#Individuals trivia no. 34

A Process for Mobilizing Learning

The process of mobilizing learning in organizations is a complex task. There are adaptive challenges and technical problems to it. If implemented correctly it can make wonders for the organizations.

There are various elements involved in change management like the theoretical foundation of change management, modern organization theory, individual perspective, group dynamic, management philosophies, etc,

1.Levin's change model

Many theories of organizational change can be traced to the work of Kurt Lewin (1952) the social psychologist. He developed a three-stage model commonly known as unfreeze, change, and refreeze. Kreitner, Kinicki, and Buelens (2002, 545) highlighted the assumptions that underlie this model to be;

? The change process involves learning something new and doing away with present attitudes, behavior, and practices.

? Unless there is a motivation to change, the change will never happen. This part is seen as the most challenging part of the change process.

? A change will not happen without people, so whatever the change, be it changes in structures, processes, systems, or job designs, you need people.

? There is resistance to change even when there is a positive goal or desirable outcome.

? For change to be effective, behaviors, attitudes, and organizational practices must be reinforced. 

2. Mckinsey 7s Model

To appreciate Mckinsey’s 7s model, one must first accept that undergoing a change is a huge project and therefore it requires careful strategies and plans. This model offers a holistic approach to the organization. Mckinsey’s model includes seven factors and organizations need to adhere to these factors if they desire high-level performance. These factors will be discussed briefly below.

? Strategy: This refers to an organization’s chosen method or plans to achieve a goal and provide a solution to the current problem. This includes also 9 the manner in which organizations communicate and implements their vision to build competitive advantages. ? Structure: This refers to the way the organization is structured and who is reporting to whom.

? Systems: This refers to the daily activities and procedures that employees engage in to do their job.

? Shared Values: These are the main values of the organization that are indicated in the organization’s corporate culture and ethics.

? Style: This refers to the way organizations relate with stakeholders, customers, and regulators. In other words, it is a leadership style that is adopted.

? Staff: This refers to employees and their capabilities and

? Skills: The competencies of employees needed to carry out the company’s strategy. https://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newSTR_91.htm

3.Kotter’s 8 Step Change

John Kotter, of Harvard Business School, an expert in leadership and change management has found eight common mistakes from his experience with change initiatives in over 100 different companies (Kreitner et al., 2002, 547). These mistakes are as follows:

1. Failure to create a sense of urgency about the desired change

2. Failing to create a sufficient coalition to guide the change

3. Failure to establish a vision to guide change process.

4. Under-communicating the visions both verbally and through actions taken

5. Permitting obstacles that blocks the change process

6. Failure to plan for achievement of important goals

7. Declaring victory too soon and

8. Neglecting to anchor the change securely in the corporate culture.

Despite the intensified need for a successful change, many companies still fall short when it comes to transformation initiatives to change. It is common from numerous studied cases on Change Management that the success and failures of organizations to change depend to a large extent on their ability to painstakingly and effectively mobilize change. One has to remember that mobilization has to do with engaging, involving, motivating, achieving a rapport and commitment among the parties that are affected by a change and the entire workforce. Management sometimes is not fully aligned on goals which could lead to misinterpretation along the chain of command. In other words, communication of goals, the benefit, and the importance of change should not be taken lightly. Adaptive and successful organizations can also find it challenging to sustain change. Therefore it is necessary just like Lewin suggested to incorporate change into an organization’s culture so that reversion to the old habits is minimized. Consistent surveillance is also important for sustenance because it helps in checking teams that fall behind or underperform and resolves cross-functional issues. Evaluation and modification of new processes whether they have an impact on departments and individuals are critical to the success of any change, follow-ups during and after implementation are critical. Two-way communication is necessary not just top-down diffusion of information but seeking and being interested in employee's questions, concerns, and suggestions. Not also forgetting to build motivation and recognition of excellent efforts. This will mean understanding your employee's interests, values and what motivates them having in mind that your employees are may be motivated by different things and not the same things. Also worthy of note is the fact that change management models are very useful, but not all models may be useful for an organization’s success. This is because organizations have their different constraints and pressures and the effect of any chosen model may depend on the present situation of the organization. Therefore, managers and organizations 39 need to treat theories with a degree of skepticism, they need to question and challenge their own and other people’s assumptions. The important point is to make keen decisions rather than depend on untested assumptions. (Burnes, 2009, 516-517) The focus of this research was to emphasize the need of involving the entire workforce from the very onset of the change process. The case organization for this research was Eduek Microfinance Bank Ltd, Nigeria which had gone through a major change in technology in order to improve efficiency in banking processes. In-depth interviews were conducted to get adequate information and an opportunity to precisely study the subject in its natural environment. The main research issues changed management, motivation, and mobilization of change. Change management models by Kurt Lewin, Mckinsey and Kotter have been used as a framework for this thesis. The original assumption was that organizations who engage employees or those who will be greatly affected by a change from the onset will have a smooth and successful change. Other factors such as the type of change and management style were assumed. These assumptions proved to be right, though Mckinsey’s model does not make mention of the external environment.

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Reference: Mind Tools. The Mckinsey 7s Framework. Available: https://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newSTR_91.htm

The Change Management Process: Linking the Steps to Successful Change. Educational Business Article. Available: https://www.educational-businessarticles.com/change-management-process.html

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