Organizational change is a process that can be complex. Change efforts are not easily carried out but can be successful through the use of various resources and tools. As explored within the Interactive Lecture, change often starts with knowing what to change, continues through how to change, and then concludes with when to change.

It is important to remember that the same change processes that guide organizations can also be used in one’s personal life.

For this Critical Thinking Assignment, address the components below:

Think about a major change that you experienced within the past five years. Explain details about this change, specifically focusing on the reason for the change and the importance of the change in your life.

Explain which change model (i.e., Nadler and Tushman’s Congruence Model, Sterman’s Systems Dynamics Model, Quinn’s Competing Values Model, Greiner’s Model of Organizational Growth, or Stacey’s Complexity Theory) most applied to your change experience. Provide details about why you selected this model and why it was the best choice as compared to the other models.

Analyze the steps associated with the model and how these steps were followed during your time of change.

Looking back on the change process and experience, what improvements would you make to ensure enhanced change-related success? Why?

 

Personal Change Tools

Introduction

The concept of change is not only applicable in an organizational setting but also human life. Change is vital for survival but not all people prefer the discomfort associated with leaving their comfort zones. However, failure to undergo would result in stagnation in all aspects of human life and the results are often disastrous. The change process can either be external or internal, and the ability to identify areas of concern for changes is the starting point for a successful change process. Besides, inoculating Greiner's Model of Organizational Growth is instrumental in guiding the change process and promotes positive outcomes.

Change within the Last Five Years

All humans tend to strive to improve the quality of life through various activities. In this case, indulging in personal growth activities such as exercise and acquiring new skills are all driven by a single objective, to improve the quality of life and gain satisfaction. In the last five years, I have experienced a significant internal and external changes process. Over this period I strived to improve my time management skills and improve my productivity. Throughout my adolescent phase, I had developed some habits and felt no impulse to change due to the joy that comes with the comfort zone. My life had been characterized by whining, procrastination, and too much time on social media platforms.

 In addition to the poor time management aspect, I developed the habit of antagonizing others and spending too much time on screen. In short, my life had turned out to be catastrophic, poor social life, lost friends, gained weight, and poor grades in school. However, in the past five years, I embarked on developing effective time management habits and strived to improve my growth both individually and personally. The last five year has been challenging, to say the least, the change process has not been easy and at the time I felt like giving up. However, the internal drive to change was a motivator and gave me the extra push to attain my goals and change my habits or perish.

Reason for the Change

Many reasons triggered the need to change. Firstly, I was driven by the need desire to create a better version of myself. In this case, I envisioned that at some point in my life, I have to focus on things that matter and utilize my capabilities to overcome my shortcomings. Secondly, Shih (2016) noted that poor time management and procrastination was prevalent among adolescent and linked to poor outcomes. The adolescent phase doe not last forever, and so I needed to prepare for the future, I needed to prepare for my career, my life, and that of my family. In this regard, external change was necessary to shape my personality and improve my ability to cope. Some aspect in my external environment was also changing, my age and need kept shifting and staying with my guardians was no longer an option. If I had to make something out of my life, improve my productivity and succeed in life, then change was a necessity.

Thirdly, the change process was necessary to bring happiness to my life. I wanted to overcome the negative aspect associated with procrastination, the stress associated with being alone, and the fear of failure. The change process allowed me to explore new avenues and face challenges boldly.  Lastly, I had the desire to move on from my bad experiences. I have lost a friend due to my habits, I have lost opportunities and develop poor eating habits. I felt bad and depressed and the change process was vital in helping me move on. I desired to do things using a different approach, altering all things that distracted me and focus on personal growth.

 

 

Importance of the Change

The change process has been instrumental in improving the quality of my life. The outcome of the time management activities and focusing personal growth has been positive. Firstly, the change process improves my mental health and physical well-being. In the past, my chronic procrastination was detrimental to my mental health, felt depressed and anxious due to the repercussion associated with failing to complete assigned tasks on time (Hen, 2018). I lost precious time that I could be spent with family and friends and this resulted in isolation from others and increased attachment to social media. Physically, I gained weight due to my poor eating habits and academically, my results were poor and I had to retake some classes and at some point had to be expelled from college. However, since I embarked on the change process, striving to develop positive habits, exercising more, getting out interacting with family members, and prioritizing my task based on priority, my life has taken a new dimension.

In essence, the change process has been important in many ways. I am not only placed to think clearly and focus but also accomplished some milestones. Within the five years, I have managed to complete my online classes, improved my relationship with my family and friend, and limited the time that I spent on social media. This has been an important outcome of the change process since I feel that I am making progress in becoming a better version of myself. I feel satisfied, competitive, and ready to tackle any challenge that comes on my way; the change process has transformed my life drastically.

