Organizational Change: What is Needed to Create Thriving Organizations
June 18, 2012 in All, Change, Leadership, organizational learning, Personal Growth, Personal Transformation, Success, System thinking
I became interested in coaching when I realized that contemporary organizations face a challenge today. The challenge is how to find a new way to solve old problems – the process of creating organizational change. It is interesting for me to discover how thriving organizations are created.
Observing Organizational Change
I began following a few Swedish organizations that were working with local government. They wanted to start new ways of thinking, how to create a receptions system for newly arrived immigrants. These organizations were new to the idea of working in teams to create innovation solutions to proposed problems. They were new to the idea of approach innovation and organizational change.
I quickly learned that the organization representatives lacked certain skills. But, I was not yet sure what those skills were. My role as researcher was to observe, conducts interviews and ask questions. I followed these organizational change projects over a period of 3 years. In the end, I was able to articulate the process of how these organizations were seeking to see change happen.
I noticed a big change occur when an external consultant was brought in for one day to work with members of the steering board.
Initially there was a reluctant attitude that transformed into common visions and common goals through out the day. Immediately I knew this consultant had skills I did not yet have. I was intrigued and curious. I knew I wanted to learn more about these skills she had. So, I began my coaching education. I still remember the “AHA” moment a new consciousness was created. The way to get organizations to thrive is by targeting resources and offering the employees opportunities for personal development.
I wish more organizations understood what is needed in order to create change. Today I teach in Leadership and Organizations and know I learned a lot about these processes over the years. There are many project leaders and other change agents that lack the necessary theoretical information but also the most important thing that I’ve learned during these years was that people seems to learn at the moment when they have had their own experience. This has been a mission for me during my years of teaching at the University, how I can create these experiences for the students.
I’ve decided to begin sharing with you what is needed in order to create organizational change. Over the next several blog posts, we will explore that more. If this sparks your interest, make sure you sign up for my newsletter so you don’t miss this information.
Just this week I read a few paragraphs of a Christian writer’s attempt to show how lost individuals can become when they attempt to live alone in the world, without God (or whichever higher power was available) Many would succumb to the theory of the “Its a jungle out there” excuse to hurt others, or to withhold from them, in order to better enrich themselves. I myself was raised to keep quiet on everything in business, lest some competitor steal and use your ideas. This attitude transferred over into the rest of my life. One of the first noticeable results was that no one would do business with me, because nobody knew what I had in mind. If we can show workers that there is a common goal, and that the higher powers (the bosses) want to know their ideas for the better of the whole company, they will be more willing to share and more work can get done.