Leadership and Change Management
Stories by Chris Uba
The intensifying competition for resources and demand for high performance are pressing firms to become more flexible, more results-focused, and more fast-acting. Companies are finding that such initiatives require able leadership, and the challenge for organisations and business schools alike is to help build effective leadership both in the next generation of managers and throughout the organisation today.
Leaders need to understand this process if they are going to successfully guide their organisations through the turbulent journey of remaining competitive in today's market place. Every leader should have the ability to create a vision and strategy for the organisation. It is the leader's responsibility to set the strategic direction for the company and then align the company's goal with that vision. This means, leaders must also be able to explain the vision to the entire workforce, because employees will have a direct impact on whether the change will be successful or not.
What is change management? People have wondered if there is any difference between "change management" and "change leadership," and whether it is just a matter of semantics. According to experts, the two terms are not interchangeable as the distinction between them is actually quite significant. Change management, which is the term everyone uses, refers to a set of basic tools or structures intended to keep any change effort under control. The goal is often to minimize the distractions and impacts of the change, while change leadership, on the other hand, is the driving forces, visions and processes that fuel large-scale transformation.
Philip Kotter, a marketing management guru defines change management as the utilisation of basic structures and tools to control any organisational change effort. According to him, change management is a structured approach to shifting/transitioning individuals, teams and organisations from a current state to a desired future state. It is an organisational process aimed at helping employees to accept and embrace changes in their current business environment.
Essentially, change management's goal is to minimize the change impacts on workers and avoid distractions. It helps to create a clear and strategic process for coping with constant and unpredictable change. It uses a coordinated mix of participatory processes to engage all relevant parties in sustained dialogue, decision-making and mutual beneficial change.
Classic examples of organisational change include: mission changes, strategic changes, operational changes (including structural changes), technological changes and changing the attitudes and behaviours of personnel.
As a multidisciplinary practice that has evolved as a result of scholarly research, organisational change management should begin with a systematic diagnosis of the current situation in order to determine both the need for change and the capability to change. The objectives, content, and process of change should all be specified as part of a change management plan.
Change management processes may include creative marketing to enable communication between change audiences, but also deep social understanding about leadership's styles and group dynamics. As a visible track on transformation projects, Organisational change management aligns groups' expectations, communicates, integrates teams and manages people training. It makes use of performance metrics, such as financial results, operational efficiency, leadership commitment, communication effectiveness, and the perceived need for change to design appropriate strategies, in order to avoid change failures or solve troubled change projects.
In a nutshell, successful change management requires a large commitment from executives and senior managers, whether the change is occurring in a department or in a complete organisation, hence it is imperative to equip not the present generation of leaders and future ones on how to manage change.
In June ,the Lagos Business School is organising a three-day course on Leadership and Change Management skills because of its imperative for getting organisations in Nigeria to deliver effective performance. Public organisations are required to produce results in accordance with their mandates and increasing expectations of the citizens and political leadership, in a cost-effective and results-oriented manner. Top managers must learn the best strategies for leading their teams to get results whilst themselves developing future leaders in the process. They must understand how to work in the organisation and on the organisation, to move it from where it is to where it needs to be, if it must be customer-centred and results-oriented.
This intensive three-day course is meant to assist public sector managers to develop the learning that will enhance their performance, leadership and change management skills.
The objectives of the course are to : provide an enhanced understanding of the socio-political & economic environment, and the strategic importance of effective public management to national economic development and competitiveness; develop leadership and team building skills, build competency in driving performance of public sector organisations and acquire change leadership skills.
The intensifying competition for resources and demand for high performance are pressing firms to become more flexible, more results-focused, and more fast-acting. Companies are finding that such initiatives require able leadership, and the challenge for organisations and business schools alike is to help build effective leadership both in the next generation of managers and throughout the organisation today.
Leaders need to understand this process if they are going to successfully guide their organisations through the turbulent journey of remaining competitive in today's market place. Every leader should have the ability to create a vision and strategy for the organisation. It is the leader's responsibility to set the strategic direction for the company and then align the company's goal with that vision. This means, leaders must also be able to explain the vision to the entire workforce, because employees will have a direct impact on whether the change will be successful or not.
