Assignment

You should work on this assignment as you go through the chapter(s). This assignment reinforces information in your textbook and concepts presented in this unit. You will be graded on the accuracy and thoroughness of your responses. Please write in complete sentences unless otherwise directed. Remember to cite your textbook just as you would any other resource. Your textbook and any additional outside resource citation should use APA format.

1. "A well-crafted vision is essential when making major changes." (Effective Change, page 128) Explain what this statement means.

2. Identify three characteristics of a well-crafted vision and describe how these three characteristics relate to stretch goals.

3. Change plans must consider the use of a company's resources to maximize potential and ensure success. Financial resources are a definite consideration for any plan or objective. If you must prepare a budget for a change initiative, what considerations and items should you include in a budget? Include a sentence or two explaining each item or consideration.

4. Communication is a two-way process. Communication is a series of loops. A message must be sent and the message must be received. However, the message must also be understood and accepted if you are to achieve results. Make sure you review the strategies for effective communication in your text. You might also want to do some additional research regarding communication loops and processes.

You are the manager for ABC Company. You are planning to change the arrangement and design of the offices and work stations on your floor. This means your employees will have to relocate to another position or space. You know there will be quite a bit of grumbling and unhappiness and even anger regarding these changes. (Some of these people have been sitting in the same place and at the same desk for about four years!) You have decided to be proactive instead of reactive with this change.

1. Construct a memo that will go to your three floor managers about this upcoming change. You will need to make sure these three managers understand your plans for this change and are on board with this plan. Be sure to include what you expect from them during the process. You should also ask for their input. Include how you will specifically involve these managers in the communication loop.

5. Refer to # 4 above. You plan to have a meeting with the employees on your floor to explain your plan to change the arrangement and design of their floor space. You must make sure that your message is not only understood, but accepted! You want to have as little resistance as possible. You might even want to think of some way to motivate and reward these employees if the change is successful and is completed without issue.

1. Prepare an outline of talking points for this meeting. What do you want to say to your employees at this meeting? (If you want to write out your entire talk, you may.) What sort of visual aids might you use in this meeting to illustrate your points and to convince your people to accept this change and to help with this change?

6. Define and describe the term "computer based training" (CBT). If you manage an international company with offices in another country, what are some of the practical applications for CBT?

7. Define and describe the term "mentor" as the term relates to a business or professional organization. How can mentors be used to train new employees? How would you go about assigning a mentor to a new employee? If you were to serve as a new hire's mentor, what would you expect this person to learn from you? Lastly, if you were to have a mentor (and everyone should) where you work, what would you hope to learn? What would you hope to gain?

8. Your company is getting ready to change to the latest and greatest software package used in office applications. Everyone in the entire company will be affected, from the CEO to the receptionist at the front desk. You are the manager in charge of this change initiative. You are going to make sure that the change goes smoothly and is successfully implemented.

Define this change initiative. (You can determine a specific software package if you like; i.e., the latest version of MS Office, for example.) What Aare your objectives? (Be specific.)

9. Refer to #8. How will you assess the training needed to implement this change? What training approaches and processes will you put into place?

10. Refer to #8. How will you evaluate success? How will you motivate? How will you reward?