To unfreeze an organization the people involved must see the need for change and collaboratively look for a solution. Social psychology is credited to Kurt Lewin within his research he came up with three stages that are necessary to make a successful change, unfreeze, change and freeze. Stagnation followed by demise can happen as a direct result. Organizations can experience this same powerlessness causing the loss of sight of their own mission, goal and future plan. Many people re stronger than they realize due to events in their lives that stifled their power.

People are results of their past and the experiences that they have encountered whether conscious or unconscious. By embracing a holistic approach, and evaluating the divisions and the pros and cons of an organization you get a more complete and accurate picture. All of which aare instrumental in bringing about change. This can include internal and external factors, political and economic factors and community within an organization. Unlike client met in a micro or messo organizations, macro clients can hold multiple pieces of the puzzle that contribute to the desired outcome of the relationship. Understanding Organizations, Theories of Organization and Organizational Change The best transition to change occurs within a positive, supportive environment and the worker carries that responsibility on their shoulders The key becomes utilizing words that take a neutral stance such as issue instead of problem, being prepared by identifying, verifying, and formulating a goal prior to taking anything to management.

Typically, the more aggressive the techniques the least likely that a manager will be involved, but it is always thought that aggression brings about compliance. Not a direct jump but steps to persuade change become increasingly more aggressive in the process. Change can start out small with a gentle nudge to persuade but as failure precipitates, it and can escalate to all out violence (Seabury, Seabury, Garvin, 2011). In partner with a focus and change that is small and attainable, documentation provides evidence of change.

Incomplete, inaccurate or absent documentation can destroy an agency or professional relationship. Documentation is the backbone of social work and is present in all relationships. 51 3).Īs we practice the “Change Model” we utilize four practice principles that include documentation, low visibility, least contest, and client participation (Seabury, Seabury, & Garvin, 2011). There are 7 phases to the problem solving model: “identifying the issue, formulating the goal, identifying the decision making structure, assessing the feasibility of the goal, implementing the change strategy, recognizing and responding to agency’s countertactics and evaluating the effectiveness of the change efforts” (Seabury, Garvin 2011, p. Making them part of the process reinforces their new found power. It is very important to raise their level of consciousness when working with clients who feel disempowered (Seabury, Garvin, 2011, p. The client is often a victim of “learned helplessness” and we must help empower them. However, a worker must understand that a client’s interests come before their own and client must be informed and involved in all aspects so power cannot be just given. A worker sometimes attempts to take power from the target system to give it to the client to promote power. Macro social work seeks to give or return power to those who no longer have it. Defining and understanding the role each one plays in the process of change, or within an organization is essential to the process. The client, which can be an organization, a community or representatives of these and the target which it where the change is focused complete the units. Change involves an organization, the staff and the clients of the organizations. Three primary players are present during any organizational change. Attempting to initiate change is more complex than simply acting. “Organizations are influenced by external, internal and professional forces” (UNE, 2011, wk 3).