MGT 435 WK 5 assignment

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Organizational Change: Kotter’s 8 Step Leading Change Model Jamie Hill The University of Arizona Global Campus MGT435: Organizational Change Dr. Martin McDermott June 13, 2022

Organizational Change: Kotter’s 8 Step Leading Change Model Organizational Change using Kotter’s Model Introduction Implementing change into a business can be frantic and susceptible to many challenges. Change is inevitable but it is also important for businesses to keep up with the times, especially if they wish to remain relevant in this fast-moving business environment. Modifications can disrupt repetitive procedures and methods, and they can also cause resistance. “It must be considered that there is nothing more difficult to carry out, nor more doubtful of success, nor more dangerous to handle, than to initiate a new order of things” ( Machiavelli, 1559 ). With change comes resistance, restructuring, technological developments, a changing workforce, new policies, and a new form of training. For management teams, applying an organizational change can become overwhelming. Changes can be more costly rather than beneficial, or even time-consuming while trying to remain in the race with competitors. Organizations will need to reinvent strategic training plans that are cost-efficient and effective. Managers must execute the training in a manner that is not overwhelming or imperious to their employees but can result in a more positive influence. John Kotter’s eight-step model explains the process leaders can follow to effectively lead change in their organizations. It’s a broad model that covers topics that include communication, planning, team building, senior leadership sponsorship, organizational reward systems, influence and negotiation, and organizational behavior ( Tanner, 2022 ). During the organizational evolutions, managers take the sole responsibility of fashioning the company and all the employees in different departments to embrace and manage the organizational changes. Therefore, this research paper will outline my personal managerial experience with Hampton Inn Hotel by Hilton and diagnose the dire need for transformation. Additionally, the paper will also

Organizational Change: Kotter’s 8 Step Leading Change Model present the transformation plan to change the company using Kotter's 8-Step Approach and will conclude with a summary of the main ideas upon which this research paper is focused. Company Overview The Hilton Worldwide portfolio consists of 18 brands across 119 countries, with more than 6,100 properties. The rewards program, Honors, has 99 million members. The Hilton Hotels & Resorts brand consists of 584 properties in 94 countries. This massive hotel chain hosts next- generation business travelers and upscale guests who want predictable and consistently good service ( Hotel Tech Report, 2022 ). We will be focusing on one of Hilton’s prized properties, the Hampton Inn St. Robert located within Pulaski County, Missouri. Despite the Hilton brand, Hampton Inn St Robert is owned and operated by Steve Ehrhardt with the help of his Director of Operations: Rick Morris. Hampton Inn is 1 of 5 hotel properties under the Fort Wood Hotels organization that is operated by the Erhardts. Since 1999 Fort Wood Hotels has been serving guests and communities in and around the Fort Leonard Wood area with Award-Winning Hotels. Great brands, great locations, and a never-ending focus on improving operations define who they are. They are determined to continue investing in their hotels. They listen to all guests and respond to their needs ( Fort Wood Hotels, 2022 ). Hampton Inn is one of the leading hotels among Ehrhardt properties, with the highest customer satisfaction rating. As a manager, I witnessed the dedication of the organization’s staff, from housekeeping to front desk attendants. Despite their dedication, staff training was outdated, with resistance from staff members to new software programs. The company had some of the most dedicated staff members, however, teamwork was not in any of their vocabularies. Various employees over the age of 20 were resistant to the new software changes and updated policies that better served the customers. Due to the changes and resistance, staff members did not

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Organizational Change: Kotter’s 8 Step Leading Change Model perform well, causing frustration with customers. Staff members also seemed to neglect the new system training, which left cooperative members to deal with system errors and accounting disasters. There were many concerns that the organization had put into consideration to maintain its customers and high ratings. The management of this hotel and its various branches were more concerned with meeting the aspects of the cultural environment. The hotel's cultural environments are the institutions and forces that influence society's behaviors and fundamental values. It also affects other factors including the perception of society and preferences. In today’s world, every hospitality management must put first what the customers expect from them and maintain a quality service that is memorable to the customers. However, to deliver exceptional service, the business team needs to be on the same page as a unit. Few organizational change efforts tend to be complete failures, but few tend to be entirely successful either. Most efforts encounter problems; they often take longer than expected and desired, they sometimes kill morale, and they often cost a great deal in terms of managerial time or emotional upheaval ( Kotter and Schlesinger, 2008 ). The following outline will present the implementation of Kotter’s 8-step model in the Hampton Inn business and how staff situations were resolved through the proper application of training methods. Kotter's 8-Step Approach STEP 1: Create a Sense of Urgency Urgency is important because meaningful organizational change cannot occur without the cooperation of the affected members. This is why creating a sense of urgency for a needed change is the first step leaders must take to gain the cooperation of management and employees ( Tanner, 2022 ). In the case of the Hampton Inn Staff, the management team needed to get their

