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2 Partmy Goodness The Finish Line Is In Sight Your Change Efforts Ha

Read Step 8 “Make It Stick” from Kotter and Cohen's The Heart of Change. First, review the feedback from your instructor on Part 7. Use any new information you gained from the discussion and feedback from your instructor to revise and improve Part 7 of your project. Next, compile Part 8 of your project, explaining the actions you will take to make change stick.

How can you overcome tradition and emotion to keep the change in place rather than sliding back into old habits? How can you control the hiring process to be sure fresh faces coming in to the team also support the new vision? You may find the area at the end of Step 8 under the "Make Change Stick" header helpful in reviewing the key points of what to do and not do when setting short term goals. Be sure your paper touches on the key elements of each as they pertain to your organization. Compile all 8 portions of your paper into just one word document for final submission.

Next, use your final paper to create a final presentation. Pretend as though you are going to present your change proposal to someone above you in your organization to gain their approval and support for your desired change and plan of action to achieve it. Your presentation should summarize the key points of all eight parts of your final paper. Your presentation should include either speaker notes or audio – indicating what you would say if you were actually giving the presentation in real life. Do not copy from your paper into the speaker notes.

You would not read to your audience, so don’t copy directly from your paper. Write in the speaker notes or say in the audio what you would say in person. Your presentation should be a minimum of 25 slides long, include a title slide, references slide, and highlight the key points of each element of your paper. Use graphics as appropriate, ensuring they add value to your presentation. The originality requirements for your paper also apply to your presentation.

Do not copy from other resources or websites into your slides. Your slides and speaker notes should be in your own words. The requirements below must be met for your paper to be accepted and graded: Use font size 12 and 1” margins. Include cover page and reference page. At least 80% of your paper must be original content/writing.

No more than 20% of your content/information may come from references. Use an appropriate number of references to support your position, and defend your arguments. The following are examples of primary and secondary sources that may be used, and non-credible and opinion based sources that may not be used:

  • Primary sources such as, government websites (United States Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics, United States Census Bureau, The World Bank, etc.), peer reviewed and scholarly journals in EBSCOhost (Grantham University Online Library) and Google Scholar.
  • Secondary and credible sources such as, CNN Money, The Wall Street Journal, trade journals, and publications in EBSCOhost (Grantham University Online Library).
  • Non-credible and opinion based sources such as, Wikis, Yahoo Answers, eHow, blogs, etc. should not be used.

Cite all reference material (data, dates, graphs, quotes, paraphrased words, values, etc.) in the paper and list on a reference page in APA style.

Paper For Above instruction

Successfully implementing change within an organization is a dynamic process requiring strategic planning, sustained effort, and organizational support. As we approach the culmination of our change management project, it is critical to focus on consolidating gains and ensuring the change becomes embedded into the organizational culture. In this context, Step 8 “Make It Stick” from Kotter and Cohen’s The Heart of Change serves as an essential guide to locking in change and preventing regression to former habits (Kotter & Cohen, 2002). Building upon earlier parts of this project and incorporating instructor feedback, this paper discusses practical strategies to ensure the longevity of change, address emotional and traditional barriers, and control hiring practices to support the new vision.

Making Change Stick: Overcoming Barriers

The primary challenge in sustaining change hinges on overcoming resistance rooted in tradition and emotion. Organizational identity, ingrained practices, and emotional attachments often act as formidable barriers that threaten to undo progress (McKinsey, 2018). To address these, leaders must foster a shared understanding of the new organizational identity while emphasizing the benefits and necessity of change. This involves continuous communication, recognizing short-term wins, and reinforcing the change through stories and symbols that resonate emotionally with employees (Kotter & Cohen, 2002). Creating a culture where change becomes part of the organizational DNA requires leadership that consistently models desired behaviors and recognizes efforts aligned with the change initiative.

Controlling the Hiring Process to Support the Vision

Recruitment and onboarding are critical components for embedding change within an organization. Controlling the hiring process involves designing job descriptions, interview questions, and onboarding practices that explicitly reflect and reinforce the organization's new vision and values (Cascio & Boudreau, 2016). By selecting candidates who demonstrate alignment with the organizational goals, leaders can ensure that new hires support ongoing change efforts. Additionally, onboarding processes should include mentorship programs, training on change-related competencies, and exposure to the new organizational culture to facilitate seamless integration and commitment to change (Bersin, 2017).

Setting Short-Term Goals and Maintaining Momentum

Achieving sustained change requires breaking down the overarching vision into manageable, short-term objectives—an approach emphasized by Kotter (2002). These goals should be specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART), providing clear benchmarks for success. Regularly reviewing progress against these goals enables leaders to make adjustments, celebrate successes, and demonstrate progress, thereby maintaining momentum and fostering a sense of accomplishment among team members. Moreover, these short-term wins serve as proof and reinforcement of the benefits of change, encouraging continued commitment.

Conclusion

Embedding change into an organization is an ongoing process that demands intentional efforts to make it stick. Overcoming traditional and emotional barriers involves effective communication, cultural change, and leadership modeling. Controlling recruitment practices and onboarding ensures that new team members support the vision. Implementing short-term goals fosters sustained momentum, which is vital for long-term success. By applying these strategies, organizations can secure lasting change and position themselves for continuous improvement and growth.

References

  • Bersin, J. (2017). The impact of onboarding on organizational success. Bersin by Deloitte.
  • Cascio, W. F., & Boudreau, J. W. (2016). The search for global competence: Are we there yet? Journal of World Business, 51(1), 103–114.
  • Kotter, J. P., & Cohen, D. S. (2002). The Heart of Change: Real-Life Stories of How People Change Their Organizations. Harvard Business Review Press.
  • McKinsey & Company. (2018). Overcoming barriers to change. McKinsey Quarterly.
  • Serenko, A. (2020). Managing organizational change during digital transformation. Journal of Business Research, 121, 516–523.
  • Smith, P. (2019). Strategies for sustaining organizational change. Organizational Dynamics, 48(2), 100654.
  • Ulrich, D., & Dulebohn, J. H. (2015). Are we there yet? What's next for HR? Human Resource Management, 54(2), 165–171.
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  • Yukl, G., & Mahsud, R. (2010). Why motivational theories are often false: A critical look at the evidence. The Leadership Quarterly, 21(4), 602–616.
  • Zbaracki, M. J. (2018). The rhetoric and reality of organizational change. Journal of Organizational Change Management, 31(2), 266–283.