Vision
Content of
Meaningful Vision
How Context
Affects Vision
Processes by which Vision
Emerges
Failure of Vision
Debates linking
Vision and
Change
Heroic Leaders or
Organizations




Having a vision is often linked to why successful organizational change is achieved
Conversely, lack of vision is frequently associated with organizational decline
The role of vision in producing organizational change is linked to the image one has of managing change
Vision is commonly thought of as a guide for the organization in identifying the appropriateness of particular changes that are proposed
Developing an effective Vision
9-2

Vision
Content of
Meaningful Vision
How Context
Affects Vision
Processes by which Vision
Emerges
Failure of Vision
Debates linking
Vision and
Change
Heroic Leaders or
Organizations
Developing an effective Vision
 The content of meaningful vision has sparked considerable debate. Some consideration has been given to attributes, its style, and how it is differentiated from mission and organizational values. Here are some examples:
◦ Two Attributes of vision:
 cognitive component – focusing on achieving outcomes
 affective component – helping to motivate people and increase commitment to the change
(Boal & Hooijberg, 2001)
◦ Three components of vision are:
 Why the change is needed

The aim of the change
 The change actions that will be taken
(Pendlebury et al, 1998)
◦ Four generic characteristics of vision are:

Imaginable – picture of future
 Desirable – appeal to interests
 Feasible - realistic

Focused - guide of decision making
 Flexible - enable individual initiatives
 Communicable - in five min
(Kotter, 1996)
9-3

Vision
Content of
Meaningful Vision
A vision is a “snapshot of the future state you want to work toward.”
(Duke Corporation
Education, 2005)
How Context
Affects Vision
Processes by which Vision
Emerges
Failure of Vision
Debates linking
Vision and
Change
Heroic Leaders or
Organizations
Exercise:

Assess the vision statements of Table
9.4 in relation to the Kotter’s characteristics for good visions. Also assess them in relation to the above definition. Which of the visions seem to be “good”?
Developing an effective Vision
9-4

Vision
Content of
Meaningful Vision
How Context
Affects Vision
Processes by which Vision
Emerges
Failure of Vision
Debates linking
Vision and
Change
Heroic Leaders or
Organizations



Vision as stories
◦ This allows a vivid description of the change to effective than simple vision statements because people can imagine themselves and their actions in the future.
Relationship to mission, values, strategy
◦ Vision: what the organization wants to be.
◦ Mission: the fundamental purpose of the organization.
◦ Values: beliefs that are shared among the stakeholders of the organization.
◦ Strategy: how the organization will progress toward its future specifically.
Relationship of Vision to Market Strategy:
◦ having a well-specified market vision (external will grow and compete (internal dimension).
Developing an effective Vision
9-5

Vision
Content of
Meaningful Vision
How Context
Affects Vision
Processes by which Vision
Emerges
Failure of Vision
Debates linking
Vision and
Change
Heroic Leaders or
Organizations

There are four organizational contexts in terms of their ability to produce visionary change that should be considered. These are:
◦ Rigid organizations: low resources, lack of acceptance, hierarchical
◦ Bold organizations: low resources, high acceptance, organic
◦ Overmanaged organizations: high resources, low acceptance, dominated by past practices
◦ Liberated organizations: high resources, high acceptance of the need for change
Developing an effective Vision
9-6

Vision
Content of
Meaningful Vision
How Context
Affects Vision
Processes by which Vision
Emerges
Failure of Vision
Debates linking
Vision and
Change
Heroic Leaders or
Organizations
Developing an effective Vision

There are a number of approaches to creating vision which include:
◦ Crafting the vision: this can be either
Telling/Selling, Testing/Consulting, Cocreating
◦ Questions that help to develop a vision: this can be done through an intuitive, analytic or benchmarking approach
◦ Connecting the vision to the organization’s inner voice: this connects the vision to the underlying values and beliefs that are held within the organization.
9-7

Vision
Content of
Meaningful Vision
How Context
Affects Vision
Processes by which Vision
Emerges
Failure of Vision
Debates linking
Vision and
Change
Heroic Leaders or
Organizations
Developing an effective Vision



◦ too specific
◦ too vague
◦ inadequate
◦ too unrealistic
(Pendlebury et al., 1998)
9-8

Vision
Content of
Meaningful Vision
How Context
Affects Vision
Processes by which Vision
Emerges
Failure of Vision
Debates linking
Vision and
Change
Heroic Leaders or
Organizations

◦ Does vision drive change or emerge during change?
◦ Does vision help or hinder change?
◦ Is vision an attribute of heroic leaders or of heroic organizations?
Developing an effective Vision
9-9

Vision
Content of
Meaningful Vision
How Context
Affects Vision
Processes by which Vision
Emerges
Failure of Vision
Debates linking
Vision and
Change
Heroic Leaders or
Organizations

Is Vision an Attribute of Heroic Leaders or of Heroic Organizations?
◦ Vision is an attribute of heroic leaders:
Some writers claim that successful strategic organizational change will only occur when it is led effectively
◦ Vision is an attribute of heroic organizations:
It is a visionary company that will last the distance, irrespective of its leadership.
Vision consists of a core ideology which defines what the organization stands for – it becomes the core purpose and envisioned future of the organization.
Developing an effective Vision
9-10

Vision
Content of
Meaningful Vision
1.
Senior managers need to take the lead in developing vision, but the members of the organization need to be involved
How Context
Affects Vision
Processes by which Vision
Emerges
2.
Vision should fit the unique situation of the organization and cannot be copied or borrowed from others.
Failure of Vision
3.
Vision need to set high aspirations for the organization so that members feel that they have challenging but reachable goals.
Debates linking
Vision and
Change
Heroic Leaders or
Organizations
4.
Vision need to focus on how an organization will win in the future, what its outstanding products and services will be, and how they will satisfy the customer.
Developing an effective Vision
9-11

