Leadership's Role in Managing Organizational Change: A Personal View

This essay delves into the student's personal philosophy on managing organizational change, shaped by their experiences at Organization Y, guest tutor insights, MBA studies, and relevant readings. The paper explores different approaches to change management, including controlling and shaping, and emphasizes the significance of leadership in driving successful outcomes. The student reflects on the impact of a "coach" style of leadership, highlighting the importance of inspiring and motivating teams. The essay draws on a case study of Organization Y's change management journey, demonstrating the influence of leadership on employee motivation and organizational growth. The author discusses the influences of personal experiences, guest tutor perspectives, MBA studies, and theoretical frameworks on their approach to organizational change. The paper concludes by outlining the student's future approach to organizational change, emphasizing the continued use of a coaching style and the understanding of the potential benefits of a director image. The student's perspective is further supported by reviewing the role of a leader in adapting to change and the importance of the leader's mindset and beliefs.

Reflections on The Role of Leadership In Managing Organizational Change 1
REFLECTIONS ON THE ROLE OF LEADERSHIP IN MANAGING ORGANIZATIONAL
CHANGE
By (Student Name)
Professor’s Name
College
Course
Date

Reflections on The Role of Leadership In Managing Organizational Change 2
Table of Contents
My personal Managing Change Philosophy..........................................................................................3
2. My Managing Change Philosophy Influences..................................................................................4
2.1 Personal Experience......................................................................................................................5
2.2 Case Study: Organization Y Change Management...................................................................5
2.2 Guest Tutor.....................................................................................................................................7
2.3 MBA Studies...................................................................................................................................8
2.4 Reading and Theories...................................................................................................................9
3. My Future Approach to Organizational Change.............................................................................10
4 Conclusion............................................................................................................................................11
5. References..........................................................................................................................................12

Reflections on The Role of Leadership In Managing Organizational Change 3
My personal Managing Change Philosophy
I have come to learn change management with a positively biased perspective
having not been a victim of a huge organizational change and solely experiencing
people who were influenced by changing assuming control of their individual
destinations by accepting willingly voluntary redundancy. I needed to study more
regarding the change management practices and theories with particular emphasis on
leadership role in managing change as I little if not no experience in this field.
Reflecting on the approaches and practices taught and learned in this module
which buttress organizational change and the need for effective collaborative and
shared leadership, my personal change management philosophy hinges on the theory
which acknowledges dominant pictures of managing change- Controlling (interpreter;
director, and navigator); and Shaping (caretaker; coach; alongside nurturer).
Different viewpoints about change management stayed presented during the
course of my change management learning experience that I decided whether to reject
or accept. This remained a significant process in assisting me with my validation of my
individual beliefs and has since impacted my personal change management philosophy.
I recognize, through this paper, my personal experience working at Organization
Y as a key influence on my viewpoint of change management. I have further derived
motivation and inspiration from guest tutors that shared identical perceptions to my
personal philosophy. The case study event has further been a core learning experience
for me that affirmed the significance of leadership in change management process in
producing the positive results for the organization via the encouragement and

Reflections on The Role of Leadership In Managing Organizational Change 4
motivation of change management team and the organization staff as a whole to
embrace change.
From my personal experience as outlined in the “case study” section in this
paper, successful inspiration and motivation of team stood significant in propelling
effective change. Another fundamental influence source was module, “Leadership,
Coaching and Mentoring” where I gathered all-inclusive feedback regarding myself to
coat a Best Self-image of my leadership prospective. Such a replicated best self-image
activity assisted me in the recognition of my ability to lead as well as mentor my change
management team and to get most out of the team.
I prefer “shaping” organizational change to accomplish “intended” results, with a
priority toward “coaching’ picture, stood the utmost efficient image for change
management based on my subjective change management philosophy in the course of
this duration. Such a viewpoint has remained reinforced over this session, however, I
further come to assent that potential for embracing the “director” image exist to
guarantee knowledge of results. I hold a belief that, in doing so, “director” calls for the
balance of “coach” image to guarantee a lasting benefit for each stakeholder
(Cummings and Worley 2014).
2. My Managing Change Philosophy Influences
During my entire course of managing change studies, a number of source of
influence have buttressed my personal philosophy. I use the subsequent sub-sections
to break these sources down:

Reflections on The Role of Leadership In Managing Organizational Change 5
2.1 Personal Experience
Organization Y takes the center stage when it comes to my personal experiences
whereby a firm emphasis is put on the workers’ development alongside populace
leadership. Organization Y’s Chief Executive Officer has embraced a “coach” style of
management whereby he is shaping leaders to accomplish preferred results of the
organization. My perspective has undoubtedly been shaped as result of working in this
organization in the last five years having observed a range of positive outcomes from
managing through shaping alongside “enhancing capabilities of individuals within the
organization’ via a shared/participative style of leadership and management.
2.2 Case Study: Organization Y Change Management
My personal experience from working at Organization Y led me in documenting
the latest massive organizational change for a case study. It has become proof that my
perceptions about the significance of leaders in shaping managing change process is
fundamentally dictated by my exposure to practices of change management at
Organization Y. The change management journey is analyzed in the case study from
marketing organization to the sales organization and presented identical circumstances
to managing change theory along the way.
A novel leader (Victor) with an undoubted strategic capabilities was appointed in
the Organization Y internally to deliver the desired organizational outcome designed by
the CEO. This was identical Nunes and Breene’s (2011 p. 85) finding in their high-
performing organizations’ study that initial inoculation of novel leadership is core to
building capabilities essential for growth. Higgs and Rowland (2005 p. 126) similarly

Reflections on The Role of Leadership In Managing Organizational Change 6
backed the leaders’ role in the process of change management by arguing that it can
influence fundamentally on the change’s success.
They further added that the mindsets and beliefs of leaders have proved to
influence orientation choices as well as approaches to problem-solving. This case study
further demonstrated a positive influence on the process of managing change where
change is adopted by everyone. Instead of evading change, high performing
organizations recognize when change is inevitable to keep pace with times. They also
tend to “rethink their strategies as well as reinvent their models of operation long before
incapacitating stalls ensure.
The approach assumed by Organization Y for change management
encompassed putting emphasis on organization edges alongside market; reshuffling
executive team; and retention/maintenance of surplus talent with capacity for growth of
novel businesses. I observed, as a worker in the Organization Y, substantial
organizational growth within a short duration. The sales staff for instance, grew from 16
to 30 personnel within a single year. This organizational change influenced positively on
the culture of Organization Y, its staff as well as level of inspiration or motivation of each
staff.
Albeit Victor embraced the “director” image- change manager image of control
with change outcomes being accomplishable that never reinforced my personal
philosophy, Victor acknowledged that successful inspiration and motivation of the
change management team would effectively work in propelling change. This stood
identical to idea of Kotter (2011 p. 93) on good leaders: “because change remains a

Reflections on The Role of Leadership In Managing Organizational Change 7
function of leadership” ability to successfully inspire or motivate team remains
imperative to thrive barriers.
Reflecting back, were this change not been a strategy for growth and needed
restructuring leading to employment loss, it is of extreme possibility that my personal
perspective would have been adversely impacted. Organization Y’s case thus
presented me with an opportunity to view a “director” image differently. I subsequently
acknowledged that “director” image is never always about people control and that a
“director” lens is able to bring fundamental benefits to the process of managing change
via its planned approach and focus (Hayes 2014).
2.2 Guest Tutor
The guest tutor (Mr. Smith) challenged my perspective of change management a
great deal. He shared his experiences as the consultant working on M&A as change
management consultant. From his shared experienced, it remained clear to me that his
practices and process were totally deprived of both human dignity and human element.
Surely, it was my truth moment when I acknowledged the unforgiving realism of certain
huge organizational change aftermaths. I subsequently interrogated whether I was able
to be an agent of change heading the organizational change which might culminate in
“removal of barriers to change. Surprisingly, I am definitely barred by my moral
conscious to some degree.
A second guest tutor, on the contrary, Mr. Rolf painted a comprehensive
humanistic image. Rolf argued that the “director” image is never an efficient strategy
when managing change. Rather, “shaping” images of management including the

Reflections on The Role of Leadership In Managing Organizational Change 8
“Nurturer” stood out. Rolf alluded to the philosophy that Semco Group has embrace in
which active employment engagement and participation are the driving forces to
successful change management. Rolf further referenced the 14 points for management
highlighted by Deming to buttress his personal perspective that criticizes the “director”
image.
I greatly learned from Rolf as his perspective reflected my personal philosophy of
managing change. Rolf’s contribution was a reassurance as I heard him validating
alternatives to “director” image approach and that “removal of barriers” is never always
the appealing solution. From this learning experience, I saw a further relevance on the
Rylatt (2010) quotation that held that a true leader is when a person exits the room their
impacts still stays in the room.
2.3 MBA Studies
I simultaneously undertook change management and “leadership; coaching and
mentoring”. The MBA studies surely had unwavering influence on my philosophy
(personal) from standpoint of being a leader who is morally accountable. I was
challenged to assume bravery to query the status quo. It was evident from our last
session that large-scale layoff were never efficient except the survival of the
organization remains at risk many options to redundancies exist. This additionally
buttressed my philosophy of change management (Burke 2017).
Albeit I recognized that not each change management initiatives leads to lay off,
my assumptions of massive organizational change remain that it characteristically
encompass M&A were layoff seem to be solution of a great deal of CEO and board of

