Organizational Behavior and Kotter’s Themes

The concepts outlined in the organizational behavior and management resonates with the eight principles of change management addressed by Kotter. Much of what is inherent in Kotter’s stage process of change management is in equal measure reiterated by Ivancevich and his co coauthors in their book Organizational Behavior and Management. Kotter postulates a model for leading and implementing change with each stage reflecting a key principle that relates to the responses of people as well as the approach of change in which people visualize change, own change and then effect change.

Similarly, the organizational behavior reflects the interplay with Kotter’s eight principles to accomplish the achievement of goals that are significant in the good balance in the organizational research as well as practice. With regard to this, changing business policies while at the same time stimulating business growth and the productivity index of the workers is the centralized themes of organizational behavior and management and captures the critical spirit of what kotter advocates for. Kotter articulates what is in the organizational behavior and management because he builds on the widespread experience of working with organizations.

This paper seeks to explore how the concepts of organizational behavior and management are consistent with Kotter’s principles. Constructing a Sense of Urgency Within the principle of implementing change in the organization, workers and all key players in the organization are obliged to develop a sense of urgency in their organizations. In light of this, Kotter asserts that the level of complacency among members of staff as well as the entire managerial team must evidently be low in a bid to address the sense of urgency (Kotter, 1996).

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However, towards inducing a stronger sense of urgency, Kotter maintains that major changes must occurs within the context of speed so that the organization remains competitive. This concept resonates with the views of what is captured in organization behavior and management such that, it should be clearly implicated in the facet of introducing to members of an organization the necessity for change so that their input in the subunits of the business may help the organization stay abreast of the changes that are effected in the organization and thus maintain competitiveness (Ivancevich, Konopaske and Matteson, 2007).

For change to be effected, an established sense of urgency will position the organization around the necessity for change which may make it possible for the organization to spark the much needed initial motivation to get the workers move things forward (Ivancevich, Konopaske and Matteson, 2007). In light of this, open dialogue about the nature of the marketplace may facilitate a change process which urgency can build and nurture (Kotter, 1996).

Towards this, the organization can identify the possible threats and adopt mechanisms that would map the future outlook of the organization, point out opportunities that should be exploited and empower all stakeholders into understanding what is needed for the organization to move. Formation of Powerful Coalition Research shows that towards convincing people that the identified change is necessary; an organization may factor in the question of coalition through teamwork.

It is imperative to note that although this takes a fortified leadership and the support of everybody on ground, managing change will be directed by the effort of the organization to lead it (Kotter, 1996). In view of this, it is plausible to understand that a coalition block may be formed in a bid to initiate and lead change. For instance, Kotter underscores that this can be realized when the management brings together a team of all those people who are influential in the organization and use them to lead change.

It is arguable that the selected team draws its power form their political influence, expertise and status therefore uses this endowment to build a momentum around the need for change. Ivancevich, Konopaske and Matteson (2007) mirror these views by holding on to the concept that the use of team work in the organization forcefully follows the structured schema of identifying true leaders within the organizational structure, facilitating the emotional commitment of such leaders and evaluating the progress of the teams by using a mix of people from different levels and departments in the organization.

The efficiency of the coalition leads to improved performance for both short term and long-term goals. The Power of Vision should be Created Kotter and Ivancevich, Konopaske and Matteson advocate for the importance of developing a vision for change. On this note, it becomes futile if the organization has charismatic leaders and still do not have a vision. Ivancevich, Konopaske and Matteson (2007) postulate that vision is enshrined in the focused leaders and therefore plays an important role in effecting change because it helps in the alignment, direction as well as inspiring every useful action in the course of change.

Similarly, Kotter notes that a clear achievable and specific vision offers the organization a focus in overcoming challenges during the whole process of change (Kotter, 1996). In light of this, a change process without vision is analogous to a vehicle without headlight. According to Ivancevich, Konopaske and Matteson (2007), a clear vision helps to make everyone understand what is inherent in the change process and therefore, the workers see for themselves what is needed in terms of effecting change and get committed to the change.

Towards getting a vision that will be supported by almost everybody in the organization, it is important to determine values that are in line with the change, develop a phrase that captures what you see the organization in the future and formulate a strategy that will facilitate the execution of the vision. Communicating the Vision The existence of the vision itself is not a guarantee for the success of the change process. What determines success is how the message of the vision was passed on to the employees.

Kotter points out that frequent communication of the vision accounts for how the employees will support it. Accordingly, Ivancevich, Konopaske and Matteson connect these sentiments by highlighting that the organization behavior that can yield an effective management is rooted in how the vision is used to solve problems as well as make decisions that affect the running of the organization. Significantly, communicating the vision should be in the paradigm of psychological reinforcement where employees who follow the vision are rewards to encourage the commitment of all in working towards the vision.

