Transformational
Strategies
Good management does not
mean trying harder by using old methods but by developing strategies. Leaders play
a major role in organizational performance, not just as the leading but as the
starting point of all the changing process. Transformation in an organizational
level requires change and redesign to total structure and managerial processes,
including norms and corporate cultures. (Brown, 2011).
A corporate culture can
be its major strength when consistent with its strategies. Cultural change
efforts include activities designed to improve the skills/ ability and
motivation of organization members in personal, social and structural aspects (Brown,
2011). An example of how to implement cultural change through effective strategy
and actions is given by Vital Smarts (2012) when covering the change process of
a Texas Furniture Company using the Influencer Training Program, which is a
leadership course that teaches proven strategies to drive high-leverage, rapid,
and sustainable behavior change for teams and organizations (Vital Smarts,
2019). Changing drastically was the only alternative the leader had in
hand, in order to try to save the company from a probable bankruptcy. Analyzing
the Strategy Culture Matrix by Brown (2011, p. 407) along with the Gallery
Furniture illustration, I could comprehend that in the initial stage, the organization
was in quadrant 3 where they had a low compatibility of change with existing
culture, however high need for strategic change, therefore requiring a
management around the culture. At a later state, when change was implemented
and results were reflecting its effectiveness, they stationed in quadrant 2,
with a high compatibility of change/management with existing culture, however low
need for strategic change/management. Based on the results shown by Vital
Smarts, Gallery Furniture at a later stage only needed to reinforce the culture
daily, not letting complacency blind their potential or fade their efforts.
Change is not a subject
limited to the corporative environment. In military leaders also face inevitable
change, not only related to technical strategies in the war field, but also culturally
speaking. McChrystal (2011) relates the subject matter with the September 11th,
2001 incident and how it impacted not only the nation in individual
levels, but also presented a leadership challenge that would impact the military
approach. Similar to the current reality in corporations, the things that were obvious and
familiar before, are not anymore. The environment changed, the speed, the
scrutiny, the sensitivity of everything now is so fast, sometimes it
evolves faster than people have time to really reflect on it. Everything
is in a different context (McChrystal, 2011). The increase of virtual
teams is forcing complex decisions to be made by distance, leaders to communicate
remotely and followers to support all initiatives and decisions made by leaders
without looking into their eyes. Built and rebuild trust and confidence became
more necessary than ever after September 11th, so did happen with
corporations after the Information Technology boom. McCarthy also touches base on diversity of followers (background, generation,
gender) and the inversion of expertise. In the “new leadership culture” a leader
needs to stay credible and legitimate, more transparent and a lot
more willing to listen, and to be reverse mentored from lower.
Corporations and military that are adapting to the changes forced by the contemporary
world, creating a culture of inclusiveness, collaboration and transparency are
the ones striving. We often witness several large and “powerful” organizations
that are shutting doors or are being forced to merge because of the inability
to adapt. The above illustrations along with Brown (2011)
textbook, in my opinion, imply that after a drastic and complete change an
organization/leader needs to keep the situational awareness high and
reinforces/maintain the living culture inside the organization in order to
achieve a long-lasting transformation.
References
McChrystal, S. (2011,
March). Listen, learn then lead. Retrieved from https://www.ted.com/talks/stanley_mcchrystal
Vital Smarts. (2012, September
16). Influencer
| Gallery Furniture Video Case Study. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1&v=E20RW75Fhu4
Vital Smarts. (n.d.).
Lead with influence. Retrieved from https://www.vitalsmarts.com/influencer-training/, on September
29, 2019.
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