2.2 Impact of leadership in implementing change
2.2.2 Leadership influence on employees during change implementation
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communicate effectively which are usually overlooked. Firstly, leaders should provide a holistic picture to employees and adequate information for the scope of work to be accomplished. Secondly, leaders should communicate as clearly as possible providing all the necessary information to subordinates. Finally, leaders are also expected to be good listeners as this helps them understand whether their message is understood by followers.
In an attempt to improve the efficiency of a change process, Baesu and Bejinaru (2014) proposed a change process model which helps to facilitate change. The model is discussed as follows; (a) planning stage, is the phase where the leader provide explanation elaborating and identify opportunities, (b) enabling stage, is a phase which include influencing employees and empowering them, (c) launching stage, entails the execution of change to achieve the set goals, (d) the catalyst stage, consist of motivating and stimulating subordinates by providing them with support, (e) and finally maintaining stage, relates to provision of guidance and administering change to ensure change is sustained.
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organisation fit in. In addition, the comprehensive strategic vision for the strategic change helps to explain how a new strategy is implemented in line with the external environment (Korbi, 2015). Leadership as strategists for change are required to predict the future and they must share the vision with the organisational members and understand the aspirations, needs and values of the people (Korbi, 2015). Furthermore, leadership should create objectives, mould and shape organisational culture and open doors (Korbi, 2015). Second, leadership should identify the need to change and find a new strategic response. Forth, leadership should communicate effectively the reason for the new strategy or change. Fifth, leadership should overcome resistance to change. Sixth, leadership needs the power to influence employees and develop a political support.
Leadership should delegate duties, consult, encourage dialogue, motivate employees, involve them and build commitment (Korbi, 2015).
Jones and Harris (2014) recommend that it is essential for leaders to be able to stand back sometimes and credit employees for the milestones that are accomplished during change because this creates a sense of ownership and empowerment in followers and enhance the acceleration of change. According to the study of Johannsdottir, Olafsson and Davidsdottir (2015) the implementation of a new strategy requires leadership to show commitment and values, and the findings further indicate that leadership should act as role models and walk the talk by practically acting and behaving according to the message they preach in order to realise the desired change.
Appebaum, Degbe, MacDonald and Nguyen-Quang (2015) acknowledge that despite the initiatives taken by organisational leadership to drive and lead the change, the implementation of change is executed by the organisational personnel that are at various levels of the organisation. Furthermore, Jacobs et al. (2013) state that it is important for leaders to establish and understand what causes resistant to change, so that they can make necessary adjustment in the change plan by removing obstacles and encourage employees to embrace change. Leadership plays a key role by honestly communicating to follower’s information that relates to organisational change, and they should set the direction which the organisation takes into the future during change (Appelbaum et al., 2015).
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Van der Voet et al. (2014) state that change-leadership is related to the leader’s commitment to change and the authors further claim that, the primary role of change leadership is to encourage the followers to embrace the positive attitude towards change with a view to achieve set objectives for change. Moreover, the authors note that change- leadership indirectly influence follower’s commitment to change by enhancing high-quality communication and the participation of subordinates in the execution of organisational change (Van der Voet et al., 2014). This correlates with the study by Rogiest, Segers, Witteloostuijn (2015) who argue that, subordinate participation increases if the quality of communication is enhanced and if the feeling of uncertainty and anxiety is reduced among employees. Appelbaum et al. (2015) also agree that leadership should embrace, practice and encourage the values that are aligned to change because this aid to create a conducive environment for change. Agote et al. (2016) however state that many other authors consider, employee’s reaction to change as a crucial signal or indicator for a successful implementation of change.
Appelbaum et al. (2015) add that the successful implementation of change requires leadership to create a positive environment for employees towards change and overcome resistance to change, they should articulate the firm’s strategic direction and ensure they get feedback from subordinates and unite everyone to support change. The authors further argue that this can be achieved by involving middle managers at the early stages of change to get their input and middle managers can then in-turn easily influence the entire workforce.
Additionally, from a different perspective Kin et al. (2014) put forward a leadership competency concept which comprises of four elements the authors suggest are necessary to ensure successful implementation of change and they include, reducing resistance and conflict, capacity building, institutionalisation and goal framing. Agote et al. (2016) add that, the level of trust employees has in their leaders and leadership style has a significant influence on their emotions as well as the success of change process.
Ferguson, Hall and Hopwood (2015) also discussed three leadership levels that are necessary during change implementation and they comprise initiators, managers and responders. In addition, the authors explain that, as initiators leaders formulate long-term
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policies that are unambiguous with clear intent. Second leaders as managers, put more attention on controlling resources and the budget and ensures there are procedure in place during change. Third, leaders as responders, take into account subordinate’s views and concerns during change.