Assignment Prompt & Instructions
I need your help
– ## In2017.docx
– ## JWI556Week2LectureNotes.pdf
– ShawnLeadingChangeWeek2Response.jpeg
– JeffreyLeadingChangeWeek2Response.jpeg
– Week2DiscussionLeadingChange.jpeg
– JWI_556_ChangeInitiativesinHR_1196.pdf
**## In2017.docx**
In 2017, I was offered a job to be the staffing coordinator at a previous job in a nursing facility. I declined the job three times, because not only was I afraid of rejection, but I also did not think I was a people person. My Director of Nursing came to me and said, “Kim, you can do it, I will help you”. The fourth time I was asked, I said OK I will accept the job. To make a long story short, I took that job and embraced it, the job came with long hours and dediction, because we just did not have the staff to provide care for the residents. During my seven years of being the staffing coordinator, I learned that I actually was a people person, I learned how to keep my staff files confidential and I also build a relationship with every staff member there. I was promoted to payroll coordinator and within a month of me being the payroll coordinator, I was promoted to intern director of human resources. I enjoyed human resources so much that I decided to go back to school and earn my degree.
**## JWI556Week2LectureNotes.pdf**
© Strayer University. All Rights Reserved. This document contains Strayer University Confidential and Proprietary information and may not
be copied, further distributed, or otherwise disclosed in whole or in part, without the expressed written permission of Strayer University.
JWI 556 (1196) Page 1 of 8
JWI 556
Leading Change by Putting People First
Week Two Lecture Notes
© Strayer University. All Rights Reserved. This document contains Strayer University Confidential and Proprietary information and may not
be copied, further distributed, or otherwise disclosed in whole or in part, without the expressed written permission of Strayer University.
JWI 556 (1196) Page 2 of 8
FIRST, CHANGE YOURSELF
What It Means
Changing oneself first is not about making any particular change before you ask others to join
you in a larger change process. It’s more about understanding the forces that influence all of us
when it comes to change – those that hold us back and those that propel us forward. While you
must not assume the way you react to change will be the same as others, understanding the
patterns, trends, and tendencies that influence all of us will make you a better change leader.
Why It Matters
• The forces that support or impede the success of change initiatives are largely human
forces. The more insight you have into these psychological factors, the more you can
direct your efforts in the right way, and avoid the mistake of thinking you are just
changing “the system” and not also changing people.
• The more insight you have into your own change style tendencies, the better you will be
able to coach and support others going through change.
• It will help you better identify how to lead positive change in HR departments and keep
people first when leading all change initiatives.
“I increasingly see gutsy HR men and women helping provide the leadership
needed to change the systems to fit a new vision.”
John Kotter
© Strayer University. All Rights Reserved. This document contains Strayer University Confidential and Proprietary information and may not
be copied, further distributed, or otherwise disclosed in whole or in part, without the expressed written permission of Strayer University.
JWI 556 (1196) Page 3 of 8
PSYCHOLOGICAL FACTORS THAT IMPEDE CHANGE
We continue this week with the themes that were introduced in Week 1. Along with our exploration of the
challenge of change and Kotter’s approach to leading it, we are introduced to psychological factors that
influence our willingness and ability to change. We continue our ‘look in the mirror’ to gain insight into our
own tendencies toward change and why we feel the way we do.
To restate the central premise of our course, change is a human undertaking. Yes, we talk about
changing systems and processes and products. But the real barriers in driving change aren’t typically
forces of economics, nature, or technology – it’s the people. If you look back at what you read about
Kotter’s model last week, you will see that the eight steps are all about the human forces that drive or
impede change.
We’ve noted already that resistance to change is expected. It disrupts the norm and brings fear of the
unknown. Plus, it’s just plain hard. However, there’s more to it than that. In their article, “The Real Reason
People Won’t Change” (2001), Robert Kegan and Lisa Lahey explain that resistance to change is a lot
more complex.
“Resistance to change does not reflect opposition, nor is it merely a result of inertia.
Instead, even as they hold a sincere commitment to change, many people are unwittingly
applying productive energy toward a hidden competing commitment. The resulting
dynamic equilibrium stalls the effort in what looks like resistance but is in fact a kind of
personal immunity to change.
When you, as a manager, uncover an employee’s competing commitment, behavior that
has seemed irrational and ineffective suddenly becomes stunningly sensible and
masterful – but unfortunately, on behalf of a goal that conflicts with what you and even
the employee are trying to achieve.”
Kegan & Lahey, 2001
Understanding this tension not only sheds additional critical light on what it means to lead change by
putting people first. It also focuses the responsibility of the team leader on how to support others who
want to make the change, but are held prisoner by powerful forces they may not fully understand.
“As a manager, you must guide people through this exercise with understanding and
sensitivity…in a sense, managers are psychologists. After all, helping people overcome
their limitations to become more successful at work is at the very heart of effective
management.”
Kegan & Lahey, 2001
Kegan and Lahey introduce a three-step model that managers can use to help uncover and address
these barriers to change. While we won’t go over the details of this process in these lecture notes, we will
take a glance at the general structure and key questions.
© Strayer University. All Rights Reserved. This document contains Strayer University Confidential and Proprietary information and may not
be copied, further distributed, or otherwise disclosed in whole or in part, without the expressed written permission of Strayer University.
JWI 556 (1196) Page 4 of 8
1. Managers guide employees through a set of questions designed to uncover competing
commitments
1) What would you like to see changed at work, so that you could be more effective, or so
that work would be more satisfying?
2) What commitment does your complaint imply?
3) What are you doing, or not doing, that is keeping your commitment from being more fully
realized?
4) If you imagine doing the opposite of the undermining behavior, do you detect in yourself
any discomfort, worry, or vague fear?
5) By engaging in this undermining behavior, what worrisome outcome are you committed
to preventing?
