Ch 4. Leading Change Flashcards
To stay competitive, businesses must _____ to meet customer’s expectations. (45)
constantly change
For public service agencies, change is driven by _____. (46)
the need to improve service
Some members may be resistant to change, so leaders must ____. (46)
educate members and convey the importance of change.
Leaders must be ____ and ____. (46)
patient and persistent
[Leaders] must communicate the ____ that justifies the change to the organization’s members, the public, and government officials through words and actions. (46)
vision
Permanent change does not occur until _____. (46)
most of the organization’s members believe in the new vision.
The first time a leader institutes a new change, it may help to start with an issue that is ____. (46)
meaningful but will not solicit strong opposition.
Although changes can be implemented by issuing a new SOP or order, to be completely successful at making the change last in the future, change needs to be applied using _____. (46)
a plan
7 steps to help a leader create change: (46)
1) Identify the need for change and create a sense of urgency
2) Create a guiding coalition
3) develop a vision
4) Communicate the vision
5) overcome barriers and resistance
6) create short-term wins
7) Institutionalize change
To identify the need for change, the leader should perform or make arrangements for a group to perform a ____. (46)
policy analysis
The results fo the policy analysis __3__. (46)
1) identify the problem and need for change
2) assess the urgency
3) recommend potential solutions
The leader must be able to convince _____ of the members that this is a good idea before formally starting the change process. (46)
10-15%
_____ tends to magnify the doubts of members about potential sacrifice. (47)
Fear of the unknown
In a paramilitary organization it is always possible to force change by issuing a new SOP, but if the SOP is not based on _____, then the change may only be temporary until the next administration takes charge. (47)
some credible justification supported by a guiding coalition
Avoid falling into this trap of blind loyalty; make sure __2__. (47)
1) the justification is based on facts
2) the core members’ support is real
Waiting for a ____ to initiate change is an unpredictable leadership strategy. (47)
tragic incident
Members, elected officials, and the public need to be convinced that change is necessary to ____. (48)
solve a problem or improve service
A strong coalition with the right __3__ is one key to successful change. (48)
1) composition
2) level of trust
3) shared vision
The ____ has the responsibility to recommend implementation of a particular change and should progress towards that goal. (48)
Coalition
One technique that can be successful in identifying committee members is to ____. (48)
implement a pilot program and ask for volunteers
_____ events and exercises may be useful for creating a unified sense of purpose. (49)
team-building
All members of a guiding coalition must be ____ for real teamwork to be possible. (49)
committed to achieving the same goal
Creating a new tradition that ___ and ___ helps facilitates future changes. (49)
expects and looks forward to change
____ plays a key role in change by helping to direct, align, and inspire the actions of large numbers of people. It is like a goal. (49)
Vision
A good leader has a clear vision of _____. (49)
where they want to take the organization in the future
In most cases, ____ is the source of the change proposal. (49)
the leader
It is important that the vision is _____ and can be achieved using the organization’s available or potential human and material (equipment) resources. (49)
realistic
The leader must have confidence in and have the courage to stand by their ____, even if it goes against tradition or has the potential to disrupt personal or professional relationships. (49)
vision
To achieve organizational goals, a leader must be able to communicate their _____ to the members of the organization. It should be clear and concise to make this possible. (49)
vision
Before attempting to communicate your vision to others, you may wish to write it down and ____. (49)
have a person outside the field of fire or EMS review it.
Explaining your vision should take no more than ____ minutes. _____ may be a useful way to help others understand. (49)
5-10; analogies
Written and verbal communication can be helpful to communicate one’s vision. use ____ and ____ to communicate the desired message. (49)
repetition and various media
Another effective technique of communicating the vision is leadership by ____. (49)
example
Once committed to a change vision, the leader must ____. (49)
monitor every detail for signs or behaviors that are contrary to the new way of doing things
The _____ can kill the proposed change. (49)
details
For a change program to work, it must have ____ and ___. (49)
a high level of credibility and support from a substantial number of members, the public, and elected officials
Creating ____ is another effective method to communicate a vision. They are often a response to real and perceived safety issues and the need for higher quality service including consistency. (50)
SOPs
Relevant ____ and ____ should be referenced in written communication to relate the urgency for change. (50)
government rules and standards
Before instituting a change, a leader should develop a list of potential ____ and devise possible solutions for overcoming them. (50)
barriers
The most important step of overcoming barriers is ____. (50)
to identify them
____ may prove to be an excellent resource for identifying problems and developing possible solutions. (50)
the guiding coalition
If a barrier is ____, generally its effect on emergency service becomes apparent. (50)
clearly defined
After the barrier is identified, ____ becomes the paramount task. (50)
convincing everyone that it is really an impediment to quality emergency service
____ is always the hardest part of any change process. (50)
Identifying the problem
Citing the experience of ____ can be very helpful in selling a proposed solution. (50)
another department
One type of barrier that the fire and emergency services organization may encounter is that of ____. Some of these barriers are ____ of how things are done in a major central city; The city’s procedures become normal throughout the surrounding suburbs even though times change. (50)
structure; legacies
Another barrier that occurs in fire and emergency services organizations relates to _____ who oppose change. (51)
supervisors
Supervisors to a large degree are a product of their ____. (51)
experiences
For powerful organizations, ____ may take care of some concerns or at least temper resistance. (51)
placing representatives on the guiding coalition
Implementing significant change takes ____ and ____. (51)
time and patience
____ can cause a fear of losing some existing benefit or privilege. (51)
Change
The ____ a person has, the stronger may be the opposition. (51)
longer tenure
Resistance may be associated with a ____ and, therefore, may be near impossible to change. (51)
personality trait
The final stage of the disciplinary process is ____. (52)
separation from the organization
Be sure that you do not rely on voluntary compliance or institute rules that are not enforced; this ____. (52)
invites failure
Although the leader should primarily aim for ____, disciplinary enforcement may be necessary to ensure compliance. (52)
voluntary compliance
Think through your plan and consult with the organization’s attorney before implementing ____. (52)
a disciplinary action
While working toward long-term goals, a leader should have ____ to periodically monitor progress. (52)
intermediate checkpoints
These short-term goals are necessary to ____ for a long-term project. (52)
carry the momentum and urgency
Short-term wins are also very effective at keeping the ____ at a high level. (52)
urgency
Short-term goals should have the following 3 characteristics: (52)
1) visibility to the entire organization
2) clear and unambiguous outcomes
3) outcomes that are a direct consequence of the change
For a change to become permanent, the ____ must change. (53)
underlying culture of the organization
By listening to members and practicing ____, a leader can identify problems and make appropriate corrections. (53)
management by walking around
_____ is the final step in institutionalizing a change. (53)
cultural change
A future leader must be careful to seek out those who are ____ for support. (54)
open to change
In many cases the most effective place for leading change is ____. (54)
at the top
5 actions the leader can take to lead change: (54)
1) take risks
2) self-reflect
3) solicit the opinions of others
4) listen carefully to others
5) be open to new ideas
The more ____ you have, the easier it is to find suggestions and ideas to overcome opposition. (54)
knowledge
____ is the only avenue to creating a truly competent professional fire and emergency services organization.
progressive change
The [change] process begins only after ____. (54)
the problem has been identified
