Page 266 - Managing Change in Organizations

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Crafting change for the individual
and will cause anger. It is inevitable, and it is important for all of us to recognize
that it is inevitable. Managers must ensure that time and space are allowed for
people to experience these feelings and that this is legitimate. The temptation
to calm people down, to soothe their fears and anger, may be compelling but
must be treated with caution. If we are not careful we deny feelings which
must be experienced if change is to be accepted. Most important, we should
recognize that this process of letting go of the past, while painful, does involve
learning and is really part of the process through which individuals choose the
future.

Issues
Set goals, act, look for gains.

Finally...
The discussion presented examines issues and questions which must be faced,
and ways of doing so. It seems clear that they could form the basis of a series of
workshop activities for people who are involved in significant change pro-
grammes. While not a ‘blueprint’ for success, they do provide a basis for con-
structive work and progress. Problems of layout, work design and work
organization often abound with new systems. Problem-solving activities to deal
with these matters provide an excellent opportunity for people to get to grips
with a new system.

Crafting change for the individual

Simplifying somewhat, I suggest that individuals have four main categories of
need if they are to rebuild their self-esteem amidst a programme of organizational
change. They need to understand the changes and thus need intelligible infor-
mation. They will probably need to develop new skills, if only the skills of deal-
ing with new people as colleagues or supervisors. They will need support to help
them to deal with the problems. Encouragement to try out new systems is impor-

tant. Provision of short workshops planned to achieve part or all of the work dis-
cussed in the preceding section can help, as can technical support to solve
problems, access to people who can help and allowing people to control their
own learning. First and foremost, empathy, understanding, is a key issue.
Kirkpatrick (1985) rightly sees this as one of the key skills for managing change.
We have discussed empathy earlier. In this chapter we have discussed a range of
ideas which can be used as a way of developing or practising empathy – of trying
to see changes the way others see them and using that as a ‘basis for building self-
esteem’. If these four needs can be met by appropriate resources then it is possi-
ble for people to carry through the personal work needed for them to rebuild
their self-esteem and to act. Thus they can adapt to changes and develop new
skills, abilities and roles with which to face the future.
However, two problems must be faced immediately. The issues we have dis-
cussed are difficult for individuals and groups, whether employees or managers, to
face and discuss. The first relates to the provision of information by individuals.

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