| Are you faced with leading a significant | | | | rewarding alignment with the changed organization, |
| organizational change and need options for | | | | focusing on the value of the connections between |
| successfully making it happen? If so, then take a | | | | the new behaviors and organizational successes. |
| moment and consider a blended approach that | | | | Now that you have the benefit of John Kotter's |
| provides the structure and energy to dramatically | | | | structured eight-step approach, let's look at the |
| change your business organization. | | | | concepts behind Daniel Goleman's emotional |
| At this point in your career, you already know | | | | intelligence. Once you understand the theoretical |
| there is no single theoretical solution that | | | | concepts, you will likely be able to identify |
| addresses organizational change with practical | | | | someone you know as a master of these skills. |
| ease. If that were the case, you would not have | | | | Emotional Intelligence (EI) refers to the ability to |
| found your way to this article. Planning for | | | | perceive and express emotion, assimilate emotion |
| effective organizational change is not as simple as | | | | in thought, understand and reason with emotion, |
| clicking your heels together or jumping on a flying | | | | and regulate emotion in yourself and others |
| carpet. Planning for effective organizational change | | | | (Mayer &Salovy, 1997). In business settings, |
| is more like Merlin mixing the right ingredients into | | | | we usually see or describe the characteristics and |
| a carefully concocted blend to create the desired | | | | behaviors of EI leaders as inspirational, empathetic, |
| result. | | | | charismatic, motivating, compelling, or enigmatic |
| A blend of John Kotter's eight steps for Leading | | | | among others. This personal characteristic and |
| Change combined with the power and influence | | | | ability is stronger in some business leaders than |
| represented by Daniel Goleman's Emotional | | | | others. Perhaps now, you are thinking about |
| Intelligence (EI) will provide a deliberately powerful | | | | specific business leaders you know who were |
| blend of structure, high energy, and dependable | | | | stronger or weaker in the use of this leadership |
| results. Let's look at each independently, then, | | | | trait and ability. As an organizational change leader, |
| blend the concepts together into a practical, | | | | EI traits, skills, and abilities combine harmoniously |
| effective approach for affecting successful | | | | with John Kotter's eight steps for Leading Change. |
| organizational change. | | | | Both are vital to creating and maintaining effective |
| The eight steps for leading organizational change | | | | organizational change. |
| put forward by Kotter are: | | | | Finally, we're ready to put it all together. Like a |
| Create a sense of urgency by examine market | | | | well-written Baroque Sonata, we have been |
| and competitive realities. Use a Strength, | | | | through the allegro beginning, the deeper, ominous, |
| Weakness, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) | | | | theoretical middle, and are ready for the lively |
| analysis to target opportunities and targeted | | | | finale! As an organizational change leader, your role |
| strategic plans. | | | | throughout the eight-step change process is to |
| Put together a guiding team by assembling a | | | | blend the traits, characteristics, and behaviors |
| group with the power and influence to lead a | | | | associated with EI to provide a sure-fire, |
| change effort encouraging the team to work | | | | high-energy approach to successfully |
| together and set the behavioral example. | | | | choreographing organizational change. Your |
| Create Visions and Strategies providing direction | | | | investment in the deft use of EI abilities will be |
| to change initiatives combined with tactical | | | | the adhesive that binds the structure of the |
| strategies building a "road map" and "trip plan" to | | | | eight-step approach with the emotional intensity |
| others in the organization. | | | | and enthusiasm of the EI approach. |
| Communicate to achieve buy-in using a | | | | Neither structure nor charisma alone will carry the |
| multi-media approach, which indicated the new | | | | day when it comes to making the high stakes |
| behaviors that will be expected and rewarded. | | | | organizational changes required to be innovative, |
| Empower others to act upon the Vision and | | | | remain competitive, or provide shareholder value. |
| Strategies by removing obstacles, changing | | | | Let you passion, intensity, excitement, and |
| systems and structures that undermine the vision. | | | | enthusiasm for the changes show. Recognize, |
| This is a time to encourage and reward prudent | | | | inspire, and reward others through your own |
| risk taking and unconventional approaches, ideas, | | | | sincere expressions and feelings. Evangelically |
| activities, and actions. | | | | deliver the vision and strategies along with a |
| Produce short-term wins that highlight the desired | | | | message of empowerment and action. Lead or |
| behaviors and performance, which will lead to the | | | | participate in celebrating the early wins and their |
| realization of the vision and organizational change. | | | | direct relationship to the desired change-related |
| Build momentum by leveraging the credibility of | | | | behaviors and outcomes. Exuberantly share the |
| visible change to reinforce continued change and | | | | credit for a successful transformation with all the |
| continue to reward the adoption of new | | | | affected stakeholders with the joint charge of |
| behaviors. Hire and promote those that adopt and | | | | sharing the responsibility for sustaining and building |
| exemplify the desired change behaviors. | | | | upon a sure-fire, high-energy successful |
| Nurture a new culture by promoting and | | | | organizational change. |