Sunday, November 18, 2012

Implementing Change and Overcoming Resistance ~ By Steve Nguyen


In “Leading Change” (1996), Kotter outlined an 8-Stage Process to Creating Major Change:


  1. Establish a Sense of Urgency: Examine market and competitive realities; identify and discuss crises, potential crises, or major opportunities
  2. Create the Guiding Coalition: Assemble a group with enough power to lead the change; get group to work together as a team
  3. Develop a Vision & Strategy: Create a vision to help direct the change effort; Develop strategies for achieving that vision
  4. Communicate the Vision: Use every vehicle possible to communicate the new vision and strategies; have Guiding Coalition role model the behavior expected of employees
  5. Empowering Action: Get rid of obstacles to change; change systems or structures that undermine the vision; encourage risk-taking and nontraditional ideas, activities, and actions
  6. Generating Short-Term Wins: Plan for visible performance improvements or “wins”; create those “wins”; recognize and reward employees who made “wins” possible
  7. Consolidate Gains and Produce More Change: Use increased credibility to change systems, structures, and policies that don’t fit the vision; hire, promote, and develop employees who can implement the change vision; reinvigorate the process with new projects, themes, and change agents
  8. Anchor New Approaches in the Corporate Culture: Create better performance via customer- and productivity-oriented behavior, more and better leadership, and more effective management; articulate the connections between the new behaviors and organizational success; develop the means to ensure leadership development and succession.

Professor Kotter (1996) shared about a time he consulted with an intelligent and competent executive who struggled trying to implement a reorganization. Problem was many of his managers were against it. Kotter went through the 8-stage process. He asked the executive whether there was a sense of urgency (Stage #1) among the employees to change. The executive said, “Some do. But many probably do not.” (Kotter, 1996, p. 22). When asked about a compelling vision and strategy to implement (Stage #3), the executive replied, I think so [about the vision]…although I’m not sure how clear it [the strategy] is” (Kotter, 1996, p. 22). Finally, when Kotter inquired whether the managers understood and believed in the vision, the executive responded, “I wouldn’t be surprised if many [people] either don’t understand the concept or don’t entirely believe in it [the vision]” (Kotter, 1996, p. 22).
Kotter (1996) states that when Stages #1-4 of the Kotter model are skipped it’s inevitable that one will face resistance. The executive ran into resistance because he went directly to Stage #5. Kotter states that in attempting to implement change, many will rush through the process “without ever finishing the job” (Kotter, 1996, p. 22) or they’ll skip stages and either jump to or only do Stages 5, 6, and 7.
Schermerhorn, Hunt, and Osborn (2005) maintain that when employees resist change they are protecting/defending something they value and which seems threatened by the attempt at change.
Eight Reasons for Resisting Change (Schermerhorn, Hunt, & Osborn, 2005):
  1. Fear of the unknown
  2. Lack of good information
  3. Fear of loss of security
  4. No reasons to change
  5. Fear of loss of power
  6. Lack of resources
  7. Bad timing
  8. Habit
To overcome resistance to change, make sure that the following criteria are met (Schermerhorn, Hunt, & Osborn, 2005):
  • Benefit: Whatever it is that is changing, that change should have a clear relative advantage for those being asked to change; it should be seen as “a better way.”
  • Compatibility: The change should be as compatible as possible with the existing values and experiences of the people being asked to change.
  • Complexity: The change should be no more complex than necessary; it must be as easy as possible for people to understand and use.
  • Triability: The change should be something that people can try on a step-by-step basis and make adjustments as things progress.
There are 6 methods for dealing with resistance to change (Schermerhorn, Hunt, & Osborn, 2005):
  1. Education & Communication: educate people about a change before it is implemented; help them understand the logic behind the change.
  2. Participation & Involvement: allow people to help design and implement the changes (e.g., ideas, task forces, committees).
  3. Facilitation & Support: provide help (emotional & material resources) for people having trouble adjusting to the change.
  4. Negotiation & Agreement: offers incentives to those who resist change.
  5. Manipulation & Cooptation: attempts to influence others.
  6. Explicit & Implicit Coercion: use of authority to get people to accept change.
References
Kotter, J.P. (1996). Leading change. Boston, MA: Harvard Business School Press.
Schermerhorn, J.R., Hunt, J.G., & Osborn, R.N. (2005). Organizational Behavior (9th ed.). New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.



Ref: http://workplacepsychology.net/2010/02/05/implementing-change-and-overcoming-resistance/

Monday, October 22, 2012

Wisdom from Nelson Mandela.












