lia is a program of the academy for professional excellence at san diego state university school of...

LIA is a program of the Academy for Professional Excellence atSan Diego State University School of Social Work

Tom Packard, D.S.W.School of Social Work

San Diego State University

Webinar for CalSWECMarch 26, 2015

ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE

OBJECTIVES

At the completion of this webinar, participants will be able to:

1. Describe three levels of organizational change

2. Describe change agent roles and tactics for successful organizational change

3. Describe steps to be taken in an organizational change process

4. Identify a problem or goal in her/his organization which may be addressed using a planned organizational change process

OVERVIEW OF THE WEBINAR

• Definition• The evidence base • Levels of change• An organizational change process

– Quick reactions/questions after each step

• Questions and discussion

CHECK IN

• Original Q 2?• Are you in a position to initiate an organizational

change process?• Your role/position - poll

– Executive– Director or deputy director– Middle manager– Supervisor– Line worker– Staff support– Academic researcher– Consultant– Other

DILBERT ON ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE

“People hate change, and with good reason. Change makes us stupider, relatively speaking. Change adds new information to the universe; information that we don’t know. Our knowledge – as a percentage of all the things that can be known – goes down a tick every time something changes.”

- Adams, S. (1996). The Dilbert Principle. New York: HarperCollins, p. 198.

ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE DEFINEDPlanned organizational change

involves• leadership and the mobilizing of staff

to• explicitly address problems or needs

in the organization’s current state, to• move the organization to a desired

future state, • using change processes which

involve both human and technical aspects of the organization.

STATE OF THE KNOWLEDGE BASE• A vast literature:

– theory– a few large-scale studies – individual case studies, e.g., executives

as change leaders– academic studies (e.g., readiness,

change capacity, organizational climate)– “guru literature”, “management by

bestseller”• So far, mostly too esoteric or too

anecdotal

STATE OF THE SCIENCE

• Research which offers generalizable, evidence-based practice guidelines is less common.

• Consistent methodologies and measurements are generally not used.

• Outcomes are typically not well-documented.

• The evidence for the assertions and prescriptions in the literature must be considered weak.

AREAS TO STUDY

• Preconditions: Readiness, capacity, climate, etc.• Strategy: “the general design or plan of action”• Tactics - “the concrete and specific actions that

flow from the strategy” • Methods:

• organization development (employee surveys, team building, process consultation, group problem solving, etc.)

• Quality improvement (CQI, Lean Six Sigma, etc.)• ARC (availability, responsiveness, and continuity)• Exploration, Preparation, Implementation,

Sustainment (EPIS)• Implementation Science• National Implementation Research Network (EBP

implementation)• Business Process Reengineering

MY FOCUS: CHANGE TACTICS

• Content analysis of the literature: 22 tactics are often mentioned (Packard & Shih, 2013)

• Preliminary research suggests that use of these can enhance prospects for success (Packard, McCrae, & Scannapieco, 2015; Packard & Gibson, 2014).

• This model incorporates tactics which have been associated with success.

THREE LEVELS OF CHANGE

• Developmental: incremental

• Transitional: moderate, to something new

• Transformational: large-scale

Developmental Change• Improving a skill, method

or process that does not currently meet the agency’s standard

• Adjustments to existing operations

• Least threatening to employees

• Easiest to manage

• Examples: problem solving, training, improving communications, improving systems or processes(Proehl, p. 40)

Transitional Change• Implement something

new• Abandon old ways of

functioning• Move through a transitional period• New future state• Requires patience and

time

• Examples: CQI? reorganizations, interagency coalitions, new technology systems, implementing new programs(Proehl, p. 41)

Transformational Change• Evolutionary state requiring

major shifts in vision, strategy, structure, systems

• Might evolve out of necessity: major policy changes, significant productivity problems, system failure, etc.

• New state: new culture, beliefs, and awareness of possibilities

• Examples: CQI? New practice model? privatization, managed competition, welfare reform

(Proehl. P. 42)

DOING ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE

“I have been speaking prose all my life, and didn't even know it!”

- From Molière, The Bourgeois Gentleman

STEPS IN PLANNED ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE

1. Assess the present2. Create a sense of urgency3. Communicate the change vision4. Develop and maintain support 5. Develop an action system6. Implement the change7. Institutionalize the change8. Evaluate the change

Realities of Organizational Change

1: Assess the Present

• Develop a clear understanding of the problem, need for change, and desired outcomes

• Determine your role in the change process• Gather and assess available data to guide

the change• Note the scope of the change• Assess the type of change which will be

needed• Assess readiness (level of support and

enthusiasm)• Assess capability (skills, abilities,

resources) • Assess possible resistance (who may

resist, and why)

QUICK DISCUSSION

• Tried any of these?• Seen any used?• What helped?• What didn’t help?• Can you see how you could use

any of these?

