Fluent Essays

1) Who Moved My Cheese (this is a video for some and a pdf for some), 2) That Used to be Us, and 3) Miss Ernestine, discuss the need for change and some of the barriers to change. What inspires us to change? What doesnt? What lessons can we take away from these three videos and share with others? Miss Ernestinehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=na6yl8yIZUI (Links to an external site.)Who Moved My Cheesehttp://www.contraboli.ro/stuff/docs/whomovedmycheese.pdf (Links to an external site.)That Used to Be Us - Thomas Friedman - The World is Flat. This video is quite long and well worth your time; however, the piece that I want you to see begins at minute 24. Your will see Dr. Mandelbaum release the podium to Mr. Friedman. This section of the video is about 20 minutes.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=97PLZ2a7A4Y&t=214 respond.docx Unformatted Attachment Preview Respond 1. Harold Randolph Change is driven by necessity as every person moves through life the course of that life twists and turns, and without the ability to adapt to these changes, one can get stranded. Change is inevitable and ever occurring, as stated by the Greek philosopher Ephesus that change is an “underlying characteristic of nature” (Kippenberger, 1998, p. 4). If change is inevitable, then we as individuals to move forward must change as well. Using this as a backdrop, the motivation to change is based on the need to maintain momentum and meet the challenges caused by change. So, in essence, what inspires us to change is the desire to meet the needs created by change, while simultaneously understanding that change is inevitable. Holding us back from change is the fact that even though we know change is going to occur, there is still a factor of the unknown that generates a potentially paralyzing fear. Fear can be a motivator in itself, and that motivation can be to stay the course and resist change. When change occurs or is at times even presented, the fear generated can cause them to shut down and be unable to receive information concerning the change (Maurer, 2011). In this instance, their fear, instead of creating a fight or flight response, generates a freeze response. The individual is unable and, at times, unwilling to change based on this fear. Even if someone is anticipating change, the fear of that change can be so overwhelming that they become entrenched in their status quo to the point of stagnation. Change is most cases is neither positive nor negative; it just is, when one can understand this, they are, in most cases, better able to deal with the repercussions of change. Fear of change and change in itself is a constant being able to adapt to this is the only way an individual can move forward. In one of the classes I teach on situational awareness we talk about alertness to the environment around us, there are stages to alertness from not alert at all to a level of consciousness that is centrally focused on one thing and one thing only. If a person is in a non-alert state and then suddenly they find themselves in a state where all their attention is needed, they can suffer from an overload of fear or information, thus causing them to freeze. With change, one must always be alert and recognize the signs that change is coming so that they can adapt quickly and be frozen in place by the fear caused by the change. Whether it is a person trying to change a specific behavior or a company facing changes in the market, they continually have to be able to recognize what is happening, learn from it, and respond appropriately (Palmer, Dunford, & Buchanan, 2017). Another take away from this week’s readings and videos are that even though change is a constant, there still has to be a catalyst for making the change. Whether it is Ernestine Shepherd and the promise she made to her sister, or Haw finally growing tired of waiting for the cheese to return, or as Thomas Friedman spoke to the need to reduce the gap between the servers and creators, there has to be a reason for change (Shepherd, 2014; Johnson & Blanchard, n.d.; Friedman, 2011). This catalyst is needed to generate momentum and often is used to sustain that momentum throughout the change. Each situation is different, and how the individual approaches the change is diverse, embrace versus skepticism. However, the one constant is that there was a jump-start that motivated the first step. So, in looking at this from that perspective, it is vitally important not to miss that catalyst, be continually on the lookout so that it is not missed. 2. Haley Peoples – Discussion Post 1 (Initial) Change is a scary word, or at least to an accountant it is. My everyday focus is on numbers, equations, and the “right” answer. Why did I choose my profession? Its simple; numbers do not change. Four plus four will always equal eight, and I like that. Even in my realm of I hate change, I must admit change is inevitable. Sometimes change is positive, and other times it is negative. To understand the need for change, one must look at what motivates individuals and organizations to change. Why is change needed? Change is a must in the world we live in today. Innovation and technology are driving factors, forcing people to adapt to the quickly changing environment around them. To stay profitable, businesses must stay “in the know” of their current market and be “ahead of the game” when it comes to competitors. If companies like Walmart didnt adapt and change their business model to reflect online shopping, then they would not be a leader in the market due to companies like Amazon, who are online retailers. Change is needed because the world is continually improving in all aspects. The video That Used to be Us is an excellent representation of what all changes the world has experienced in the last decade. Just about every aspect of my life that I can think of has been changed because of technology. During my college years, while on spring break, we would have to get in our vehicle and drive to get lunch. This past year at the same beach, my husband ordered our lunch on the beach, and it was delivered straight to our beach chair. If we didnt have change, then we would all be using a pen and paper to write this assignment in an actual classroom. Barriers to change are difficult. As stated above, I personally hate it, so when it happens to me, I tend to go against change. From my personal experience, I would say in my organization, the most significant barrier of change is the employees. If employees are against change, then they will fight to keep things the same. They will become more motivated to find any way possible to make sure the new procedure, protocol, etc. fail. Why do employees resist change is the bigger question. Sometimes we must look to leadership to answer this question because the motivation for change has to be appropriately communicated throughout the organization. Leadership behavior can influence subordinates, which will affect outcomes like goal attainment (Butler & Reese, 1991). Personnel may lack the familiarity and inspiration to recognize the need for change (Erwin, 2009). In other cases, employees are scared change will result in the loss of their job while others are not willing to develop or learn new skills (Erwin, 2009). Internal and external sources are a significant influence that drives change in organizations (Pamler, Dunford, & Buchanan, 2017). Manager strives to succeed, and they want their organization to be the best. New technologies, customer satisfaction, new management, and innovations in the manufacturing process are all variables of internal and external sources (Pamler, Dunford, & Buchanan, 2017). For example, my organization was faced with a high staff turnover rate, so we were forced to change and restructure our pay scale. The organization did not want to dig into the budget for employee bonuses, and merit raises, but due to the environmental pressure, they were forced to change. Another personal example would be changing our policies and procedures to make daily duties easier based on new technology available. My organization can save employees time and money on doctor visits by offering Teledoc, an online-based doctor who can see patients via Skype. In both of these situations, there was a need for change. All the videos made me think about my work, the future, and the changes I will face. The most important lesson I can take away is never to get comfortable. The minute anyone thinks they are irreplaceable is the moment they are most vulnerable. As employees, managers, spouses, parents, etc. we need to strive to be the best possible version of ourselves. To do that, we must be motivated to change. In ten years, we may all be working from home or typing on holographic keyboards. The future is wide open to new possibilities, and change is more natural when we are open to accepting it. 3. ... Purchase answer to see full attachment