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In Leading in a time of change Peter Drucker and Peter Senge describe how leaders should think about and implement change. They explain that it is important to accept change and build abandonment into the system (Capella University, 2017). Drucker explains that individuals often build emotional attachment to processes and products so abandoning old ideas for new innovations can be extremely challenging. In addition, many management programs teach individuals to solve issues so we have developed a culture of problem solving (Capella University, 2017). While this can be a positive attribute, when an organization gets so fixated on solving problems they fail to see the problems as an opportunity to grow and innovate. Rather than focusing on the problems, Drucker argues that organizations should take these issues as an opportunity to change. He explains that rather than correcting problems, they should be made irrelevant to success (Capella University, 2017).
So how does one lead change in their organization? Stanleigh (2013) explains that leaders should plan for and expect resistance to change. However, he also notes that leaders can engage employees by asking their ideas and communicating the strategic decisions in a personal way. Employees should be free to redefine their roles during the course of the change so flexibility and honesty are key components to ensuring a smooth transition (Stanleigh, 2013). In order to look at change as an opportunity authors Drucker and Stanleigh both explain that the mindset is key. Leadership must be open to change and that begins from the top down. We know that change is a constant and change failure can cause lost opportunity, poor revenues, lost employees, and increased fear (Stanleigh, 2013). Therefore, it is vital for leaders to not only embrace change, but to seek out ways to lead the charge for their organizations.
References
Capella University. (2017). Leading in a time of change [Web document]. Retrieved from http://media.capella.edu/CourseMedia/psy8720/leading_change/psy8720u07_SVP_transcript.html
Stanleigh, M. (2013). Leading change. The Journal for Quality and Participation, 36(2), 39-40. Retrieved from https://library.capella.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com.library.capella.edu/docview/1426765389?accountid=27965