Africa's Development Impasse: Rethinking the Political Economy of Transformation~ Eric Mokube


Africa's Development Impasse: Rethinking the Political Economy of Transformation~ Eric Mokube

Click to read: http://muse.jhu.edu/journals/africa_today/summary/v057/57.4.mokube.html

Democracy, Yoruba Politics & ACN Governance - Issues at Stake (A Rejoinder to a recent FB posting by one of my Political Mentors)


Uncle Ayo Owoade; the critical issue(s) for my generation is much more than just "electing" 6 Governors "democratically" in our corner of the Nigerian Federation and then thinking that this is the SOLE END PRODUCT of "Democracy" for our people!!!
The END PRODUCT of Democracy is for ELECTED OFFICIALS (alongside their appointed officials) to use the instrumentality of their PUBLIC/ELECTED OFFICES to effect a MASSIVE (& continuously ongoing) improvements (social, economic, educational, cultural, infrastructural, health, agricultural, environmental, vocational, etc) in the lives of their electorates & in their communities/constituencies towards GREATLY improving the QUALITY & STANDARDS OF LIFE/LIVING for those who used "democracy" to elect such officials in the first place!
Elections & Democracy are not a cyclical purposeless jamboree (with little to show for it on the side of the electorates apart from a >70% chronic poverty in the land of plenty alongside all its negative societal consequences all over the land while their elected officials amass all the wealth of the land/benefits of democracy)!!!
Elections & Democracy have CONSEQUENCES & IMPLICATIONS on the two sides of the "Democratic Equation" (i.e "The Elected" & "The Electorates") and it will be very wrong, unjust & hypocritical for us to ever assume it is only "The Elected" who are supposed to be enjoying the "Dividends of Democracy" not only in "Yoruba Land", but all across the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as my generation is not interested in "sectional/local politics" only; but also in national + continental + international politics - which has a much better guarantee to ensure that all our people (at home & elsewhere) get a much better deal from "their democracy"!
I believe it is long overdue for us all to change our mindset/worldview about
governance in a democratic (& independent nation) setting and stop practicing "Monacracy" (an absurd & anachronistic amalgam of absolute monarchy and autocratic/despotic democracy a.k.a "Demon-Kiracy") if we ever want to make progress in our corner of the world, break the shackles of our unenviable past (which has held us hostage & is causing untold agonies all over our land + nation) and rapidly turn the "learning curve" of "Democracy" to our advantage following the footsteps/examples of countries like Brazil, Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, South Korea, Ghana, etc who have shown us what can be achieved via "Democracy"!
We don't have to reinvent the wheel of democracy; we only need to make some minor adjustments to it (to reflect local peculiarities without jeopardizing the very ESSENTIAL BASIS/TENETS OF DEMOCRACY)!
There is still hope for "our democracy "; but this will only be possible if our "Elected + Appointed Leaders" (& their Traditional Leaders counterparts/partners) give it a chance to survive & blossom by making the much needed personal sacrifices & attitudinal changes to make it so!
Our people MUST enjoy "their democracy" and not be daily cursing their stars/lots as they continue to bear the yokes/shackles of centuries of absolute feudal monarchical tyranny/leadership culture which is now wearing the toga of "Democracy" & pretending to be one too!!!

Yours in the quest for a better Nigerian Nation, African Continent & Global Community;
'Gbolahan 'Gbolaga Olubowale MSW,
President & CEO,
Nigeria & Africa Renaissance Initiative Inc,
USA.
http://nigeriaandafricarenaissanceinitiative.blogspot.com/2011/02/introducingnigeria-africa-renaissance.html

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Transformational-Change-Movement/130906946970118

https://twitter.com/9ja_Renaissance

Economic Development in Africa – Opportunities and Challenges

Economic Development in Africa – Opportunities and Challenges
 ~ Elisabeth Tankeu, Commissioner for Trade and Industry, African Union, Addis Abeba
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
Introduction:

The current development situation of Africa is paradoxical. Although it is arguably the richest continent in terms of   natural resources, Africa remains the poorest and the least developed region of the world. The numerous problems accounting for this paradox can be resolved and Africa can emerge as a   major global partner and actor and become a continent of opportunities. With an abundance of natural resources, a young and growing population, and a large potential market, Africa is the last global frontier that will follow the current emerging powers of China, India and South America. Concerted efforts on the part of African countries and international community can accelerate the process of Africa becoming global power and a continent of possibilities.

