Communicating ChangesAnd

Receiving Feedback

ByAnil Kumar

Sharad KumarAkanksha Singh

Anything that is or may be substituted foranother.

Sources of change

• The demand for change can arise from: - the internal environment (e.g. employees and departments)- the external environment (e.g. competition, markets and customers)

Types of change

• Types of change include alterations to size, structure, culture, leadership, tasks and activities

• The organisation can be reactive or proactive towards change

Lewin’s Force Field Analysis

• Change is the outcome of the impact of driving forces upon restraining forces• Driving forces are often economic in

nature • Change invokes uncertainty in the

existing workforce• Managers involved need to communicate

strong justification for changes

The process of change

The change process model

The change process model

Stage 1• Unfreezing of current attitudes and

behaviour• Organisational anticipation

The change process model

Stage 2• Moving to a new level• Organisational flux• Information building• Experimentation

The change process model

Stage 3• Refreezing attitudes and behaviour

at the new level• Highlight the positive outcomes of

the changes

Communicating change• In communicating change consider:

- the information which needs to be imparted- the best media to use

• For communicating routine or minor change use:- circulars or newsletters- announcements on noticeboards- letters, memos and e-mail

Cont…

• For communicating routine or minor change use:- circulars or newsletters- announcements on noticeboards- letters, memos and e-mail

Communicating change

• In communicating change aim to:- involve organisation members in planning and implementing the change

Communicating change

- have a two-way dialogue with those affected by the change - counter informal communication, such as rumours and gossip

Greiner’s model

• Greiner’s model can be used to highlight the need:– for structural change– for development of key skills– to manage transfer from one phase to the next

Greiner’s model

Five dimensions of organisational development

• Age• Size• Stages of evolution• Stages of revolution• Industry growth rate

Phase 1 - Growth through creativity

• Focus is product development and selling• Crisis of leadership:– informal management style becomes

inadequate– more expertise is needed

Phase 2 - Growth through direction

• Crisis of leadership is resolved by:– specialisation– functional structure– implementing control systems– formal communication–Decision Making expands up the hierarchy

Phase 2 - Growth through direction

• Crisis of autonomy– over centralisation– no opportunity to exercise initiative

Phase 3 - Growth through delegation

• Crisis of autonomy is resolved by:–decentralisation–divisional structure – top management deal with strategic issues

and middle manager competitive issues

• Crisis of control:– top management feel a loss of control over the

divisions

Phase 4 - Growth through co-ordination

• Crisis of control is resolved by:– formal planning–more staff concerned with control

throughout the organisation–encourage managers to take a corporate

perspective

Phase 4 - Growth through co-ordination

• Crisis of red tape:– lack of confidence in co-ordination between

employees and HQ– proliferation of systems– innovation is stifled

Phase 5 - Growth through collaboration

• Crisis of red tape is resolved by social control and self discipline

• Crisis of collaboration - employees exhausted by teamwork and the need for innovation

Feedback is:

information about performance or behaviour

that leads to action to affirm or develop that performance or behaviour.

Purpose of Feedback

How can we expect people to change and develop if they don’t know what they need to

change?

Unless they get feedback, how do they know what they do well so they can continue doing

it?

Feedback Reality vs Perceptions

Most people really want to know how they are doing. They want to know if other people like

what they’re doing.

They also want to know if something could be done more effectively or if boundaries are

being overstepped.

Feedback is NOT:

• an end in itself• a solution to performance problems or issues• praise or blame, approval or disapproval. Evaluation means to

place value on a performance or piece of work. But feedback is value neutral. It merely describes what you did or did not accomplish, given a standard or intent.

• Derived from tests, exercises or simulations. The activity being assessed is your normal work. You cannot get closer to real life than real life itself.

Brown & Leigh’s Feedback Rules (1996)

• TIMELY• SELECTIVE• BALANCED• SUGGESTIONS rather than PRESCRIPTIONS• DESCRIPTIVE• SPECIFIC or focussed

Avoid personal commentsAvoid Mixed MessagesAvoid diffusion

• DIRECTED towards behaviour that can be changed

The Impact of FeedbackThe person receiving the feedback can react with:• Anger – ‘I’ve had enough of this’• Denial – this reaction often accompanies the initial shock of

feedback ‘I cant see any problem with that’• Blame – ‘It’s not my fault. What can you expect when the

patient won’t listen?• Rationalisation – finding excuses to try and justify their

behaviour ‘I’ve had a particularly bad week’ ‘Doesn’t everyone do this?’

• Acceptance• Renewed Action

what type of feedback might you get?

• written/verbal individualised eg a particular assignment• written/verbal general feedback to your class eg on most

common errors/successes on an exam paper• checklists/proforma eg headings of assessment criteria, with

comments below• assessment criteria grid, showing where you are placed

against each criteria• model answers• computerised eg multiple-choice questions• "Off the cuff" comments from others eg "You're really good

at…"

Rules for Receiving Feedback• Listen carefully to what is being said• People should be receptive to feedback and see it as helpful.• Don’t reject it!

Accept positive feedback…don’t reject it!Accept negative feedback...don’t reject it!Avoid arguing or being defensive.

• Ask questions to clarify fully and seek examples is useful. • Acknowledge the giver of feedback and show his or her appreciation. The

feedback may not have been easy to give.• Involve mutual good will

receiver should feel that the giver isn’t their enemygiver needs to want to help receiver develop

what to do with the feedback?It is up to you

• Read or listen• Understand; Clarification: examples and alternatives; Keep

notes • Give it time to sink in and get into perspective• Try to keep feedback sheets/information together• Address areas for improvement. Identify, Action Plan• Try not to

feel devastated by small criticisms and try not to be defensive and make excuses