IIMK EPGP-13 LSO Assignment 2 (By – GROUP 1) DATE-26 MAY 2022

OUR CHANGE MANAGEMENT

LEADERSHIP STORIES

We are EPGP 13 Batch Group 1 for LSO, consisting below group members …

Roll Number Student Name Student Email Classroom Centre

EPGP-12A-037 G SRIDHAR gsridhar12a@iimk.edu.in TSW - Bangalore - Whitefield
EPGP-12A-125 VINIT VIJAY SANKHE vinit12a@iimk.edu.in TSW - Mumbai - Goregaon
EPGP-13A-006 ABILASH UTTAM abilash13a@iimk.edu.in TSW-Hyderabad-Banjara Hills
EPGP-13A-015 ANEES K M anees13a@iimk.edu.in TSW-Calicut-Mankavu
EPGP-13A-021 ANTESH KUMAR antesh13a@iimk.edu.in TSW-Jamshedpur -Sakchi
EPGP-13A-024 ARCHANA S archana13a@iimk.edu.in TSW-Bangalore -Marathahalli
EPGP-13A-026 ARNAV AKHOURY arnav13a@iimk.edu.in TSW-Jamshedpur -Sakchi
EPGP-13A-036 CHRISTOPHER CRONING christopher13a@iimk.edu.in TSW-Mumbai-Bandra East (Tentative)

Our group consists of experienced professionals from FMCG, SPORTS and IT sectors having experience
range as young as 8 years to as mature as 22 years. Sharing stories about our professional change management
experiences was an interesting exercise. It was surely difficult to choose two examples from such diverse
tales. But as the group deliberated within itself, we found two stories, unique and profound enough to exhibit
the group’s change management repertoire from external to internal environmental organization forces
that brought the change and the way it affected the leadership.

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 IIMK EPGP-13 LSO Assignment 2 (By – GROUP 1) DATE-26 MAY 2022

Example 1. Change Leadership through Internal

Organizational Change
Narrator – Arnav Akhoury

About Me
I work as a team lead in a software development company where I work closely with
business owners and executives to understand the priorities and business goals, help my
team consume the requirements to prioritize the upcoming tasks for the software
development team. I directly manage set of contractors (4 members) and mentor new hires
and interns.

Background

In a fast-changing world, it is important for any organization to adapt to changing conditions to stay
competitive. In my organization, about 6 years ago there was one such instance where the senior leadership
had to take a decision that resulted in a dramatic shift in how smaller teams work in the organization.

Out management intended to change the company’s Software Development process (Waterfall SDLC to
Agile). The software development process for the legacy systems still followed the older, more traditional,
Waterfall model. The main characteristics of the waterfall model includes: pre-defined, well-detailed
requirements that remain constant throughout the development and deployment of the software, longer
development time and longer gaps between releases. Such a traditional development model meant that
everyone in the team was accustomed to an environment where things would remain well-defined and changes
were not expected for 6 months (release cycle: new versions of the software were delivered to the customers
every six months). The proposed change would mean that the team will have to move to a model where the
software is updated every week (from 6 months to 1 week).

The proposed, Agile software development model was expected to provide a strategic advantage to the
company, as it could respond to the customer’s needs quickly as well as it could respond to the competitors
more efficiently. The marketing team had estimated a change in the customers’ sentiments and submitted a
report to the management that they should consider changing the software development process in order to
stay competitive.

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 IIMK EPGP-13 LSO Assignment 2 (By – GROUP 1) DATE-26 MAY 2022

The management decided to go ahead with the proposal, and

without discussing it with any of the stakeholders. They
decided upon a 4-month time horizon during which the entire
team of 200+ software developers had to shift the way they
worked. As most of the developers in the team were already
used to the existing process, adapting to new tools, new
software, etc. was a major challenge. For example, the
proposed Agile software development model required the
developers to learn how to use new source code management
tool, new release management solutions, etc.

The first thing that the management did right was that they established the urgency for the change. They also
defined their long-term vision (by describing how the new process will allow us to release features faster to
the customers). But there was a lack of communication with the stakeholders.

The Change Begins

The process began with the announcement and the intended change and the expected timeline. After the
announcement, licenses to use the new tools were shared with the developers, and everyone was expected to
be ready for the change.

Though everyone understood the benefits that will be brought out by using the new software development
methods. The developers were not really sure of how to go about implementing this change. Everyone found
it difficult to adapt to the new development model, and it was often difficult to understand how to use the new
tools. At this stage, the development team had two separate requirements, one of them included the need for
formal training on the new process and the tools. And the other requirement was to have regular
communication with top-level management.

One of the managers in the team had an idea to start using internal resources to train others. New joiners and
freshers to the company, who had a better understanding of the new-age tools, were roped in to train the senior
folks within the team. This method proved to be very effective, as it saved both time and money. The manager
demonstrated crisis leadership skills, and they were successful in solving a major challenge effectively.

