| Change is never easy; it is in our human nature to | | | | be, "What is leadership?" Carefully listen to each |
| resist change - whatever the cause. However, | | | | person's definition: one will typically find many |
| despite this fact, many organizations have | | | | different versions of what each person believes |
| managed to overcome the barriers to change and | | | | leadership is. However, despite these differences |
| have adopted new models for not only leadership | | | | Nahavandi (2003) points out that leadership |
| styles, but many other organizational processes | | | | contains three similar elements: (1) leadership is a |
| as well (Nahavandi, 2003). As you might have | | | | group phenomenon; there can be no leaders |
| already identified, one of the most difficult models | | | | without followers and therefore is already a team |
| to change is moving from a typical hierarchical or | | | | environment, (2) leadership is goal directed, |
| autocratic style of management to a more | | | | meaning leaders always influence or guide teams |
| democratic or team-oriented style of leadership. | | | | to a specific course of action to achieve a specific |
| However, the key to effective organizational | | | | goals, and (3) in the presence of a leader, one |
| change is a sound change management process | | | | assumes some form of hierarchy or autocratic |
| (Dudink & Berge, 2006). Part of that change | | | | leadership. However, while this may be the case, it |
| management process, is also preparing your | | | | can also be informal, flexible and with mostly equal |
| business for a new shift in leadership methods | | | | power. |
| and requires that the organization build a | | | | By addressing these three similar elements, |
| team-oriented culture - starting from the top and | | | | Nahavandi (2003) continues to show that by |
| communicating down (Rosenburg, 2001). Managers | | | | joining them, we define a leader as any person |
| at all levels must identify and leverage each | | | | who guides or influences teams and helps them in |
| person's top skills, and create sound value-based | | | | establishing and reaching goals and objectives in an |
| communications between team members (Dudink | | | | efficient manner; in a non-autocratic fashion. This |
| & Berge, 2006). | | | | shows that to be an effective leader, one does |
| Change can be the ultimate test of a leader. As | | | | not have to use a top-down approach, and the |
| the leader of an organization, you should | | | | responsibilities and accountability of the decisions |
| implement a solid change management strategy in | | | | can be shared amongst the team. |
| order to effectively manage not only your people, | | | | But, the next question is, "How do you get them |
| but the business dimensions of the organization as | | | | to change their style of leadership?" In order to |
| well (Dudink & Berge, 2006). According to | | | | sustain a revolutionary change in an organization, |
| John Kotter (2007) a leading expert in change | | | | you need to first motivate those in your guiding |
| management, leaders often make several key | | | | collation or transformational leadership team. |
| mistakes - those of which Kotter has specifically | | | | Nahvandi (2003) believes transformational |
| narrowed down to eight key steps. As the leader | | | | leadership is best achieved through inspiration of |
| of the organization, you should consider taking | | | | your followers, which enables them to "enact |
| these eight steps into considering in order to | | | | revolutionary change". Transformational leadership |
| develop a solid approach and framework for | | | | ultimately includes three primary factors: charisma |
| transforming your organizational leadership | | | | and inspiration (i.e., creating emotional bonds), |
| methods. | | | | intellectual stimulation (i.e., challenging followers to |
| The first step in dealing with change is to establish | | | | solve problems instead of you), and individual |
| a sense of urgency. Most change begins when | | | | consideration (i.e., developing personal relationships |
| leaders look at the firm's current situation, | | | | with each follower). When these three factors are |
| performance and customer satisfaction (Kotter, | | | | combined, they allow a vehicle for change in not |
| 2007). Is customer satisfaction being affected | | | | only the organization, but in the individuals |
| because of a slow decision making process? Are | | | | themselves. |
| there "too many cooks in the kitchen" so to | | | | By following these types of steps an organization |
| speak? This is perhaps the most important step in | | | | will consequently produces better ideas while |
| the process and requires involvement and | | | | forcing shared accountability of decisions. The |
| "aggressive cooperation" by everyone in the | | | | greatest implication of these actions will be to |
| organization. | | | | change the way in which people think, act and |
| The second step is to create a powerful "guiding | | | | share ideas; consequently changing the very |
| coalition". But what does this mean? Not only | | | | culture of the company and how it does business. |
| must the department or divisional leader become | | | | In the words of Kotter (2007), "guiding change |
| a key stakeholder and supporter, but so must the | | | | may be the ultimate test of a leader." Human |
| top-levels of the organization: the Chief Executive | | | | nature is to resist change, and an aggressive and |
| Officer and other senior executives. If the most | | | | sustained change management process for the |
| important people in the company do not buy in, | | | | organization must be implemented as the |
| the rest will not either (Kotter, 2007). In a small | | | | framework for leading a significant transformation |
| company, this guiding team may only be three or | | | | in organizational culture. Once this framework has |
| four people, however in a larger organization, this | | | | been implemented you as the business leader will |
| could be a wide range; twenty to fifty people. | | | | have efficiently and effectively persuaded your |
| The remaining steps include: | | | | followers, and the rest of the organization into a |
| 1. Defining a long-term vision; | | | | new way of thinking. Thus, allowing for better, |
| 2. Communicating that vision aggressively (i.e., ten | | | | faster and higher quality decisions that in turn |
| times more than you initially think); | | | | provide your customers with what they need: |
| 3. Removing obstacles that do not support the | | | | satisfaction. |
| new vision and empowering others to support | | | | References: |
| that vision; | | | | Dudink, G., & Berge, Z. (2006). Balancing |
| 4. Planning for, creating, and celebrating | | | | Top-Down, Bottom-Up, and Peer-to-Peer |
| short-term "wins" | | | | Approaches to Sustaining Distance Training. |
| 5. Consolidating improvements and preparing for | | | | Turkish Online Journal of Distance Education , 7 |
| more change (i.e., do not declare victory too | | | | (3), 144-152. |
| soon), and; | | | | Kotter, J. (2007). Leading Change. Harvard |
| 6. Institutionalizing the new approaches. | | | | Business Review , 85 (1), 96-103. |
| But, how do you effectively persuade others to | | | | Nahavandi, A. (2006). The art and science of |
| buy-in to organizational change; specifically from | | | | leadership. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall. |
| an autocratic to a democratic style of leadership? | | | | Rosenberg, M. (2001). E-Learning: Strategies for |
| The first question that should be posed to each | | | | Delivering Knowledge in the Digital Age. New York: |
| and every individual in your guiding coalition should | | | | McGraw-Hill. |