Organisational Change
 by Damien Clarke
Change is rarely easy for organisations. It is often met with
apprehension and resistance. In order to be successfully
carried out, the change process relies on a tremendous amount
of influential leadership. The top-down approach to
organisational change is asserts that one or a few members of
top level management should envision strategies and tactics
first. The plans or goals are then communicated to and
implemented by lower levels in the organisational structure
based on hierarchical order.
Since responsibility for the organisation lies more heavily
with members of top management than with lower level staff, it
is necessary for the former to constantly strategize about the
direction of the firm. Therefore when there’s a need for
large-scale change, it is likely to be recognized by someone at
the top. This realization should prompt top leadership to
reflect on what the end result should be. Hence, change is
conceived at the top.
Because most organisations with a hierarchical structure count
on the model that all levels of staff will generally look to
their immediate superior for direction and leadership, the
top-down approach to implementing change makes sense. Even in
organisations where there is no clearly defined hierarchy, most
staff will generally rely on top management to cast the
direction for the organisation and provide leadership in
realizing its vision.
Leaders are chosen because of the influence they are capable of
exerting over individuals and groups. Introducing and
implementing models of change that will transform the way an
organisation operates requires a tremendous amount of
leadership. Overcoming resistance to and fear of change can
only accomplished through the support and influence of top
level leaders. Top management is capable of infecting energy
and passion for the necessary change, in a way that will allow
it to be disseminated into and through the organisation. Only
top management can begin to ingrain change into the
organisational culture.
In many organisations, lower level management is focused
arguably more on the task management side of business than on
the people side of business. In order to effectively lead
change, the efforts should emphasize the human side of change
and focus on relationship management. For this reason, it is
necessary for change to trickle down from the top, down through
all levels. Top-level management should focus on spreading
enthusiasm, engaging lower level management and staff members,
helping them change their attitudes and activities on their
own.
Unfortunately, there is a great tendency for change efforts to
fail or not fully realize the end goal, so confirming that the
leaders at the top are fully committed to helping the larger
group to latch onto the change and own it become an even
greater necessity.
In order for strategic change to succeed, it must be led from
the top. Change leaders must absolutely focus their energies in
engaging employees around the change and the necessary
empowerment at the front line. Not until this really starts to
happen does the change start to get driven from the bottom up,
thereby increasing the chances of success.
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