Understanding and Leading Change Assignment Sample

Understanding and
Leading Change

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
TASK 1 ...........................................................................................................................................1
P1.Different organisational examples where there has been an impact of change on an
organisation’s strategy and operations........................................................................................1
TASK 2 ...........................................................................................................................................2
P2. Different Ways in which internal and external drivers of change affect leadership, team
and individual behaviours within an organisation. ....................................................................2
TASK 3............................................................................................................................................5
P3. Measures that can be taken to minimise negative impacts of change on organisational
behaviour.....................................................................................................................................5
TASK 4............................................................................................................................................7
P4. Different barriers for change and determine how they influence leadership decision-
making.........................................................................................................................................7
P5. Different leadership approaches to dealing with change in a range of organisation ...........8
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................9
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................10
INTRODUCTION

Understanding and leading change prepares participants to meet the problems which
occurs with initiating and implementing changes. There are various reasons of raising change
within an organisation such as change in consumers needs, competitors, substitute products and
various others. This assignment is based on AEGON group, it is one of the world's largest life
insurance and pension company. This organisation was founded in 1983 and provide various
financial services such as life insurance, asset management and pensions. In this report explained
about ways of change and their impact on organisation's strategy and operations. Drivers of
change that influences organisational behaviour, barriers of change that affect leadership
decision making and leadership approaches to a change initiative are defined.
TASK 1
P1.Different organisational examples where there has been an impact of change on an
organisation’s strategy and operations.
Change is a systematic approach to dealing with the transaction or transformation of an
organisation's goals, process and objectives. It can be a process of making change in tools and
techniques to mange the resources of the company to achieve the required business goals and
attract more consumers for the growth of the organisation (Alvesson and Sveningsson, 2015).
There are various reasons for change in AEGON but one of them was that this organisation was
not well known by customers. They had developed good products and services and had a good
reputation with distributors particularly in the area of pensions which were a strength of Scottish
Equitable however it was not well known by its customers in areas other than pensions. So
company made change in some ways such as its strategies and operations and it compared its
change with Metlife In. It is the holding corporation for the Metropolitan Life insurance
company better known by its consumer as Metlife. This company is founded in 1868 and
provide products such as Insurance, Annuities and employees benefits etc. this company provide
its services with 90 million customers in over 60 countries. The comparison of ways of change
in which change impacts on an organisation's strategy and operations (Hintz and Bahia, 2013).
Effect on AEGON's Strategy
and Operations
Effect on Metlife's Strategy and
Operations
Organisational
structure
This organisation used centralised
structure. It make change in the
company by providing through
open communication with
This organisation use decentralized
structure. It make change in the
strategy of the company because in
it, there are no need to organise any

employees and participation of
them in decision making process.
So that it can involve their views
and if they are correct and
favourable for the company. It
create positive impact on the
organisation's strategy by
enhancing productivity and profit.
meeting and invest time or cost on
that. Here are decision and polices
are already made by the
management department and they
are followed by the employees. This
create positive impact on the
operation and strategy of the
company because it is time saver
process and help in enhancing
productivity of the company.
Technology
To make change in the
promotional and advertisement
technologies of the company,
organisation impact positively on
the strategy and operation. This
technological change make
change in the strategy of the
company such as before use
newspaper and other low level
advertisement channels that are
not connect more customers but
now using new technology and
different channels of promotion
that can aware consumers with
the products and positively. They
create positive impact on the
business of the company because
they are less coat effective and
time consuming.
By using new and other technology
company make change in its
production and provide products
according to the consumers needs
that create positive impact on the
firm (Daft and Marcic, 2016). For
change in technology the change
will occur in the strategy of the
company fro example, before the
company solve problems of various
customers one by one or direct
communication but now these days
they use new technology and solve
the problems by providing various
applications. That create positive
impact and save time or cost of the
organisation.
Marketing
strategy
By promotional sales strategy, the
company design the
advertisement of the product
which attract and add customers
beliefs and emotions with the
products or services that affect
the organisation economic
condition and productivity. This
increase the productivity and
profit of the company that effect
positively and save the cost and
time of the company.
By using different channels of
promotion that can attract more
customers. For example, if the
company use internet to promote its
product that impact the strategy and
operation of the company because it
reduce and save time or increase the
productivity. For example, company
use social media to promote its
products. This impact positively
because most of the people use this
technology and they get information
about the product.

