Lecture 1

1. Explain the crucial role of reflective journals in experiential learning.

2. Discuss the main features of reflective writing.

3. Identify questions to address as you observe, reflect on and make sense of experiences.

4. Explain how reflection enables evaluation and restructuring of experience to gain insight, formulate new understanding, learn from experience and plan future action.
 

This study deals with leading and organizational change. It includes reflective journal on lectures attended by the student. I have gathered facts on organizational change and leadership in each of the lecture sessions. I enjoyed each and every session and gained lot of knowledge at the same time. Each session carried role play that gave essence of practical scenario. I had actively participated in each of the role play and asked questions wherever required.

In the first lecture, we were explained on sources of resistance to change. It includes managerial responses as well as empathy and support. It includes communication and participation involvement for the same. It explains four phases of transition to change like denial, commitment as well as resistance and exploration in an overall manner (Ylimaki & Jacobson, 2011). I have gathered facts on advantage of working in teams. It permits members in gaining new expertise as well as developing educate members. It allows knowledge in participating as well as building consensus in commitment on controversial issues. It resolves multi-ownership problems as well as avoids obvious decisions. For Instance, Taxis Vs Uber is perfect example of Resistance to change. Attending this particular lecture, I have related topic with companies like Uber. In all over cities in the world, there was ugly war between traditional taxi companies in against new form of competition. It was from Uber as well as other ride-sharing services.

After attending second lecture sessions, it explains the four phases of transitional change. In case of behavioral change, it adds up reinforcement in association with reward in displaying in frequent ways. As it is negative approach, it deliberately involves punishment in association of undesired behaviour in reduced frequency as well as behaviour display. It explains theories based on culture shock curve as well as psychodynamic approach.  It suggests creation of sense in psychological safety concerning change at the same time (Tsoukas & Chia, 2011). In the moving stage, it provides adequate information suspecting proposed changes as well as bringing actual shifts in behaviour. In the refreezing stage, it implements new evaluation system as well as hiring and promotion system in proper ways. For instance, organization manages change effectively as in case of Wesfarmers. I have analyzed that Wesfarmers shows inclination in changing with the business environment competing in global marketplace. It requires understanding the current state of an organization. Proactive management of change optimizes future adaptability in dealing with creative ways and industrial transformation in Wesfarmers. 

Lecture 2

I would like to differentiate team as well as groups in an organization. Group identity involves people defining themselves in belong to group. Group membership includes defining features of society. Group membership influences individual behaviour like providing sense of identity as well as security. It aims at developing structure including roles as well as establishing norms and expectations in members. It improves outputs in collective support for conflict in other groups. It involves in communication in form of shared knowledge (Reis & Geller, 2010). Teamwork is a well-established technique that is used within organization in gaining benefits from group influences in individual behaviors. After the completion of lecture, I confidently answered questions in the next sessions. That itself is an example that we as a class worked together in the team and discussed the session in collaborative way. We have conducted interesting group discussion in the class whereby all the classmates performed for making it success. As a whole, I believe in helping other classmates in time of need. This helping attitude as well as working together left us in understanding the concept of working as a team.

I would like to explain on Dunbar number. It is suggestive cognitive limits for people for maintaining stable social relationships. These are relationships for individual in each person for relates in every person. In case of Metcalfe’s law, it states value of telecommunications network proportionate to the square in number of connected users of the system. I would like to discuss on developing leadership skills for motivating staff members as well as coaching for working in an organization (Miner, 2011). Universalism is a religious as well as philosophical concept with universal application in applicability. It includes doctrines for considering people in an organization. Contingency is a future event in prediction with certainty. For instance, I understood that Dunbar number relates directly with maintaining relationships at workplace. It is the process fir networking and building relationships. I understood the truth behind the Dunbar number. It takes time in organizing contacts as well as giving definite advantage for vast majority of people. 

I have attended the fifth lectures session that was continuation of leadership concept. It was explained about leaders of major companies who believe their job in creation of strategy in organizational processes. I would like to comment that managers should find ways in viewing at employee’s strengths in comparison with weakness. Congruent occupations explain as economist. In case of social types, it explains characteristics of friendly, cooperative and understanding and termed as social worker. In case of conventional types, it includes types of efficient inflexible as well as unimaginative and termed as accountant. In case of enterprising, they should pose the skills of self confidence, ambitious and energetic and real estate agents. In case of artistic types, it should pose characteristics of imaginative, idealistic as well as emotional and impractical and occupations as musicians. I want to make a note on the personal characteristics of leaders. Leaders should have charismatic leadership and energetic in nature. For Instance, We were explained on Holland personality job fit theory. In the realistic type, personality characteristics includes genuine, shy as well as persistent and practical in nature. Their congruent occupations are mechanic. In case of investigative, personality characteristics includes analytical, original as well as curious and independent for the same (Manuel, 2011).

