BC 612: Influence Strategies for Organizational Change

Overview

In an age of knowledge workers and virtual teams, the border-less economy and free agents, the rules have changed. The implications for leadership, organization, operations, and change management are staggering. A new kind of leadership is called for — but what kind? What does it mean to be the type of leader that influences and drives change? In "Influence Strategies for Organizational Change" participants will develop key skill sets required of accomplished leaders to effectively deal with, initiate, and make change. You will also learn and practice leadership coaching as a toolbox of methods to persuade others to adjust to, align with, and effect change in a positive manner.

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

• Make an appropriate choice of when and how you exert power over people.
• Deal with ethical dilemmas in change management (right vs. right decisions, justice vs. mercy, long-term vs. short-term, individual vs. group, honesty vs. loyalty).
• Listen effectively and in a way that causes new levels of results; draw distinctions (e.g. listening to vs. listening for); regulate emotions like fear, anger, envy, resignation, and channel them into productive veins.
• Eliminate unnecessary clutter in your speaking (complaints, blame, excuses, rumors) and turn wasteful communication into committed, future-oriented speech that produces the changes you want.
• Prepare and manage cross-cultural meetings effectively and in a way that produces alignment and the desired results.
• Decode other cultures (organizational or geographical) to avoid costly culture clashes, and effect change across borders.
• Assess your own leadership strengths and opportunities for growth, and develop an ongoing learning program to fill key gaps in your leadership.
• Involve key stakeholders in your vision and strategy, build alignment on changes needed, and end the separation of strategy and action.
• Assess effectiveness of change management models.
• Coach to evoke excellence in other people, causing them to be leaders and make desired changes.
• Design and launch a leadership breakthrough project.

Course Requirements

Windows Media or Real Player A microphone and Web cam (can be purchased at any discount retailer)

Required Texts
BC 612 texts are available from the JIU/MBS bookstore