Metamorphosis

The only constant thing in this world is change. So they say. I 100% agree on that. Change is everywhere; in ourselves, in other people, in our homes, in our workplace, in our town, in our province, in our country, in our planet and in the universe. It happens every second, every minute, every hour, every day, every month and every year for as long as we all shall live. Whew!

The most common question about change is “How often?” followed by “Is that really necessary?”. We tend to think that we only need to change whenever needed. But have we ever asked ourselves when?

From where I work we experience change most of the time. Our office was transferred to the main building of our college because the administration made our former office a mini library of another college. We were reluctant at first. We did not want to be moved. We liked it there. We though, we had better use for that office than that mini library. But in the end we had no choice. Here we are in our new office; bigger than our former. We got used to it. At least we don’t have to walk a long way to the main building especially when it’s raining.

From one department where I belong, it was split into 2, then 3. In one year our dean was changed twice. Tax was deducted from our salary without us knowing until later. 100 pesos was deducted from our salary for Pag-Ibig then we filled up the form after. Trees were cut from all over the campus. I see a tree when I go home, the next day, it’s gone. From where that tree stood, there is Oil Palm. Then I see a student wearing a different PE uniform than last year only to find out it’s the new PE uniform. Then I see students rallying on the street saying “No to budget cut!”. In my students days I haven’t seen something like that. Some of these changes are kind of shocking and a little confusing.

There are a lot of factors that influence change. Sometimes we know it, sometimes we don’t. We often change for the better and sometimes we change for the worse.

We already know so much (I think I do) about changes. But what I didn’t know is that there are models of Change. Let me share what I have learned and understood.

“Change is a law of nature” according to the report of yet another sharer in our Organizational Analysis class. To organizations, change is but a normal happening yet some still ask the question “Why?”. Here are some reasons why.

1.       Business Condition – when a certain business goes through difficult times, mostly they decision makers decide to change how things are in the business. It can be the business processes, or the manpower, or the budget etc.

Like here where I work, 2 years ago our bonus was 5 figures but this year our bonus became only 3 figures due to scarcity of funds. We were not paid for our overload subjects. And job order personnel had to work on 15-day shifts. These are examples of not good changes due to present business condition.

2.       Managerial Personnel – Changes comes from change in management sometimes. When a new president was elected here, all deans of all the colleges were changed. New Directors in the administrative offices were appointed, many were promoted and some were demoted and others like me stayed in their positions (well at least I was not demoted).

We now have a new dean. With the new dean came new policies, rules and regulations. No more free coffee, milk and sugar. We had to buy our own.

3.       Deficiency in existing organizational patterns – defective organizational patterns have to be improved otherwise the organization will be looking forward to a big problem.

4.       Technological and psychological reasons – I can relate to the technological reasons here. In our organization we have this so called Student Information and Management Systems or SIMS developed by one of our own faculty in the college. The SIMS is divided into modules: Advisement, Registration, Assessment, Cashiering and Final Screening. We use SIMS especially during enrollment to hasten the process. This system was materialized due to the very slow process of enrollment years back where the administration saw the need for a computerized enrollment. This is a good kind of change. In my student days, I spent 4 days in school before I got enrolled. Now, students are enrolled in no more than a day and I spend the whole week since I am one of the encoders during enrolment.

5.       Government policies – our government and other government agencies creates laws every now and then. Of course with new laws being passed, we have to abide to them otherwise we go to jail. Take for example in education, if the government says to accept students even if they have no money to pay for tuition, schools have to adhere.

In this town where I work, the local government recently banned the use of plastic bags in supermarkets, dry market, wet market and I think in the whole town. Since then, paper bags were used (they easily get rip which is very inconvenient). Some residents (those not from here including me) don’t quite agree with this policy. I mean I am not from here. I have to travel and carry a ripped paper bag full of groceries all the way to our house?  Not all of us have cars you know. A little sympathy if you please.

6.       Size of the organization – the number of employees of an organization has a significant effect especially during recession. We all know that money matters. Now if an organization suffers budget issues, usually the ones who are greatly affected are the employees specially those who are all the way down the hierarchy. Lay-offs here and there. Budget cuts everywhere. Unemployment rates soaring high leading to crimes and death (scary).

I must say I am affected. The university hired more employees last year causing our bonus to go down from 5 to 4 digits. But I’m still thankful to have a bonus. Better have some than have none, right?

