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Intentional Change Theory at the Organizational Level
Name
OBLD 641 Resonant Leadership: Leading Change
School
Professor
Date
Intentional Change in the United States Air Force
Intentional change at the organizational level, like the United States Air Force (USAF), requires the cooperation of every individual within the system. Intentional change is a process that gradually manifests through the effort of the individuals in the system. It takes time and follows specific steps called discoveries. Organizations seeking to make a change start by realizing that they need to envision their ideal self, compare the ideal to reality, creation of a learning plan, experimenting and practice the ideal self, and seek the necessary support for the achievement and sustainability of the ideal self (Boyatzis, 2006). Outlining examples of how other organizations such as Netflix, Canon, Nikon, and Olympus achieved intentional change while others like Kodak and Blockbuster failed can help guide the USAF on how to make the intentional change.
The change required in the USAF must be focused on the organization’s competencies and aspirations. It means shifting the organization’s perspective and directing it towards envisioning a different and achievable goal. Many organizations, through their desire for change, have implemented the five discoveries outlined by Richard Boyatzis, which include imagining the ideal self, comparing the ideal self to the real self, creating a learning strategy, experimentation, and practice, and lastly, creating of supportive relationships that can lead to the discovery process (Boyatzis, 2006). At an organizational level, every element, from employees to management, is essential in achieving the desired change.
Ideal Self and Desired Vision
For any change to occur, the organization must first acknowledge the need for change. As such, it must look at itself and perceive the desired place of success and improvements to make it a better organization (Van Oosten, 2006). In the USAF, Upper-level leadership and project managers must envision their possibility of improvement for achieving higher positions in terms of performance and cultural practices within its system. For instance, Netflix acquired intentional change by envisioning the new needs of the consumers and how its future business revenue can change.
On the other hand, Blockbuster remained stuck in the past and unwilling to adjust to the consumer’s new needs (Inga Henriquez & Caba Gajardo, 2015). At the organizational level, the organization must look at itself as a whole and the employees as individuals since they have a role to play in creating an ideal vision (Boyatzis & Akrivou, 2006). Each element of the team must share the vision created for cohesion. Having a shared vision means everyone is working towards achieving a single goal, which is why Canon is thriving as a company (Mirji et al., 2023). The envisioning includes outlining the organization’s needs and how meeting them will affect the organization and its performance among other defense teams.
Comparing the Ideal Self with the Real Self
The ideal self is the desired goal and the changes that occur once the change has been initiated. On the other hand, the real self means the organization’s current situation. The real self involves the organization’s weaknesses and strengths and the organization’s authentic image to the public and other entities (Van Oosten, 2006). Therefore, the USAF must be willing to look at its weaknesses and strengths and how they contribute to the success and problems the organization is having. The organization must accurately weigh the elements that prevent it from achieving its mission and becoming its ideal self.
Comparison between the ideal self and the real self is a moment of clarity for the organization and outlines the gaps that limit achieving the set goals (Akrivou et al., 2006). Hence, through the comparison, the organization can outline the problems it wants to solve to achieve the ideal self. For instance, Netflix was a niche operation earning less than Blockbuster and used the reality of its revenue to climb up the ladder, while Blockbuster believed it was doing well and got left behind in the streaming business (Gershon, 2013). In the USAF, these problems include limited motivation from personnel, poor leadership, inadequate equipment, or poor organizational culture. Understanding the hindrances helps in the creation of a strategy for improvement.
Creation of a Learning Strategy and Improvement Plan
Once the organization has a clear sense of its position and the vision of its desired future, it can make a plan to achieve the set goals. The organization must create a learning plan that leans towards solving organizational problems and creating an environment that allows for the development and achievement of the set objectives. The plan can focus on improving performance standards, communication within the organization, sustainable leadership, and motivation and growth of the employees (Akrivou et al., 2006). The organization must be open to changing its operational strategies for change to happen. For instance, the company Kodak failed to rise in the past decade because of failing to adapt to change once social media created a platform for people to digitally store their photos (Shih, 2016). The company could not embrace the idea of photo sharing on online platforms and invested in creating digital cameras, which led to the spiraling of its sales. In addition, the strategy should be about steering the organization toward the realization of its full capability and the creation of a balance between the negative emotional attractor and the positive emotional attractor, which can ensure that the change is consistent and continuous.