Reflections on The Role of Leadership In Managing Organizational Change 9
directors (BOD). This was further affirmed by several “group poster presentations” we
held in the 12th week of change management classes that reported layoff in massive
organizational change case studies.
The “Reflected Best Self” event was another fundamental opportunity that
focused on Leadership; Coaching; and Mentoring”. It greatly contributed towards my
personal perspective pf change management as it assisted me in identifying my
leadership capabilities alongside my leadership style. I unraveled that in working with
the change management team, I tended to make individuals feel increasingly valued,
supported as well as being at ease via my shared and collaborative leadership style
(Kuipers, Higgs, Kickert, Tummers, Grandia, and Van der Voet 2014). I always engage
full my team in the entire process of decision making as well as putting great
significance on the development of my fellow team members both personally and
professionally.
I remained humbled by the realization that my team members acknowledged that
I made the development of the team my top notch preference and that I genuinely cared
for each member of my team. Against this backdrop, I have since related these qualities
to the “management “coaching” style.
2.4 Reading and Theories
I have read a range of texts and articles on change management as integral part
of my study for the case study. This has since backed my personal perspective on the
significance of leaders in outcome shaping with respect to massive change initiatives.
Scholars like Higgs and Rowland (2005 p. 126) argued that the mindset and beliefs of a

Reflections on The Role of Leadership In Managing Organizational Change 10
leader shall impact their strategies and approaches to change and its effective
implementation (Cameron and Green 2015).
Theorist including Kotter, Tushman and Nadler have argued that key to
successful change management implementation is the central role played by leaders. I
have as well drawn motivation and inspiration from such humanistic change
management theories outlined in Graetz and Smith (2010 p. 138) that have clearly
illustrated a desire amongst the leaders of the organization to query the status quo,
surge risk-taking as well as ingenuity; and eliminate restrictions via effective information
sharing and collaborative management teamwork (Benn, Dunphy and Griffiths 2014).
3. My Future Approach to Organizational Change
Based on the implemented change management in Organization Y, I have since
concluded the case study acknowledging that change management is most efficient
with image of change management images. As a “coach” in this case, the CEO derived
the best in change agent that embraced a “director” image approach to managing
change to accomplish desire results. The “coaching” management style has positively
impacted others during the course of professional working experience that I intend to
uphold (Goetsch and Davis 2014). I recognized that a “director” image is useful in
propelling massive organizational change. If I were in the Chief Executive Office’s place,
I might recruit somebody with required competencies to accomplish success.

Reflections on The Role of Leadership In Managing Organizational Change 11
4 Conclusion
My change management philosophy emphasizes managing change images
bases that acknowledged 2 images of management (shaping against controlling)
alongside 3 images of change results (intended, unintended and partially intended). I
am a believer in intended change results for propelling change, with personal priority
towards “shaping” tasks utilizing “coaching” image to guarantee human-dignity respect.
I recognize that “director” image could as well propel success change results,
however, it must be balanced with “coach” image to impact positive change outcomes
for lasting gain of the organization and staff (Bolman and Deal 2017). I have not shifted
my perspective over the course but various influential learning experience have
reinforced my belief in “responsible” change management practice. I will always uphold
shared and collaborative people-oriented management and leadership approach and
draw lesson gained from a range of experiences to guarantee successful change for
everyone.

Reflections on The Role of Leadership In Managing Organizational Change 12
5. References
Benn, S., Dunphy, D. and Griffiths, A., 2014. Organizational change for corporate
sustainability. Routledge.
Bolman, L.G. and Deal, T.E., 2017. Reframing organizations: Artistry, choice, and
leadership. John Wiley & Sons.
Burke, W.W., 2017. Organization change: Theory and practice. Sage Publications.
Cameron, E. and Green, M., 2015. Making sense of change management: A complete
guide to the models, tools and techniques of organizational change. Kogan Page
Publishers.
Cummings, T.G. and Worley, C.G., 2014. Organization development and change.
Cengage learning.
Goetsch, D.L. and Davis, S.B., 2014. Quality management for organizational
excellence. Upper Saddle River, NJ: pearson.
Graetz, F. and Smith, A.C., 2010. Managing organizational change: A philosophies of
change approach. Journal of change management, 10(2), pp.135-154.
Hayes, J., 2014. The theory and practice of change management. Palgrave Macmillan.
Higgs, M. and Rowland, D., 2005. All changes great and small: Exploring approaches to
change and its leadership. Journal of change management, 5(2), pp.121-151.
Kotter, J. 2001, “What Leaders Really Do”, Harvard Business Review, December 2001,
pp 85-96.
Kuipers, B.S., Higgs, M., Kickert, W., Tummers, L., Grandia, J. and Van der Voet, J.,
2014. The management of change in public organizations: A literature review. Public
Administration, 92(1), pp.1-20.

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Rylatt, A. 2010, ‘Week 6 guest lecture’, UTS.