Team Building and Leadership

Introduction
The action plan to promote effective organizational change with an emphasis on conflict management policy for my organization has as its main goal the fostering of cohesiveness, communication, and dedication. Possible feelings and ensuing behaviors and actions that may result from the plan’s implementation are: (a) feelings and actions related to resistance, and (b) feelings and actions related to acceptance. As Grama and Todericiu (2016) show, organizational cynicism can occur when workers feel that their organization lacks value and integrity. Schyns and Schilling (2013) point out that in workplaces where leaders fail to take an interest in their workers, resistance can set in and the workplace culture can suffer. This can be due in part to a lack of the leaders realizing that workers require motivation, both intrinsic and extrinsic, in order to achieve organizational aims (Gerhart & Fang, 2015). On the other hand, if leaders implement change with a view towards educating workers, communicating to them the need for the change, a vision of the change, and providing the inspiration to embrace the change, all of which is possible when a manager demonstrates transformational leadership skills (Warrick, 2011), the manager can effectively ensure that the change will be accepted by workers. This paper will compare and contrast possible feelings and actions that may result from the plan’s implementation, discuss recommended strategies that I could utilize in order to successfully acknowledge, address and manage these behaviors (both for the organization as a whole and for public stakeholders), and relate qualities and considerations that are unique to public administrators and best practices in collaboration.
Possible Feelings and Actions in Response to the Plan’s Implementation
Because the plan calls for individual workers who are not on the best of terms to work together to learn better cooperation and collaboration skills, there may be some resistance, especially if these workers do not understand the purpose of the change or realize a need for change. Workers could become disruptive, upset, angry, obstinate, and refuse to participate in organizational objectives when they feel disincentivized (Schyns & Schilling, 2013). This could spill over into their work output and negatively impact the community that relies on workers getting along to achieve the tasks of the organization.
On the other hand, workers could embrace the change and react with acceptance: they could demonstrate solidarity, cooperation, understanding, and a desire to see the change implemented well. This would only be likely to occur, however, if the workers are educated about the need for change and guided with support and encouragement from a leader trained in using transformational leadership skills and applying them to the organization throughout the change process (Warrick, 2011).
Recommended Strategies for Acknowledging, Addressing and Managing Behavior
Within the Organization
The Kotter 8-step model provides an appropriate strategy for acknowledging, addressing and managing behaviors that result from the plan to effect a change in the organization (Hornstein, 2015). This strategy guides the manager in preparing the workers for the change, which allows for the prevention of negativity following the plan’s implementation. It calls for managers to discuss with workers the reason and purpose of the change and to ask for feedback so that the workers themselves can feel that they are involved in the process and that their thoughts and feelings are important to the managers. This is also the recommended strategy of Schyns and Schilling (2013) for managers regarding their interaction with workers. The more that a manager is able to demonstrate social and emotional intelligence towards workers the more likely those workers are to respect the organization and view it as having integrity and of valuing their input. Using transformational leadership skills, such as communication and motivation, the manager can acknowledge the feelings and behaviors of workers in response to the plan while managing them by orienting the workers towards the vision of how the workplace should be, and supporting the workers in their efforts to overcome any initial negative feelings or actions by giving them words of encouragement as well as intrinsic and extrinsic motivations (Gerhart & Fang, 2015)—such as praise and/or small rewards for reaching milestones in the plan such as a workplace party, which is in line with the Kotter 8-step model (Hornstein, 2015).
Public Stakeholders
These actions can be taken with public stakeholders as well, because they are the ones ultimately for whom the change plan is being implemented: the team needs to improve in order to better serve the public. Addressing these stakeholders is also part of the Kotter 8-step model (Hornstein, 2015)—their insights are meant to be requested and their concerns should be acknowledged by the leaders as well. This makes the public more prepared for the change and gives them a feeling that they too are involved in the process and that their needs will be met by the plan.
Qualities and Considerations Unique to Public Administrators
Public administrators are responsible both to their organization and to the public they ultimately serve. For that reason they must possess certain qualities, such as leadership, and give consideration to how their employees benefit not only the organization but also the public. As Bailery (2018) notes, public administrators have to maintain an ethical stance in which the public’s needs are always placed at the forefront of the organization. In the case of my organization, the public’s need for adequate emergency service is why it is so important that our workers learn to collaborate and work together.
Best Practices in Collaboration
Best practices in collaboration include communicating, sharing information, planning, knowing what roles are expected of which workers, and being committed to a common vision or aim (Leonard, Graham & Bonacum, 2004). In order for the workplace to be a truly collaborative environment and in order for the organization as a whole to collaborate with public stakeholders, open communication has to be made possible; information should be shared and transparency always maintained. There also has to be a communication of values and a vision/mission statement so that goals and principles are defined. This is what facilitates the development of support and commitment among stakeholders and workers.
Conclusion
Change is a process that can produce a wide range of reactions within an organization: it is necessary for leaders to monitor the plan once it is implemented and to acknowledge the feelings and behaviors of workers. Educating workers on the purpose of the change and the reason for the plan is crucial. However, it is also important that leaders take time to show that they appreciate input from workers and stakeholders so that all feel involved in the planning and implementation process.
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