2. Employees examine these commitments to determine the underlying assumptions
1) Notice and record current behavior
2) Look for contrary evidence
3) Explore the history
4) Test the assumptions
5) Evaluate the results
3. Employees can then start the process of changing their behavior
The questions and process Kegan & Lahey present provide important guidance to bear in mind if we are
to lead change by putting people first. They provide critical insights into the psychology of change that
must be addressed if we strive to be holistic in our approach to change. Further, these tools are not just
valuable in leading your team through change, but in gaining a deeper understanding of your own
tendencies – something which is the focus of our first assignment in the course.
As Kegan & Lahey remind us,
“As you go through this process with your employees, remember that managers are
every bit as susceptible to change immunity as employees are, and your competing
commitments and big assumptions can have a significant impact on the people around
you…It’s not about identifying unproductive behavior and systematically making plans to
correct it, as if treating symptoms would cure a disease. It’s not about coaxing or cajoling
or even giving poor performance reviews. It’s about understanding the complexities of
people’s behavior, guiding them through a productive process to bring their competing
commitments to the surface, and helping them cope with the inner conflict that is
preventing them from achieving their goals.”
Kegan & Lahey, 2001
© Strayer University. All Rights Reserved. This document contains Strayer University Confidential and Proprietary information and may not
be copied, further distributed, or otherwise disclosed in whole or in part, without the expressed written permission of Strayer University.
JWI 556 (1196) Page 5 of 8
YOUR OWN PERSONAL CHANGE STYLE TENDENCIES
How do you react when you are asked to change?
Okay, that’s probably not a fair question. Or more accurately, not a very well-defined question. The
reason, of course, is that we don’t have just one standard set of reactions that apply equally to all different
sorts of changes. And if you don’t react the same way to all types of change initiatives, you can’t expect
that others will be any different in how they react.
We may want to tell ourselves a little white lie that it’s always somebody else who resists change – it’s
never us. But the evidence just doesn’t support that. Jack observes,
“Everyone in business claims they like change; to say otherwise…would be career suicide. In fact,
it’s quite common to see someone describe himself as a ‘change agent’ right on his résumé.
That’s ridiculous.
By my estimate, real change agents comprise less than 10 percent of all businesspeople. These
are the true believers who champion change, know how to make it happen, and love every
second of the process.”
Winning, p. 139
To support our pursuit of developing a better understanding of change, we will leverage the Change Style
Indicator ®. This self-assessment tool will help you uncover your own tendencies toward change. This
knowledge can be used to help you leverage the forces that propel you forward. It can also help you gain
insights into how your attitudes toward change may be similar to, and different from, those of other
members of your team.
If you’re going to build a strong team that can drive meaningful change in HR, you have to honestly
assess the way your team members feel about change. Only with the right people, and the right support,
can you make it happen. As Jack says,
“To make change happen, companies must actively hire and promote only true believers
and get-on-with-its. But with everyone claiming to like change, how can you tell who is for
real?
Luckily, change agents usually make themselves known. They’re typically brash, high-
energy, and more than a little bit paranoid about the future. Very often, they invent
change initiatives on their own or ask to lead them. Invariably, they are curious and
forward-looking. They ask a lot of questions that start with the phrase ‘Why don’t we…?’
These people have courage – a certain fearlessness about the unknown. Something in
them makes it OK to operate without a safety net. If they fail, they know they can pick
themselves up, dust themselves off, and move on. They’re thick-skinned about risk,
which allows them to make bold decisions without a lot of data.”
© Strayer University. All Rights Reserved. This document contains Strayer University Confidential and Proprietary information and may not
be copied, further distributed, or otherwise disclosed in whole or in part, without the expressed written permission of Strayer University.
JWI 556 (1196) Page 6 of 8
Winning, p. 139
Following on Jack’s guidance, you are encouraged to review the article from Week 1 by Aiken and Keller
published in the McKinsey Quarterly (2003). It presents some great ideas that will help you keep people
first as you implement change.
While their overall approach supports Kotter and acknowledges the success of his model, it does not
present a step-by-step process. Rather, it looks at change as a four-part framework: (A) Compelling
Story, (B) Role Modeling, (C) Reinforcing Mechanisms, and (D) Capability Building.
The main focus of the article is the differences which we all naturally have when it comes to what
motivates us and how we receive change messages. This guidance adds support to Kotter’s model and
helps ensure that our adherence to his model does not shortchange the complexities of human
interactions. It reminds us that lots of different types of people are going to be impacted by the changes
we lead, and the better we understand their differences, the more effective we are as leaders.
Again, while we won’t present the details here, we will recap the main points in Aiken and Keller’s
approach:
A. Creating a Compelling Story
• What motivates you doesn’t motivate most of your employees
• You’re better off letting them write their own story
• It takes a story with both positives and negatives to create real energy
B. Role Modeling
• Leaders mistakenly believe that they already “are the change”
• “Influence leaders” aren’t panaceas for making change happen
C. Reinforcing Mechanisms
• Money is the most expensive way to motivate people
• The process and outcome have got to be fair
D. Capability Building
• Employees are what they think, feel, and believe in
• Good intentions aren’t enough
Aiken & Keller, 2003
As you reflect on your own change style tendencies, and how they will impact the way you lead others
through change initiatives, consider Patty McCord’s guidance:
“[B]uild the ideal team by starting with the vision down the road. Identify the problem you
want to solve, the time frame in which you want to solve it, the kinds of people who will be
successful at that, and what they need to know how to do, then ask yourself, What do we
need to do to be ready and able, and whom do we need to bring in?”
Powerful, p. 78
© Strayer University. All Rights Reserved. This document contains Strayer University Confidential and Proprietary information and may not
be copied, further distributed, or otherwise disclosed in whole or in part, without the expressed written permission of Strayer University.
