Palmer, Dunford, & Akin describe various methods that can help foster transformation in an organization. One of them is the use of listening and dialogue in resolving conflicts connected with changes and different cultural views. Gerard & Turfs agree with the fact that an organization comprises individuals from diverse backgrounds. The latter comes along with different cultural practices exercised by people. Such diverse cultural backgrounds in the organization may cause a conflict of interests. The lack of tolerance and insensitivity to the needs of others contributes to conflicts in the organization immensely. Palmer, Dunford, & Akin add that to solve the problem of cultural diversity in the workplace dialogue, listening and community building come in handy. The authors assert that to bring about a transformation in the organization, transformational teams ought to engage in a collaborative dialogue to establish a new culture. The newly established culture will act as a transformative agent in the organization, determining a new direction for participants. According to Palmer, Dunford, & Akin, after the dialogue has been exercised, the staff should immediately suspend their initial judgment of others and develop a new impression of their colleagues based on their new thoughts.
In the four change stories by Palmer, Dunford, & Akin, to change their perception of the previous executives, who had stolen millions of the organizational cash, the transformational team should offer the leaders a new set of regulations. The latter stipulated new guidelines and established policies that guided employees. Therefore, establishing a code of conduct that guides workers will provide an appropriate basis for effecting the transformation. However, the transformational team ought to involve each member of the organization for the new change to take effect. Involving every member ensures that the entire organization supports the change. Winning support from all departments marks the first step to the success of any transformation.
Events in the book by Palmer, Dunford, & Akin remind me of the time I faced a professional change in the organization I was working for then. There exist many similarities between the events in the four change stories in the book and the ones in my organization. The first step of transformation begins with conflicts in the organization that cause great operational inefficiency. Scandals such as stealing organizational finances and misuse of other resources follow in close succession. These activities result in deep suspicion and bitterness amongst employees. At that point, individuals think of new ideas to end the existing crisis. In the organization I was working for, its members and I included and drafted some policies in consultation with the management. The team reached out to each individual for views on the best policy practices that could improve working relations in the workplace. Collecting ideas of every individual was for the purpose to ensure that a newly formulated policy was all-inclusive. The team reached out to the management team, including those members with the allegation of having breached their organization’s code of conduct by misappropriating funds. They embraced new guidelines and changes, and to my surprise, things came to normal, as well as the elusive harmony was restored. Individuals changed their perception of others and were involved in teamwork. The lost trust slowly returned, and I had to study and acquire new skills necessary for conflict resolution. It was useful because I assumed the role of arbitrating conflicts that arose in the organization. Conflicts always arise when people work together as a group due to different thinking patterns, but the most important thing is learning how to resolve them amicably.
Lessons drawn from the four change stories include the importance of dialogue in the organization. A dialogue enables individuals to air out their views and settles issues amicably. It also provides a platform for individuals to exchange their views in a bid to improve working relations and point out inefficiencies. Another lesson is the significance of listening and paying attention to the views of others. Listening enables the management to cope with issues in the organization. The third important lesson from the change story is the importance of having guidelines or a set of rules that guide the relations and behavior of individuals in the workplace.
Lessons and solutions drawn from the change story can be applicable in the future since it will help me establish forums where individuals will be exchanging views freely on matters affecting the organization. I will also ensure that the policies reflect the views of each member to involve them in policy-making. Tolerance among employees will be another emphasis. With the understanding that most conflicts in the organization arise because of different cultural practices that guide our daily activities, I will ensure that I train employees on matters of tolerance.
To conclude, tolerance will ensure that individuals treat each other without creating much friction. Lastly, I will appoint tasks that will foster teamwork among the employees in the organization. Team working ensures that members familiarize themselves with each other and learn to work together to accomplish tasks for the common good of the entire organization. Establishing guidelines that moderate employee behavior will come in handy. The failure to have strict working guidelines as demonstrated in the four change stories provides another crucial lesson. To avoid the same in the organization, the guiding principles should exist in both writing and practice. Working guidelines provide a crucial rationale, based on which members can assess their conduct.
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