Types of Change

 

In some cases, leaders can carefully plan and execute change; in others, leaders and followers are caught by surprise and have to react without specific preparation, as seen summarised below.

 

Whereas many organizations try to carefully analyze their environment and internal conditions, through methods such as customer- and employee-satisfaction surveys or complex performance measures, to foresee changes and to plan their course of action, many more face changes that they do not expect or are unable to anticipate. In addition, both planned and unplanned change may happen, either gradually or rapidly, leading to dramatic impact on the organization.

 

The different types of change may require different actions from leaders. For example, in the case of planned and evolutionary change, a leader’s ability to structure tasks may be important. WHen facing unplanned and revolutionary change, charismatic and transformational leaders who make an emotional connection with followers and help them whether the change may become more central. In addition, based on the change process considered in the next section, the options that are available, and actions that are required from a leader may be different in each type of change. One factor that remains constant regarding the role of leadership is the need to set a vision and to help follower through the resistance that is likely to take place.

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