Organizational Change: Kotter’s 8 Step Leading Change Model employees up to speed with the new hotel systems software, and teams needed to be on board with the new guidelines and policies. Growth and change can seem intimidating after being content for so long with the way things were. As managers, you have to gain the trust of your employees and boost the morale within the business. Hampton Inn evolved from the usual paperwork load to high-speed internet with advanced hospitality software. In this day and age, it is important to keep up with technology. To initiate honest discussions concerning the new business changes, the management team would provide the concerned staff members with dynamic and convincing reasons regarding the benefits of new employee training and software. Essentially, establishing an initial sense of urgency for the need for change would also enable the company to garner support from its employees during the process ( Weiss, 2012 ). During management meetings, the Director of operations for that Hampton Inn encouraged employees to step outside of their comfort zones for business to prosper. Management teams would lead by example, set the tone, and implement training in a way that works best for the employees. STEP 2: Creating the Guiding Coalition In business, the expression "teamwork makes the dream work" is frequently used. Leaders cannot individually activate change. The interpersonal process must be viewed since it identifies a specific individual with behaviors and qualities. If they get to know their team and respect each member's qualities and traits, leaders who use various styles and methods will trust their staff or employees. Forming a powerful steering coalition, according to Kotter's second phase, allows the team to have "super traits" that help them shift successfully. Employees at all levels can sabotage a change endeavor, so it's critical to incorporate employee suggestions into organizational transformation. Every company has its own strategy for implementing change,

Organizational Change: Kotter’s 8 Step Leading Change Model and some employees may believe they have little control in the workplace. Employees perceive their leaders as more trustworthy and understanding when they demonstrate empathy and compassion. However, it is equally crucial for managers to uphold the standard for the benefit of the company. Power is necessary if we intend to be a leader. According to Uhl-Bien, Piccolo, and Schermerhorn work can become more meaningful, engaging, and rewarding when you have authority. During my management time with Hampton Inn, the organization could not gain employee cooperation due to not giving them a voice for change and innovation. In the article, what is power in the workplace , Jonathan Lister states power in the workplace exists when an organization sets out to establish a system without any formal hierarchy and employees can display expertise in a particular area that will lead to other workers demonstrating their skills ( Lister, 2021 ). An employee's values will guide them toward the power of helping or serving others. Employers can use the 8-step model in driving organizational change by communicating two-way conversations with their employees and ensuring communication flows on each hierarchy level. Understanding your team allows leaders to find feasible ways of training employees on new software programs. Encourage employees to see the positive in change so they are more prone to learning and adapting. STEP 3: Developing a Change Vision The change vision and strategy give the organization a picture of what the future looks like after the change is implemented. It tells organizational stakeholders why they should let go of the past, sacrifice and work hard in the present, and follow senior leadership into the future ( Tanner, 2022 ). The new software system for Hampton Inn allowed for employees to train online, which seemed intimidating, raising resistance within the workplace. Management leaders

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Organizational Change: Kotter’s 8 Step Leading Change Model came together to create a better deliverance that would be more acceptable to employees. When the vision is clear across the board, it allows for everyone to get onto the same page and move as a unit. Leaving no employees behind and encouraging them that the new software system would work for them rather than against them. Step 4: Communicating the Vision for Buy-in As the front desk manager, I worked with my staff to complete the training together. No one wants to sit in front of a computer all day, eyes burning, and forgetting every piece of information they had just spent hours going over. "The interpersonal context reflects the social and emotional dynamics among those who are working together. It includes the personalities, emotions, perceptions, motivations, and attributions that people bring to relationships" ( Uhl- Bien, Piccolo, & Schermerhorn, 2020 ). It is important to encourage and inspire within your organization. Employees seemed less resistant to change when they realized that their management team was more than willing to put in the time and effort to help them thrive with the new changes. Step 5: Empowering Broad-Based Action By putting out a broad-based action plan, the coalition will be able to remove roadblocks to change. During the empowerment phase, the team is actively working to put the changes in place. The change model outlines a leadership plan to follow, allowing leaders to instill a mindset and act as a catalyst with their staff, so creating value and ensuring the change's long- term success. A transitory relocation can be difficult for project teams, increasing the likelihood of failure. The more brains and behaviors participate in this process, the better for the organization, as it eliminates outmoded remuneration, performance criteria, department heads, and management programs or policies. I am proud to say that the Hampton Inn management