### How can economic growth be translated into sustainable poverty reduction and equitable social development, benefiting the population at large?
### What is needed to maintain the economic growth that Africa has experienced over the last years?
### What are the main challenges with regards to promoting the interests and possibilities of African business?
### What can African countries and organizations do to reshape the regulatory environment, creating a more investment friendly climate?
### What can the international community do in this regard?

Read article : http://www.regjeringen.no/nb/dep/ud/kampanjer/refleks/innspill/afrika/tankeu.html?id=533426

Key Ingredients for Sustainable Socio-Economic Development ~ Ketumile Masire, former President of the Republic of Botswana

 Key Ingredients for Sustainable Socio-Economic Development  ~ Ketumile Masire, former President of the Republic of Botswana

Click to read: http://www.scu.edu/ethics/practicing/focusareas/global_ethics/laughlin-lectures/democracy-africa.html

Social Development Strategies A paper from the India-Brazil-South Africa Dialogue Forum

Social Development Strategies
A paper from the India-Brazil-South Africa Dialogue Forum

Elements for Integrated IBSA Strategies:
1. Addressing Vulnerabilities and Fostering Social and Economic Inclusion
2. Moving from flagships to comprehensive social protection
3. Investing in human capital and ensuring access to basic services
4.  Ensuring Food Security
5.  Promoting Civil Society Participation and Deepening Democracy
6. Working towards sustainable development
7. Embracing local knowledge and culture

http://www.ibsa-trilateral.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=129&Itemid=46

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

21st Century Evergreen Definition of Democracy

Democracy >>> Government of THE PEOPLE by THE PEOPLE & for THE PEOPLE.
...it can be more; but it won't be less!

Yours in the quest for a better Nigerian Nation, African Continent & Global Community;
'Gbolahan 'Gbolaga Olubowale MSW,
President & CEO,
Nigeria & Africa Renaissance Initiative Inc,
USA.
http://nigeriaandafricarenaissanceinitiative.blogspot.com/2011/02/introducingnigeria-africa-renaissance.html

http://www.nigeria2africa4transformation2011.com/

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Transformational-Change-Movement/130906946970118

https://twitter.com/9ja_Renaissance

http://www.linkedin.com/pub/nigeria-africa-renaissance-initiative-inc/30/917/57a

Sunday, February 26, 2012

Oil Wealth: A "Blessing" or "Curse"?

Having a lot of oil (which translates to "Oil Wealth") shouldn't be a "curse" but rather a "blessing" if the resultant "oil wealth" is well managed and concrete effort is made to diversify the economy (e.g investments in agriculture, small/medium & large scale industries, qualitative education + health & social infrastructures, holistic community & individual... empowerment programs, etc) as we have seen in some other countries equally blessed with vast oil resources and who have managed same very well (e.g Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Quatar, UAE/Dubai, Venezuela, Libya, Gabon, Algeria, Iran, Indonesia etc)! 

 Our problem/challenge in Nigeria is basically that of a very self centered & myopic leadership class intent on perpetuating mass generational wastage, under development, mass impoverishment, alongside chronically under enlightened + under educated populace so that such evil & wicked "leadership class" can continue to hold the hapless Nigerian populace "HOSTAGE" & "INTERNALLY ENSLAVED" in order to siphon our "Oil Wealth" (and wealth from other sources/resources) into their individual pockets/accounts while simultaneously perpetuating the worst forms of human rights abuses on the helpless Nigerian populace who have become pawns in their criminal and atrocious "power play" for self aggrandizement as these sets of criminals compete amongst themselves for who can steal the most from our COMMONWEALTH!
I believe it is time we put a permanent end to this iniquity in our land and generation and we begin to use OUR COMMONWEALTH for OUR COMMON GOOD!
Anything short of this change in the scheme of things in The Federal Republic of Nigeria is an open invitation to anarchy, a failed state and dissolution of the current system that has refused to yield the long awaited dividends of Independence & Democracy to the vast generality of Nigerians more than fifty years after independence and I for one will never support the perpetuation of such evil system!
Yours in the quest for a better Nigerian Nation, African Continent & Global Community;
'Gbolahan 'Gbolaga Olubowale MSW,
President & CEO,
Nigeria & Africa Renaissance Initiative Inc,
USA.
http://nigeriaandafricarenaissanceinitiative.blogspot.com/2011/02/introducingnigeria-africa-renaissance.html

