Analyzing Change Communication: Lakeland Wonders Case Study Report

This report analyzes the Lakeland Wonders case study, focusing on the communication of change within the organization. The report begins with an overview of transactional analysis and its relevance to effective change communication, emphasizing the importance of understanding ego states in interactions. It then applies this technique to the Lakeland Wonders case, evaluating the communication strategies employed by Cheryl Hailstrom, the CEO. The analysis highlights potential issues such as dictatorial approaches and lack of employee involvement. Based on this analysis, the report develops and justifies three key recommendations for improving change communication, suggesting modifications to the communication process and strategies to enhance employee engagement. The conclusion summarizes the findings and reinforces the need for a more collaborative approach to change management, using transactional analysis to avoid conflict and promote team input. This report is a student submission to Desklib, a platform offering AI-powered study tools and resources.

Running head: MANAGING CHANGE
Managing Change
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

1MANAGING CHANGE
To: Cheryl Hailstrom, CEO, Lakeland Wonders
From: (Your name), Change Consultant
Date:
Subject: Managing Change
In this particular case study about Lakeland Wonders, the change that is supported for
coping with the development in the market is not a right approach in the beginning. This is to
acknowledge the fact that Cheryl is perceived as an outsider but trying to initiate change in
just 6 months within the organisation. The approach is somewhat dictating and the
transactional analysis does not support the fact of the changes that are about to be brought
within the organisation (Chung, 2018). There are several negative points found When the
changes is propose to be brought about as it seems a bit pushing and too quick as for the
lighting of the others. The quick compliance action is sometimes not approachable to the
other people a man including the contacts where there is a requirement of hiring others
(Beech et al., 2018). Since there was no support on the change request, this is where the
inclusion of hiring new people came in that would support the situation. However getting
ahead of the market and with the proper planning is falling short of a proper communication
within the employees (Barnlund, 2017). This is why there is a possibility of an interpersonal
conflict within the team members. This is why following would be a development of
transactional analysis system and their relevance to change communication so that the change
that is proposed to be included within the organisation would have a proper initiation and
communication to all the members within the organisation rather than sounding like an order
to them.

2MANAGING CHANGE
Overview of transactional analysis and relevance to change communication
In simple terms, the transactional analysis is a process by which a person becomes
more aware of the behaviour of self and understand where ego is represented while
communicating. A more constructive transaction can be identified when a person utilizes
transactional analysis in the way of communicating with other people.
Change within an organisation is an important aspect where a model should be
developed so that every person within an organisation understand the requirement of change
(Loan & Hai, 2017). It is not sure that every person within the organisation would agree to a
probable change that would be brought about as decided by the executive it must be
communicated in such a way that it each of the people would agree to the initiation of change
within the organisation and what accordingly as a team understanding the benefits and the
requirement of change (Kim, Bang & Ko, 2016). When people communicate with each other
and transact or exchange ideas and information, the other work under are communicable and
comfortable setting or they are other uncomfortable in communicating with each other. Since
change is such a delicate topic to talk about within an organisation the executive also must
have an idea that the vision of bringing about change can either be rejected or be accepted by
the other employees.
This is why the transactional analysis technique needs to be understood in such a way
that people who are thinking about bring change within the organisation can understand if
there is a tone of ego for a proper communication. If it sounds like in order there would be a
development of agitation and interpersonal conflict (Hargaden & Cornell, 2019). This is why
transactional analysis technique in case of change communication needs to be acknowledged
so that this agitation is eradicated from the discussion and it sounds more like a discussion
that would include the insights of other employees as well.

3MANAGING CHANGE
Analysis of change communication in the Lakeland Wonders case
Change within an organisation is an important aspect where a model should be
developed so that every person within an organisation understand the requirement of change.
It is not sure that every person within the organisation would agree to a probable change that
would be brought about as decided by the executive it must be communicated in such a way
that it each of the people would agree to the initiation of change within the organisation and
what accordingly as a team understanding the benefits and the requirement of change
("Welcome Aboard (But Don’t Change a Thing)", 2020). When people communicate with
each other and transact or exchange ideas and information, the other work under are
communicable and comfortable setting or they are other uncomfortable in communicating
with each other (Cornell, 2018). Since change is such a delicate topic to talk about within an
organisation the executive also must have an idea that the vision of bringing about change
can either be rejected or be accepted by the other employees.
This is why the transactional analysis technique needs to be understood in such a way
that people who are thinking about bring change within the organisation can understand if
there is a tone of ego for a proper communication. If it sounds like an order, there would be a
development of agitation and interpersonal conflict (Browne et al., 2016). This is why
transactional analysis technique in case of change communication needs to be acknowledged
so that this agitation is eradicated from the discussion and it sounds more like a discussion
that would include the insights of other employees as well.
Recommendations
There are several challenges that is presented with the communication of the changes
required in Lakeland Wonders, how about the mode of communication can be changed by
improving communication with the help of transactional analysis.

4MANAGING CHANGE
The change that would be brought about can be communicated to the rest of the team
and at the same time feedback can be taken from the employees so that the positives and
negatives about the motives and plans can be easily communicated without team conflict.
Secondly, the feedback must be considered as constructive criticism so that the
argument and feedback would be genuinely implemented to consider modifications in the
change management.
In the end, the support should be taken from the board of directors and the rest of the
team so that nobody in the change communication plan feels neglected as a team member or
an employee
Conclusion
Therefore in conclusion the mode of communication that was previously put in front
of the employees was apparently seeming like an order which had the potential of generating
team conflict. With the help of transactional analysis of the mode of communication for
bringing about changes within the organisation, there are several recommended procedures
that can be used so that all the communication done to bring about changes in the
organisation would not feel like in order rather it would take inputs from the other employees
in the organisation making it seem more like a team input.

5MANAGING CHANGE
References
Barnlund, D. C. (2017). A transactional model of communication. In Communication
theory (pp. 47-57). Routledge.
Beech, N., MacIntosh, R., Krust, P., Kannan, S. B & Dadich, A. (2018). Managing change:
enquiry and action. Australasian edition.
Browne, W., Dreitlein, S., Ha, M., Manzoni, J., & Mere, A. (2016). Two Key Success Factors
for Global Project Team Leadership: Communications and Human Resource
Management. Journal of Information Technology & Economic Development, 7(2).
Chung, S. M. (2018). Use of Transactional Analysis as a Communication Model: An
Assessment of Intergenerational Registered Nurses' Interactions (Doctoral
dissertation, Kean University).
Cornell, W. F. (2018). Into TA: A comprehensive textbook on transactional analysis.
Routledge.
Hargaden, H., & Cornell, W. F. (Eds.). (2019). The Evolution of a Relational Paradigm in
Transactional Analysis: What's the Relationship Got to Do With It?. Routledge.
Kim, M. S., Bang, G., & Ko, I. J. (2016). The Agent Communication Simulation Based on
the Ego State Model of Transactional Analysis. In Advances in Computer Science and
Ubiquitous Computing (pp. 360-365). Springer, Singapore.
Loan, N. T. Q., & Hai, V. T. (2017). Leadership style, team interaction and project
management success in information technology projects: literature review and
research model. In The 11th SEATUC Symposium (Vol. 1, pp. 1-8).

6MANAGING CHANGE
Welcome Aboard (But Don’t Change a Thing). (2020). Retrieved 25 March 2020, from
https://hbr.org/2002/10/welcome-aboard-but-dont-change-a-thing