Managing Change in a Changing World


BY
TANKO AHMED fwc
Senior Fellow (Security & Strategic Studies)
National Institute (NIPSS), Kuru
LEADERS AND INNOVATIVE LEADERSHIP STYLE:
MANAGING CHANGE IN A GLOBALLY CHANGING
ENVIRONMENT
1


‘Action Changes Things = ACT’
- Anonymous
A Lecture Delivered to the NIPSS Policy, Strategy and Leadership
Course 19 on Tuesday, 18 August, 2015
LEADERS AND INNOVATIVE LEADERSHIP
STYLE: MANAGING CHANGE IN A GLOBALLY
CHANGING ENVIRONMENT
2


 The world runs on the fast-line, driven by technological
advancement and systems progression and fueled by innovative
leadership.
 Change management is a daunting task, even for the strong,
smart and savvy.
 This paper discusses the concepts and practice of innovative
leadership style in a rapidly ever-changing global environment.
 The nudge theory is positioned as framework for discourse.
 Key concepts are defined, correlated and explained on
challenges, prospects and the way forward.
Prologue
3


*Leaders
*Innovative Leadership Style
*Change Management
*Global Environment
Key Terms:
4


Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed citizens can
change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has.
Margaret Mead, U.S. Anthropologist. In Utne Reader (MS, 2009)
Anyone in a large organization who thinks major change is impossible
should probably get out.
John P. Kotter (1947 - ), U.S. Academic. In The New Rules (MS, 2009)
One of the lessons from the Darwinian world is that the excellence of an
organism's nervous system helps determine its ability to sense change
and quickly respond, thereby surviving or even thriving.
Bill Gates, a U.S. Business Executive. In The New York Times, "Leaders Must
be Candid, Consistent“ (MS, 2009)
HUMAN FASCINATION
WITH CHANGE
5

To be a catalyst is the ambition most appropriate for those who see the world as being
in constant change, and who, without thinking that they can control it, wish to
influence its direction.
Theodore Zeldin, British historian. In An Intimate History of Humanity (MS,2009)
A permanent state of transition is man's most noble condition.
Juan Ramón Jiménez, a Spanish Poet. In Selected Writings, "Heroic Reason“ (MS, 2009)
Reform never comes to a class or a people unless and until those concerned have
worked out their own salvation.
Joseph Ephraim Casely-Hayford, Ghanaian Journalist, Lawyer, and Nationalist. In
Ethiopia Unbound: Studies in Race Emancipation (MS, 2009)
… Fascination With Change
6

The new always happens against the overwhelming odds of statistical laws and
their probability...the new therefore always appears in the guise of a miracle.
Hannah Arendt, a German-born U.S. philosopher and historian. In The Human
Condition (MS, 2009)
The New Globalization was ushered in by Reagan’s announcement that: We
meant to change a nation, and instead, we changed a world.
Ronald Reagan, U.S. President and Hollywood Actor. In Communication to the
publisher of the Presidential Biblical Scorecard (MS, 2009)
You can't step twice into the same river.
Everything flows and nothing stays.
Heraclitus, the Greek philosopher, 5th century BC. (MS, 2009)
Source: Microsoft ® Encarta ® 2009. © 1993-2008 Microsoft Corporation. All rights
reserved.
… Fascination With Change
7


INTRODUCTION
‘Action Changes Things: ACT’ - Anonymous
8


 The world has ever been, and will ever be on the move, changed by time,
events, processes and activities of human and natural tendencies.
 Change is the only thing that is permanent, inevitable, and the natural
process to which each one of us, no matter our different callings, must
dance to its tune.
 Change management is a structured approach for ensuring that changes
are effectively implemented for best results by leaders.
 Leaders who are in charge of affairs, events and activities are
continuously under pressure to innovate in response to internal and
external influences.
 It is in this way that ‘action changes things’ or ‘act’.
Background
9


 Change management is dynamic but complex process with
both negative and positive outcomes.
 It pulls apart the extensive literature addressed to it from
diverging discipline or perspectives.
 The large body of literature drawn from multi-disciplinary
and various theoretical perspectives attempt to address its
complexities, contradictions and confusion (Todnem, 2005;
Fernandez & Rainey, 2006).
 Apposite to this work, Thaler & Sunstein (2008) provide the
‘nudge theory’ for literal understanding and handling of
change management.
Literature
10


 The Nudge Theory is a highly innovative change
management methodology for shifting the thinking
or mind-set of very large group of people, entire
society, nation, or even the whole world as seen in
the event of globalization (Thaler & Sunstein,
2008).
 Nudge theory could therefore help leaders to
understand potential or hidden influential factors
on people’s thinking thereby useful in change
management (Thaler & Sunstein, 2008).
The Nudge Theory
11