http://www.nigeria2africa4transformation2011.com/

Thursday, February 23, 2012

5 Leadership Lessons: Joseph Nye on Leadership

5 Leadership Lessons: Joseph Nye on Leadership

Joseph S. Nye is University Distinguished Service Professor at Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government. In The Powers to Lead, he relates leadership and power. He expands further on his concept of soft power—co-opting people rather than coercing them—and hard power—influence involving pressure or threats—but he shows how effective leadership in the real world requires a mixture of both. Hard and soft power are related because they are both aspects of the ability to achieve one’s purpose by affecting the behavior of others. They sometimes reinforce each other and sometimes they interfere with each other. The use of either one or the other depends on context. The ability to know which to use when is what he calls smart power. We need to know our context. He says, “Soft power is not good per se, and it is not always better than hard power. Nobody likes to feel manipulated, even by soft power. Like any form of power, it can be wielded for good or bad purposes, and these often vary with the eye of the beholder.” Here are five leadership lessons from The Powers to Lead:

1# Almost anyone can become a leader. Leadership can be learned. It depends on nature and nurture. Leadership can exist at any level, with or without formal authority. Most people are both leader and followers. They “lead from the middle."
2# Smart leaders need both soft and hard power skills: co-optive and command styles. Both transformational and transactional objectives and styles can be useful. One is not automatically better than the other. Leaders depend on and are partly shaped by followers. Some degree of soft power is necessary. Presence/magnetism is inherent in some personalities more than others, but “charisma” is largely bestowed by followers.
3# Appropriate style depends on the context. There are “autocratic situations” and “democratic situations,” normal and crisis conditions, and routine and novel crises. Good diagnosis of the need for change (or not) is essential for contextual intelligence.
4# Leadership for crisis conditions requires advance preparation, emotional maturity, and the ability to distinguish the roles of operational, analytical, and political work. The appropriate mix of styles and skills varies with the stage of the crisis.
5# The information revolution and democratization are causing a long-term secular shift in the context of postmodern organizations—a shift along the continuum from command to co-optive style. Network organizations require a more consultative style. While sometimes stereotyped as a feminine style, both men and women face this change and need to adapt to it. A consultative style is more costly in terms of time, but it provides more information, creates buy-in, and empowers followers.

5 Leadership Lessons: Joseph Nye on Leadership

5 Leadership Lessons: Joseph Nye on Leadership

Almost anyone can become a leader. Leadership can be learned. It depends on nature and nurture. Leadership can exist at any level, with or without formal authority. Most people are both leader and followers. They “lead from the middle."
Smart leaders need both soft and hard power skills: co-optive and command styles. Both transformational and transactional objectives and styles can be useful. One is not automatically better than the other. Leaders depend on and are partly shaped by followers. Some degree of soft power is necessary. Presence/magnetism is inherent in some personalities more than others, but “charisma” is largely bestowed by followers.
Appropriate style depends on the context. There are “autocratic situations” and “democratic situations,” normal and crisis conditions, and routine and novel crises. Good diagnosis of the need for change (or not) is essential for contextual intelligence.
Leadership for crisis conditions requires advance preparation, emotional maturity, and the ability to distinguish the roles of operational, analytical, and political work. The appropriate mix of styles and skills varies with the stage of the crisis.
The information revolution and democratization are causing a long-term secular shift in the context of postmodern organizations—a shift along the continuum from command to co-optive style. Network organizations require a more consultative style. While sometimes stereotyped as a feminine style, both men and women face this change and need to adapt to it. A consultative style is more costly in terms of time, but it provides more information, creates buy-in, and empowers followers.
http://www.leadershipnow.com/leadingblog/2010/07/5_leadership_lessons_joseph_ny.html

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Happy Valentine's Day to the Human Race all over the Global Village!

.....may the Love being celebrated on this year's St. Valentine's Day become a massive force for good to make the Human Race all over the Global Village united with a common purpose to make this Global Village much better for all and sundry!
Happy Val's Day to you.....!

Yours in the quest for a better Nigerian Nation, African Continent & Global Community;
'Gbolahan 'Gbolaga Olubowale MSW,
President & CEO,
Nigeria & Africa Renaissance Initiative Inc,
USA.
http://nigeriaandafricarenaissanceinitiative.blogspot.com/2011/02/introducingnigeria-africa-renaissance.html

http://www.nigeria2africa4transformation2011.com/

Thursday, February 2, 2012

Excerpts of "Open Letter to African Leaders"

