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Three main ideas discussed in this chapter:Organizational change is most successful when people in the organization take charge of the change (participation, involvement etc).It involves changing mindsets (influencing, negotiating).Effective communication strategies are crucial for change.

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In the book Terms of Engagement, Axelrod discusses four historical approaches to change.Leader driven approachProcess driven approachTeam driven approachChange management approach*MOBILISING SUPPORT

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LEADER DRIVEN APPROACHPROCESS DRIVEN APPROACHTEAM DRIVEN APPROACHCHANGE MANAGEMENT APPROACHWho leads the change effortLeader or chief executiveExperts or outside consultantsTeams within the organizationExperts (consultant) and teamsHow change communicated executedLeader (CEO)Leader uses authority and powerExperts or consultantsLeader support Experts and consultants execute changeEmployee teams recommend changesLeader (CEO)Parallel organizationsExperts/ consultants recommend changes with employee inputs.Leader approvalParallel organizations created Underlying assumptionsLeader/CEO knows bestExperts/ consultants knows bestEmployee knows bestExperts/consultants with employee inputs knows bestWhen approach suitableUneducated work forceLeader has knowledge and powerUneducated work forceExperts/ consultants have specialized knowledgeLeader is supportiveWorkforce educated and skilledOrganization is large and complexNo single person has all the knowledgeWorkforce educated and skilledBusiness focus needed in the changeNo single person has all the knowledge.

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Parallel organizations is a series of groups or teams created in the organization with interlocking memberships i.e. some employees are members of more than one team or group.Cross functional teams: each team is made of people from different department and divisions.According to Axelrod, parallel organizations typically consist of sponsor team, steering team and multiple design teams.1. Sponsor team: is cross functional, with senior managers from different divisions/departments. This team initiate change, motivate others and provide resources for change.Sponsor team members their approval is required for major changes in policy or strategy.2. Steering team: is also cross-functional and has people from all levels of the organization. It drives day to day change.3. Design teams: are cross functional they include both managers and workers. They redesign processes, establish new procedures and get rid of processes and procedures that are no longer useful.These three types of teams operate in parallel with regular organizations. *MOBILISING SUPPORT

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Parallel organizations are major organizational innovation in recent years.Its purpose is to expedite decision making by cutting down inter departmental barriers and improving the quality of decisions by involving employees in decision making.Selection of team member is based on their competence.The parallel organization is most effective when employee in different teams feel empowered so that they begin to own the change.The parallel organization is an organizational mechanism of generating employee involvement and commitment by encouraging ownership of change.*MOBILISING SUPPORT

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Employee ownership, involvement and commitment to change are crucial to the success of organizational change.The first reason is pragmatic or practical.Today large organizations are complex, no single person has all the knowledge and information to take appropriate decisions.For example front line employees who are in touch with customers and actual operation of the organization are more likely to have information.These employees have the potential to provide creative suggestions that can enhance organizations competitiveness and effectiveness.So from pragmatic point of view, it makes lot of sense to involve employee in any change process will reduce the likelihood of opposition to change.The second reason for the emphasis on employee ownership, involvement and participation is ethical and philosophical.Employee involvement and participation good for employees. Develops them both as employee and human beings.It will lead to personal growth and learning/ individual freedom and democracy.Increase the quality of life of its stakeholders*MOBILISING SUPPORT

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Any change effort that does not give them voice or participation denies them choices and opportunities, which is most likely to diminish the quality of life.To summarize before change can be executed effectively, employee commitment needs to be created, consent for change needs to be generated and support for change mobilised.

THREE COMMON MISTAKES:There are three common mistakes that managers tend to make in getting the buy in for change.Assuming that great arguments would win hearts and minds.Assuming that persistence without compromising would sell the idea.Assuming that persuading is a one time effort.

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LESSONS FROM TIPPING POINT:The book by Malcolm Glad well, The Tipping Point looks at why major changes happen suddenly and unexpectedly in society.How do people get influenced? What persuades them to change their mind sets and behavior?This book identifies particular personality types who are creators and initiators of change.Glad well calls them connectors, maven and salesmen.CONNECTORS: are people who have a large number of social connections.They are individuals in organizations who seem to know everyone.They are well networked individuals who have contacts with peoples from a variety of background.Large number of acquaintances not necessarily their close friends such as weak ties friendly yet casual social connections.Connectors yield enormous influence because of their contacts this makes them crucial in change management.If connectors are convinced about change effort and are enthusiastic about it, they will spread message of change to all their contacts.