JWI 556 (1196) Page 7 of 8
A CHANGE PLAN FOR HR AND FOR YOUR CAREER
“Imagine your life as two superhighways. One courses with the stuff you’re very good at,
the other with the stuff you really love to do. Now, imagine those superhighways
intersecting. Right there – at the overlap of your capabilities and your happiness – lies the
site where ideally you should build your career.”
The Real-Life MBA, p. 180
This guidance comes from Jack and Suzy on finding your Area of Destiny (AOD). If you can identify it,
AND if you can put in place the changes needed to get there, you will have found your calling and be on
your way to career bliss.
You have been encouraged throughout your MBA program, and especially in your HR concentration
courses, to develop the skills you need to deliver in your current role. You have also been encouraged to
ask questions about what more you can do personally, and what you can do to transform HR into a key
strategic driver of your organization’s success.
You’ve been introduced to tons of great ideas in JWI 521: Recruit, Develop, Assess, Reward, Retain and
JWI 522: Strategic Partnering with the C-Suite. Hopefully, these have inspired you and gotten the creative
juices flowing. We have provided a refresher on some of these ideas in the “Change Initiatives in HR
Leadership and Talent Development” document in your course readings this week. It presents key
themes from authors you have encountered before, including Ram Charan, Bill Conaty, Patty McCord,
Laszlo Bock, and, of course, Jack. It will be a required component in your group project, so make sure
you spend some time with it. Go back and re-read key parts of the source texts from which the quotations
were taken.
If you’re feeling inspired to do more, but feeling stuck where you are, then it’s time for a change. As we
draw this week’s lecture notes to a close, you are encouraged to review Jack and Suzy’s action steps for
getting unstuck for inspiration.
1. Overdeliver
2. Volunteer for Hard Duty
3. Acquire Followers the Hard Way
4. Make Sure You’re Tech-Current
5. Get Real About Mentors
6. Love Everyone
The Real-Life MBA, pp. 201-212
© Strayer University. All Rights Reserved. This document contains Strayer University Confidential and Proprietary information and may not
be copied, further distributed, or otherwise disclosed in whole or in part, without the expressed written permission of Strayer University.
JWI 556 (1196) Page 8 of 8
GETTING THE MOST OUT OF THIS WEEK’S CLASS
As you read the materials and participate in class activities, stay focused on the key learning outcomes
for the week:
• Examine the psychological factors that impede change
Don’t allow the tools you are exploring to be merely academic exercises that are
interesting, but have no application in the real word. Use what you are learning to build a
deeper understanding of others and how they may be influenced by psychological factors
that work against change. Leverage the models to become a better coach for your team at
work. When you are working with a team member who is struggling to make a needed
change, help them uncover competing commitments and hidden assumptions that may be
impeding change. If, at first, you feel uncomfortable doing this in the workplace, try out the
process with a trusted friend or a family member.
• Identify and evaluate your own personal change style tendencies
Take the results you get from the Change Style Indicator ® and review them against real
changes that you have actively pursued in your life. Which ones were successful and which were
not? Share your assessment results with a trusted friend or colleague for validation. Are there
any patterns they see that you may have missed? If you know people who have been able to
overcome resistance to make important changes, what common change style tendencies do you
see in them? If you can’t identify these from observation, see if they are open to talking about the
change and how they managed it.
• Develop a change plan for HR and for your career
Commit the time and energy needed to develop a vision for where you want to be in your career
in the next one to three years. What is your Area of Destiny – that intersection where what you
are really good at and what you love doing come together? If you are feeling stuck, understand
that we all run into roadblocks in our professional lives that we struggle to get past. What are the
change tools you can leverage to move ahead and work through the competing forces that hold
you back?
How well does your Area of Destiny align with your vision for leading change in HR? Write down
what the role of an HR professional should be in your organization. What will it take to get it
there? If you could get your HR team to function in a way that fulfills your vision, how would that
help you realize your Area of Destiny?
**ShawnLeadingChangeWeek2Response.jpeg**
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**JeffreyLeadingChangeWeek2Response.jpeg**
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**Week2DiscussionLeadingChange.jpeg**
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**## In2017.docx**
In 2017, I was offered a job to be the staffing coordinator at a previous job in a nursing facility. I declined the job three times, because not only was I afraid of rejection, but I also did not think I was a people person. My Director of Nursing came to me and said, “Kim, you can do it, I will help you”. The fourth time I was asked, I said OK I will accept the job. To make a long story short, I took that job and embraced it, the job came with long hours and dediction, because we just did not have the staff to provide care for the residents. During my seven years of being the staffing coordinator, I learned that I actually was a people person, I learned how to keep my staff files confidential and I also build a relationship with every staff member there. I was promoted to payroll coordinator and within a month of me being the payroll coordinator, I was promoted to intern director of human resources. I enjoyed human resources so much that I decided to go back to school and earn my degree.
**## JWI556Week2LectureNotes.pdf**
© Strayer University. All Rights Reserved. This document contains Strayer University Confidential and Proprietary information and may not
be copied, further distributed, or otherwise disclosed in whole or in part, without the expressed written permission of Strayer University.
JWI 556 (1196) Page 1 of 8
JWI 556
Leading Change by Putting People First
Week Two Lecture Notes
© Strayer University. All Rights Reserved. This document contains Strayer University Confidential and Proprietary information and may not
be copied, further distributed, or otherwise disclosed in whole or in part, without the expressed written permission of Strayer University.
JWI 556 (1196) Page 2 of 8
FIRST, CHANGE YOURSELF
What It Means
Changing oneself first is not about making any particular change before you ask others to join
you in a larger change process. It’s more about understanding the forces that influence all of us
when it comes to change – those that hold us back and those that propel us forward. While you
must not assume the way you react to change will be the same as others, understanding the
patterns, trends, and tendencies that influence all of us will make you a better change leader.