http://www.flickr.com/photos/equatorial_guinea/5894024592/

.....I have personally been monitoring events (social, political, economic, educational, developmental, human capacity development, etc) all over the African Continent for a couple of decades now and from my objective observational and empirical analysis of events on the continent, one can conclude without any doubt that things have only gone from bad to worst in virtually all African countries (with the exception of very few African countries that have stood out as a beacon of hope in the Continent where our Leaders seems content and comfortable maintaining the despicable status quo of our ignoble past)!
Your Excellencies; the "report cards" of your stewardships ( and that of most of your like minded predecessors; with the exception of still a few Leaders like Kwame Nkrumah, Leopold Senghor, Kenneth Kaunda, Patrice Lumumba, Thomas Sankara, Nelson Mandela, Obafemi Awolowo, Gamal Abdel Nassar, Jerry Rawlings, Moamar Ghaddafi, etc;) to your country and citizens has been nothing to write home about over most of the past 50 years of independent African countries. The general outcome of your "brand of leadership and mindset" has been a general failure and callous waste of golden opportunities to gallantly lift Africa and Africans up to an enviable heights after independence (as some leaders elsewhere have shown us around the Global Community as being possible; e.g the Asian Tiger nations which were, sad to say, way behind most African countries in the '60s when these countries also got their independence from their own colonial masters!).
As a group (with the exception of a few); Your Excellencies have continually and consistently followed a "development/leadership template" deeply rooted in Africa's unenviable traditional past and have mostly done nothing (or maybe made only cosmetic/superficial token gestures) to remove entrenched impediments to Africa's transformation which would have facilitated/promote a massive human capacity development and empowerment of Africans (the engine room of any sustainable socio economic development and growth) and which would have subsequently lift vast millions out of humanly engineered and entrenched poverty, deprivations, misery, abuse and sub human existence not much different from what obtains all over the African Continent in year "1220"!
This "development/leadership template" is what was used in centuries gone by by our "forefathers" and leaders like you folks, to keep their people subjected to their continued autocratic rule and exploitation of their hapless subjects; the same despicable "template" facilitated the evil and wicked slave trade; actively promote the inhuman trade of human beings as "commodities" and did virtually nothing to end this ignominious era internally! This same "template" facilitated the colonization of virtually the whole of the African continent (with a few exception of courageous leaders who vigorously resisted the colonialists exploitative adventure/incursion into Africa)! The same "leadership/development template" gave rise to neo-colonial Africa and African leaders who took (and are still taking) a perverted delight in keeping their people poor, unenlightened, uneducated, deprived, dependent and internally enslaved - since these "modern day" leaders are no longer able to "sell" their people across the ocean as "human cargoes", they now do so internally and pretend to the outside world that slavery no longer exists on the continent!!!
I am totally baffled beyond comprehension trying to fathom the rational or logic behind the unimaginable salaries & allowances "Your Excellencies" and other elected or appointed leaders allocate to yourselves from the commonwealths of your nations (uncountable times more than what hard working leaders with concrete proofs of achievements receives in developed nations where promoting the well being of their citizens is a leaders first and only duty!).

.....watch out for full letter soon.

Yours in the quest for a better Nigerian nation, African Continent & Global Community;

'Gbolahan 'Gbolaga Olubowale MSW,
President & CEO,
Nigeria & Africa Renaissance Initiative Inc,
USA.
http://nigeriaandafricarenaissanceinitiative.blogspot.com/2011/02/introducingnigeria-africa-renaissance.html

http://www.nigeria2africa4transformation2011.com/

Sunday, January 29, 2012

An open letter to African Heads of States

.....on my mind since yesterday; an open letter to African Heads of States!
I'm still gathering my thought on the issue/fine tuning the "Open Letter".

However; the said "Open Letter" won't be couched in "diplomatic finesse" as we need to tell ourselves all across Africa, some BITTER TRUTHS about how we are messing up (which we have "excelled in" since the dawn of history and especially for the past 50 years) and continuing with our actions & inactions to bring utter disrepute to the African Continent + People of African origins worldwide (a.k.a "People of Color")!
We have to wake up from our slumber   
& CENTURIES OLD stupor or Africa will be consigned perpetually to the back burners & be considered as a continent of "Court Jesters" by the rest of the Global Community "begging" for "foreign aids" in the midst of abundance for ever with a resultant increase in "Failed States" across the Continent!!!

Yours in the quest for a better Nigerian nation, African Continent & Global Community;

'Gbolahan 'Gbolaga Olubowale MSW,
President & CEO,
Nigeria & Africa Renaissance Initiative Inc,
USA.
http://nigeriaandafricarenaissanceinitiative.blogspot.com/2011/02/introducingnigeria-africa-renaissance.html

http://www.nigeria2africa4transformation2011.com/