Organizational Change: Kotter’s 8 Step Leading Change Model team went above and beyond for employee training. The organization hired an IT expert to assist with implementing the new software. That was empowering for most of the staff members and influenced them to see more positivity in the organizational change. Step 6: Generating Short-term Wins Kotter says gaining short-term wins allows establishing visible and tangible improvements. "It's a lot of work to make change happen. Keep the organization from getting discouraged by creating some quick wins" (Tanner, 2018, May 20). Hampton Inn management and employees completed their first online training as a team, resulting in everyone gaining a better understanding of the new software and policies. For everyone? That was a short-term win that helped ease doubts in the minds of our resistant staff members. On the first day or week, the operation manager examines important development, involvement, and success of the new system, which should be praised. Employee morale was encouraged as a result of this, and they felt empowered and valued for their efforts. Employees who successfully enter their time and submit it accurately using the app or with proper check-in/out become the staff of the week, etc. Recognition goes a long way; however, it makes it fun or competitive that the team can implement an incentive for people such as the employees who successfully enter their time and submit it accurately using the app or with proper check-in/out become the staff of the week, etc. Furthermore, successes should be shared with operation managers and board members so that they may monitor the progress of the original source of concern. Step 7: Build on the Change Consolidating achievements and implementing more transformations ensures the employees who are highly motivated and satisfied in realizing the changes and reaching the

Organizational Change: Kotter’s 8 Step Leading Change Model company’s objectives access their attainment at every level and strive for more (Tanner, 2020). Hampton Inn implemented a strategic plan that empowered its employees to want change for the better. Leaders invested their time and energy into finding beneficial ways for their employees to not only work together but learn and grow together as well. With policies changing, our employees worked harder, and we did run into some pit stops. However, after our first win, the organization also implemented an employee appreciation week that revolved around empowering the Hampton Inn team. There are no perfect days but as managers? We wanted our staff to know that they are truly appreciated and valued. Step 8: Incorporating Changes into the Culture This step is focused on how to “prevent the organization from going back to its old way of doing things and combating continuing resistance to change” ( Tanner, 2022 ). For the Hampton Inn, however, to manage resistance and continue to make progress with the new system, managers and team members monitored the staff’s performance. Acknowledged the strengths and weaknesses, to steer everyone in the right direction and find more ways to constantly improve. After weeks of errors and mishaps, the organization and all staff members became more comfortable with minor mistakes and later thrived in the use of the new software. Interventions and remedies became useful to implement for staff who were still on the spectrum about the new changes. Additionally, as new staff was onboarded it was important to ensure they were trained correctly and presented the expectations that aligned with the remainder of the staff. Hampton Inn continued to focus more on team building and finding ways to ease the new training without stressing employees. “When leaders are the guiding coalition are effective at anchoring change in the culture, the change effort becomes a lasting part of the organizational culture” ( Tanner, 2022 ).

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Organizational Change: Kotter’s 8 Step Leading Change Model Conclusion Change is inevitable. This research paper focused on my personal experience working as a front desk manager for the Hampton Inn Hotel. Their focus was solely on providing excellent customer service; however, change was crucial if they wanted to remain relevant in the hospitality world. Although one cannot deliver excellent service if their staff is resistant to the changes that need to be made to stay up to date with this ever-dynamic society. Despite Hilton being one of the most well-respected hospitality names, different properties require different approaches to management. Hampton Inn needed to focus on helping their employees thrive with the change, and not allow their new software to be a threat within their organization. With the use of Kotter’s 8-step model, the organization was able to identify problem areas that needed the most attention. Leaders were able to encourage and empower employees to work together and tackle even the most intimidating situations.

Organizational Change: Kotter’s 8 Step Leading Change Model References Fort Wood Hotels . (2022). https://fortwoodhotels.com/ Hotel Tech Report. 2022. Hilton's 18 Hotel Brands Explained . [online] Available at: https://hoteltechreport.com/news/hilton-hotel-brands Lister, Jonathan. (2021). What is power in the workplace? Retrieved March 6, 2021. https://smallbusiness.chron.com/power-workplace-16060.html Tanner, R., 2022. Kotter’s Eight-Step Leading Change Model . [online] Managementisajourney.com. Available at: https://managementisajourney.com/summary- of-kotters-eight-step-leading-change-model/ Thier, J., 2022. Hilton CFO: 'We're not big believers in new normals' . [online] CFO Dive. Available at: https://www.cfodive.com/news/hilton-cfo-were-not-big-believers-in-new- normals/604236/ Uhl-Bien, M., Piccolo, R. F., & Schermerhorn, J.R. (2020). Organizational behavior (2nd ed.). Wiley. Weiss, J.W. (2012). Organizational change. San Diego, CA: Bridgepoint Education, Inc.

MGT 435 WK 5 assignment

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