Why It Matters
• The forces that support or impede the success of change initiatives are largely human
forces. The more insight you have into these psychological factors, the more you can
direct your efforts in the right way, and avoid the mistake of thinking you are just
changing “the system” and not also changing people.
• The more insight you have into your own change style tendencies, the better you will be
able to coach and support others going through change.
• It will help you better identify how to lead positive change in HR departments and keep
people first when leading all change initiatives.
“I increasingly see gutsy HR men and women helping provide the leadership
needed to change the systems to fit a new vision.”
John Kotter
© Strayer University. All Rights Reserved. This document contains Strayer University Confidential and Proprietary information and may not
be copied, further distributed, or otherwise disclosed in whole or in part, without the expressed written permission of Strayer University.
JWI 556 (1196) Page 3 of 8
PSYCHOLOGICAL FACTORS THAT IMPEDE CHANGE
We continue this week with the themes that were introduced in Week 1. Along with our exploration of the
challenge of change and Kotter’s approach to leading it, we are introduced to psychological factors that
influence our willingness and ability to change. We continue our ‘look in the mirror’ to gain insight into our
own tendencies toward change and why we feel the way we do.
To restate the central premise of our course, change is a human undertaking. Yes, we talk about
changing systems and processes and products. But the real barriers in driving change aren’t typically
forces of economics, nature, or technology – it’s the people. If you look back at what you read about
Kotter’s model last week, you will see that the eight steps are all about the human forces that drive or
impede change.
We’ve noted already that resistance to change is expected. It disrupts the norm and brings fear of the
unknown. Plus, it’s just plain hard. However, there’s more to it than that. In their article, “The Real Reason
People Won’t Change” (2001), Robert Kegan and Lisa Lahey explain that resistance to change is a lot
more complex.
“Resistance to change does not reflect opposition, nor is it merely a result of inertia.
Instead, even as they hold a sincere commitment to change, many people are unwittingly
applying productive energy toward a hidden competing commitment. The resulting
dynamic equilibrium stalls the effort in what looks like resistance but is in fact a kind of
personal immunity to change.
When you, as a manager, uncover an employee’s competing commitment, behavior that
has seemed irrational and ineffective suddenly becomes stunningly sensible and
masterful – but unfortunately, on behalf of a goal that conflicts with what you and even
the employee are trying to achieve.”
Kegan & Lahey, 2001
Understanding this tension not only sheds additional critical light on what it means to lead change by
putting people first. It also focuses the responsibility of the team leader on how to support others who
want to make the change, but are held prisoner by powerful forces they may not fully understand.
“As a manager, you must guide people through this exercise with understanding and
sensitivity…in a sense, managers are psychologists. After all, helping people overcome
their limitations to become more successful at work is at the very heart of effective
management.”
Kegan & Lahey, 2001
Kegan and Lahey introduce a three-step model that managers can use to help uncover and address
these barriers to change. While we won’t go over the details of this process in these lecture notes, we will
take a glance at the general structure and key questions.
© Strayer University. All Rights Reserved. This document contains Strayer University Confidential and Proprietary information and may not
be copied, further distributed, or otherwise disclosed in whole or in part, without the expressed written permission of Strayer University.
JWI 556 (1196) Page 4 of 8
1. Managers guide employees through a set of questions designed to uncover competing
commitments
1) What would you like to see changed at work, so that you could be more effective, or so
that work would be more satisfying?
2) What commitment does your complaint imply?
3) What are you doing, or not doing, that is keeping your commitment from being more fully
realized?
4) If you imagine doing the opposite of the undermining behavior, do you detect in yourself
any discomfort, worry, or vague fear?
5) By engaging in this undermining behavior, what worrisome outcome are you committed
to preventing?
2. Employees examine these commitments to determine the underlying assumptions
1) Notice and record current behavior
2) Look for contrary evidence
3) Explore the history
4) Test the assumptions
5) Evaluate the results
3. Employees can then start the process of changing their behavior
The questions and process Kegan & Lahey present provide important guidance to bear in mind if we are
to lead change by putting people first. They provide critical insights into the psychology of change that
must be addressed if we strive to be holistic in our approach to change. Further, these tools are not just
valuable in leading your team through change, but in gaining a deeper understanding of your own
tendencies – something which is the focus of our first assignment in the course.
As Kegan & Lahey remind us,
“As you go through this process with your employees, remember that managers are
every bit as susceptible to change immunity as employees are, and your competing
commitments and big assumptions can have a significant impact on the people around
you…It’s not about identifying unproductive behavior and systematically making plans to
correct it, as if treating symptoms would cure a disease. It’s not about coaxing or cajoling
or even giving poor performance reviews. It’s about understanding the complexities of
people’s behavior, guiding them through a productive process to bring their competing
commitments to the surface, and helping them cope with the inner conflict that is
preventing them from achieving their goals.”
Kegan & Lahey, 2001
© Strayer University. All Rights Reserved. This document contains Strayer University Confidential and Proprietary information and may not
be copied, further distributed, or otherwise disclosed in whole or in part, without the expressed written permission of Strayer University.
JWI 556 (1196) Page 5 of 8
YOUR OWN PERSONAL CHANGE STYLE TENDENCIES
How do you react when you are asked to change?
Okay, that’s probably not a fair question. Or more accurately, not a very well-defined question. The
reason, of course, is that we don’t have just one standard set of reactions that apply equally to all different
sorts of changes. And if you don’t react the same way to all types of change initiatives, you can’t expect
that others will be any different in how they react.
We may want to tell ourselves a little white lie that it’s always somebody else who resists change – it’s
never us. But the evidence just doesn’t support that. Jack observes,
“Everyone in business claims they like change; to say otherwise…would be career suicide. In fact,
it’s quite common to see someone describe himself as a ‘change agent’ right on his résumé.
