Running head: SKILLS AND EFFECTIVE PRACTICES

Skills and Effective Practices

Krista Jackson
AET/560
January 18, 2016
Dr. Christine Nortz

SKILLS AND EFFECTIVE PRACTICES

Skills and Effective Practices

The promotion of change is determined by the skills and practices that are implemented
with success. There are different theories to approach the changes including Lewins Change
Theory, Complexity Theory, Giving Voice to Values, and many more. A change agent needs to
have specific characteristics, effective practices, and actions to make the organizational change
effective and successful.
Three Theories
Lewins Change Theory
The Change Theory Model by Lewin consists of three steps, which are unfreezing,
change, and then refreeze (Tupper, Deszca, & Cynthia, 2012, p. 52). When an organization
experiences a significant disrupt in their working environment, and then they realize there need
to be some changes. Realizing there needs to be changes moving the organization into unfreezing
the company to allow room for changes. The situations for unfreezing an organization determine
whether to unfreeze and what changes to make if they do unfreeze the organization. When the
organization decides to unfreeze then, they go into the change phase of the theory. In the change
phase, the organization decides what needs to be changed, and puts those changes into motion.
The organization may have to reorganize and change some issues that occurred during the
change phase, and they gather this data with groups, collaboration, and feedback from
employees. Once the organization has made successful changes that are all working, then the
organization can refreeze their organization. When they refreeze the organization, then
everything goes back to normal with the changes, and they continue to this step until other issues
arise. The organization can stay in the refreeze stage for too long sometimes, so organizations
need to stay on top of everything going on to effectively make changes for success.

SKILLS AND EFFECTIVE PRACTICES

Complexity Theory
The Complexity Theory is defined as Organizations are webs of nonlinear feedback
loops that are connected with other individuals and organizations by webs of nonlinear feedback
loops. (Tupper, 2012, p. 84). Organizations are complex because they have many different
characteristics, and organizations thrive off of being complex. If an organization is not complex,
then they will have a hard time succeeding. The nonlinear feedback loop assists with
organizational changes because everyone is getting the feedback. Businesses are stable with what
they are doing, or they are making changes and disrupting the normal business environment. So,
the business is both stuck in one position and not moving forward, or they are under changes or
constant changes. To be successful organizations need to realize that they are complex, and they
need to find the middle sweet spot to be successful. Complex organizations focus on
interdependence, working with others, collaborating, and groups are all good for the
organization. Collaborating and groups help with feedback and communication within the
business, and that is how they have nonlinear feedback loops. The constant communication and
feedback loop helps during changes and helps organizations facilitate the changes easier. Saying
an organization goes on the complexity theory is not supposed to be intimidating. The theory just
proves that all organizations are complex, and these organizations realize this, and they embrace
it within their organization.
Giving Voices to Values Theory
The theory of Giving Voice to Values is teaching individuals how to develop a strategy
and scripts to successfully address a values-based challenge and providing them the
opportunity to practice their approach. (Faculty development update, 2012). There are three
steps that they address during the giving voice to values theory, which is setting the stage,

SKILLS AND EFFECTIVE PRACTICES

enhancing self-knowledge, and enhancing the ability to script. During the setting, the stage step,
examples of situations are shown, and the employee evaluates how they would respond to the
situation with organizational changes. They need to learn how to be positive in these situations to
make sure that the situation does not escalate. The employees need to learn how to speak up
about values in organizational change and giving voice to values theory will help with this part.
The second step, enhancing self-knowledge, the employees need to reflect on what their values
are in an organization and life. Making a list to organize their thoughts is helpful in this step so
that they can visualize their values. Seeing their values in a list will show the employees a lot
about themselves, and that is where their self-knowledge also emerges during this step.
Employees need to know what they stand for, and how to speak up during difficult situations like
an organizational change. The third and last step, enhancing the ability to script, the employees
learn that Scripting is a form of practice. (Faculty development update, 2012). Rehearsing is
important in this step because it is preparing the employees on how to effectively speak and act
during a situation with conflicting values during the organizational change. Ethical and value
situations will arise during an organizational change and employees who practice the three steps
of giving voice to values theory will assist them in handling changes. Employees should be able
to speak up during these situations if the change is not being handled ethically. Speaking up
about values can bring effective changes to make the organizational shift successful.
Effective Change Agent
Characteristics and skills
According to Tupper (2012), there are six essential characteristics of change leaders:
commitment to improvement, communication and interpersonal skills, determination, eyes on the
prize and flexibility, experience and networks, and intelligence. All of these characteristics will

SKILLS AND EFFECTIVE PRACTICES

help with the effective change in organizations. Leaders should be committed to the idea of the
change. Change agents need excellent communications skills to interact with numerous people in
the organization. They must be determined by their vision of the change, and be intelligent
enough to make effectively these changes that are needed. Experience and networks help with
the change process. Change leaders need to have positive characteristics, so everyone in the
organization feels safe and reassured about the changes occurring in the organization.
Effective practices to influence change
Tupper (2012) states, The effectiveness of a change agent is a function of a person, his
or her vision, and the characteristics of the situation. Change agents must be an effective person
while dealing with change, have a vision of how they want the changes to occur, and knowledge
of the situation they need to handle with organizational changes. Communication is one of the
key effective practices with influencing change because the change agents need to be able to
communicate to everyone. Communication works two ways, though, so the change agent needs
to make sure that they are also listening. Employees will have ideas, concerns, and items to
address, and the change agent needs to be open to the ideas presented to them. Effective listening
can help the organizational changes because it can bring certain issues to the surface that was not
apparent. They should be able to assess all situations and develop ideas to remain effective.
Feedback is one of the most important practices because employees need to know from change
agents how they are doing. Employees need knowledge, motivation, inspiration, and assistance
when needed, so feedback can help in all of these areas to influence change.
Actions or tasks needed for change
According to Tupper (2012), there are seven tools for action planning: to-do lists,
responsibility charting, contingency planning, surveys and survey feedback, project planning and

SKILLS AND EFFECTIVE PRACTICES

critical path methods, force field and stakeholder analysis, and leverage analysis. There are more
actions and tasks that can be implemented for organizational change, but these are just a few to
get an idea. When there is a change, then someone needs to make a list of the changes, and how
they will go about these changes. Charting out who is supposed to do what and staying organized
will help in its effectiveness. At least one backup plan for each change helps in case of a failure.
Taking surveys from employees and customers, and analyzing the feedback assists in if the
changes are working. Any action or task that is planned and executed helps with the
organizational change because if they do not take any actions, then nothing will change in the
organization.
Conclusion
The three theories presented show how changes can be organized during an
organizational change process. Each theory has its pros and cons, but each is effective with the
right change leader in charge of the operation. If the change agent can use their characteristics,
practices, and actions in an effective manner, then the organizational change will be a success. It
is all up to the change agent on how effective their skills and practices are in the end to achieve
success for the organization.

SKILLS AND EFFECTIVE PRACTICES

7
References

Faculty development update giving voice to values: Practical ethics in action. (2012).
Accounting Education News, 40(1), 14-15. Retrieved from
http://search.proquest.com/docview/1020697010?accountid=35812
Tupper, C., Deszca, G., & Cynthia, I. (2012). Organizational change: An action-oriented toolkit
(2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.