Change management
Introduction
When you hear the word “leader”, who is the first person that comes into your mind? Emmanuel Macron, Angela Merkel, Donald Trump, Daļa Gribauskaite or somebody else? There are political leaders, leaders in the society, representing some strong and influential civil society groups, there are group leaders of armed rebels and some others. But there is the thing: rarely someone will say – I’m a leader, I’m an opinion leader, I’m here to influence you.
Most of the time, people become leaders gradually, step by step, and they are ready to take on some serious decisions, coming along with the position. Change management is fitness to leaders, because good leaders are shown, or become visible, when there is a problem which will lead to change. Leaders are less visible when everything is all right.
Most of the time, people become leaders gradually, step by step, and they are ready to take on some serious decisions, coming along with the position. Change management is fitness to leaders, because good leaders are shown, or become visible, when there is a problem which will lead to change. Leaders are less visible when everything is all right.
Task
The task of this webquest is to analyse the action of one leader of the European Union, dive into complicated situations, where all spectrum of leadership knowledge, skills and attitudes can be shown. This webquest provides tools to express your own and your group’s opinion about public policy processes and understand different situations in complicated contexts, as well as to share your own experience, when you have identified leadership skill in yourself, your family members and peers. It is important to identify, understand and explore potential role models of action, therefore, this webquest will also require you to role play a good example, as well as provide you the opportunity for individual work to practice leadership skills in everyday life. The webquest offers videos and tips and further reading to support you and extend course learnings. But, remember – all changes can be brought only if you decide to do so and actually do so!
Process
1. Get inspired!
For inspiration, watch this video:
2. Discuss your findings!
Have a small discussion with your peers in the group or in peers about your thoughts after this video.
3. Watch another video and take notes!
Then, continue the session by watching the next video and take notes on what are the most important things to be taken into consideration, when implementing changes in someone’s organization.
4. Read and analyse!
Please read carefully the letter of Emmanuel Macron to the citizens of European Union, issued on the 4th of March 2019. This letter is available in many EU languages. You can read it in your mother tongue if you prefer.
This is the first time one European Leader is addressing people personally. He has put a big effort in this process, as the letter has been translated in almost all EU languages. So, this is an excellent moment to highlight someone’s action and analyse this. Divide in three groups and in each group follow the instructions given in the next steps
5. Team up!
Now divide into three groups and in each group follow the instructions.
6. Do a SWOT analysis on the speech!
Analyze Emmanuel Macron's speech using a SWOT analysis in the following manner - if you are not familiar with this kind of analysis, please watch this video about it.
a) Try to fin
d in the letter of Emmanuel Macron, as much as you can, typical things a leader, good in change management, does (strengths);
b) try to identify points that are missing from his speech or identify at least two weak (populistic) arguments (weaknesses);
c) make a list of at least three things you think, as a group, are threats to Emmanuel Macron publishing this letter in 28 member states of the European Union;
d) make a list of things he will gain by publishing this letter in 28 member states.
Next level:
1) Each group receives a situation (below – a, b, c):
a) Every group member should describe his/her personal experience about a situation when one of their family members acted as a leader of change.
b) Each group member should describe his/her personal experience about when one of your peers acted as a leader of change.
c) Each group member should describe his/her personal experience about when they acted as a leader of change.
2) In your group, in consensus, please decide which situation or experience from your group members’ personal experiences you would like to show in a role-play.
3) In your group, discuss the situation you chose and rehearse it, managing each group member role and lines, highlighting the change management strategy used in the situation you will play or how you think change should be managed.
4) As a final step of the webquest, each group presents their SWOT analysis and then role-plays to the other groups the situation they rehearsed.
For inspiration, watch this video:
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2. Discuss your findings!
Have a small discussion with your peers in the group or in peers about your thoughts after this video.
3. Watch another video and take notes!
Then, continue the session by watching the next video and take notes on what are the most important things to be taken into consideration, when implementing changes in someone’s organization.
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4. Read and analyse!
Please read carefully the letter of Emmanuel Macron to the citizens of European Union, issued on the 4th of March 2019. This letter is available in many EU languages. You can read it in your mother tongue if you prefer.
This is the first time one European Leader is addressing people personally. He has put a big effort in this process, as the letter has been translated in almost all EU languages. So, this is an excellent moment to highlight someone’s action and analyse this. Divide in three groups and in each group follow the instructions given in the next steps
5. Team up!
Now divide into three groups and in each group follow the instructions.