That’s ridiculous.
By my estimate, real change agents comprise less than 10 percent of all businesspeople. These
are the true believers who champion change, know how to make it happen, and love every
second of the process.”
Winning, p. 139
To support our pursuit of developing a better understanding of change, we will leverage the Change Style
Indicator ®. This self-assessment tool will help you uncover your own tendencies toward change. This
knowledge can be used to help you leverage the forces that propel you forward. It can also help you gain
insights into how your attitudes toward change may be similar to, and different from, those of other
members of your team.
If you’re going to build a strong team that can drive meaningful change in HR, you have to honestly
assess the way your team members feel about change. Only with the right people, and the right support,
can you make it happen. As Jack says,
“To make change happen, companies must actively hire and promote only true believers
and get-on-with-its. But with everyone claiming to like change, how can you tell who is for
real?
Luckily, change agents usually make themselves known. They’re typically brash, high-
energy, and more than a little bit paranoid about the future. Very often, they invent
change initiatives on their own or ask to lead them. Invariably, they are curious and
forward-looking. They ask a lot of questions that start with the phrase ‘Why don’t we…?’
These people have courage – a certain fearlessness about the unknown. Something in
them makes it OK to operate without a safety net. If they fail, they know they can pick
themselves up, dust themselves off, and move on. They’re thick-skinned about risk,
which allows them to make bold decisions without a lot of data.”
© Strayer University. All Rights Reserved. This document contains Strayer University Confidential and Proprietary information and may not
be copied, further distributed, or otherwise disclosed in whole or in part, without the expressed written permission of Strayer University.
JWI 556 (1196) Page 6 of 8
Winning, p. 139
Following on Jack’s guidance, you are encouraged to review the article from Week 1 by Aiken and Keller
published in the McKinsey Quarterly (2003). It presents some great ideas that will help you keep people
first as you implement change.
While their overall approach supports Kotter and acknowledges the success of his model, it does not
present a step-by-step process. Rather, it looks at change as a four-part framework: (A) Compelling
Story, (B) Role Modeling, (C) Reinforcing Mechanisms, and (D) Capability Building.
The main focus of the article is the differences which we all naturally have when it comes to what
motivates us and how we receive change messages. This guidance adds support to Kotter’s model and
helps ensure that our adherence to his model does not shortchange the complexities of human
interactions. It reminds us that lots of different types of people are going to be impacted by the changes
we lead, and the better we understand their differences, the more effective we are as leaders.
Again, while we won’t present the details here, we will recap the main points in Aiken and Keller’s
approach:
A. Creating a Compelling Story
• What motivates you doesn’t motivate most of your employees
• You’re better off letting them write their own story
• It takes a story with both positives and negatives to create real energy
B. Role Modeling
• Leaders mistakenly believe that they already “are the change”
• “Influence leaders” aren’t panaceas for making change happen
C. Reinforcing Mechanisms
• Money is the most expensive way to motivate people
• The process and outcome have got to be fair
D. Capability Building
• Employees are what they think, feel, and believe in
• Good intentions aren’t enough
Aiken & Keller, 2003
As you reflect on your own change style tendencies, and how they will impact the way you lead others
through change initiatives, consider Patty McCord’s guidance:
“[B]uild the ideal team by starting with the vision down the road. Identify the problem you
want to solve, the time frame in which you want to solve it, the kinds of people who will be
successful at that, and what they need to know how to do, then ask yourself, What do we
need to do to be ready and able, and whom do we need to bring in?”
Powerful, p. 78
© Strayer University. All Rights Reserved. This document contains Strayer University Confidential and Proprietary information and may not
be copied, further distributed, or otherwise disclosed in whole or in part, without the expressed written permission of Strayer University.
JWI 556 (1196) Page 7 of 8
A CHANGE PLAN FOR HR AND FOR YOUR CAREER
“Imagine your life as two superhighways. One courses with the stuff you’re very good at,
the other with the stuff you really love to do. Now, imagine those superhighways
intersecting. Right there – at the overlap of your capabilities and your happiness – lies the
site where ideally you should build your career.”
The Real-Life MBA, p. 180
This guidance comes from Jack and Suzy on finding your Area of Destiny (AOD). If you can identify it,
AND if you can put in place the changes needed to get there, you will have found your calling and be on
your way to career bliss.
You have been encouraged throughout your MBA program, and especially in your HR concentration
courses, to develop the skills you need to deliver in your current role. You have also been encouraged to
ask questions about what more you can do personally, and what you can do to transform HR into a key
strategic driver of your organization’s success.
You’ve been introduced to tons of great ideas in JWI 521: Recruit, Develop, Assess, Reward, Retain and
JWI 522: Strategic Partnering with the C-Suite. Hopefully, these have inspired you and gotten the creative
juices flowing. We have provided a refresher on some of these ideas in the “Change Initiatives in HR
Leadership and Talent Development” document in your course readings this week. It presents key
themes from authors you have encountered before, including Ram Charan, Bill Conaty, Patty McCord,
Laszlo Bock, and, of course, Jack. It will be a required component in your group project, so make sure
you spend some time with it. Go back and re-read key parts of the source texts from which the quotations
were taken.
If you’re feeling inspired to do more, but feeling stuck where you are, then it’s time for a change. As we
draw this week’s lecture notes to a close, you are encouraged to review Jack and Suzy’s action steps for
getting unstuck for inspiration.
1. Overdeliver
2. Volunteer for Hard Duty
3. Acquire Followers the Hard Way
4. Make Sure You’re Tech-Current
5. Get Real About Mentors
6. Love Everyone
The Real-Life MBA, pp. 201-212
© Strayer University. All Rights Reserved. This document contains Strayer University Confidential and Proprietary information and may not
be copied, further distributed, or otherwise disclosed in whole or in part, without the expressed written permission of Strayer University.