2. Create a Sense of Urgency• Ensure the need: The

problem, what needs attention

• Pressures from the environment • Internal conditions• Accent the importance

of a crisis• Share data• Show what will happen

if the problem is not addressed

QUICK DISCUSSION

• Tried any of these?• Seen any used?• What helped?• What didn’t help?• Can you see how you could use

any of these?

3: Communicate the Change Vision• Problem• Vision for success• Plans for activitieso Auspices & mandateso Data collection & analysis, task forces, change processesoTime, resources

QUICK DISCUSSION

• Tried any of these?• Seen any used?• What helped?• What didn’t help?• Can you see how you could use

any of these?

4. Develop and Maintain Support

SUPPORT• Top management (e.g., CEO)• Political overseers (Board, advisory

boards)• Other stakeholders (unions, community

groups)RESISTANCE• Not knowing• Not able• Not willing

QUICK DISCUSSION

• Tried any of these?• Seen any used?• What helped?• What didn’t help?• Can you see how you could use

any of these?

5. Develop an Action System• People with credibility, power, interest, relevant knowledge and skills• People affected by the problem• Steering committee• Task forces • Communication systems

QUICK DISCUSSION

• Tried any of these?• Seen any used?• What helped?• What didn’t help?• Can you see how you could use

any of these?

CHANGE AGENT ROLES

• Sponsor• Champion• Other change agents• Other stakeholders

•

QUICK DISCUSSION

• Tried any of these?• Seen any used?• What helped?• What didn’t help?• Can you see how you could use

any of these?

6. Implement the Plan for Change• PROVIDE RESOURCES: staff time, financial

and technological support• Task forces/action teams• Action plans• Project monitoring• Quick results and short term wins• Widespread participation: involve more

staff • Communication mechanisms to inform

staff regarding progress• Specific change technologies as needed

QUICK DISCUSSION

• Tried any of these?• Seen any used?• What helped?• What didn’t help?• Can you see how you could use

any of these?

QUICK DISCUSSION

• Tried any of these?• Seen any used?• What helped?• What didn’t help?• Can you see how you could use

any of these?

7. Institutionalize the change

• Formalize changes in policies and procedures

• Support necessary culture changes• Make staff aware of results and new

systems• Link changes with other systems

(performance measures, HR changes)

• Continuous monitoring and adaptation

• Celebrate successes• Commitment to ongoing learning,

change and improvement

QUICK DISCUSSION

• Tried any of these?• Seen any used?• What helped?• What didn’t help?• Can you see how you could use

any of these?

8. Evaluate the change

• Evaluation of results using data• Change process: was the change

plan implemented as designed?• Change content: outcomes • Assess institutionalization of changes

QUICK DISCUSSION

• Tried any of these?• Seen any used?• What helped?• What didn’t help?• Can you see how you could use

any of these?

References & resources• Fernandez, S. and Rainey, H. (2006). Managing Successful

Organizational Change in the Public Sector: An Agenda for Research and Practice. Public Administration Review 66, 1-25

• Proehl, R. (2001). Organizational Change in the Human Services. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.

• Packard. T. & Shih, A. (2014). Organizational change tactics: The evidence base in the literature, Journal of Evidence-Based Social Work. 11:5, 498-510.

• Packard, T. McCrae, J., & Scannapieco, M. (2015). Organizational Change Tactics in an Initiative to Improve Child Welfare Programs in 13 Counties: Impacts and Perspectives on Project Success. (Peer reviewed). Society for Social Work and Research Annual Conference, New Orleans.

• Packard, T. & Gibson, C. (2014). Organizational change in human services organizations: comparing successful and unsuccessful interventions. (Peer Reviewed). Network for Social Work Management Annual Conference, Boston.

• Packard, T. (2013). Organizational change in human service organizations. In The Encyclopedia of Social Work online. Retrieved from Oxford University Press & NASW. [DOI: 10.1093/acrefore/9780199975839.013.272].

• Packard, T. (2013). Organizational change: A conceptual framework to advance the evidence base. Journal of Human Behavior and the Social Environment. 23(1), 75-90.

• Being First, Inc.: consulting, free publications and on-line newsletter: http://www.beingfirst.com/

QUESTIONS?

Questions?Application ideas?Any questions later:

tpackard@mail.sdsu.eduTHANK YOU for your interest

and participation.