6. Do a SWOT analysis on the speech!
Analyze Emmanuel Macron's speech using a SWOT analysis in the following manner - if you are not familiar with this kind of analysis, please watch this video about it.
a) Try to fin
d in the letter of Emmanuel Macron, as much as you can, typical things a leader, good in change management, does (strengths);b) try to identify points that are missing from his speech or identify at least two weak (populistic) arguments (weaknesses);
c) make a list of at least three things you think, as a group, are threats to Emmanuel Macron publishing this letter in 28 member states of the European Union;
d) make a list of things he will gain by publishing this letter in 28 member states.
Next level:
1) Each group receives a situation (below – a, b, c):
a) Every group member should describe his/her personal experience about a situation when one of their family members acted as a leader of change.
b) Each group member should describe his/her personal experience about when one of your peers acted as a leader of change.
c) Each group member should describe his/her personal experience about when they acted as a leader of change.
2) In your group, in consensus, please decide which situation or experience from your group members’ personal experiences you would like to show in a role-play.
3) In your group, discuss the situation you chose and rehearse it, managing each group member role and lines, highlighting the change management strategy used in the situation you will play or how you think change should be managed.
4) As a final step of the webquest, each group presents their SWOT analysis and then role-plays to the other groups the situation they rehearsed.
Evaluation and Learning Outcomes
After the completion of this webquest, learners will:
:
| Knowledge (have...) |
Skills (be able to...) |
Attitudes (be able to...) |
| · Basic knowledge about the political process in Europe · Basic knowledge of a SWOT analysis · Fundamental knowledge of change management · Basic knowledge of what are leadership skills (please read information provided in the |
· Discuss the future of the European Union in 2019 and further · Identify leadership skills, applied in realistic cases · Use methods of critical thinking to analyse information provided · Use SWOT to analyse a change process |
· Engage in group work, sharing personal experience, opinion and showing argumentation skills in building up decisions, what is most favourable for you personally or for the group or for the wider society · Raise awareness on the fact that voting in the elections is the responsibility of all citizens · Show argumentation skills when presenting a personal or group’s opinion in a wider group · Show empathy towards people in their closest circles – such as family |
Conclusion
Very often we hear that there are no leaders or that we need leaders. It is also very easy to judge someone who is a leader, but, at the end of the day – we all should be leaders of our own life. Therefore, this webquest offered the possibility to look at someone who, in the context of today, has been very brave. It is also very important to understand that changes and improvements start with our own life, therefore we leave you with concrete personal task, what should be accomplished by you, individually, to continue the process of developing personal leadership skills in a long run.In this sense, we suggest the following: Take a piece of paper and decide what thing you would like to change in your daily life. It can be something completely easy, but still challenging: if there is no challenge, there is no change. Let’s say – make exercise every day for half an hour. Then, when you have decided, make a formulation of the thing in the form of aim. Aims are always designed according to formula called S. M. A. R. T. Whereas S, stands for- SPECIFIC, M stands for - MEASURABLE, A stands for – ATTAINABLE, R stands for RELEVANT, T stands for – TANGIBLE. For example: “As of tomorrow, I will do exercise for half an hour for the next three months.” Please describe at least two characteristics you have to strengthen in yourself to be successful in accomplishing your aim. Discuss this aim with at least two people in your group. Important rule: no one can criticize your aim. Those who listen can only suggest some improvements, suggest the best teacher for exercising or whatsoever you have decided. Then, if possible, each of the groups should agree with someone, who will check after one month, if this person really does what he or she had promised, acting as a positive auditor for another person.
Pictures from this webquest come from www.unsplash.com and are free to use and share.
Pictures from this webquest come from www.unsplash.com and are free to use and share.
Useful links
Ten Basic Skills of Outstanding Leadership
What is Change Management and How Does it Work?
SMART goals
A Review of Leadership Theories, Principles and Styles
and Their Relevance to Educational Management
The New 21st Century Leaders
Do These 7 Things If You Want to Become a Leader
8 Ways to Become a Better Leader
The Characteristic of Leadership - 7 Important Traits
What is Change Management and How Does it Work?
SMART goals
A Review of Leadership Theories, Principles and Styles
and Their Relevance to Educational Management
The New 21st Century Leaders
Do These 7 Things If You Want to Become a Leader
8 Ways to Become a Better Leader
The Characteristic of Leadership - 7 Important Traits
Videos
