Module 5: Managing Change

Whether a person is starting a new job, trying to balance family life with a new promotion, or is
experiencing a new work environment due to merging businesses, change is inevitable and it is important
to understand your and other peoples various reactions to change. Some change is predictable, and
therefore people are more able to manage their reactions to certain outcomes. However, change can be
abrupt and unpredictable at times and this can cause people anxiety, denial, or genuine excitement. It is
important to understand how you, your coworkers, and leader react to changing environments so that you
can adapt your actions in ways that will leverage individuals skills and personalities to drive the most
productive response. In this module, not only were aspects of organizational change and ways to lead
change discussed, but we all got to experience change hands on as a class.
There are many factors that explain peoples willingness to accept change including, but not
limited to, communication styles, support groups, strength of habitual exercises, and specific change
preferences. In addition, as our Robbins & Judge textbook explains, in order to be most effective with
embracing organizational change, the change must happen quickly. The longer one lingers in the
unfreezing the status quo stage, the less likely enough momentum will be built up to drive productive
change. In the class activity, Viva Las Vegas, I was able to examine how difficult it is to implement
effective change when communication is limited, participants are coming from different work
backgrounds, as well as, how different change preferences can create tension in a group. Without the vocal
communication, the participants in the activity were relying on the rules they learned from their previous
experience and when they werent winning the hands that they thought they should be, they would either
get disoriented, feel slighted, or even get hostile. It was so difficult to communicate the change or
communicate our confusion, thus time would pass without implementing productive change. Hence, my
group never built the momentum Lewin discusses in his Three-Step Model to get to the Movement stage
and actually create working change.
Although this class activity may appear to be insignificant in the grand scheme of life, it taught me
how various classmates and I interpret and react to change. When I was put into a new group with
different rules than I was used to, I was uncomfortable and gradually tried to change my habits to
conform to the new group. On the other hand, one classmate joined the group that I had original
knowledge of and he continuously challenged the other participants when he saw conflict between his
beliefs and the actual actions being taken during the game. According to the Change Style Indicator, I
am categorized as a conserver and my challenging classmate was identified as an originator. These two
change preferences parallel with each of our reactions during this activity. I liked when I realized that a
different groups rules were similar to the ones that I had practiced previously and I was cautious with my
actions. My classmate, on the other hand, was passionate, occasionally missed group cues, and was
confident in his ideas. If this were in workplace situation, understanding our differences in interpreting
change would be central to efficiently and effectively communicating ideas so that we could build a
powerful and collaborative union.
As change in any organization can cause disorder either from disorientation, withdrawal, or
excitement, it is important for leaders and members alike, to create an environment where employees can
learn to embrace and cognize the alterations occurring. Organizations and business units should work
together during a time of change to allow all stakeholders to see the potential for growth, both personally
and organizationally, as well as, how their participation will positively facilitate innovation and growth.