Linkages Between Social and Organisational Change
Introduction
On the surface, social and organisational change appear different beasts. On the other hand, both require
"...When enough people......start providing some leadership around a shared sense of an opportunity to make things better, and do so with a positive emotional mindset, you have the beginnings of a social movement. If they concentrate on visible results, seen and communicated and celebrated, momentum will build..."
John Kotter et al, 2021
Both social and organisational change can learn from each other, ie the need for a shared vision, sense of urgency based on current reality, establishment of the appropriate systems and performance metrics, etc.
Some Key Observations
1. Importance of modern corporations (increasingly life is dominated by the modern corporation, ie providing goods and services required for everyday living. It has taken over the role that the tribe used to have in supplying the necessary services, ie housing, food, health care, safety, power, water, etc.
However, these modern organisations (which evolved after the Industrial Revolution) are designed primarily for efficiency, standardisation, stability and reliability, not for innovation, change and agility.
Owing to the ever-growing interconnectedness of these enterprises, nations and individuals, these organisations (including businesses, government, NGOs, etc) can serve as a barrier to change; they prefer the status quo.)
2. Truly remarkable results are possible (this is based on
"...the right understanding of how to go about complex change in a rapidly moving world. That understanding starts with an appreciation for the necessity for and power of diverse masses, who want something to happen because their hearts are in it, and who make a difference by helping to lead change......these are the people who take new action, and encourage others to take it, which achieves better results - results that are recognised and communicated and celebrated......helps foster more action, more results and growing momentum..."
John Kotter et al, 2021
This momentum fosters a mindset change that can lead to changing habits, then new norms, values and culture; all this can help to make change truly sustainable.)
3. The power of maintaining the status quo, eg using bureaucracy, politics, etc.
Status quo means to keep doing the things you are doing now. When people are pushed out of their status quo mindsets, it can create anxiety, anger, stress, etc and this can be more powerful and dominating than developing the agility, innovation, adaptation, etc required to handle the change.
However, some of the great social changes, such as driving down infant mortality, people living longer, reducing levels of poverty, eradication of certain widespread diseases by vaccination, increasing literacy levels, improvement in quality of life, communication technology, etc, have all challenged the status quo successfully.