 Change is not only inevitable but also invincible to
any leader or organization resisting its process.
 Leaders are therefore faced with the daunting task
of introducing, as well as, guiding people and
organizations in a fast changing and highly
interconnected global environment.
Problem Statement
12


This paper focuses on the following areas:
 Leaders and Innovative Leadership Style in Change
Management;
 Managing Change in a Fast-Changing Global
Environment; and
 The Way Forward.
Paper Focus
13


 Leading is a process of change requiring innovation.
 A leader is somebody whom people follow, somebody
who guides or directs others, or somebody in charge of
others.
 A leader is a change agent who brings about or helps to
bring about change through innovation.
 A leader may be the head of family, group, community,
company, agency, organization, government, event or
process.
Leaders
15


 Innovative leadership style combines or blends
different leadership styles to mobilize and lead
followers in creating ideas, ventures, services or
solution to challenges (Gliddon, 2006).
 It is a strategic process involving creative thinking
and proactive action.
 It supports organizational development in
achieving mission, vision and visioning.
Innovative Leadership
Style
16


 Managing change or change management is the
transitory activity for moving or transforming
individuals, teams or organizations to desired future
state (Kotter, 2011).
 It involves the introduction of new ideas or items into
activities or functions of people or organizations to
influence results, outcomes or products of given
ventures (Felicetti, 2007; Levin, 2012)
 Managing change is closely linked to creativity and
innovation where ideas are created, identified, adopted
and turned into desired actions or products.
Managing Change
17


 The term global infers anything worldwide, relating to or
happening throughout the world; or anything overall, taking
all the different aspects of a situation into account.
 Environment refers to surrounding influences including
internal and external factors influencing life activities of
people, events or processes; it is also means a set of
conditions, especially those affecting particular activities.
 The fast-changing global environment requires organizations
to plan, implement and manage activities in dynamic
situations, processes, people, systems and culture (Thaler &
Sunstein, 2008).
The Global Environment
18


 The term globalization captures the global environment as a
process of world integration, interaction and connectedness in
rapid interchange and exchange of activities, ideas, products and
all aspects of human affairs (Albrow & King, 1990; Al-Rodhan &
Stoudman, 2006).
 Missiroli (2014) explains that the world in the last 20 years has
experienced the opening of global economic, political and
personal opportunities and capabilities, changing the old order
for and for ill.
 As ideas, values, activities, opportunities and capabilities flow
freely; leaders are faced with the task of leading people and
organizations forward, by innovative means in a rapidly
changing global environment.
Globalization
19


LEADERS AND
INNOVATIVE
LEADERSHIP STYLE IN
CHANGE MANAGEMENT
20


 Address the human side systematically by engaging stakeholder in the
process.
 Start at the top for ease of approval and acceptance of processes and
results for implementation.
 Involve every layer of the organization for smooth flow and
mobilization of healthy strategic plan.
 Make the formal case by well-articulated mission and vision in clear
written statement.
 Create ownership by making all sections and stakeholders identify as
part of the whole process. - (Jones, Aguirre & Calderone, 2004)
Principles of Change Management
21


 Communicate the message simple and clear for all to know and
understand.
 Assess the cultural landscape or organizational environment at each
functional stages or levels.
 Address culture explicitly for ease of transitory behaviour towards the
change programme.
 Prepare for the unexpected, to contain eventualities of the dynamism
and complexity of changing environment; and
 Bring activities to the levels of individual participants or stakeholders,
for continuous collaboration, cooperation and coordination – known as
the 3Cs of strategic plan. - (Jones, Aguirre & Calderone, 2004)
Principles of Change Management
22


 The change management principles identify with
the trends of ‘nudge theory’.
 It helps leaders to understand potential or hidden
influential factors on people’s thinking thereby
useful in change management, particularly in
rapidly changing global environment (Thaler &
Sunstein, 2008).
The Trends of Nudge Theory
23


MANAGING CHANGE IN
A FAST MOVING GLOBAL
ENVIRONMENT
24


 Globalization, propelled by advancement and
progress in technology and systems created the
notion of ‘global village’ translated into ‘global
culture’ and captured into global practices
(Obafemi & Ahmed, 2013).
 The world moves at a faster and voluminous pace
as the need to acquire technology and the skills to
use it is increasing at the rate beyond those
societies that are unable to remedy their
inadequacies (Ahmed, 2015).
The Global Process
25


 Leaders are continuously faced with pressure to
innovate subject to internal and external influences.
 Leading in this regard involves the blending of visions,
values and contributions to the efforts in turning ideas
into reality through others that share the same vision,
hinting on style (Burian, et al. 2014).
 It is a strategic process, involving creative thinking and
proactive action compatible with leadership, policy and
strategy.
Challenges to Leaders
26