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 IIMK EPGP-13 LSO Assignment 2 (By – GROUP 1) DATE-26 MAY 2022

Some of the senior members of the team

were concerned that using Agile software
development would affect the quality of
the software developed and hence, they
opposed this decision. There were a few
others who did not like the idea of being
trained by inexperienced members of the
team and they simply refused to attend the
training sessions.

We believe that the management should have considered the human side of the situation better and should
have appointed/hired professional trainers. The need of the hour was training and communication. The
management should have established ways to communicate their intentions better with the development team.
The new process could have been explained better and more realistic timelines could have been identified,
keeping other stakeholders in mind. The employees agree on the goals of the change but they did not agree
with the proposed method defined by the leadership. The above diagram (taken from class reading materials),
indicates that this falls under Scenario#1.

Change Leadership Traits and Techniques

From this scenario, I learned that it is extremely important to understand the requirements of all the
stakeholders (such as employees) before taking any important decisions. The management only focused on
the technical aspects of the change. For example, they were very quick in procuring the necessary licenses for
the new tools. But they missed out on the human angle. Such a dramatic change to the development process
would also lead to a massive change in the culture of the organization. People need time to adjust to cultural
changes. As the decision was taken without consulting with anyone from the development team, this also
resulted in how this was perceived. The developers perceived this as a change that was forced onto them rather
than a change that was needed. The management could have made the development feel empowered by
considering their pain points and then deciding upon the timelines.

As the state went from parity or disagreement to a cohesive change target, the journey resembled a classic
change leadership curve (next page). We had to mobilise the forces from their change inertia to agree on the
goal and process both (Shifting from Immobilisation). There were strong conflicts and debates about various
change decisions in the interim. Some people left the organization in the process (Depression). Eventually the
employees got aligned and tested the new change arena with their respective skills and change sensibilities

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 IIMK EPGP-13 LSO Assignment 2 (By – GROUP 1) DATE-26 MAY 2022

(Test out and acceptance). Finally, the dust of change settled and the vision became clear across the
organization (Internalisation).

1. Immobilisation
2. Minimization
3. Depression
4. Acceptance
5. Testing Out
6. Search For Meaning
7. Internalisation
(Our journey was similar to the change curve)

As a team lead, I tried various leadership techniques to strive through the Immobilization, Minimisation and
Depressions states. We focused on Telling, Delegating Selling techniques.

We made sure our change vision was made

clearer each passing day so that the narrative was
never lost (Tell). Due to persistent reinforcement,
we aligned specific individual goals and
objectives towards the change objective
(delegate). Once a few team members became
champion in the change process, selling the idea
was automatic.

It took the organization about 8 months to completely transition to the new process. The transition phase was
one of the most unstable and dynamic phases in my company. The attrition rate was high during this period
and so were internal team disputes. It all improved gradually over time and as the new process kicked in and
everyone became comfortable with the new process.

How has my leadership changed ever since?

As on old Chinese scholar Lao Tzu had said - Mastering others is strength; mastering yourself is true power.
I feel through my journey to lead and mentor folks I found my purpose and calling as a leader. On a personal
front, the change our organization brought in, taught me patience, resilience and belief in the concept of
“change flow” where things automatically fall in place. All a leader needs, is a little faith… Faith in Self and
Faith in his/her People.

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 IIMK EPGP-13 LSO Assignment 2 (By – GROUP 1) DATE-26 MAY 2022

Example 2. Change Leadership through External

Organizational Change
Narrator – Christopher Croning

About Me
A passionate sportsman turned in to an agile and result oriented Sports marketer with over
12 years of professional experience and close to 9 years of leadership experience in sports
marketing across various organizations. I have been part of Red Bull for the last 7 years
leading sports marketing for the brand in India and cricket globally.

Change management initiative undertaken in my organization

One of the most important

change management
initiatives undertaken not
only in the organization but
in the whole industry of
Sports Marketing was the
effect of Demonetization,
Digitalization of transaction
and application of GST. An
industry that majorly
worked in an unorganized,
cash transactions driven
format had to change the
whole working culture to fit
the requirement of the
moment.

About Demonetization (The External Political & Economic Force)

Indian Prime Minister announced "demonetization" on November 8, 2016. An 86 percent drop in India's
currency overnight was the result of the prohibition on the Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes, which were immediately
phased out.

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 IIMK EPGP-13 LSO Assignment 2 (By – GROUP 1) DATE-26 MAY 2022

When demonetization was implemented in November 2016, the amount of currency in circulation was Rs
17.97 trillion. By January 2017, that figure had fallen to Rs 7.8 trillion. After a few months, the Reserve Bank
of India received Rs 15.31 trillion of the Rs 15.41 trillion it had demonetized. In other words, more than 99
percent of the currency notes that were demonetized were returned to the banking system.

Results of Demonetization on Event / Sports Industry

Demonetization has forced a majority of consumers to use online payments, which has benefitted digital
payment platforms and others that have also entered the online ticketing market. An industry which was
unorganized and that was driven by cash transactions had to all of a sudden adapt to digital payment and had
to ensure that companies worked with vendors who had proper documentation.