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An organization needs to identify its connectors to have a support for change.MAVENS: Second form of personality type, maven means one who accumulates knowledge.Mavens are human equivalents of data bases and data banks, they are astounding sources of information.The social skill that mavens possess is they want to help others because they like helping others.They are an effective source of influence and power.Support of mavens are crucial in organizational change management.SALESMEN:Third form of personality type.They are good at persuading others to do things that they would not do on their own.A salesman can convince an employee about the need for change and convert the employee into an enthusiastic supporter of change.Managers in charge of change need to identify people who have the attributes of salesmen warmth, empathy, energy and positive emotions.An organization identifying the connectors, mavens and salesmen among its employees provides a chance that the message of change will spread much more effectively in organizations.*MOBILISING SUPPORT

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The Concept of Critical Mass:An important factor in mobilizing support for change.Critical mass is referred to as the support and commitment of proportion of employees to a change program me.The concept of critical mass in the change management literature is drawn from nuclear science, defined as: minimum amount of fuel needed in the core of a nuclear reactor in order to start a self sustaining chain reaction.Experience of change management practitioners suggest, that an organization needs a support of at least 30 to 40 percent of employees before launching a major transformational change.*MOBILISING SUPPORT

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To mobilize support in an organization is to communicate the need for change to employees.Inform employees and other relevant stakeholders about expected changes.An effective communication strategy takes into account four critical elements of communication:1. the audience2. purpose of communication3. credibility of the communicator4. the context of communication The Audience:In structuring effective communication the nature of audience involvement is an important factor.It refers to the level of interest in and concern about the specific issue being communicated.Highly involved audiences are directly affected by the issues being communicated.

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Less involved audiences are easy to persuade, the changes in their mindsets are likely to be short term.Highly involved audiences are more difficult to persuade but changes in their mindsets lasts longer.Highly involved audiences are also likely to move less far from their initial mindsets compared to less involved audiences.An audience biased to the content of communication may hold a strong opinion about change.Audience favorable towards change are positively biased.Audience holding no opinion about change are neutral.Audience opposed towards change are negatively biased.Persuading negatively biased audience, we use two sided arguments.Two sided argument considers both the pros and cons of change.Credibility of Communicator:Affect the success or failure of communication efforts.There are five possible sources of credibility:Status of a communicator inside the organization.Good will enjoyed by the communicator.*MOBILISING SUPPORT

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3. Perceived expertise of communicator4. Perceived image of the communicator.5. Morality and fairness of the communicator.A manager can erode his or her credibility if manager demonstrate lack of expertise or fairness in his/ her communication.If the issue of change is less important to your audience, the managers credibility will matter most in influencing their mindsets.Context of Communication:Context is an other important element for deciding on the choice of communication.For example when the mood is hostile there is a need to quickly assess what would bring the heat down in the given situation and then communicate appropriately, that is to improve the communication skills of people.*MOBILISING SUPPORT

MOBILISING SUPPORT

Robert Cialdini, an internationally well known social psychologist, has done extensive research on the science of persuasion over the last 30 years.His books, Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion and Influence: Science and Practice are perhaps the most cited in the field of influence and persuasion.Robert Cialdini lists six principles of Persuasion:1. Liking, 2. Reciprocity,3. Social Proof, 4. Consistency, 5. Authority and 6. Scarcity.Liking: the first principle of liking asserts that we tend to like people who are similar to us.Tend to like people who like us or praise us.Influenced by people who are similar to us, familiar to us, like us or praise us.Communication consultants offer three pieces of useful advice to organizations planning to introduce change:Communicates only facts, not values.Communicate face to face and not through videos, publications or large meetings.

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3. Target front line supervisors.Change management implication is use first level supervisors and employees to communicate change to other employees; be appreciative of employees and their past efforts.2. Reciprocity: second principle, it leads people to repay in kind what they receive.Universal human tendency to treat people the way one gets treated.If you expect people to help you, help them first.Implications for Change Management: the best way to mobilize support is through generosity and benevolence towards employees in normal times.Employees trust managers perceived as benevolent.Organizations perceived to be miserly or mean spirited get little support for initiating change.3. Social Proof: third principle, asserts that individuals rely on people around them for cues on how to think, feel and act.in simple words, our friends, neighbors, colleagues and people around us have the most influence on us.People are influenced by others who are similar to them.

