4.  Mixed Situational Change Method (MSCM)

 

Mixed situational Change Method (MSCM) consists of both, radical and incremental leadership styles, and various mixtures and combinations of both. This means that based on the situation, this leadership style during change adapts to the change environment. If a long-term leadership style is needed to improve participation, the change managers will introduce for instance hBPM and/or a workshop application. If one area of the process is more urgent to adapt than another area, the greater priority is given to the one more urgent.

 

4.1. Variable project time frame

A variable project time frame is a project that has a fix beginning time scheduled with a project end in mind, but subject to open-ended conditions. If the environment changes only slightly, one project may need to be moved up over another one. This may change a little or even everything in one change project. As Gappmaier (1997) had suggested, it is common to expect a change in a change of a change project.

A change in a change of a change project is one way to reflect on the reality of a change project. This is simply explained: when a project is planned, for instance a new customer management system, variables such employee turnover, training time changes, technology adjustments made over time, customer sales processes and policies being altered, or poor communication may have left process gaps, may influence decisions to modify the system all together at once, or incrementally over time.

The more radical the decision-base leadership style is the more likely the associated poor communication will lead to missed process steps and forms and policies will likely have to be reviewed after the first completion of the forms. And then when changes are not communicated sufficiently back to IT, then in radical change leadership styles and environments, more participants where left out in decision making, that should have normally been included. And therefore, a process in a change project will have to be changed, again, and again.

It is being suggested that the MSCM causes a variable project time frame because situational leadership styles applied in variable environments have a greater possibility for surprises occurring that the leaders must adapt too. While of course the logic assumption might arise that the radical change leadership style (dissonant) may have less change occur during the change of a change project, it is suggested that MSCM gives the participant the opportunity to be part of decision making. On the long-term this is leading to greater productivity and customer satisfaction over the radical leadership style during those changes occurring in change projects.

However, on the short-term perspective, the radical leadership style has the advantage to get a project complete. The surgery has been successful but the patient may be dead. Depending on the urgency and the situation, sometimes a leader must grab the child by the hand a little harsher without asking first for permission. This is especially applicable when there is no time to explain the reason for the offense, when it is otherwise a life or death situation.

 

4.2. Controllable turnover

During any kind of process change, turnover is often the result. People either switch jobs because of dissatisfaction and environment stress or employee – boss relationship challenges (Goleman et al, 2002). The more radical the situation appears and the more radical the leadership style applied, usually the greater the turnover of employees is in an organization. The opposite has been however suggested where leadership groups are more focusing on people needs and when the environments are less stressful. Therefore the MSCM style is a better way to retain employees.

Of course, some organizations have suggested that it is good to clean out the organization and separate the wheat from the spoils. Applying the MSCM style to people that receive more coaching and career counseling and have an improved relationship with their managers are likely staying on during radical change or stressful situations.  And those that feel neglected and have bad relationships with their supervisors are more likely to quit their job.

 

4.3. Controllable learning curve

And in MSCM, the learning curve too becomes more controllable. This is because the leaders allow for people needs and adapting to new environments. The change occurs gradually in incremental steps with ample time and announcements made in the organization. This gives the employees and participants in the change project the time to respond. MSCM also allows for participation and submitting suggestions and ideas that are evaluated. While this process takes longer, it is not as harsh and as the learning curve shock in radical change.

            Usually in a MSCM situation, the employees are trained little by little and the IT changes are made incrementally. The benefit of this is definitely a higher retention rate of employees. But the disadvantage or the risk is that IT needs and system changes are required during the long process of change. It has been found by Haudan (2002) that IT systems are often outdated by the time they are completely implemented in an organization during a 5 years change project initiative. Gappmaier (1997), Greenly and Carnall (2001), and Schneider (2002) have suggested that people-group and stakeholder participation and workshop arrangements are usually more effective when IT systems changes have to be made.

It is not intended to leave the reader with the impression that process change is regardless associated to painful and scary trauma and life-long shocking experiences. Regardless the situation or environment the change takes place, with regards to what leadership styles have been applied, in change, as Toffler (1970) already forewarned, one might never be prepared adequately. This is all together, according to King and Aisthorpe (2000) not the re-engineering expectation one might have. Because one may never be prepared sufficiently to operate as planned or desired within the complexities of change project.