-Luitel Jee, Virginia

“As we migrated to a home-based work dynamic, the Personal Concerns phase emerged and presented IT managers with distinct obstacles. The absence of direct interaction among colleagues made it tough to assess human intellect and oversee physical engagements.“

Venturing into the study of change and transformation, it’s crucial to consider our individual experiences, particularly those garnered from a swiftly changing field such as information technology. As someone managing an IT team, I have been privy to the industry’s effervescent character and its dramatic metamorphosis – most noticeable during the challenging phase brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Change Fundamentals, Leadership, and Involvement:

The initial portion focuses on the essentials of change and leadership, offering insights into the change in corporate governance that transpired amidst the pandemic. As a supervisor within an IT framework, I witnessed my organization proactively adapting its functional systems to accommodate what has now become typical – work-from-home settings. The demand for heightened compatibility with remote working conditions instigated modifications in operational sequences as well as communication pathways and cooperative resources.

The deployment of virtual collaboration tools, like Jira, Sharepoint, Zoom, and Teams, emerged as crucial in maintaining operational continuity. Such tools enhanced efficient communication and also simplified project coordination and record-keeping processes; thereby demonstrating the IT sector’s nimbleness in adjusting to shifts.

Drawn from the wisdom in Ken Blanchard’s “Leading at a Higher Level,” it underscores the significance of extensive participation during periods of transition. It is pivotal to incorporate employees right from the inception stage of transformation, tackle their doubts, and ensure they play an integral part both in the strategizing and actualization phases. These are quintessential components that echo with principles governing proficient leadership amid change.

Stages of Change and Concerns:

In the subsequent segment, I find myself in agreement with Dr. Vicki Halsey’s perspectives on Information, Personal, Implementation, Impact, and Refinement Concerns that manifest during change stages. At the outset of the Information Concerns phase, my colleagues and I wrestled with comprehending both the necessity and ramifications associated with the remote-centric operational paradigm.

As we migrated to a home-based work dynamic, the Personal Concerns phase emerged and presented IT managers with distinct obstacles. The absence of direct interaction among colleagues made it tough to assess human intellect and oversee physical engagements. This change underscored the significance of establishing an emotionally secure setting where people could express their apprehensions and request for elucidation—a vital element in addressing personal concerns related to transformation.

Taking inspiration from “Leading at a Higher Level,” Blanchard’s perspectives on leadership duties in addressing issues correlate with the forward-thinking strategy necessary during transformation phases. As indicated in the literature, leaders need to bridge the disparity between their knowledge and what others must comprehend regarding change, thereby cultivating a conducive environment for efficient dialogue.

Identifying and Analyzing Change:

The concluding segment, which concentrates on recognizing and scrutinizing modifications, resonates with my tenure as an IT administrator negotiating the intricate landscape of this sector. The heightened dependence on digital cooperative instruments not only revolutionized our work methods but also underscored the requirement for a sturdy analytical strategy to understand how these transitions affect productivity, team interactions, and broader institutional objectives.

In the context of examining transformations within the information technology sector, individual encounters reiterate the importance of deep engagement and dynamic leadership. Involving staff members at the initial stages of change implementation, responding to apprehensions proactively, and utilizing cooperative resources effectively has proven crucial in guiding enterprises toward a future that is more flexible and robust.

In conclusion, this exploration of change/transformation, informed by personal experiences in the field of information technology and enriched with Blanchard’s wisdom, underscores the intimate links between leadership capabilities, flexibility to adapt, and technological advances that determine an organization’s path. The trials overcome and victories won amidst a pandemic reaffirm both the ever-changing panorama of our IT sector as well as highlight how crucial efficient change management is for successfully steering through such shifts.

References:
Blanchard, K. H. (2019). Leading at a higher level : Blanchard on leadership and creating high performing organizations (Third edition.). Pearson Education, Inc.

Witt, D. (2021, April 14). Don’t Forget to Address These Five Concerns When Leading Change. Leadership and Management articles, videos, and tools.

Joyce Hakmeh, Emily Taylor, Allison Peters, and Sophia Ignatidou (2021 Fe), The COVID-19 pandemic and trends in technology Transformations in governance and society 

(Note: Luitel Jee serves as the Advisor Editor for eNepalese.com and is currently pursuing a doctoral fellowship.)