Principles of Managing Change, Essay Example

There are many principles of managing change that are intensely discussed in modern literature; the reason for this is the extreme importance of implementing a successful change in organizations that has been recognized only recently. However, there are several principles that stand out from the list due to their efficiency and universality. They should be discussed further in detail to understand the ways to achieve productive results on the empirical level of management.

The first principle worth discussing is as follows: “Trust is earned by those who demonstrate consistent behavior and clearly defined values” (Twelve Principles for Managing Change, n.d.). This principle seems to be highly important because trust is recognized as a key element for cooperation by many theorists in the sphere of management. Mabey and Mayon-White () admit that ‘team-building’ and trust are essential elements of managing a successful change as they are helpful in resolving investable disputes and inequities. There are various methods and techniques to diagnose problems of trust and morale in a company at the initial stage of implementing change (Mabey & Mayon-White, ).

The second principle says: “The intrinsic rewards of a project are often more important than the material rewards and recognition” (Twelve Principles for Managing Change, n.d.). The effect of intrinsic motivation is much more profound than financial rewards or similar external stimuli. The key to understanding this fact was found in the fact that jobs that provide little intrinsic satisfaction lead directly to poor morale, low motivation and alienation (Burnes, ). For these reasons intrinsic stimuli play a great part in the provision of change from the inside, which is much more productive than pure imposing the change from the top.

Finally, the third principle that possesses utmost importance is the following: “A clearly defined vision of the end result enables all the people to define the most efficient path for accomplishing the results” (Twelve Principles for Managing Change, n.d.). The effect of providing a clear vision of the purpose of change has exceeded all expectations of managers: sense of vision and shared purpose provide the added value of the change (Carnell, ). Visionary managers are clearly the most successful ones, provided that the vision is communicated clearly and finds its feedback in the employees’ attitude to their company.

References

Burnes, B. (2009). Managing Change. (5^th ed.). Pearson Education.

Carnall, A.C. (1991). Managing Change. Routledge.

Mabey, C., & Mayon-White, B. (1992). Managing Change. (2^nd ed.). SAGE.

Twelve Principles for Managing Change (n.d.). Retrieved May 14, 2010, from http://www.lynco.com/12prin.html