Roles of Managers and Individuals in the Change Process

Roles of Managers and Individuals in the Change Process

Tina Pchelka

MGT 426

June 11, 2014

Michael Hilley

Roles of Managers and Individuals in the Change Process

        Change is inevitable.  All organizations in some way change.  This is due to many different factors, such as, competition from other companies, market changes, economy changes, and government regulations.  When a change occurs, there will be a certain level of uneasiness and fear among the individual employees.  It is up to the mangers and leaders of the organization to act as change agents to help the organization change itself by focusing on issues, such as, improvement development, and effectiveness of the organization.  The leadership in a change process is important because they will direct the changes and communicate all aspects during this period.  Important manager roles in the change process include top executives, intermediate and senior level managers.  The role of top executives is to actively participate, and be visible during the change process, manage resistances, build strong leaders and communicate with employees. It is important for employees to see and hear a strong commitment from the leaders and managers about the change.  The success or failure of a change project lies in the leadership of the organization.  The intermediate manager role is to advocate, coach, communicate, and manage resistance.  The employees want to hear directly from their managers exactly how the change will affect them and why the change is needed. They help employees transition through the change and help them deal with their resistance to it.  The role of individual employees is important.  It requires them to carry out the daily workflow, accept the change, use change solution, and be in control of their personal transitions.   The value and success of the change is determined partly by the individual employee based upon feedback of change management and how quickly they adapt and become proficient in the change.  

        The change process requires a change agent.  Change agents are known as groups or individuals that take on the task of start the change and seeing it through. Change agents are classified into two groups: internal (managers or other employees that are responsible for the oversight of the change) and external (consulting firm).  Both have similar roles, but their origin determines their title.  They provide the organization with specialized skills, assist the training and problem solving procedures, and conduct survey to gather data.  

Internal agents are current employees of an organization that possess special skills in organizational development.  They know the organization’s culture, its issues and employees.  They possess problem solving skills and gather feedback for evaluation.  External agents, on the other hand, are not directly part of the organization. They can provide a fresh and new perspective and challenge the status quo.  They provide new skills or techniques that the organization can benefit from.

        When an organization undergoes a change, there will always be some degree of resistance.  First, managers much understand that not all employees will resist change.  But identifying those employees that will resist is important.  By identifying those employees, the organization can develop a strategy to help the employee overcome it, and change the employee’s actions and thoughts.