Lecture 3

I have gathered facts and opinions on participative management and change. Inertia is considered as the resistance of any physical object in any changes in the state of motion. It involves in speed and direction. It is the tendency for objects as well as keeping move in a straight line at constant velocity. It ensures empowerment of employees for having strong hand in managing organization.  For Instance, Democratic leadership distributes responsibility among membership as well as empowering group members in aiding group’s decision-making process (Linstead & Höpfl, 2012). Democratic leadership styles improve in participative decision-making process. I understood that democratic leadership enables ways whereby subordinates are free in expressing their point of view in proper course of action.

On attending the seventh lecture sessions, I have gathered facts on planned change. It is set of activities in an organization that are mostly intentional as well as goal-oriented. One of the goals for implemmented change includes improving ability of an organization in adapting changes in environment (Iterson, 2012). Environmental scanning involves in PESTEL analysis. In the unfreezing stage, employees ready for change. Change executes intended change. In case of refreezing stage, it ensures change becomes permanent in nature. For instance, it helps in seeking changed employee behaviour for organizational success or failures of individuals as well as groups in an organization. Strategic drift is the concept of strategic management referring in responsive to organization in place of changing environment. I have gathered facts on culture that is viable in an organization. 

I have gathered facts on forces of changes on attending the eighth lecture sessions. There are two factors that deal with changes namely External Factors as well as Internal Factors. Our lecturer explained that External factors changes due to economic factors, Political factors, cultural as well as demographic and industry factors. These factors are external in nature and difficult to bring any kind of change in an organization (Goodman 2011). Internal factors include low performance by employees, new leadership, low satisfaction as well as conflict and new mission. These factors are internal in nature and easily controllable by the management.  We were also explained on the types as well as process of change. It includes planned types when conscious decisions made in responsive of specified issues. Unplanned process of change includes random as well as sudden plan without any kind of intention of addressing particular problems at the same time. In the unfreezing stage, it provides rationale for change as well as creates minor levels of guilt and anxiety in an overall manner. For instance, Evolutionary process of change is gradual but revolutionary process of change is rapid as well as dramatic for the same. It gives rise to unfreezing stage, changing and freezing one again. I gathered facts on role play that explained on three stage model developed by Kurt Lewin.

Lecture 4

I have gathered facts on concepts like change agents. Change agents are a person that causes change for viewing at the ideas. It is the ability of using emotions in positive as well as constructive way in relationships with others (Easterby-Smith & Lyles 2011). It is the ability in controlling over redirecting disruptive impulses as well as moods in before acting for the same. For instance, I would like to point out on the emotional side of changes like enjoyment, fear, surprise, shame as well as sadness and anger. Emotional Intelligence ensures person’s abilities in perceiving as well as identification in managing emotions in self and others.

In the last lecture session, lecturers explain on leadership, culture as well as resistance to change. It discuses on aspects relating to organization change that determines from different culture groups. It explains visibility on day-to-day basis. It brings out shared beliefs, values as well as assumptions in members within an organization. It includes power distance, uncertainty avoidance as well as individualism and achievement orientation.  For instance, Organizational culture involves amplified by behaviour of leaders, embedded in network of organizational practices. It includes evident in behaviors in individuals as well as groups in an overall manner. 

Conclusion

At the end of the study, I would like to conclude that leading and organizational change takes place from time to time. This assignment is collaborative effort by my classmates and special thanks to my lecturer. Lecturer had given enough details on organizational change that make us comfortable with the subject in every form.  It was fun attending lecture session and role plays at the same time. Every organization aims at bringing changes for developing as well as attainment of future goals as well as objectives. 

Reference List

Easterby-Smith, M. & Lyles, M. (2011). Handbook of organizational learning and knowledge management. Chichester, West Sussex: Wiley.

Goodman, P. (2011). Organizational learning contracts. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Iterson, A. (2012). The civilized organization. Amsterdam: John Benjamins Pub. Co.

Linstead, S. & Höpfl, H. (2012). The aesthetics of organization. London: SAGE Publications.

Manuel, M. (2011). Maritime risk and organizational learning. Farnham, U.K.: Ashgate.

Miner, J. (2011). Organizational behavior 6. Armonk, N.Y.: M.E. Sharpe Inc.

Reis, M. & Geller, J. (2010). A manager’s guide to human behavior. [New York]: American Management Association.

Tsoukas, H. & Chia, R. (2011). Philosophy and organization theory. Bingley, U.K.: Emerald.

Ylimaki, R. & Jacobson, S. (2011). US and cross-national policies, practices, and preparation. Dordrecht: Springer.