JWI 556 (1196) Page 8 of 8
GETTING THE MOST OUT OF THIS WEEK’S CLASS
As you read the materials and participate in class activities, stay focused on the key learning outcomes
for the week:
• Examine the psychological factors that impede change
Don’t allow the tools you are exploring to be merely academic exercises that are
interesting, but have no application in the real word. Use what you are learning to build a
deeper understanding of others and how they may be influenced by psychological factors
that work against change. Leverage the models to become a better coach for your team at
work. When you are working with a team member who is struggling to make a needed
change, help them uncover competing commitments and hidden assumptions that may be
impeding change. If, at first, you feel uncomfortable doing this in the workplace, try out the
process with a trusted friend or a family member.
• Identify and evaluate your own personal change style tendencies
Take the results you get from the Change Style Indicator ® and review them against real
changes that you have actively pursued in your life. Which ones were successful and which were
not? Share your assessment results with a trusted friend or colleague for validation. Are there
any patterns they see that you may have missed? If you know people who have been able to
overcome resistance to make important changes, what common change style tendencies do you
see in them? If you can’t identify these from observation, see if they are open to talking about the
change and how they managed it.
• Develop a change plan for HR and for your career
Commit the time and energy needed to develop a vision for where you want to be in your career
in the next one to three years. What is your Area of Destiny – that intersection where what you
are really good at and what you love doing come together? If you are feeling stuck, understand
that we all run into roadblocks in our professional lives that we struggle to get past. What are the
change tools you can leverage to move ahead and work through the competing forces that hold
you back?
How well does your Area of Destiny align with your vision for leading change in HR? Write down
what the role of an HR professional should be in your organization. What will it take to get it
there? If you could get your HR team to function in a way that fulfills your vision, how would that
help you realize your Area of Destiny?
**ShawnLeadingChangeWeek2Response.jpeg**
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**JeffreyLeadingChangeWeek2Response.jpeg**
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**Week2DiscussionLeadingChange.jpeg**
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**JWI_556_ChangeInitiativesinHR_1196.pdf**
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**## In2017.docx**
In 2017, I was offered a job to be the staffing coordinator at a previous job in a nursing facility. I declined the job three times, because not only was I afraid of rejection, but I also did not think I was a people person. My Director of Nursing came to me and said, “Kim, you can do it, I will help you”. The fourth time I was asked, I said OK I will accept the job. To make a long story short, I took that job and embraced it, the job came with long hours and dediction, because we just did not have the staff to provide care for the residents. During my seven years of being the staffing coordinator, I learned that I actually was a people person, I learned how to keep my staff files confidential and I also build a relationship with every staff member there. I was promoted to payroll coordinator and within a month of me being the payroll coordinator, I was promoted to intern director of human resources. I enjoyed human resources so much that I decided to go back to school and earn my degree.
**## JWI556Week2LectureNotes.pdf**
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be copied, further distributed, or otherwise disclosed in whole or in part, without the expressed written permission of Strayer University.
JWI 556 (1196) Page 1 of 8
JWI 556
Leading Change by Putting People First
Week Two Lecture Notes
© Strayer University. All Rights Reserved. This document contains Strayer University Confidential and Proprietary information and may not
be copied, further distributed, or otherwise disclosed in whole or in part, without the expressed written permission of Strayer University.
JWI 556 (1196) Page 2 of 8
FIRST, CHANGE YOURSELF
What It Means
Changing oneself first is not about making any particular change before you ask others to join
you in a larger change process. It’s more about understanding the forces that influence all of us
when it comes to change – those that hold us back and those that propel us forward. While you
must not assume the way you react to change will be the same as others, understanding the
patterns, trends, and tendencies that influence all of us will make you a better change leader.
Why It Matters
• The forces that support or impede the success of change initiatives are largely human
forces. The more insight you have into these psychological factors, the more you can
direct your efforts in the right way, and avoid the mistake of thinking you are just
changing “the system” and not also changing people.
• The more insight you have into your own change style tendencies, the better you will be
able to coach and support others going through change.
• It will help you better identify how to lead positive change in HR departments and keep
people first when leading all change initiatives.
“I increasingly see gutsy HR men and women helping provide the leadership
needed to change the systems to fit a new vision.”
John Kotter
© Strayer University. All Rights Reserved. This document contains Strayer University Confidential and Proprietary information and may not
be copied, further distributed, or otherwise disclosed in whole or in part, without the expressed written permission of Strayer University.
JWI 556 (1196) Page 3 of 8
PSYCHOLOGICAL FACTORS THAT IMPEDE CHANGE
We continue this week with the themes that were introduced in Week 1. Along with our exploration of the
challenge of change and Kotter’s approach to leading it, we are introduced to psychological factors that
influence our willingness and ability to change. We continue our ‘look in the mirror’ to gain insight into our
own tendencies toward change and why we feel the way we do.
To restate the central premise of our course, change is a human undertaking. Yes, we talk about
changing systems and processes and products. But the real barriers in driving change aren’t typically
forces of economics, nature, or technology – it’s the people. If you look back at what you read about
Kotter’s model last week, you will see that the eight steps are all about the human forces that drive or
impede change.
We’ve noted already that resistance to change is expected. It disrupts the norm and brings fear of the
unknown. Plus, it’s just plain hard. However, there’s more to it than that. In their article, “The Real Reason
People Won’t Change” (2001), Robert Kegan and Lisa Lahey explain that resistance to change is a lot
more complex.
“Resistance to change does not reflect opposition, nor is it merely a result of inertia.
Instead, even as they hold a sincere commitment to change, many people are unwittingly
applying productive energy toward a hidden competing commitment. The resulting
dynamic equilibrium stalls the effort in what looks like resistance but is in fact a kind of
personal immunity to change.
