Discussion: Building a Team for Change
In previous business courses, we learned that people are an organization's most valuable resource. Employees are assets. Working as individuals and in teams, employees ensure an organization's success. We must depend upon employees to do what is best for the organization. Doing what is best for the organization can mean developing a willingness to move forward with organizational change plans and strategies.
Before initiating any change plan or strategy, an organization must build a group of key employees who see themselves as vital to the overall success of the organization. These employees understand their role in the organization. They understand they must continue and protect the organization's strengths and core competencies.
How do we get employees to see themselves as valuable corporate resources who are capable of embracing change? How do we build this group of key employees?
Keep in mind the following data from this unit's introduction: "You can assume that 20% of employees will resist change, 60% will be ambivalent, 10% will help, and 10% will champion change." (The Leadership Challenge, Kouzes and Posner) This means as managers, we may have some work to do to introduce any plan involving change.
For this discussion, address the following:
•What motivates you? What makes you want to do your very best?
•Do you consider yourself to be a "key employee" where you work? Why or why not?
•Consider your place of employment or perhaps that of a friend or close relative. How does the organization motivate employees? Is there a system of rewards? Or is failure personalized and is blame too readily assigned?
•Assume you are in charge of a plan for change where you work. How would you go about motivating your people? How would you reward?
•Explain how you would go about creating a group of key employees who would help you facilitate this plan for change - a team of change agents.
•When you reply to your classmates, compare and contrast their plan for creating a team who will champion change with your own plan.