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Dennis Hightower and Disney Europe
At the age of 45 years and having earned an MBA from Harvard, Dennis Hightower possessed crucial skills that would enable him to execute the proposed changes successfully. He had four years of experience in McKinsey. His essential management skills facilitated the expansion of Mattel Company to other countries in Europe. Throughout his career in the military and management, he demonstrated strong communication skills that would be crucial to face life challenges (Heinz, 2021). Dennis Hightower’s education and many years of experience in managerial positions made him a good fit for the challenge ahead.
Despite the proposed changes, Disney Europe was well organized before Hightower. The company operated as a licensing franchise comprising eight business owners. Each owner has well-established personal relationships with Walt Disney. However, the inability to exploit essential corporate values was one of the major undoings of the franchise. There were, however, some communication constraints that could have improved the company’s success. Private ownership also made it challenging for the owners to engage each other on crucial company matters and concerns.
The Kotter eight-step model would be an effective tool in assessing the current condition of different European units. The model helps evaluate the clarity of communication. Creating a sense of urgency in implementing the proposed change requires clear communication on the reasons for the shift in achieving company growth. Building a powerful coalition would also help to achieve teamwork and limit change resistance (Anderson, 2019). The model would also help assess the current condition of European units by sharing a common vision, such as the need to foster innovation and drive sales. From a biblical perspective, two people are better than one because they have a good return for their labor (English Standard Version Bible, 2001, Ecclesiastes 4:9). The Kotters’ eighth step encourages teamwork in achieving organizational goals.
Several approaches would bring about changes to the European operation. The first strategy is an emphasis on the need for communication. Effecting change requires the management to create strong bonds and connections with employees and other stakeholders to help resolve any emergent issues and grievances (Aujla&Mclarney, 2020). In case of any language barriers, it would be important to deploy the services of interpreters to ensure that all stakeholders and employees understand the rationale for the change to avoid employee and stakeholder resistance (Lewis, 2019). The other strategy is celebrating small milestones to motivate employees and stakeholders.
Sometimes, the change appears personally challenging for many employees. Managing change requires managers to communicate the rationale (Stouten et al., 2018). Several issues would emanate from the process, such as resistance from employees and other stakeholders impacted by the process. However, resistance should not be considered purely damaging. Resistance would be necessary to stop implementing ineffective and inappropriate ideas (Heinz, 2021). Listening to and accommodating divergent opinions from employees and stakeholders resisting the change is essential. It would also be important to consider the impacts of cultural change on organizational effectiveness.
Critical thinking is a crucial skill for managers in contemporary business organizations. Several strategies would help to encourage creativity among managers (Lewis, 2019). The first way is providing creating a favorable environment for innovation and creativity. Managers should be allowed to express their views, ideas, and options on the change. Managers should have a higher job scope and access to required working equipment.
In conclusion, it is essential to encourage communication and dialogue to manage the change effectively. Hightower needs to be conscious of various change ideas and the implications of each concept. Listening to employees and considering other possibilities is essential to counter resistance to change. Consequently, one should evaluate ideas from resisters for credibility and reliability.
References
Anderson, D. L. (2019). Organization development: The process of leading organizational change. Sage Publications.
Aujla, S., &Mclarney, C. (2020). The effects of organizational change on employee commitment. IUP Journal of Organizational Behavior, 19(1), 7-22.
Lewis, L. (2019). Organizational change. In Origins and traditions of organizational communication (pp. 406-423). Routledge.
Heinz, A. (2021). Leading Organizational Change. McGraw-Hill/Create. Liberty University Custom
Stouten, J., Rousseau, D. M., & De Cremer, D. (2018). Successful organizational change: Integrating the management practice and scholarly literature. Academy of Management Annals, 12(2), 752-788.
English Standard Version Bible. (2001). ESV Online. https://esv.literalword.com/Links to an external site.
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