What is change management? People have wondered if there is any difference between "change management" and "change leadership," and whether it is just a matter of semantics. According to experts, the two terms are not interchangeable as the distinction between them is actually quite significant. Change management, which is the term everyone uses, refers to a set of basic tools or structures intended to keep any change effort under control. The goal is often to minimize the distractions and impacts of the change, while change leadership, on the other hand, is the driving forces, visions and processes that fuel large-scale transformation.
Philip Kotter, a marketing management guru defines change management as the utilisation of basic structures and tools to control any organisational change effort. According to him, change management is a structured approach to shifting/transitioning individuals, teams and organisations from a current state to a desired future state. It is an organisational process aimed at helping employees to accept and embrace changes in their current business environment.
Essentially, change management's goal is to minimize the change impacts on workers and avoid distractions. It helps to create a clear and strategic process for coping with constant and unpredictable change. It uses a coordinated mix of participatory processes to engage all relevant parties in sustained dialogue, decision-making and mutual beneficial change.
Classic examples of organisational change include: mission changes, strategic changes, operational changes (including structural changes), technological changes and changing the attitudes and behaviours of personnel.
As a multidisciplinary practice that has evolved as a result of scholarly research, organisational change management should begin with a systematic diagnosis of the current situation in order to determine both the need for change and the capability to change. The objectives, content, and process of change should all be specified as part of a change management plan.
Change management processes may include creative marketing to enable communication between change audiences, but also deep social understanding about leadership's styles and group dynamics. As a visible track on transformation projects, Organisational change management aligns groups' expectations, communicates, integrates teams and manages people training. It makes use of performance metrics, such as financial results, operational efficiency, leadership commitment, communication effectiveness, and the perceived need for change to design appropriate strategies, in order to avoid change failures or solve troubled change projects.
In a nutshell, successful change management requires a large commitment from executives and senior managers, whether the change is occurring in a department or in a complete organisation, hence it is imperative to equip not the present generation of leaders and future ones on how to manage change.
In June ,the Lagos Business School is organising a three-day course on Leadership and Change Management skills because of its imperative for getting organisations in Nigeria to deliver effective performance. Public organisations are required to produce results in accordance with their mandates and increasing expectations of the citizens and political leadership, in a cost-effective and results-oriented manner. Top managers must learn the best strategies for leading their teams to get results whilst themselves developing future leaders in the process. They must understand how to work in the organisation and on the organisation, to move it from where it is to where it needs to be, if it must be customer-centred and results-oriented.
This intensive three-day course is meant to assist public sector managers to develop the learning that will enhance their performance, leadership and change management skills.
The objectives of the course are to : provide an enhanced understanding of the socio-political & economic environment, and the strategic importance of effective public management to national economic development and competitiveness; develop leadership and team building skills, build competency in driving performance of public sector organisations and acquire change leadership skills.
FT Ranking: LBS Promises to Take Africa to Next Level
The Lagos Business School (LBS) has expressed delight with its 54th position in the world and second in Africa in the open enrolment executive education programme providers' category. The Financial Times' Executive Education 2012 ranking published May 14, in London ranked the school for the sixth consecutive time.
Reacting to the news, Dr Enase Okonedo, LBS dean, said the school is pleased with the ranking by the Financial Times, as it is the pre-eminent international executive education ranking.
"We want to be the number one business school in emerging markets, and the FT ranking compels us to compete with other world-class schools", she said.
The top school this year was IMD in Switzerland, followed by Harvard Business School and Thunderbird School of Global Management both in the US. Only four African business schools were included in the FT rankings this year. According to Okonedo, who is also the chairperson of the Association of African Business Schools (AABS), business schools in the continent are tasked to develop managers to take Africa to her next growth phase.
She said: "It is necessary for us to attain world-class quality, because we are developing managers who will be working in an increasingly competitive global landscape."
The Financial Times of London publishes annually a list of the best management programmes from business schools around the world, based on the quality of learning, staff and student diversity, growth in business and international reach.
