Facilitating organizational change involves destabilizing the status quo by articulating a compelling vision whilst emphasizing change is essential for growth and success. Organizational change is a modification of actions and rationality through a complex learning process, which results in individuals within the organization altering the way they do things (Quattrone & Hopper, 2001). In my opinion, implementing a change in the workplace requires respectful communication and empowerment. According to Appelbaum et al. (2010) empowerment is “the freedom that people believe they have for decision-making authority.” Higher levels of empowerment and job satisfaction are linked to better job performance (George & Jones, 2008). Consequently, I aim to navigate organizational change by balancing people-oriented and task-oriented behaviours. The literature refers to this blend as the “initiating structure and showing consideration model” (Battliana et al., 2010). The competencies, skills, knowledge, and attitudes that impact me as a change agent will be described and categorized according to the three prominent change agent types that best reflect me. Firstly, I will examine myself as a “People-Change-Technology Type”, which focuses on employee motivation and morale (Lunenburg, 2010). Then I will reflect on my ability to improve efficiency and output, known as the “Analysis-for-the-Top Type” (Lunenburg, 2010). Lastly, I will consider how I’m an “Organization-Development Type”, which concerns internal processes such as communication and decision-making (Lunenburg, 2010).
People-Change-Technology Type
My interpersonal relationships are greatly impacted by my desire to learn from others and have new experiences. I love to travel and be exposed to different cultures because I’m very adventurous and open-minded. This openness has been beneficial to me as a change agent because it means I’m able to hear other points of view; moreover, Lunenburg (2010) claims that openness is a characteristic that improves a change agent’s ability to respond with empathy. In the same way that I’m fascinated by art because it encourages me to think in abstract and complex ways, I’m enthralled by conversations during organizational change because I must consider different perspectives. A People-Change-Technology Type of change agent believes goal setting, behaviour modification, and job enrichment are necessary at the individual level in order to change the organization (Lunenburg, 2010). Fortunately, my efforts to improve team morale have been observed by someone I respect named Cathy Wu, the Chief Steward at Vancouver General Hospital and an Occupational Therapist. She described me as “objective and fair because choices are based on good reasoning without personal bias.” I strive to be an altruistic leader; altruism creates a sense of harmony within a group (Ciulla, 2004). Cathy emphasized my intelligence and organization skills make me an effective communicator because I express my ideas logically and in a sequential manner. I take pride in my ability to exchange ideas whilst promoting inclusivity since it helps eliminate some of the negative emotions associated with workplace change.
Analysis-for-the-Top Type
A lack of control or feeling that a change is unjustly imposed upon me is a barrier for me to gracefully navigate change. For example, I struggled when my brother, Matthew, had an unexpected traumatic brain injury. This experience taught me that it is possible to make progress by solving smaller problems to reach the ultimate goal, rather than being overwhelmed by the journey. The way that I helped my brother involved establishing stability and security by being a practical caretaker he could trust. According to Tucker et al. (2012), trusting relationships are enhanced by open communication that reduces uncertainty. Being a trustworthy leader that gives clear directions during stressful times is a skill that has been advantageous in the workplace as well. My propensity to provide rationale and follow-up during organizational change was endorsed by my colleague named Peter Van Rienen. Peter is a Neurophysiology Technologist, and he’s a Commanding Officer for the Canadian Military. He highlighted that my competency in finding trends and underlying themes in information as a Neurophysiology Technologist interpreting an electroencephalograph is a transferrable skill for communicating with others. According to Peter, one of my strengths is collecting large amounts of information and presenting it in a comprehensible, concise manner. I consider myself to be an analytical thinker that uses innovation to develop positive change. According to Metcalf & Moreli (2015) an innovative leader is someone that connects vision and strategic thinking. An Analysis-for-the-Top change agent uses an analytical approach to systems design and policy development (Lunenburg, 2010). I believe my leadership behaviour fits into this category because I appreciate operations research and feedback to guide decisions and shape organizational structure.
Organization-Development Type
Creating organizational change requires political skill. Clarke et al. (2021) describe political skill as the ability to effectively understand others and influence them in order to achieve a personal or organizational objective. I believe that my experience as the Assistant Chief Steward for the Health Sciences Association has helped me understand the multiple agendas and interests that impact that workplace. I can observe the political dynamics within departments and identify sources of power. This knowledge is helpful because it gives me contextual awareness in order to understand underlying motivations; being politically savvy has positive impacts on negotiations, persuasion, and influence (Smaltz et al., 2006). I discussed my political skills and attitude towards change with my manager, Philip Sweeney. He described me as an influential person amongst my peers that is capable of promoting change if I firmly believe it is worth pursuing. Burnes (2004) explains that apprehension towards adopting change occurs when a person does not see the change as necessary or valuable. Philip’s observation of me is that I genuinely care about the effects of change on others and I’m not afraid to have a healthy debate or ask questions that are pertinent to the group. This feedback is in keeping with an Organization-Development-Type change agent because of the cultural approach to decision making with a focus on group relations (Lunenburg, 2010). Overall, Philip believes I demonstrate a passionate “can do attitude.” My optimism and team building skills are assets to me as a leader and are useful to me as an Organization-Development Type change agent.
Conclusion
Thinking about the type of change agent I am and seeking feedback from people I admire was an interesting exercise. It gave me a deeper understanding of my motivational system and what I believe is a driving force. As a conscientious, intelligent, and empathetic person, I feel capable of transformative change. Going forward, I will continue to facilitate organizational change by further developing myself as a tribrid between the People-Change-Technology Type, Analysis-for-the-Top Type, and Organization-Development Type of change agent.
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