Leading Organizational Change

How to go from stagnation to innovation

Most organizations are now under tremendous pressure to change significantly the way they operate. Thus, the skills required to lead or help bring about organizational change have never been in more demand. However, most organizational change initiatives fail. One reason is that leading an organizational change usually requires navigating perilous psychological waters with those who experience the change. Organizational change initiatives often run aground on the unforeseen or ignored rocks of employee disinterest, exhaustion, demoralization, frustration, outrage, and paranoia. We will investigate how effective change leaders steer their organizations clear of these hazards.

Please note that the term “organization” is used broadly in the course to refer to an organization per se or any work unit within an organization, such as a division, department, plant, branch, office, or team. This workshop covers concepts and principles that you will find useful wherever you reside in your organization.

Upcoming course date

Thursday, May 6, 2021 from 3:30-6:00pm

Benefits of attending this online course

You will improve your skills to lead or help bring about a major organizational change designed to improve your organization’s performance.

This workshop will equip you with tools to:

• Anticipate and effectively address change resistance.
• Motivate enthusiastic employee engagement in your change initiative.
• Create and implement (and revise as needed) an organizational change plan.

You will develop and receive feedback on a change plan for your work unit.

Leading Organizational Change content overview

In advance of our class session, workshop participants will have the opportunity to develop and discuss a proposal for a significant work unit operational change. Then, we will explore what generally distinguishes successful from unsuccessful organizational change initiatives. We will zero-in on the chief psychological stumbling blocks to change leadership, and discuss how to remove them. Workshop participants will revise their proposals into a preliminary change plan.

Seminar participant reviews

Quotes from participants who took this live online course as part of the Minority Business Executive Program:

“Change Management is such an important and often overlooked piece of the business puzzle. I really appreciated the videos and readings were very helpful in addition to the session. GREAT!!!” – LeAnne Dolce

“Professor Bigley’s class was one of my favorite classes as the information provided is so integral in adapting and thriving in today’s market. All of the resources Professor Bigley incorporated in his class ranging from the colorful slide presentation, to the different videos followed by the in-class discussions offered approaches to prepare, support and help us in implementing successful organizational change. In today’s rapidly changing market, this class will provide the strategy we need to improve our over-all business performance. It allows us to recognize the current operational state of our business, design a plan wherein our business performance is improved and develop a plan that our employees will buy into. Great class! It was a pleasure and privilege to be a participant.” – Barbara Piilani Benz

“Excellent information and discussions. Course materials are very useful and I will certainly use them for my organization. Thank you!” – Dokmai Webster

Registration and Fees

Program fee includes instruction and learning materials. Payment must be made by credit card or UW budget transfer. It is strongly encouraged that you register early as space is limited. See discount and cancellation policies.

Faculty

Professor Greg Bigley has been a member of the Foster School of Business faculty since 2000. He teaches courses on Organizational Leadership, Leading Organizational Change, and Teamwork Effectiveness in the MBA and executive MBA programs. He has provided training or consulting services for a wide range of companies, including Amazon, Avista, Boeing, China Aviation Supplies Holding, Costco, DocuSign, The Everett Clinic, Group Health, Hyundai Heavy Industries, Microsoft, Paccar, Pacific Coast Banking School, POSCO, and the SK Group. His research interests focus broadly on motivation, leadership, teamwork, and leading organizational change. He has co-authored two books, Leadership and Motivation at Work and Motivation and Work Behavior, both published by McGraw-Hill.

Logistics and practical info

Like our in-person courses, online courses from Executive Education are designed and led by Foster School faculty and taught using the same evidence-based research and application. Students will participate in discussions, breakout sessions, and direct interactions with our faculty. Courses are conducted via Zoom, which facilitates real-time interface between students and faculty via webcam and text-based chat.

Two weeks prior to the live class session, you will receive information about any pre-readings, assignments, or case studies that need to be completed before class.

In addition to the faculty, each course has an assigned Program Manager who will provide guidance throughout the course.