff from FHA. This implies there is a need for collaboration, communication, and agreement between these persons.

3. Leadership: as the leader in charge of directing the change process, key elements to look out for are needed to order and drive creativity. Leadership requires creating collective knowledge and skills from the team, build the project team with set goals, communication, and motivation. Moreover, as an effective leader I recognize the need for adopting and using leadership competencies, especially given that the project team is senior management and highly experienced. This is based on Daniel Pink's (2011) leadership competency traits that identify knowledge and skills as necessary but not sufficient in achieving performance. Based on this model, I will also adopt social roles, values, traits, motive, and self-image to increase interpersonal communication between teams.

4. Creating drive for creativity and order: order is created through set project and team goals, objectives, and vision. Working together as a team, the project team will participate in planning, organizing, and implementing. To achieve order in the project team, I will use team building and team management techniques. This will entail open communication, motivation, goal setting and implementation, review and assessment. As a leader, I will encourage the executive and senior staff working on the implementation of the COA plan contributes their skills, knowledge, and experience.

Action Plan

In the organizational effectiveness model, it is evident there is need for collaboration and agreement between people in the change process. This is to be achieved through Bridges & Bridges (2009) transition model, which directs the change plan and individuals to focus on transition rather than the COA change. Therefore, the model requires;

1. Ending, losing, and letting Go: This is the first step of the transition where personnel are encouraged to overcome their emotional and resistance upheaval that prevented the implementation of the COA. The goal is to make the OIG accept the COA is delayed, with the program officer from the Financial Statement Audit conceding the deficiency identified in the action plan. This step will assist the executive team, directors, and senior staff working on the COA accepts that change is inevitable under the new it security compliance policy given by FISMA. The team will come to the realization that the success of the organization is pegged on the enforcement of the federal mandate regulations for investment technology security policy as detailed by FISMA. To achieve this, Bridges & Bridges (2009) recommends allowing employees to talk out their emotions. Through communication of their feelings of the change process from the COA, employees will come to terms with the need for change. Further, the strategy is to emphasize to persons affected by the change that the COA policy will allow them to use their knowledge, skills, and experience in the implementation process. This is especially necessary for the financial officers and audit officers directly affected by the compliance standards. To make them understand and abandon their apprehension over the change, I intend to explain that training and resources are available for the change process. This will entail making the team aware of the problem, test possible solutions, embrace second opinion, create a common language, and show respect through communication, listening.

2. Neutral Zone: Bridges & Bridges (2009) finds that during the change process, employees will have instances of uncertainty, confusion, and impatience. If the change process is not managed well, there is a possibility of increasing the workload from new systems or policies being implemented (Nieuwenhuizen & Rossouw, 2008). Effective leadership in the change process must factor this in. As the leader of the change process, this requires the creation of direction, encouragement to achieve team goals, and organizational objectives. In this case, I will create short-term and long-term goals of the team during the implementation of the COA plan. This follows Daniel Pink's (2011) theory of purpose. As an autonomous leader, I will work towards the mastery of performing at very high levels by serving the project and organizational objectives. This purpose will also drive the team into achieving order, high performance, and achievement of COA goals.

This also requires frequent meetings to communicate, give, and receive feedback on the performance of the change process. In addition, I will make use of motivation to increase the morale of the team. This will be by reminding the persons involved their value to the overall change process and their contribution to the success of the COA plan.

3. New Beginning: The last step is the climax of the leadership transition model. In this stage, the project team will have built up energy and acceptance for the change. This is the… READ MORE

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