Based on assigned readings in Module 5 (“Colorado State University,” 2012), this journal entry reviews the author’s strategies as a change management consultant for building and improving relationships in client organizations. The discussion then considers the effectiveness of these strategies relative to the author’s workplace environment including the author’s approach for mitigating relationship issues in the event the strategies prove ineffective. Strategies for Building and Improving Relationships The effectiveness of a political navigator depends on strong interpersonal relationships built through competent communication and respectful action (Cialdini, 2001; Gilley, 2006; Lewicki, Barry, & Saunders, 2006). As Cummings and Worley (2009) observe, “Establishing a healthy relationship at the onset makes it more likely that the client’s desired outcomes will be achieved . . .” (p. 81). Therefore, as a consultant, the author predominantly relies on two sets of sequentially reinforcing strategies for initiating and creating synergistic client relationships. Strategies for Initiating Client Engagement The first set comprises four “initiating” strategies for influencing positive client engagement: displaying an engaging personality, identifying with clients, developing mutual interests, and practicing reciprocity. Displaying an engaging friendly personality – a prerequisite for building relationships (Cialdini, 2001; Gilley, 2006) – creates initial positive perceptions and helps establish personal rapport. Identifying with clients on their level (Gilley, 2006) by altering personal communication style, language, dress, and behaviors to match with their cultural norms, reinforces perceptions of the author’s willingness to ackn... ... middle of paper ... ...anizations (pp. 2-4). Greenwood Village, CO: Author Cummings, T., & Worley, C. (2009). Organizational development & change (9th ed.). Mason, OH: South-Western Cengage Learning. Gilley, J. (2006). The manager as politician. Westport, CT: Praeger Publishers. Kouzes J., & Posner, B. (2007). The leadership challenge (4th ed.). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Lewicki, J. R., Barry, B., & Saunders, M. D. (2006). Negotiation: Readings, Exercises and Cases (5th ed.). New York: McGraw Hill. Schein, E. (2004). Organizational culture and leadership (3rd ed.). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Senge, P. (2006). The fifth discipline: The art & practice of the learning organization (revised ed.). New York: Random House. Vecchio, R. (Ed.). (2007). Leadership: Understanding the dynamics of power and influence in organizations (2nd ed.). Notre Dame, IN: University of Notre Dame Press.
Palmer, I., Dunford, R., & Akin, G. (2009). Managing organizational change: A multiple perspectives approach (2nd Ed.). Boston, MA: McGraw Hill.
Fisher, Roger, William Ury, and Bruce Patton. Getting to yes: negotiating agreement without giving in. 2nd ed. New York, N.Y.: Penguin Books, 1991. Print.
Senge, P. M. (1990). The leader's new work: Building learning organizations. Sloan Management Review, 32(1), 7-22. doi: 812347
Gardner, J. (1990). The Nature and Tasks of Leadership. In J. T. McMahon (Ed.), Leadership Classics (pp. 171-175). Long Grove, IL: Waveland Press.
Being in synchrony and mutual-relation with an individual can often bring up, “commonalities of visions, goals, sentiments or characteristics as well as [to] recognize and acknowledge differences (Doane & Varcoe, 2005, pg. 194). It is known to both of us that we have a mutual bond between families, sharing the same characteristics and beliefs. Therefore, it was easier for me to join BP throughout his experience and have a greater understanding of what was meaningful and significant to him. Although, I did not predict that I would have this particular conversation with BP, I was aware that he enjoyed sharing about his life, which made it easier to sustain synchrony throughout the conversation. This would be a much more challenging skill to attain with a client whom you are not familiar
Aside from writing The Fifth Discipline: The Art and Practice of The Learning Organization (1990), Peter Senge has also co-authored a number of other books linked to the themes first developed in The Fifth Discipline. These include The Fifth Discipline Fieldbook: Strategies and Tools for Building a Learning Organization (1994); The Dance of Change: The Challenges to Sustaining Momentum in Learning Organizations (1999) and his latest Schools That Learn in the year 2000 (Smith, 2001).
Palmer, I., Dunford, R., & Akin, G. (2009). Managing organizational change: A multiple perspectives approach (2nd ed.). Boston, MA: McGraw Hill.
Senge, P. M. (2006). The fifth discipline: The art and Practice of the learning organization (1st ed., Rev.). New York, NY: Doubleday.
Organizational changes have a potential failure rate of 70%, although this rate has been consistent for many decades there are many organizational changes that are successfully strategized and implemented (Maurer, 2010). An organizational change is when an organization goes through a renovation of altering business strategies (Organization change) to strengthen and expand their services to meet a demand of the economy (Ackerman, 1997). According to the chapter on Development, Transition, or Transformation: The Question of Change in Organization by Linda Ackerman in the book Organization Development Classics: The Practice and Theory of Change, there are three types of collective changes that are among organizations these changes are developmental change, transitional change, and transformational change (1997). In this paper I will further discuss the changes in details and will counteract the changes discussed by Ackerman through other approaches or reasoning for the changes.
Lewicki, R., Saunders, D.M., Barry B., (2010) Negotiation: Readings, Exercises, and Cases. 6th Ed. McGraw-Hill Irwin. New York, NY
Organizations large and small undergo change almost on a constant basis. It has been said that the only constant is change. Organizations must change in order to survive in today's global marketplace. Organizations from the smallest of mom and pop businesses to the largest multinational corporations must utilize change management principles. Change management theories are part of the process of change management in business. There are different change management theories that have been developed over the years.
Senge, P.M. (1990). The Fifth Discipline: the Art and Practice of the Learning Organization. New York: Doubleday.
The leader focuses on the political dynamics in organizations and examines how leaders in organizations can understand power and conflict, build coalitions, hone political skills, and deal with internal and external politics (Bolman & Deal, 1984).
Thompson, L. L. (2005). The mind and heart of the negotiator (3rd ed.). Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Pearson/Prentice Hall.
As a client the role in which I played stemmed from my family of origin. Growing up, a lot of the men in my culture were very controlling and fought over issues of jealousy. Also, these issues stem from lack of trust which was also present in the women in my family. The men were very machistas and had more than one partner, thus this was one of the main topics of the