In any economy, change within an organization can be challenging, and let’s face, downright stressful. Conflicts seem to emerge out of the woodwork and chaos reigns. Now add on a recession and an economy heading downhill, if not off a cliff, and the problem of change intensifies. Maybe its downsizing or consolidation or loss of a customer base—whatever it is constitutes change. The problems of adapting ourselves to these changes can be staggering, not only for the rank and file, but for the leadership as well.
Doug’s guest is an expert on change and is here to give some insights about what change is about and how we might constructively deal with it when it comes knocking at the door.
Dr. Billie Blair is an organizational psychologist and president of the LA-based change management consulting firm, Leading and Learning, Inc. She earned her Ph.D. in organizational psychology from Claremont Graduate University dual master’s degrees in management and clinical psychology from San Diego State University. She completed her postdoctoral study in organization and management at Harvard University. Her research area is the study of Chaos Theory for a Relationship to Management Practice.
Doug and Billie talk about the application of chaos theory to change management. Billie observes that the smallest movements can effect huge changes. Thus, corporate leaders must pay attention to the small things.
http://www.leadingandlearninginc.com/
Billie’s approach to change management is to start with the leadership team and go through a complete strategic analysis. After goals have been set, the change plan is rolled out and adjusted along the way. http://www.leadingandlearninginc.com/
Conflicts around organizational change drive clients to consultants. Billie tells Doug that leaders contemplating change or in the midst of uncontrolled change must pause, examine the immediate past history, and contemplate future goals. This is the strategy building process around which change management can occur. The key to selling change in the organization is building trust. People must see a positive outcome and see their particular role in the future vision. When people are in conflict over change, which is frequent, their relationships with their superiors and their role in decision making must be examined. Often, these are out of balance and the true source of the conflict.
Billie warns of change without conflict—it almost always indicates a deep problem that is not being surfaced. The challenge, she tells us, is that managers are programmed to have smooth operations. Therefore, they are conflict-averse to the point of suppression because of fears it will make them look bad. This is embedded in corporate culture and presents huge challenges when change is underway.
http://www.leadingandlearninginc.com/
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