Question

How would you do a one page business memo using these questions?

No one disagrees that change will increase in the future. The challenge is to prepare for a world that cannot be predicted by the experiences of the past. Your assignment is to write a business memo to your boss addressing the following

1. Identify a significant change taking place in your organization and detail the change process that is taking or has taken place.
2. Detail how you would have managed it differently or how you think it was managed correctly.
3. What tools or techniques were used and how?
4. What were the environmental factors impacting your organization?
5. What role has globalization played in changing your organization?
6. What changes do you foresee in the future?
7. What do you think your organization does well or should do better to prepare for the future and be proactive in its response to change?

Answer 1

Change management Definition:

Change management is a structured approach for ensuring that changes are thoroughly and smoothly implemented, and that the lasting benefits of change are achieved.

The focus is on the wider impacts of change, particularly on people and how they, as individuals and teams, move from the current situation to the new one. The change in question could range from a simple process change, to major changes in policy or strategy needed if the organization is to achieve its potential.

Once you have considered the change management objectives and scope, you'll also need to consider the specific tasks. Again, the range of possible activities is broad. It's a question of working out what will best help you meet the change challenge in hand, as you have defined it in your objectives and scope, and how to work alongside other people's and projects' activities and responsibilities.

The essence of this is to identify the tasks that are necessary if you're going to give change the greatest chance of success.

Coming from this, the activities involved in managing change can include:

• Ensuring that there is clear expression of the reasons for change, and helping the sponsor communicate this.
• Identifying "change agents" and other people who need to be involved in specific change activities, such as design, testing, and problem solving, and who can then act as ambassadors for change.
• Assessing all the stakeholders and defining the nature of sponsorship, involvement and communication that will be required.
• Planning the involvement and project activities of the change sponsor(s).
• Planning how and when the changes will be communicated, and organizing and/or delivering the communications messages.
• Assessing the impact of the changes on people and the organization's structure.
• Planning activities needed to address the impacts of the change.
• Ensuring that people involved and affected by the change understand the process change.
• Making sure those involved or affected have help and support during times of uncertainty and upheaval.
• Assessing training needs driven by the change, and planning when and how this will be implemented.
• Identifying and agreeing the success indicators for change, and ensure that they are regularly measured and reported on.