Change Model

Greiner’s Model of Organizational Growth offered a suitable framework that guided the change process. Greiner’s Model of Organizational Growth describes that every organization goes through a change process that shifts from calm to crisis management (Sukova, 2020). Based on the premise of the model, each phase is influenced by the previous phase. The Greiner model is preferable since it processes the change process as a non-linear process. The model provides a manager with a new perspective on how to deal with the organizational crisis as they grow and focus on the root problems during the growth process.

Steps in the Greiner Model

Creativity Stage

The creativity stage describes the activities undertaken by the manager at the initial stage of the organization. In this case, all activities are handled by the manager and the means of communication are formal due to the limited scope of the organization's operations (Sukova, 2020). During my change process, the creativity aspect was depicted by the measures put in place to effectively manage my time and reduce distraction. However, the problem that resulted was attributed to the lack of motivation and inability to develop effective strategies to prevent my relapse. I did not have leadership attributes such as perseverance and resilience and thus had difficulties sticking to my time management programs. 

Direction Stage

The direction stage tends to solve the crisis developed in the creation stage. In most cases, the lack of leadership force the entrepreneurs to relinquish their power to experts who will stir the next phase of the organization phase. As per the case, I had to involve a mentor and specialist in personal growth and development. In this case, I relinquished my power to autonomy and decision-making to my mentor. Abouraia & Albdour (2017) argued that mentors can align the mentee's mental alignment to an association or organization. Hence, during this phase, my mentor played the leadership role which was vital in overcoming my leadership crisis.

 

Delegation Stage

The delegation phase requires effective assignment of roles to ensure proper coordination. In this case, the top manager within the organization has limited supervisory roles and tends to focus on the issue of importance. During this phase, I had to delegate some tasks in my life and focus on those things that matter. For instance, I delegated laundry tasks and other minor meetings that did not require my input and instead focused my energy on academics and personal growth.

Coordination Stage

The coordination phase is meant to control organizational crises. In this case, different units within the organization develop a unified system for oversight with the managers acting as watchdogs.  During my change process, the coordination between my mentor, the physicians, and the personal trainer was facilitated through a unified system of communication (Deszca et al., 2020). These systems enabled each entity to report my growth and provide insight into areas of concern. However, over time, the other individual in my support system started complaining as a result of my uncooperative tendency to stick with some recommendations.

Collaboration Stage

The collaborative stage adopts a behavioral approach to organizational problems. In this case, systems used are meant to solve interpersonal problems among the team members. In this regard, my mentor incorporated systems of rewards to trigger motivation among my support systems at the same time provide positive reinforcement to any milestone achieved.

Areas for Improvement

Looking back at the change process and experiences, I feel that everything worked out well more than I anticipated. In this case, the first barrier to change was broken by the acceptance that I needed to change. In this regard, the need and the necessity of change were triggered by me, and this made it easy to succeed in the change process.

Conclusion

Getting out of the comfort zone is often unpleasant, but change is inevitable. The desire to evolve and adapt to the prevailing circumstance requires that one must constantly change over time. In this regard, the last five years have been marked by a change process that focused on my time management skills. The desire for change was driven by the need to improve my quality of life and derive happiness. The change process was based on the Greiner Model which postulates that each phase of the change process is vital in the next phase. Based on my experiences, I believe that the change process was successful.

Personal Change Tools - Outline

1. Introduction

1. The concept of change is not only applicable in an organizational setting but also human life.

2. Change within the Last Five Years

1. All humans tend to strive to improve the quality of life through various activities.
2. In addition to the poor time management aspect, I developed the habit of antagonizing others and spending too much time on screen.

3. Reason for the Change

1. Many reasons triggered the need to change. Firstly, I was driven by the need desire to create a better version of myself.
2. Thirdly, the change process was necessary to bring happiness to my life.

4. Importance of the Change

1. The change process has been instrumental in improving the quality of my life.
2. In essence, the change process has been important in many ways.

5. Change Model

1. Greiner’s Model of Organizational Growth offered a suitable framework that guided the change process.

6. Steps in the Greiner Model

1. Creativity Stage

1. The creativity stage describes the activities undertaken by the manager at the initial stage of the organization.

2. Direction Stage

1. The direction stage tends to solve the crisis developed in the creation stage.

3. Delegation Stage

1. The delegation phase requires effective assignment of roles to ensure proper coordination.

4. Coordination Stage

1. The coordination phase is meant to control organizational crises.

5. Collaboration Stage

1. The collaborative stage adopts a behavioral approach to organizational problems.

7. Areas for Improvement

1. Looking back at the change process and experiences, I feel that everything worked out well more than I anticipated.

8. Conclusion

1. Getting out of the comfort zone is often unpleasant, but change is inevitable.