Experimentation and Practice of the Desired Changes
A strategic plan is a step-by-step guideline on making and effects the necessary changes that will allow the organization to become its best self. Experimentation and practice involve putting the strategy into motion by incorporating the behavior and actions into practice (Boyatzis & Akrivou, 2006). During experimentation, the organization can implement the outlined strategy for a period of time and assess whether the behavioral change affects the organization’s general outcome (Boyatzis et al., 2013). For instance, in the USAF, leadership can implement the strategy of training and development for all the personnel to build upon leadership skills and experience, and analyze whether learning leadership skills improve communication, motivation, and problem-solving abilities within the team. Practicing and experimentation are about taking risks and accepting the possibility of failure to realize the set visions.
Creation of Resonant Relationships
In an organization, relationships facilitate change. Relationships influence how a person perceives themselves and the ideal self they believe they can achieve. They are an avenue for developmental networks since they are the social capital a person or an organization needs to climb to their desired position (Smith, 2006). For an organization to achieve the desired change, it must acknowledge the importance of forming relationships within and outside. These relationships allow the organization to assess its progress and get the necessary support that leads to change. Supportive relationships within the organization involve the leader accepting to work as a team and collaborating with the employees to solve problems, taking strategic measures to improve performance, and mentoring others to become future leaders.
On the other hand, relationships outside the organization encompass networking with other organizations, following up on the current trends and changes, and interacting well with the community (Smith, 2006). For example, Blockbuster failed to create a good relationship with Netflix when it passed on the chance to buy the company in 2000. The buying and merging would have improved the company’s operations and consumer pool since Netflix amassed more subscribers in the following decade and increased revenue (Inga Henriquez & Caba Gajardo, 2015). The USAF can achieve change through amplifying pre-existing relationships with the other divisions of the United States Armed Forces and other entities that handle the country’s defense.
Conclusion
Intentional change can happen at any level, including individual and organizational. The USAF can implement intentional change by recognizing shortcomings and focusing on changing the problem to achieve the desired vision. Nonetheless, the intentional change process is continuous and requires incorporating discoveries into the organization’s operations. As such, the most essential measure is consistently assessing whether the organization operates within the desired level.
References
Akrivou, K., Boyatzis, R. E., & McLeod, P. L. (2006). The evolving group: Towards a prescriptive theory of intentional group development. Journal of Management Development, 25(7), 689-706.
Boyatzis, R. E. (2006). An overview of intentional change from a complexity perspective. Journal of management development, 25(7), 607-623.
Boyatzis, R. E., & Akrivou, K. (2006). The ideal self is the driver of intentional change. Journal of management development, 25(7), 624-642.
Boyatzis, R. E., Smith, M. L., Van Oosten, E., & Woolford, L. (2013). Developing resonant leaders through emotional intelligence, vision, and coaching. Organizational Dynamics, 42(1), 17-24.
Gershon, R. A. (2013). Innovation failure: A case study analysis of Eastman Kodak and Blockbuster Inc. In Media management and economics research in a transmedia environment (pp. 62-84). Routledge. https://www.taylorfrancis.com/chapters/edit/10.4324/9780203538326-13/innovation-failure-case-study-analysis-eastman-kodak-blockbuster-inc-richard-gershon
Inga Henriquez, R., & Caba Gajardo, S. (2015). The failure of Blockbuster and the success of Netflix, lessons learned, and others to learn. Revista Gestion De Las Personas Y Tecnologia, 8(23), 39-48.
Mirji, H., Mane, P., & Thorat, M. S. (2023). A review paper on high performing work teams (Hpwt): Case study of Kodak and Canon. The Online Journal of Distance Education and e-Learning, 11(2). https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Pravin-Mane/publication/371377574_A_REVIEW_PAPER_ON_HIGH_PERFORMING_WORK_TEAMS_HPWT_CASE_STUDY_OF_KODAK_AND_CANON/links/648406cfd702370600e653de/A-REVIEW-PAPER-ON-HIGH-PERFORMING-WORK-TEAMS-HPWT-CASE-STUDY-OF-KODAK-AND-CANON.pdf
Shih, W. (2016). The real lessons from Kodak’s decline. MIT Sloan Management Review, 57(4), 11. https://d1wqtxts1xzle7.cloudfront.net/51639957/kodak_decline_lessons-libre.pdf.
Smith, M. L. (2006). Social capital and intentional change: Exploring the role of social networks on individual change efforts. Journal of Management Development, 25(7), 718-731.
Van Oosten, E. B. (2006). Intentional change theory at the organizational level: a case study. Journal of Management Development, 25(7), 707-717.