TASK 2
P2. Different Ways in which internal and external drivers of change affect leadership, team and
individual behaviours within an organisation.
Drivers of change
They are those factors that brings change in the business of the company. These factors
help in investigate the key global problems and issues that trends drivers of change in the
business of the company. There are two type of drivers, internal and external that make change in
the business of AEGON and affect leadership, team and individual behaviours within the
company. There are various methods such as SWOT analysis, PESTEL analysis etc. that can be
used by the company for drivers of change according to internal and external drivers.
Internal drivers- These are those factor that affect the company internally and managed
by the organisation easily. It can be an internal pressure that shapes change and force the
organisation to make change in the strategy and technologies that are used by it for running or
operating the business (Holmes, Clement and Albright, 2013). It include change to strategy,
plans, resources, capabilities, investors, dissatisfaction, desires and others. Fro this company use
SWOT analysis as a method of internal drivers of change (Hrebiniak, 2013).
SWOT analysis
Strengths Weakness
Global presence in the market and produces
various products according the consumers
needs.
Multi channel distribution to reduce the risk of
distribution and strong balance sheet that
provides resilience for market developments.
Lack of customer awareness with the brand
and product of the company.
Promotional channels and technologies are not
good that are used by the company.
Opportunities Threats
Growing life insurance market in USA
Various opportunities in different countries
such as China and India for operating the
business.
Change in government rules, regulations,
policies and legislations.
Increase competition fro capital in the market.

External drivers of change- These are those factors that affect the company externally
such as customer, technology, capital, competitor, government etc. There can be some factors
that impact the ability of a business or investment to achieve the strategic goals and objective of
the company that are set by the management department of the firm. For this company use PEST
analysis for external driver of change.
PEST analysis
Political factor- It is another factor and driver that impacted the business of the
company. It basically related to the change organisations in polices, rules and legislation cause of
change in government laws and regulations. For example, it can be related to channels in
government policies and laws etc. In AEGON, the government imposed price controls had
profitability in compression tom its competitors.
Economic factor- This factor and driver is related to the inflation rate, saving rate,
interest rate and foreign exchange rate etc. and they impacted the business of the company.
AEGON operate its business internationally so exchange rates & stability of host country current
create impact on the business of the company.
Social Factor- This factor is related to the society's culture and way of doing things
which impacted to the business of organisations. For example, In AEGON, class, gender, age
and others impacted the business. Educational level as well as education standard also affect the
business positively and negatively.
Technological factor- It is the external factor and driver that impact the business of the
company. This is the most important driver to make change in the business of the company. For
example, the organisation were not using correct and appropriate promotional technologies so it
could not provide proper information about the products that affect negatively. Because the
consumers had not information about the services that are provided by the company so they were
not invested in other products and services such as life insurance, asset management and others
(MacBeath, 2013).
Drivers of change that affect leadership
There are various aspects through which it can be considered that internal and external
drivers impact leadership.
Goal setting- it is the important factor of the company that is affected by internal and
external drivers. Cause of them, the leader of the company make change in the strategies and