Vision
Content of
Meaningful Vision
How Context
Affects Vision
6.
Vision need to reflect the values that will guide how the organization accomplishes its goals and mission, and allow employees to identify with the way the organization operates.
Processes by which Vision
Emerges
7.
Vision must communicate a sense of direction and stimulate discovery of what the organization can do and what works in particular business environments.
Failure of Vision
Debates linking
Vision and
Change
8.
Vision must provide all employees with a sense of where it is trying to go.
Heroic Leaders or
Organizations
Developing an effective Vision
9.
The org. leaders should identify the kinds of capabilities that are needed, communicate them through vision statements and develop commitment to them throughout the organization.
9-12

Images of
Managing Change
Images Purpose of Communication
Communication
Process
Director
Language, Power,
Gender &
Communication
Emotion &
Communication
Communication
Strategies
- Contingency approaches
Communication
Media:
Richness
Responsibility
Navigator
Caretaker
Coach
Interpreter
Nurturer
Ensure people understand what is going to happen and what is required of them.
Communication strategies need to ensure that there is no message overload or message distortion
Similar to director but pay attention to identifying alternative interests that may disrupt the proposed change. “Tell and sell” communication techniques are used to try to win people over to the change.
Focus is on letting people know about the “why” of change, that is, the inevitability of the changes and how best to cope or survive them. “Identify and reply” (reactive) communication strategy is used.
Focus is on ensuring people share similar values and are aware of what actions are appropriate to these values. The focus of the coach is “getting buy-in” to the change through shared values and the use of “positive emotions.” “Underscore and explore” interactions are used to engage in dialogue about the change.
Interpreters provide staff with a sense of “what is going on” through story telling, metaphors, and so on. They recognize that not all will buy in to the story of change, but the aim is to provide the most dominant account. “Rich” communication media are most favored.
The nurturer image leads change managers to reinforce the view that processes cannot always be predicted and that often outcomes will occur that are innovative and creative for an organization even though few people could have anticipated what these might be prior to their occurrence.
10-14

Images of
Managing Change
Communication
Process
Language, Power,
Gender &
Communication
Emotion &
Communication
Communication
Strategies
- Contingency approaches
Communication
Media:
Richness
Responsibility



The way change is communicated is important to the success of the change program
The communication process, or mix, includes elements such as content, voice, tone, message, audience, medium, frequency and consistency.
Many problems can disturb the process of communication:
◦ message overload
◦ message distortion and
◦ message ambiguity
10-15

Language, Power, Gender & Communication
Images of
Managing Change
Communication
Process
Language, Power,
Gender &
Communication
Emotion &
Communication
Communication
Strategies
- Contingency approaches
Communication
Media:
Richness
Responsibility



Language, power, gender and emotion can impact the communication of change.
Language reflects and reinforces underlying social and power relationships.
Gender differences, also affect this process.
Three examples of the difference are:
◦ Getting credit
◦ Confidence and boasting
◦ Asking questions
◦ how feedback is given and received
◦ how compliments are exchanged
◦ whether the communication is direct or indirect
10-16

Emotion & Communication
Images of
Managing Change
Communication
Process
Language, Power,
Gender &
Communication
Emotion &
Communication
Communication
Strategies
- Contingency approaches
Communication
Media:
Richness
Responsibility



Emotion is linked to change, and can also contribute to the breakdown of the communication process.
Individuals can perceive that organizational change can harm them personally, thus their emotional state and sense of identity are threatened by change situations.
Managers can use three techniques to avoid these situations:
◦ Perspective taking
◦ Threat-reducing behavior
◦ Reflection
10-17

Images of
Managing Change
Communication
Process
Language, Power,
Gender &
Communication
Emotion &
Communication
Communication
Strategies
- Contingency approaches
Communication
Media:
Richness
Responsibility



How much communication: table 10.5
◦ depending on the change and the image of the change manager the level and extent of communication can vary.
Getting word out or buy in: table 10.7
◦ this differentiates between focusing the communication process on the provision of information or gaining participation in the process.
Beyond Spray and Pray: table 10.9
◦ This communication continuum includes five approaches
 Spray and pray
 Tell and sell
 Underscore and explore
 Identify and reply
 Withhold and uphold
10-18

Images of
Managing Change
Communication
Process
Language, Power,
Gender &
Communication
Emotion &
Communication
Communication
Strategies
- Contingency approaches
Communication
Media:
Richness
Responsibility

Contingency approaches to communicating strategy vary depending:
◦ on the type of change
(Stace & Dunphy, 2001)
 Developmental or incremental
 Task-focused
 Charismatic
 Turnaround
◦ on the stage of change e.g.
(Reardon & Reardon,
1999)
 Planning
 Enabling
 Launching
 Catalyzing
 Maintaining
10-19

Images of
Managing Change
Communication
Process
Language, Power,
Gender &
Communication
Emotion &
Communication
Communication
Strategies
- Contingency approaches
Communication
Media:
Richness
Responsibility



◦ For example, an email or memo is less personal (and less “rich”) than a face to face meeting
◦ Figure 10.3, page 309
Table 10.10
10-20

Communication Media: Responsibility
Images of
Managing Change
Communication
Process
Language, Power,
Gender &
Communication
Emotion &
Communication
Communication
Strategies
- Contingency approaches
Communication
Media:
Richness
Responsibility


CEO: Many believe that the CEO should be the principle communicator of change while others find lower level managers more trusted by staff and therefore in a better position to communicate change.
Tag Teams: Many organizations now use tag teams – a transition management team. The role of this team is specifically to stimulate open conversations through organizational units and dispersing information.
10-21