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Implications for managing change:Arrange visits to other organizations that have implemented similar change effortsBuild a critical mass of change supporters and influence others through critical mass.For example Tata Chemicals arranges employee visits to progressive firms to pick up the best practices.Invite Technical personnel from other companies who have carried out interesting innovations to make presentations about their experiences to group of employees to convince them.4. Consistency: refers to the need for consistency in human beings between their commitments and actions.People feel compelled to fulfill voluntary, public and written commitments.Implications for managing change:Enlist employee support in a public forum by asking people to indicate their commitment openly (do not coerce or pressurize them to commit)5. Authority: claims that we are more likely to be influenced by individuals who are perceived as experts.

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MOBILISING SUPPORT

For example the reason why the news media often get acknowledged experts to present their opinions on a topic.Implications for managing change: Employees are likely to be influenced by manager who is perceived to be competent in his/her job.Develop technical and professional competence in your job so that others around you see you as being competent.6. Scarcity: this means when things are available less readily, they become more valuable.This makes us want more of what we can have less of.People tend to value things that are relatively in short supply.The implications is that we are more influenced by our expected losses than our expected gains.Managers are encouraged to communicate how the change would make things better for the employees and the organization.Identify employees the opportunities they are likely to miss if the organization does not undergo change.Cialdini principles are observed mental models that most individuals employ in day to day situations.

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Influencing or persuading to support change fail, as perceived loss for managers of (such as status, power, authority or prestige).

Situation like these involve bargaining (negotiation).

There are some of the principles and tactics of negotiation based on the program on negotiation at Harvard Law school.

Getting ones support by offering something in return.

The Harvard project on negotiation framework suggests that managers prepare themselves for negotiation by answering seven questions.

Managers need to ask themselves the following seven question:

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1. What will you do if you cant reach an agreement?Negotiation researchers calls this your BATNA (Best Alternative to a Negotiated Agreement).Organizational change still be implemented?Preferred course if unable to secure commitment from managers?Maximum that is offered to this manager (resources, promise of future support, staff, equipment and so on) in return for his/her commitment to change?

2. Who are the real parties in the negotiation?Does the party have the authority and power to commit resources to change?Does he or she requires approval of the manager above?

3. What are the interest and priorities of the parties involved?What are your goals?What are the interest and goals of the other party?*MOBILISING SUPPORT

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4. How can negotiation create value for both parties?It is a difficult process because both parties usually want to capture the maximum value from a negotiation.

5. What are the road blocks to potential agreement and how they can be eliminated?There are behavioral, psychological and interpersonal barriers to agreement.Behavioral barriers: inappropriate negotiation strategies by both parties.Interpersonal barriers: include lack of trust and communication difficulties.Psychological barriers: emotional level rising during negotiations leading to defensiveness and hostility.Organizational barriers includes question from higher up in the organization on your deal or agreement.*MOBILISING SUPPORT

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6. How much power and influence does each party have over the negotiation process and its outcomes?Can you negotiate directly with other parties boss?Can you set deadlines for agreement?Another way to exert power is by making credible threats?Can you convey other party that not supporting change may diminish their interests?

7. What is the right thing to do in the negotiation?Need to be both practical and ethical.Ethical aspects involve honesty, equity, force, impact on others and conflict of interest.It helps to redefine values and principles.*MOBILISING SUPPORT

MOBILISING SUPPORT

Major Impediments to Change:1. People believing that change effort is yet another fad:Perceived different change programmes as fad as associating them with previously failed initiatives.2. People who believe that change agents are not credible or trustworthy.Change manager is credible, the idea is convincing.Change managers perceived as untrustworthy, people reject the change idea.3. People who have difficulty unlearning old ideas and approaches.Faced with uncertainty and ambiguity leads employees to persist with their existing methods and approaches.4. People who have difficulty learning new patterns of behavior.Fear of failure and believing that change would make little difference, may refuse to invest in learning new methods and approaches.MOBILISING SUPPORT*

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5. People who feel that change threatens their identity.It generates resistance to change.MOBILISING SUPPORT*

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1. Develop clarity about the target audience.

2. Getting people involved.

3. Crafting the message.

4. Timing the campaign.

5. Sustaining the momentum.

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