When you, as a manager, uncover an employee’s competing commitment, behavior that
has seemed irrational and ineffective suddenly becomes stunningly sensible and
masterful – but unfortunately, on behalf of a goal that conflicts with what you and even
the employee are trying to achieve.”
Kegan & Lahey, 2001
Understanding this tension not only sheds additional critical light on what it means to lead change by
putting people first. It also focuses the responsibility of the team leader on how to support others who
want to make the change, but are held prisoner by powerful forces they may not fully understand.
“As a manager, you must guide people through this exercise with understanding and
sensitivity…in a sense, managers are psychologists. After all, helping people overcome
their limitations to become more successful at work is at the very heart of effective
management.”
Kegan & Lahey, 2001
Kegan and Lahey introduce a three-step model that managers can use to help uncover and address
these barriers to change. While we won’t go over the details of this process in these lecture notes, we will
take a glance at the general structure and key questions.
© Strayer University. All Rights Reserved. This document contains Strayer University Confidential and Proprietary information and may not
be copied, further distributed, or otherwise disclosed in whole or in part, without the expressed written permission of Strayer University.
JWI 556 (1196) Page 4 of 8
1. Managers guide employees through a set of questions designed to uncover competing
commitments
1) What would you like to see changed at work, so that you could be more effective, or so
that work would be more satisfying?
2) What commitment does your complaint imply?
3) What are you doing, or not doing, that is keeping your commitment from being more fully
realized?
4) If you imagine doing the opposite of the undermining behavior, do you detect in yourself
any discomfort, worry, or vague fear?
5) By engaging in this undermining behavior, what worrisome outcome are you committed
to preventing?
2. Employees examine these commitments to determine the underlying assumptions
1) Notice and record current behavior
2) Look for contrary evidence
3) Explore the history
4) Test the assumptions
5) Evaluate the results
3. Employees can then start the process of changing their behavior
The questions and process Kegan & Lahey present provide important guidance to bear in mind if we are
to lead change by putting people first. They provide critical insights into the psychology of change that
must be addressed if we strive to be holistic in our approach to change. Further, these tools are not just
valuable in leading your team through change, but in gaining a deeper understanding of your own
tendencies – something which is the focus of our first assignment in the course.
As Kegan & Lahey remind us,
“As you go through this process with your employees, remember that managers are
every bit as susceptible to change immunity as employees are, and your competing
commitments and big assumptions can have a significant impact on the people around
you…It’s not about identifying unproductive behavior and systematically making plans to
correct it, as if treating symptoms would cure a disease. It’s not about coaxing or cajoling
or even giving poor performance reviews. It’s about understanding the complexities of
people’s behavior, guiding them through a productive process to bring their competing
commitments to the surface, and helping them cope with the inner conflict that is
preventing them from achieving their goals.”
Kegan & Lahey, 2001
© Strayer University. All Rights Reserved. This document contains Strayer University Confidential and Proprietary information and may not
be copied, further distributed, or otherwise disclosed in whole or in part, without the expressed written permission of Strayer University.
JWI 556 (1196) Page 5 of 8
YOUR OWN PERSONAL CHANGE STYLE TENDENCIES
How do you react when you are asked to change?
Okay, that’s probably not a fair question. Or more accurately, not a very well-defined question. The
reason, of course, is that we don’t have just one standard set of reactions that apply equally to all different
sorts of changes. And if you don’t react the same way to all types of change initiatives, you can’t expect
that others will be any different in how they react.
We may want to tell ourselves a little white lie that it’s always somebody else who resists change – it’s
never us. But the evidence just doesn’t support that. Jack observes,
“Everyone in business claims they like change; to say otherwise…would be career suicide. In fact,
it’s quite common to see someone describe himself as a ‘change agent’ right on his résumé.
That’s ridiculous.
By my estimate, real change agents comprise less than 10 percent of all businesspeople. These
are the true believers who champion change, know how to make it happen, and love every
second of the process.”
Winning, p. 139
To support our pursuit of developing a better understanding of change, we will leverage the Change Style
Indicator ®. This self-assessment tool will help you uncover your own tendencies toward change. This
knowledge can be used to help you leverage the forces that propel you forward. It can also help you gain
insights into how your attitudes toward change may be similar to, and different from, those of other
members of your team.
If you’re going to build a strong team that can drive meaningful change in HR, you have to honestly
assess the way your team members feel about change. Only with the right people, and the right support,
can you make it happen. As Jack says,
“To make change happen, companies must actively hire and promote only true believers
and get-on-with-its. But with everyone claiming to like change, how can you tell who is for
real?
Luckily, change agents usually make themselves known. They’re typically brash, high-
energy, and more than a little bit paranoid about the future. Very often, they invent
change initiatives on their own or ask to lead them. Invariably, they are curious and
forward-looking. They ask a lot of questions that start with the phrase ‘Why don’t we…?’
These people have courage – a certain fearlessness about the unknown. Something in
them makes it OK to operate without a safety net. If they fail, they know they can pick
themselves up, dust themselves off, and move on. They’re thick-skinned about risk,
which allows them to make bold decisions without a lot of data.”
© Strayer University. All Rights Reserved. This document contains Strayer University Confidential and Proprietary information and may not
be copied, further distributed, or otherwise disclosed in whole or in part, without the expressed written permission of Strayer University.
JWI 556 (1196) Page 6 of 8
Winning, p. 139
Following on Jack’s guidance, you are encouraged to review the article from Week 1 by Aiken and Keller
published in the McKinsey Quarterly (2003). It presents some great ideas that will help you keep people
first as you implement change.
While their overall approach supports Kotter and acknowledges the success of his model, it does not
present a step-by-step process. Rather, it looks at change as a four-part framework: (A) Compelling
Story, (B) Role Modeling, (C) Reinforcing Mechanisms, and (D) Capability Building.