                The sharer then presented 2 Models of Change, the Kurt Lewin’s Three Step Model and John P. Kotter’s Eight Steps to Successful Change. The former is very general said the sharer and they would recommend using the latter.

                Presenting Kurt Lewin’s Three Step Model

Step 1: Unfreezing

                This means readiness to change. Includes:

ü  Educate

ü  Inform

ü  Consult

ü  Plan

ü  Organize

ü  Appoint

Before even trying to implement the change, the higher authorities should at least educate their employees and the people involved both directly and indirectly. Consultations should be made together with proper planning. And then appoint people who will be in-charge. It is not easy to be uninformed or misinformed about a certain change.

Step 2: Changing

                This means implementation. Includes:

ü  Praise

ü  Encouragement

ü  Recognition and Empathy

ü  Coach

ü  Train

ü  Lead

ü  Manage

ü  Help and Guidance

ü  Regular Feedback

ü  Provide Adequate Records

During the implementation of the change, the ones involved should be praised for them to at least say to themselves “hey I got praised. This change is good after all.” They should also be constantly encouraged, recognize their efforts, teach them what to do, lead them how to do it, monitor the progress, help those who have questions and having difficulties, give constant feedbacks and present enough records for back up.

Step 3: Refreezing

                This means making it stick. Includes:

ü  Set performance Indicators

ü  Monitor and Evaluate Performance

ü  Establish Systems to make it Happen

After a change has been implemented, there should be an evaluation. Just like a quiz after a lecture to know whether students absorbed something. Then these evaluations should be monitored if progressing or not. There should always be ways to make it happen.

Take for example, here in our university. For 11 years of studying and working here, there was no Pre-midterm Exams. Recently, there was a memorandum from the administration to conduct pre midterm exams. No consultations were made to the faculty (I was shocked when I read the memo). It was like a mushroom that grew overnight. We were not prepared, the students were not prepared and so was our grading system. Some gave exams while some didn’t (including me). I just gave the students a quiz. After that, there were no feedbacks, no evaluation was made. No one even asked if we wanted to have pre-midterm exams from then on. Last semester, there was no memo to conduct midterm exams. I was a little confused. Maybe we’ll get shocked again if next semester they’ll send another memo. They are not consistent which makes us reluctant and confused. They leave us murmuring “what has gotten into their minds?”.

                Presenting John P. Kotter’s Eight Steps to Successful Change

1.       Increasing Urgency – identifying potential threats, examine opportunities, start honest discussions, request support from customers

2.       Form a Powerful Coalition – convince people that change is necessary, identify true leaders

3.       Create a Vision for Change – a clear vision can help, determine the values

4.       Communicating the Vision for Buy-in – ensure many people as possible understand and accept the vision

5.       Empowering People and Removing Barriers – the best solution is honest dialogue

6.       Create Short-Term Wins – success is the motivation

7.       Build on Change – keep looking for improvements

This is a pretty elaborate model unlike Lewin’s. The first step for a change is the urgency to change. If it’s not urgent, the change in question might be questioned. So, if it is indeed urgent, there should be a powerhouse cast to lead the change. This cast should convince others the need for the change. Of course, to help the cast convince others, they should formulate a vision. This vision is the direction where the change will lead to. This vision is something good or beneficial to many. If a change can’t lead to something good, then you can’t convince anyone about that, can you? After formulating a vision, it’s time to sell it and hope it gets bought. The cast has to inculcate to others the beauty of their vision and it’s their responsibility to make sure it’s understood.

Honesty is the best policy so they say. Make sure to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. If a certain change has some catch, it’s only fair that it should be known to others. Otherwise, that can be used against the culprit. Honesty leads to empowerment. People like honest people. If they are honest enough to each other, no barriers will be built only unity.

There is no better motivation than success (for me that is). If success is within reach, it makes us enthusiastic which is a good thing. And if everyone is convinced, enthusiastic and united they will strive to make that Kaizen (change for the better).

I mentioned eight steps, didn’t I? The eighth was not presented because the sharer was absent.

                               

                                Change is always good if it is for the better. We cannot deny the fact that some bad changes are happening around us and we can’t do anything about it but to strive for it not to happen again. Like a caterpillar going through metamorphosis, it’s only once in their lifetime. If it fails, life ends. So let us be like caterpillars. Let us go through metamorphosis to be the best that we can be. Let us leave no room for failures. Life is short. Live it well.