 Globalization is not an option which may be accepted or
rejected; it is rather a fact of life that must be addressed.
 The need for knowledge, skills and infrastructure for driven
change is paramount to individuals, organizations and
leadership.
 Leaders must therefore take the advantage of available
platforms, especially those offered by the information and
communication technology (ICT) revolution.
 The innovative leadership style is a change agency in a rapidly
changing global environment in which people and organizations
are moved continuously to catch up as well as breakthrough
The Way Forward
28


 Change management is dynamic but complex process
with both negative and positive outcomes as it pulls
apart the extensive literature addressed to it from
various perspectives.
 The ‘nudge theory’ could help leaders to understand
potential or hidden influential factors on people’s
thinking thereby useful in change management.
 This paper discussed leaders and innovative leadership
style in change management; managing change in a fast-
changing global environment; and the way forward.
Summary
30


 Leaders are faced with daunting tasks of introducing as
well as guiding people and organizations in a fast
changing and highly interconnected global
environment.
 The paper establishes and concludes that leading is a
process of change requiring innovation in response to
influences.
 A leader is therefore a change agent who brings about or
helps to bring about change through innovation.
Conclusion
31


 Innovative leadership style must combine or blend different styles in
leading people and organizations.
 There is the need to mobilize and guide followers or employees in
creative ideas, ventures, services or solution to challenges.
 Managing change must welcome new ideas or items into activities or
functions of people and organizations to influence results, outcomes or
products of given ventures.
 The fast-changing global environment requires organizations to plan,
implement and manage activities in dynamic situations, processes,
people, systems and culture.
 Lastly, the way forward must harness ideas, adapt to situations and move
ahead as only ‘actions changes things’ or ‘act’.
Recommendations
32


EXERCISE NO. 1
LEADERS AND INNOVATIVE LEADERSHIP
STYLE: MANAGING CHANGE IN A GLOBALLY
CHANGING ENVIRONMENT: A SIMULATION
EXERCISE NO. 1
“The only way to make sense out of change is to plunge
into it, move with it, and join the dance” –
Alan W. Watts (n.d.)
33


 This simulation exercise is specially designed for the NIPSS –
Policy Strategy and Leadership Course 19 to bring out the
lessons learnt on ‘managing change in global environment’.
 Individuals and groups ability are tasked on application of
strategy for ‘managing change’. Special attention must be
given to the course theme which is ‘Internally Revenue
Generation’.
 Two of Nigeria’s change-driving agencies, the Central Bank
of Nigeria (CBN) and the Federal Internal Revenue Service
(FIRS) are used in simulating issues of ‘managing change’ in
Nigeria’s public and private sectors’ administration,
management and leadership.
Introduction
34


 Course participants are divided into two groups as CBN and
FIRS.
 Briefs on the functions and objectives from the websites of
the two agencies are downloaded and distributed for
reference.
 The task is for the Course Participants to extract and apply the
objectives of these two agencies on the proposed ‘single
account’ for all government agencies in managing change.
 The time for planning and execution of the exercise is one
hour. Group Representatives will brief the Class on the
outcome of their exercise. Thank you.
The Exercise
35


Reference
Ahmed, T. (2015). eParticipation, Simulation Exercise and Leadership Training in Nigeria: Bridging
the Digital Divide. In M. Janssen et al. (eds.). Policy Practice and Digital Science, Public
Administration and Information Technology 10, DOI 10-1007/078-3-319-12784-2_19
Albrow, M. & King, E. (ed.). (1990). Globalization, knowledge and society. London, UK: Sage.
Al-Rodhan, R F. & Stoudman, G. (2006). Definitions of globalization: A comprehensive overview and
a proposed definition. Retrieved from http://www.sustainablehistory.com/articles/definitions-of-
globalization.pdf
Burnes, B. (2004). Managing change: A strategic approach to organizational dynamics. (4th Edition).
Harlow, ….: Prentice Hall
Felicetti, J. (2007). Project management dictionary. Retrieved from http://www.pmhut.com/pmo-and-
project-management-dictionary
Fernandez, R. & Rainey, H. G. (2006). Managing successful organizational change in the public
sector. Public Sector Review, March/April, 168-176
Kotter, J. (2011). Change management vs. Change leadership – What’s the difference, Forbes Online.
Levin, G. (2012). Embrace and exploit change as a program manager: Guideline for success. Project
Management Institute, August 10. Retrieved from http://www.pmi.org/-/media/PDF/Knowledge-
Shelf/EmbraceExploitChange_levin.ashx
Missiroli, A., Stang, G., Ekan, A. & Dreyer, I. (2014). A changing global environment. Chaillot Paper,
No. 133 – December 19. Retrieved from
http://www.iss.europa.eu/uploads/media/Chaillot_Paper_133__A_changing_global_environment.pd
f
Scouller, J. (2011). The three levels of leadership. Management Books 2000
Todnem, R. (2005). Organizational change management: A critical review. Journal of Change
Management, 5(4), 369-380
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