Page 226 - 4- Leading_from_Within

necessary to sustain a permanent effort. Some of these changes are obvious,
in that organizations must facilitate, recognize, and encourage these
initiatives. However, other qualitative changes also may be necessary. If
these changes are not made, the organizational change movement risks

running into the same troubles that faced by many organizations that try to
adopt a new management “technique” without giving enough thought
about the ramifications of their efforts.
215

The Reality of Change

Change is inevitable; growth is intentional.

If state and local government officials and nonprofit leaders today want to
bring about meaningful and sustainable change, they will need to focus on
the third approach in the previous story. Dealing effectively with change
requires taking a collaborative approach within the organization. Progress
and improvement always requires change. Change can occur for lots of

different reasons, such as:
• the challenges of growth or decline that an organization is facing,
• changing global markets,
• changes in strategy,
• technological change,

• competitive processes including obtaining adequate funding,
• pressures to develop new clients and customers, or
• a changing economic environment.

The problem is not only how to acquire new concepts and skills, but also
how to unlearn things that are no longer serving the organization well.

Status quo, you know, that is Latin for the mess we’re in. Ronald Reagan

It seems that in the past an organization could experience change and then
return to a period of relative stability. This provided breathing room for

thoughtfully planning and getting ready for the next change. However,

215 http://www.bizforum.org/Journal/www_journalDC001.htm.

David Kolzow 226