SKILLS AND EFFECTIVE PRACTICES
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Skills and Effective Practices
Christine Fulton
AET/560
July 20, 2015
Dr. Randy Howell
SKILLS AND EFFECTIVE PRACTICES
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Skills and Effective Practices
Introduction
“The first step toward change is awareness. The second step is acceptance.” Nathaniel
Branden (BrainyQuote, 2015)
A definition of change leadership is “the ability to energize groups who will be
implementing change projects that they may or may not buy into. It's important for change
leaders to understand the need for change and demonstrate a high tolerance for ambiguity and a
positive attitude.” (Canterucci, 2008) Change leaders need to be able to help others along with
the change and help guide them through the change by giving them support and helping them
find the support they need. The book, Implementing organizational change, quotes, “It is often
said in organizations that if you are not leading change, you are not leading.” (Spector, 2013, p.
163)
Three theories of practice that create change.
1) Lewin's Model of Change- Three stages of Change:

Unfreeze- Preparing for change by creating awareness for the need and understanding
change is essential.

Change- Transitioning from the old to the new by implementing the changes. This
includes dealing with resilient staff and training them on new processes.

Refreeze- Once changes have been made, change managers must create stability and
ensure the new changes become the norm. (Change Management Coach, 2015)
2) Beckhard & Harris's Change-Management Process

Organizational Analysis - Leaders must assess the need for change by analyzing the
organization's current state.
SKILLS AND EFFECTIVE PRACTICES
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Reason for Change - Change leaders recognize the need for change and create a vision
for the future.

Gap Analysis - Change leaders must define the change and identify gaps between present
state and future goals.

Action Planning - Implement change by taking actions to move from current state to
desired future outcomes.

Managing the Transition - manage the transition that occurs when making organizational
changes through effective collaboration and role assignments. (Cawsey, 2012)
3) Lippitt's Phases of Change is a seven step theory which is an extension of Lewin's model that
focuses more on the responsibility of the change agent rather than the change itself.

Diagnose the problem

Assess the organization's motivation and capacity for change

Assess the change agent's resources and motivation

Develop action plans and establish strategies

Assign change agents' roles and responsibilities

Maintain the change through constant communication and feedback

As the change becomes a part of the organizational culture, the change agent withdraws
from their role over time. (Cawsey, 2012)
The characteristics and skills of a change leader

Characteristics of Change Leaders
o Action Oriented: Effective change leaders take action and lead the way in helping
to achieve goals.
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o Determination: Committed to organizational changes and using available
resources to achieve success.
o Vision-focused: Successful change leaders are focused on the visualization and
take actions to achieve the goals.
o Confident: Change leaders must maintain an optimistic attitude that outcomes will
be positive.
o Risk Taker: Change leaders step up and take a risk even when the outcome is
unknown or believed disparaging.
o Flexible: Effective change leaders act fast and adapt quickly to ideas and plans
that may change. (Geisler, 2015)

Change Leader Skills
o Strong Communication Skills: Able to effectively communicate plans and ideas to
all levels of the organization
o People Skills: Ability to build teams and motivate employees
o Management Skills: Manage resistance by acknowledging it exists and maintain
changes once they are implemented
o Negotiation Skills: Influencing change by selling ideas that will help achieve
organizational goals
o Time Management: Getting things done accurately and promptly. (Geisler, 2015)
The actions or tasks needed to promote change

Leaders should always practice energetically what they are trying to get across to the
employees.

Stay positive as the mood is contagious.
SKILLS AND EFFECTIVE PRACTICES
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Not only discuss what needs to change, but also listen to employees about their concerns
about the change.

Stay focused on the bigger picture.
An explanation of how a change leader uses effective practices and active listening to
influence change
Active listening is significant to understanding where the breakdowns are in, to
implementing change. If the persons involved do not have a comprehension of where the
changes are taking them, they will not be as eager to take to the new ideas.
Change agents need to know how to imagine what the changes are doing to the company in the
big picture. Changes do not happen straightaway; they take time. The leaders of change can
theorize what the agenda will look like in the future and will be able to describe it to the
company. Any change can cause trouble from within management down to the lowest point or
position in the company. This is where it is imperative that the change agent stay the course
when met with hopeless and combative responses from employees. It is their responsibility to be
able to depict the vision and direction the company is going to be after the changes are fully
implemented to get all on board. There will likely never be a full buy in from all involved, but
getting the majority to see the big picture will overshadow the negative minority.
The change leader is the person to make the imperceptible, perceptible.
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References
BrainyQuote. (2015). Change Quotes at BrainyQuote. Retrieved 19 July 2015, from
http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/topics/topic_change.html#6odkjdTpoWYEkMBE.99
Canterucci, J. (2008). Are You a Change Leader? - Jim Canterucci. Jim Canterucci. Retrieved 19
July 2015, from http://jimcanterucci.com/change-leader/
Cawsey, T., Deszca, G., Ingols, C., & Cawsey, T. (2012). Organizational change. Thousand
Oaks, Calif.: SAGE Publications.
Change Management Coach. (2015). The Kurt Lewin Model Of Change. Retrieved 21 July 2015,
from http://www.change-management-coach.com/kurt_lewin.html
Geisler, J. (2015). 10 key skills today’s leaders need to succeed in 2013 | Poynter.. Poynter.org.
Retrieved 21 July 2015, from http://www.poynter.org/how-tos/leadershipmanagement/196814/10-key-skills-todays-leaders-need-to-succeed-in-2013/
Spector, B. (2013). Implementing organizational change (3rd ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ:
Prentice Hall.