The main focus of the article is the differences which we all naturally have when it comes to what
motivates us and how we receive change messages. This guidance adds support to Kotter’s model and
helps ensure that our adherence to his model does not shortchange the complexities of human
interactions. It reminds us that lots of different types of people are going to be impacted by the changes
we lead, and the better we understand their differences, the more effective we are as leaders.
Again, while we won’t present the details here, we will recap the main points in Aiken and Keller’s
approach:
A. Creating a Compelling Story
• What motivates you doesn’t motivate most of your employees
• You’re better off letting them write their own story
• It takes a story with both positives and negatives to create real energy
B. Role Modeling
• Leaders mistakenly believe that they already “are the change”
• “Influence leaders” aren’t panaceas for making change happen
C. Reinforcing Mechanisms
• Money is the most expensive way to motivate people
• The process and outcome have got to be fair
D. Capability Building
• Employees are what they think, feel, and believe in
• Good intentions aren’t enough
Aiken & Keller, 2003
As you reflect on your own change style tendencies, and how they will impact the way you lead others
through change initiatives, consider Patty McCord’s guidance:
“[B]uild the ideal team by starting with the vision down the road. Identify the problem you
want to solve, the time frame in which you want to solve it, the kinds of people who will be
successful at that, and what they need to know how to do, then ask yourself, What do we
need to do to be ready and able, and whom do we need to bring in?”
Powerful, p. 78
© Strayer University. All Rights Reserved. This document contains Strayer University Confidential and Proprietary information and may not
be copied, further distributed, or otherwise disclosed in whole or in part, without the expressed written permission of Strayer University.
JWI 556 (1196) Page 7 of 8
A CHANGE PLAN FOR HR AND FOR YOUR CAREER
“Imagine your life as two superhighways. One courses with the stuff you’re very good at,
the other with the stuff you really love to do. Now, imagine those superhighways
intersecting. Right there – at the overlap of your capabilities and your happiness – lies the
site where ideally you should build your career.”
The Real-Life MBA, p. 180
This guidance comes from Jack and Suzy on finding your Area of Destiny (AOD). If you can identify it,
AND if you can put in place the changes needed to get there, you will have found your calling and be on
your way to career bliss.
You have been encouraged throughout your MBA program, and especially in your HR concentration
courses, to develop the skills you need to deliver in your current role. You have also been encouraged to
ask questions about what more you can do personally, and what you can do to transform HR into a key
strategic driver of your organization’s success.
You’ve been introduced to tons of great ideas in JWI 521: Recruit, Develop, Assess, Reward, Retain and
JWI 522: Strategic Partnering with the C-Suite. Hopefully, these have inspired you and gotten the creative
juices flowing. We have provided a refresher on some of these ideas in the “Change Initiatives in HR
Leadership and Talent Development” document in your course readings this week. It presents key
themes from authors you have encountered before, including Ram Charan, Bill Conaty, Patty McCord,
Laszlo Bock, and, of course, Jack. It will be a required component in your group project, so make sure
you spend some time with it. Go back and re-read key parts of the source texts from which the quotations
were taken.
If you’re feeling inspired to do more, but feeling stuck where you are, then it’s time for a change. As we
draw this week’s lecture notes to a close, you are encouraged to review Jack and Suzy’s action steps for
getting unstuck for inspiration.
1. Overdeliver
2. Volunteer for Hard Duty
3. Acquire Followers the Hard Way
4. Make Sure You’re Tech-Current
5. Get Real About Mentors
6. Love Everyone
The Real-Life MBA, pp. 201-212
© Strayer University. All Rights Reserved. This document contains Strayer University Confidential and Proprietary information and may not
be copied, further distributed, or otherwise disclosed in whole or in part, without the expressed written permission of Strayer University.
JWI 556 (1196) Page 8 of 8
GETTING THE MOST OUT OF THIS WEEK’S CLASS
As you read the materials and participate in class activities, stay focused on the key learning outcomes
for the week:
• Examine the psychological factors that impede change
Don’t allow the tools you are exploring to be merely academic exercises that are
interesting, but have no application in the real word. Use what you are learning to build a
deeper understanding of others and how they may be influenced by psychological factors
that work against change. Leverage the models to become a better coach for your team at
work. When you are working with a team member who is struggling to make a needed
change, help them uncover competing commitments and hidden assumptions that may be
impeding change. If, at first, you feel uncomfortable doing this in the workplace, try out the
process with a trusted friend or a family member.
• Identify and evaluate your own personal change style tendencies
Take the results you get from the Change Style Indicator ® and review them against real
changes that you have actively pursued in your life. Which ones were successful and which were
not? Share your assessment results with a trusted friend or colleague for validation. Are there
any patterns they see that you may have missed? If you know people who have been able to
overcome resistance to make important changes, what common change style tendencies do you
see in them? If you can’t identify these from observation, see if they are open to talking about the
change and how they managed it.
• Develop a change plan for HR and for your career
Commit the time and energy needed to develop a vision for where you want to be in your career
in the next one to three years. What is your Area of Destiny – that intersection where what you
are really good at and what you love doing come together? If you are feeling stuck, understand
that we all run into roadblocks in our professional lives that we struggle to get past. What are the
change tools you can leverage to move ahead and work through the competing forces that hold
you back?
How well does your Area of Destiny align with your vision for leading change in HR? Write down
what the role of an HR professional should be in your organization. What will it take to get it
there? If you could get your HR team to function in a way that fulfills your vision, how would that
help you realize your Area of Destiny?
**ShawnLeadingChangeWeek2Response.jpeg**
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**JeffreyLeadingChangeWeek2Response.jpeg**
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**Week2DiscussionLeadingChange.jpeg**
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**JWI_556_ChangeInitiativesinHR_1196.pdf**
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