techniques that are used by the company for operating the business so that they can run the
company properly. So this factor affect the leadership and organisational behaviour of AEGON
(Mukherjee and et. al., 2012).
Monitoring and controlling- it is the important responsibility or duty of a leader to
control and monitor different factors, functions and resources within an organisation so that the
firm can run properly. In AEGON, due to internal and external drivers of change, the leadership
of leader was affected and they could not monitor the resources. For example, when the
employees were working in a group or team work and any conflict raised, the leader did not able
to solve it cause of drivers of change which affect the leadership and team and individual
behaviour in AEGON.
Great speaker- it is another function of leadership that is affected by change of internal
and external drivers. Cause of change in various factors of the company, the working style of the
employees were changed and they were not able to adopt easily these changes in technologies
and strategies of the company so they felt demotivation. So it is the responsibility of leader that
they should provide motivation to them to adopt change so that they can maintain the
performance of the company. But rather than it they were opposite of it and leadership, team and
individual behaviour were affected by drivers of change.
TASK 3
P3. Measures that can be taken to minimise negative impacts of change on organisational
behaviour
Measures are those factors and elements on the basis of them company analyse the
impact of change and evaluate measures that can be taken to minimise negative impact of change
on organisational behaviour. There are some measures that can be used by the organisation to
refuse and minimise the negative impact of the change.
Explantation of plans- it is an important ways and techniques that can be used by
AEGON. The management department of the company can organise conference and meetings so
that they can share the plans and strategies or polices that can be good or reliable for the
company. Through conference and meeting, the employees can share their problems and issues
that can be impacted negatively to the company. So it is an important way for AEGON to
minimise the negative impact. In every organisation employees are a important factor or resource

for the company if the company provide chance to participate them in these kind of activities and
share or explain the plans with them, it help the company to minimise negative impacts of
change on organisational behaviour (Peters, 2012).
Creation of pathway- it is an another factor to measure the change and minimise negative
impact. In AEGON, it the responsibility or duty of the management department of the company
that if the manger make any plan for the company and implement it. For implementing this
plan, it is important to provide information about the plan to the employees so that they can
clearly know about it and work accordingly. If the manger will not explain and share it with
employees, they will not have information and knowledge about it which create negative impact
on the company's growth. To minimise the negative impacts of change on organisational
behaviour, the company should provide information about the new plan and policies before
implementing of them (Peters, 2012).
PDCA model
There is a model that can be used by the company to evaluate organisational response to
change. PDCA model is an interactive four step model that is used by the companies for the
control, implementing any change and continuous improvement of process and products. There
are four step within this model, plan, do, check and act.
Plan- This is the stage in which the manger of the company can analyse and address the
problems and issues by collecting relevant data and identifying the problem's root cause. In
AEGON, the manger of the company can use it in finding out the problems and issues that are
raising cause of change with in the company. The management department of the company make
plans related to strategies and techniques of the company according change.
Do- It is the second stage and related to the implementation of the plans that are made by
the mangers and management department for the company. In AEGON, the manger can
implement the plan and policies within the company that they made according to the change.
Check- It is the next stage and in it, the manger of the company will check the plans that
they are working properly or not. In AEGON, it can be related to the output of the plans that are
implemented by the management department of the company. The manger of the company can
confirm the results through before and after data comparison and by getting feedback from
employees.

Act- It I the last stage and the manger of the company will inform others about the
process change and make recommendations for the problem to be addressed. In AEGON, the
manager can document the result and inform about the process and plan before changing and
give preferences to the recommendations (Quinn and et. al., 2012).
TASK 4
P4. Different barriers for change and determine how they influence leadership decision-making
There are various barriers that influence leadership decision making in organisation.
These barriers are used by the company to develop successful strategy for organisational change.
Fear of the unknown or unfamiliar- It is related to those activities, strategies and
technique that are unknown by the employees or they are not familiar with them. In AEGON, it
can be related to new technology. For example, the management department and manger of the
company planned to use new technologies of promotion because the consumers are not aware
with the products and services. But there are fear of unfamiliarity within employees because they
are not aware with them. It effect the leadership decision making because the leader motivate the
employees to do work according to new technologies and if they are ready to do the work by
using it than it influence positively to the leadership decision making rather than negatively.
Ineffective leadership- It is related to the leader of that provide motivation to the workers
when they feel demotivate. In AEGON, if the leader can not motivate the employees when they
are working in a team and for a common goal, it influence the leadership decision making
negati9vely. For example, if the employees do not embrace the new changes then the
implementation will be an uphill battle. And it is the responsibility of the leader that they
motivate the employees to adopt change and work accordingly (Salmela, Eriksson and
Fagerström, 2012).
Force field analysis
There are a model of Force field analysis that can be used to analyse the driving and and
resisting forces and show they influence decision making. Force field analysis is a tool that is
used by organisations fro supporting decision making. This model is developed by Kurt Lewin in
1940 to provides an overview of the change problems that need to be tackled by a business,
splitting factors in to forces for and against change. There are main two force this model that are
followed by the company to driving and resisting forces. Driving and restraining force,They are

