Created 21/08/2011 07:18:10 PM

We've learnt many good ideas about the positive consequences of change or how to manage a change (Bishop, 2001), but we may have not addressed the negative impact of change or managing it enough, especially in organizational environments. I felt it is good idea to cover that topic in this note.

Change is usually a synonym of "downsizing" in organizational debates, especially today with growing economic restrictions in many countries (Daft, 2007). I remember one of recent Shaping Tomorrow's newsletter in which a trend analysis was reflected showing a return wave of recession in most European countries and also the US since 3 months ago. So, downsizing may become a necessary policy at many companies again.

Downsizing refers to internationally reducing the size of a company's workforce. When job cuts are necessary, leaders and managers should be prepared for increased conflict and stress. Daft (2007) has introduced a number of techniques than can help smooth downsizing process and ease tensions for employees who leave as well as those who remain: Involve employees; Communicate more, not less; Provide assistance to displaced workers; and Help the survivors thrive. You see that it's not enough to be futurist to manage a change, but we should become supportive leaders of change. We are not going to become "changers", but "supportive leaders" of change.

Can we consider other negative impacts of change? It's good not to name "resistance against the change" as it has been mentioned many times in numerous leadership and management textbooks, and I'm sure you know it better than me.     

References:

Bishop, P. (2001). Change Management, Unit 10 Readings, LMSF 602 Course Materials, Regent University, p. 8.

Daft, Richard L. (2007). The Leadership Experience, 4th ed. OH: South-Western Publishing. p. 648-649.