Module 1: Managing Organization Change
Brittany Harris
MGT 351- Organizational Innovation and Change Colorado State University – Global Campus Dr. Jacqueline Gilliard
July 17, 2016
In order to keep up with the fast paced world, organizations and individuals need to be able to effectively adapt to change (Ng Choi, & Rashad 2015). Change is constant, and must be managed in a way that will ensure the benefits of change are achieved. Most people resist change because of uncertainty and loss of control, but there are many beneficial lesson that can be learned by individuals and organizations through life’s uncertainty.
My change involves me transitioning from a full-time fashion stylist to an elementary teacher. In 2013, I transferred out of my communications degree program in Washington, D.C., and moved to Los Angeles to pursue a career in fashion. This particular change was difficult because it required me to leave all my family and friends, and move to a place where I didn't know anyone. For the next two years, I worked as a stylist and a costume designer. I graduated with a degree in apparel management, and found great success in the industry. In 2015, I began feeling dissatisfied with my work in the entertainment industry. I've always felt like I was put on earth to make a positive impact and change the lives of other people. My work as a stylist did not fulfill this life mission. Often times, I felt like my work was vain and didn't contribute anything meaningful to the world. This is when I decided to pursue a career in education. Becoming a teacher was the best decision I could have made. I leave work everyday knowing that I am changing lives. I find so much happiness in seeing my students progress. Their growth motivates me to come to work everyday, and find ways I can improve my abilities as an instructor. One of the change lessons I observed was from the Kodak Change Story: " Change involves risk and uncertainty". During moments of change, unpredictability and uncertainty is high, and control is weak and confused (Berke,Colding, & Folke,2003). Dealing with uncertainty has been a prominent factor in my life for the past three …show more content…
Risk and uncertainty is a part of everyday life; people must be willing to embrace ambiguity in order to move through life with freedom and confidence (Herrmann, & Nadkarni, 2014). Openness to experiences promotes risk taking and a strong inclination to change (McCrae and Costa, 1997). Through the change lessons offered in Module 1, I have been able to identify how my personal experiences have shaped my outlook on change, and my future decisions.
References
Ng Choi, T., & Rashad, Y. (2015). Managing Organizational Change and Resistance from an Individualist vs. Collectivist Perspective. International Journal Of Management, Accounting & Economics, 2(9), 1065-1074.
Berkes, F., Colding, J., & Folke, C. (2003). Navigating social-ecological systems: Building resilience for complexity and change. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Palmer, I., Dunford, R., & Akin, G. (2009). Managing organizational change: A multiple perspectives approach (2nd ed.). Boston, MA: McGraw Hill. ISBN-13: 9780073404998
Herrmann, P., & Nadkarni, S. (2014). Managing strategic change: The duality of CEO personality. Strategic Management Journal, 35(9), 1318-1342. doi:10.1002/smj.2156
McCrae RR, Costa PTJ. 1997. Conceptions and correlates of openness to experience. In Handbook of Personality Psychology, Hogan R, Johnson JA, Briggs SR (eds). Academic Press: San Diego, CA;
In order to keep up with the fast paced world, organizations and individuals need to be able to effectively adapt to change (Ng Choi, & Rashad 2015). Change is constant, and must be managed in a way that will ensure the benefits of change are achieved. Most people resist change because of uncertainty and loss of control, but there are many beneficial lesson that can be learned by individuals and organizations through life’s uncertainty.
My change involves me transitioning from a full-time fashion stylist to an elementary teacher. In 2013, I transferred out of my communications degree program in Washington, D.C., and moved to Los Angeles to pursue a career in fashion. This particular change was difficult because it required me to leave all my family and friends, and move to a place where I didn't know anyone. For the next two years, I worked as a stylist and a costume designer. I graduated with a degree in apparel management, and found great success in the industry. In 2015, I began feeling dissatisfied with my work in the entertainment industry. I've always felt like I was put on earth to make a positive impact and change the lives of other people. My work as a stylist did not fulfill this life mission. Often times, I felt like my work was vain and didn't contribute anything meaningful to the world. This is when I decided to pursue a career in education. Becoming a teacher was the best decision I could have made. I leave work everyday knowing that I am changing lives. I find so much happiness in seeing my students progress. Their growth motivates me to come to work everyday, and find ways I can improve my abilities as an instructor. One of the change lessons I observed was from the Kodak Change Story: " Change involves risk and uncertainty". During moments of change, unpredictability and uncertainty is high, and control is weak and confused (Berke,Colding, & Folke,2003). Dealing with uncertainty has been a prominent factor in my life for the past three …show more content…
Risk and uncertainty is a part of everyday life; people must be willing to embrace ambiguity in order to move through life with freedom and confidence (Herrmann, & Nadkarni, 2014). Openness to experiences promotes risk taking and a strong inclination to change (McCrae and Costa, 1997). Through the change lessons offered in Module 1, I have been able to identify how my personal experiences have shaped my outlook on change, and my future decisions.
References
Ng Choi, T., & Rashad, Y. (2015). Managing Organizational Change and Resistance from an Individualist vs. Collectivist Perspective. International Journal Of Management, Accounting & Economics, 2(9), 1065-1074.
Berkes, F., Colding, J., & Folke, C. (2003). Navigating social-ecological systems: Building resilience for complexity and change. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Palmer, I., Dunford, R., & Akin, G. (2009). Managing organizational change: A multiple perspectives approach (2nd ed.). Boston, MA: McGraw Hill. ISBN-13: 9780073404998
Herrmann, P., & Nadkarni, S. (2014). Managing strategic change: The duality of CEO personality. Strategic Management Journal, 35(9), 1318-1342. doi:10.1002/smj.2156
McCrae RR, Costa PTJ. 1997. Conceptions and correlates of openness to experience. In Handbook of Personality Psychology, Hogan R, Johnson JA, Briggs SR (eds). Academic Press: San Diego, CA;