the ones which are sustaining the change and restraining forces and the ones which are the
restraining change.
There are some steps in this analysis, they are such as:
Step1: Describing plan and proposal for change- In this stage the company describe the
vision fro which it accept change within the company. For example, In AEGON, the company
make vision to provide information about the product of its brands. Because there are lack of
awareness between the consumers and market.
Step2: Identify force for change- In this step the organisation identify these forces that
are the reason of change, these forces can be internal and external. For example, in AEGON,
internal factor can be declining team morale and need to increase profitability etc. In External
factor technologies and changing demographic trends etc.
Step3: Identified forces against change- It is also related to internal and external forces
that find out the reason against change. In AEGON, internal force against change can be fears of
unknown and current or existing structure of the organisation. External force against change can
be change in government legislations and change in consumers needs and wants.
Step4: Assign scores- In this step, the management department of the company assign
scores according the organisational performance according the forces and according to the
degree of influence each one has on the plan.
Step5: Analyse and apply- This is the last step and in it, the management department to
decide whether or not to move forward with the decision or change. To think about that which
supportive forces can be strengthen and which is opposing forces to make the change more
successful.
This analysis can be used by the company to inform decision making and particularly
planning and implementing change management programmes in organisations. In AEGON, it
influences the decision making of company positively and negatively by making change in
company's structure, technologies etc. cause of internal and external forces.
P5. Different leadership approaches to dealing with change in a range of organisation
There are some leadership approaches that are used by the organisation to deal with
change.
Autocratic or Authoritarian leadership- In this approach, the leader of the company
have centralize power and decision making (Van der Voet, Kuipers and Groeneveld, 2015). In

AEGON, they give orders, assign tasks and works according the capabilities or skills of the
employees. They have full authority and responsibility for doing it. In this approach, the
leadership is based on close supervision clear cut direction and commanding order of the
leaders. With in approach, the leader divide the work according the new technology and change.
This leadership is less effective because employees are not always to do work according change
and not adopt new technologies easily.
Democratic or Participative leadership- This the approach in which the leader of the
company take decision by consulting with the subordinates and their participation in the
formulation of plans and policies according to the change. This approach positively dealing with
the change because new policies and techniques are made with the participation of the employees
which make easy to use new technology.
Hudson Leadership model
It is an change management model that is used by the company to deliver organisational
change. This model is based on an evaluation of ideas emerging from decision making. There are
five key elements of leadership within this model.
Vision- It is the first element of this model that creating a compelling vision for the future
of the company. In AEGON, it is related to the new technologies that are used by the company
according to change. The leader make or set vision to solve and overcome the problems that are
occurring cause of change.
Action- It is the second elements, in it the leader of the company take action to solve
those problems by making or developing new plans and strategies. They implement those plans
and polices within the company with the help of the employees.
Impact- It is the third elements of this model and in this, the leader analyse the impact
and effect of the strategies and techniques. For this, they get feedbacks from the employees and
management department of the company.
Connection- In it the leader of the company analyse that the employees are connect with
the new technologies easily and they are not facing problems with them (Wilkinson, Olin and
Stjernstrøm, 2013). So that the work completed easily without facing any problems.
Drive- This is the last step, the leader analyse that the organisation drive or run properly
by adopting new technologies according change or not facing issues related to its growth.

CONCLUSION
In this report it has been concluded about the different ways in which change impact on
AEGON and Metlife strategy and operation. Various drivers for changes are explained with the
examples and the types of organisational change they have affected. Different drivers of change
such as internal and external, their impact on leadership, team and individual behaviours are
defined. Different measures that can be taken by the company to minimise the negative effect of
change and PDCA model are maintained in the report. Barriers for change and their influences
on leadership decision making and force field analysis are defined. Different leadership
approaches and appropriate model to deal with change in organisational context are described.

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Online
Force Field Analysis. 2019. [Online]. Available Through: <https://www.change-management-
coach.com/force-field-analysis.html>.