Manager and team behaviors during organizational change and innovation

Change Management

Change in the words of Wong (2007, p.195) "may consist of policy changes, new requirements, reorganizations, new management, budget cuts, or a change in business plans." As the author further points out, these changes could either be systematic or sudden. Changes are largely inevitable. In projects, changes according to Meredith and Mantel (2009, P.167) could be caused by three things; errors in initial assessments, receipt of new info regarding the ongoing project, and project environment changes. In some instances, a manager could encounter some behavioral alterations on the part of team members as they encounter change. The said alterations in this case could be as a result of the different responses people have to change. For instance, as Wong (2007) notes, while there are those who may be curious to learn more or view the possibility of change as an opportunity, others could either be suspicious or skeptical about the possibility of change. There are also those who might be concerned that the said change could have a personal impact (negative or positive). Thus just as change is inevitable in most cases, so are reactions to change. The said reactions or behaviors in this case could be positive or negative. Negative reactions could include but they are not limited to disorientation and disengagement. On the other hand, positive behaviors include enthusiasm, enhanced interest to know more, and devotion. Disengagement is in basic terms the loss of interest or initiative in group tasks, activities, and/or change initiatives. Disengagement does have a very negative impact on performance and hence productivity. Disorientation has got to do with confusion and uncertainty. Group members who are disoriented are more likely than not to lose touch with group priorities.

The relevance of the effective management of change cannot be overstated. For this reason, there are a number of skills and capabilities a manager should seek to develop so as to be able to lead his or her team through change. To begin with, the manager should, and indeed must be an effective communicator. Indeed, as Tomczyk (2010) points out, for a project manager to succeed, he or she must exhibit superior communication skills. It is important to note that if employees are to embrace change and thus adjust accordingly to the said change, the manager must ensure that he or she effectively communicates the change message. In addition to communicating the need for the impending or ongoing change, managers should also be ready to openly discuss change so as to diffuse fears. As Wong (2007) observes, due to the uncertain nature of change, people are routinely frightened by the fear of the unknown. Diffusing this fear calls for superior communication and interpersonal skills.