It is clear that without coherent and concise communication, the minds as well as the hearts of employees get far away from the change process. Communication should therefore be effected through openly demonstrating the kind of behavior that you need form others, address their concerns as well as anxieties, applying the vision in almost all operation of the organization and unquestionably leading by the example (Ivancevich, Konopaske and Matteson, 2007). Recognize and Remove Obstacles that may impede the Change process

Obstacles take many sizes and shapes. Such challenges can be organizational structures or worker’s performance. No matter the obstacle, kotter captures the sentiments of Ivancevich, Konopaske and Matteson in their book by explaining that change managers should identify these barriers wherever and whenever they occur. In the organizational behavior and management, Kotter (1996) explores that leading a change process building a process that is multidimensional and is approached from all levels of the organizations.

Barriers to change process should be located from the facet of anyone trying to resist change and putting in place the structural component of change. Accordingly, Ivancevich, Konopaske and Matteson (2007) note that removing obstacles may involve working on the behavioral aspect of workers. For example, empowering the workers to get more dedicated in executing the vision works as a [pointer towards removing and fixing the barriers to change process.

It is evident that organizational behavior and management captures the principle of barriers by recommending structural examination which can be followed through hiring the change managers who will be charged with the sole role of facilitating change, understanding the organizational structure through training and performance, using motivation to reward employers who are committed to change process and identifying all those people who are against change. Without identifying and fixing obstacles, the whole management undermines change.

Creating Short Term Success Stories Organizational management should work on the premise that change takes a long time to be effected. On this basis working towards a change process without shot terms wins may lead to workers getting demotivated and thereby resist the whole concept of change. Organizational behavior draws from this principle by arguing that nothing is so motivating than success itself and a company which tastes early success in the line of change process is bound to achieve better (Ivancevich, Konopaske and Matteson, 2007).

Towards this, short term targets can be created , achieve short terms wins and reward employees. This arguably provides a momentum for the efficiency in change management. Motivation in this scenario may involve promotion, recognition, incentives and many others. Build on Change Kotter underscores that may change process fail because victory is declared too soon. It is worth noting that real change goes deep into the organizational culture.

Accordingly, Ivancevich, Konopaske and Matteson (2007) further contend that for change to be effective, the culture of the organization has to be dealt with to bring in the concept of new way of carrying out business. Launching projects and evaluating their performance need to be done in consistency with improvements being done after every attempt. In view of this, Kotter (1996) assert that short time success should provide the ground upon which an organization grows. Each victory of this nature gives the entire organization an opportunity to build on what is working for the organization and where improvement can be channeled.

Within this precinct, it is imperative that organizational management should employees a concise analysis in every win situation and set goals that would facilitate the growth of the change process through the concept of continuous improvement. Enshrine the Change in the Organization’s Culture A recent survey shows that culture portends a powerful force that leads in shaping the behavior and attitude of employees as regards their performance index (Ivancevich, Konopaske and Matteson, 2007). This articulates Kotter’s view of change process because it lays the pedestal for future managements to mirror the newer approach of change.

In this view, Kotter argue of making the change stick such that it becomes part of the organization. This determines what should always be done. Accordingly, making continuous effort to support the change helps to position he change in the culture of the organization. The major interplay between Kotter and authors of the organizational behavior lies in the concept of the change leader to understand the underlying factor between organizational culture, behavior of the workers and the success of the organization.

The challenge that may face this is the way to get people to customize their behaviors to suit the change process. However, this can be ironed out through clear strategies because, people behavior change due to the element of motivation and what happens when their feelings are touched in the right way. Conclusion From the forgoing discussion, it is evident that hard work, strategy and motivation are the key element to a successful change process.

This is inherent in what is called carefully schema towards building the change process, implementing change through people’s behaviors and motivation and providing the impetus for change thorough short term success stories. In regard to this, Both Kotter and Ivancevich, Konopaske and Matteson, articulate a simple but successful plan that guides change managers through the change process. Developing a sense of urgency, recruiting change leaders who are charismatic and powerful, creating a vision and strategy, effectively selling the bison to the employees are all powerful tools towards success.

In addition establishing quick wins, take part in enshrining change process into the organizational culture thereby providing a chance for the success in the competiveness in the organization. All this should be addressed using the law of effect and reinforcement to foster the spirit of change through motivation in the organization. Reference Ivancevich, J, Konopaske, R and Matteson, M (2007). Organizational Behavior and Management. New York: McGraw-Hill Kotter, J (1996). Leading Change. Harvard: Harvard Business Press

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