Following were some of the key areas to be tackled,

• At least 90% of the transactions have to be digital

• Every agency must be a registered vendors with the organization
• All subcontract bills have to be submitted to the client
• Every vendor has to be GST compliant
• All bills to be in the client’s name to get GST benefit
• Overall event budgets to be reduced since organizations get GST benefits

Helpful leadership traits and behaviours to navigate the change management

Following were some of the key steps to ensure this major change was tackled strategically for a smooth
transition,

1. Identify core working team

2. Recognize and comprehend the necessity for change
3. Create the vision and strategy
4. Ready the organization for the change
5. Incorporate Changes into Company Culture and Practices
6. Implement the change
7. Examine progress and evaluate outcomes

Some of the key traits were the following,

• Clarity in communication:
Every stage of a change initiative necessitates the use of effective communication skills.
Communication is essential at the strategy stage to understand the goals for the change. Preparation is
the key to overcoming resistance to change among the staff and providing them with the resources and
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IIMK EPGP-13 LSO Assignment 2 (By – GROUP 1) DATE-26 MAY 2022

encouragement they need to do their part. We conducted regular check-ins to obtain input and ensure
that staff are executing the intended changes.
• Lead Cross Functional Collaboration:
Ensuring all cross-functional teams in the organization is sold on the idea and committed to the change
required in the future. People at all levels of a company were taken into consideration when
communicating about a major shift in strategy.
• Commitment to lead the change management:
Successful leaders ensured that their own attitudes and actions supported change. We had to be
resilient, and willing to leave my comfort zone. In addition, I contributed more of my own time to the
reform initiative and prioritized the larger picture.
• Strategic Thinking:
A well-thought-out plan is the foundation of any successful change management effort. What this
entails is knowing how to mix the big vision and fine details that are necessary for a successful project.
We devised a strategy and a clear action plan, including priorities, dates, tasks, structures, and
resources. We noted both the things that would be altered and the things that would remain the same.
• Research & Gain Knowledge:
Ensure that I have done a thorough study on the change required and ensure I have complete knowledge
on the same. Any unclarity will only result in confusion. To design a plan that properly addresses the
organization's goals, one must first identify the present barriers, and any existing processes that are
impeding progress.
• Actively listen to my team:
Effective communication is a two-way street. To get the desired results with the change management
strategy, one must spend as much time listening to employees as you do provide them with updates.
Skilled change managers are adept at taking feedback from individuals at all levels of a project and
then incorporating that feedback into future decisions.
• Delegate commitments:
This is not a one-man army, ensure work has been delegated depending on core strength of the
individual to ensure desired results are achieved.
• Inspire & influence the team:
Create measurable goals for the team and ensure that the team is inspired to achieve the same within
the timeframe set for the goals.
• Being Result Oriented:
Have clarity on the final goal and ensure the team has the same clarity. Set clear, achievable goals and
create a roadmap to achieve the same.

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 IIMK EPGP-13 LSO Assignment 2 (By – GROUP 1) DATE-26 MAY 2022

The Ten Elements: Spokes of the Wheel

While the terminologies used are different, the above traits and behaviours explained showcases that most of
the elements amongst “The Ten Elements: Spokes of Wheels” were integrated into the overall change
management plan as seen in the image below,

Tools of Cooperation & Change

While we look at the Tools of Cooperation and Change, as mentioned in the below image, in most cases the
goals and the process were agreed by the employees of the organization. Hence, we used
Disaggregation, separating the organization into entities that each have their own agreed upon goals and
plans for achieving them.
In certain cases, the process of achieving the final goals were challenged. The overall goal was agreed upon
but the process to achieve was not totally convincing for certain teams. In this situation, we had to use the
Leadership tool where the CEO had to step-in look at the overall vision of the organization and ensured the
process that was set were for the best interest of the organization and that all employees followed the same.

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 IIMK EPGP-13 LSO Assignment 2 (By – GROUP 1) DATE-26 MAY 2022

My leadership behaviours that affected the mindsets of my team members

Following were key behaviours that I believe brought change in the mindset of my team members,

• Leading by example and ensuring that I walked my words

• Transparency and clarity in communication to ensure they knew what to expect from the change
• Being approachable and providing constructive feedback to the team members
• Ensure I heard them out and considered their thought while planning the change
• Ensure every member feel that they are integral part of the team
• Give opportunity for every team member to express themselves and give credit to whom it is due
• Empower every team member, give them an opportunity to lead at least a minor part of the project and
involve them in key strategy meetings
• Accept and allow every individual to deal with a challenge in their own style

How has my leadership changed ever since?

The following aspects of my leadership has changed for the better since then,

• Planning beforehand and ensuring we are prepared for every situation, including a crisis plan
• Organizing the team in the right way and ensuring we have the right people for the right requirement.
• Direct and communicate the right information with extreme clarity to ensure we follow the right
process.
• Coordinate and ensure all cross functional teams work towards a single goal.

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