LBS began in 1991 as a small institution called the Centre for Professional Communications (CPC), offering management courses relevant to the Nigerian business environment. LBS started with John Elegido, Patrick Merino and Tim Keenley as founding members of staff. It was previously owned by the African Development Foundation (ADF), a Nigerian not-for-profit educational foundation, but is now owned by the Pan-African University Foundation.
In 1994, under the leadership of Albert Alos, the director - general, and through the support of corporate organisations in recognition of the contributions LBS was making to management development in Nigeria, the building in Victoria Island was completed. It contained three classrooms named after corporate sponsors; Shell, Chevron and IBTC, faculty and administrative offices and a library. In 1996, some land on the Lekki peninsular area of Lagos State, was allocated to LBS by the Lagos State Government for the construction of what is now the permanent site of the School.
With a view to begin offering an MBA programme at LBS, the ADF applied for the license to operate a private university. While awaiting approval, LBS began a joint Executive MBA programme with IESE Business School, Barcelona in 1996. In January 2002, the Federal Government granted approval for the establishment of Pan-African University, and LBS thus became the first school of the university able to offer its own Executive MBA programme in the same year.
AABS Launches Mentor Deans Programme
Stories by Chris Uba (08059423849 SMS only)
AABS has a broad network of international Deans and Directors who would like to contribute to the growth of quality management education and development in Africa. AABS network is one of pipeline and membership Schools that are striving to provide quality management relevant to the local context, but with a global quality standard, would benefit greatly from these "Mentor Deans".
AABS has a broad network of international Deans and Directors who would like to contribute to the growth of quality management education and development in Africa. AABS network is one of pipeline and membership Schools that are striving to provide quality management relevant to the local context, but with a global quality standard, would benefit greatly from these "Mentor Deans".
How Does It Work?
Schools which partake in the programme will be assigned a Mentor from AABS international network. The Mentor will either has been or currently will be a Dean of a Business School. The Mentor will commit to mentoring an African Business School Dean for a period of minimum 1 to maximum 3 years.
How Does Our School Sign Up?
An African Business School will submit a request to enter the AABS Mentor Dean Programme. A form will then be sent to them where they would need to outline particular areas in which the School would like to focus from the mentoring relationship. AABS will then contact the pool of mentors and propose to the school the name of 2 - 3 Mentors. The school will then contact the Mentor and arrange a mutually convenient time for the mentor to visit the school.
What Is The Process?
One month prior to the visit, the school will provide the mentor with a document on the School, based on the AABS quality review document and membership criteria questions. Upon arrival at the school, the mentor will meet with the Dean and his/her senior management team for a period of a day to go through the document and key issues raised for mentoring. The school and the mentor prior to the visit will agree the other two days agenda.
Upon completion of the visi,t the Dean will compile a report on the visit as well as key action steps and deliverables within a 1 to 3 year period. This report will be sent to the mentor as well as to the AABS secretariat. This report will need to be updated on an annual basis with progress indicated in the report and e-mailed annually to the mentor and the AABS secretariat. Regular e-mail communication as well as monthly teleconference calls will be setup between the Dean and mentor to assist the school in achieving these action steps.
Questions To Consider Before Starting The Process: (1). Does the Dean/Director have the capacity to commit to this process to ensure that they get the most out of it?( 2). Has the school Dean/Director thought about areas where they could most benefit from mentoring?(3). Does the school have a particular time of the year when it would be useful to have the mentor? Can this be tied in with any board/advisory board meetings?
A mentor would be particularly useful if: (1). The school is wanting to join AABS Pipeline Membership (2). The school is wanting to move from AABS Pipeline to Full Membership.(3). The school is wanting to start looking at the accreditation process.(4). The school is wanting support during the accreditation process.(5). The school is wanting to: 1. Start executive education.(2). Transition deans.(3). Become more independent from the university (4). Work on their strategy and direction.
How Much Does It Cost?
The School will be responsible for accommodation and economy class airfare for the mentor as well as an administration fee of $6,000 to AABS which includes an honorarium to the mentor for the period of the first year. If ongoing mentoring is required, the school will pay $4,000 for the following year to AABS which will include the honorarium to the mentor.