CPM Organizational Change Management 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which change management model describes organizational change as a three-phase process of 'unfreezing,' 'changing,' and 'refreezing'?
- Kotter's 8-Step Model
- Lewin's Change Model (Correct answer)
- ADKAR Model
- McKinsey 7-S Framework
Correct answer: Lewin's Change Model
Kurt Lewin's Change Model uses the metaphor of unfreezing existing behaviors, implementing change, and refreezing new behaviors as the standard approach.
Question 2: In the ADKAR change management model, what does the letter 'K' represent?
- Knowledge of how to change (Correct answer)
- Key stakeholder engagement
- Knowledge transfer protocols
- Keeping momentum
Correct answer: Knowledge of how to change
In ADKAR (Awareness, Desire, Knowledge, Ability, Reinforcement), 'K' stands for Knowledge of how to change, including understanding of the skills and behaviors required.
Question 3: A public manager is implementing a new case management system. Employees are resisting due to fear of job loss. Which strategy best addresses this resistance?
- Mandate use of the new system with disciplinary consequences
- Communicate how the change will improve workflows and clarify job security (Correct answer)
- Delay implementation until resistance disappears
- Replace resistant employees with new hires
Correct answer: Communicate how the change will improve workflows and clarify job security
Transparent communication addressing the root cause of resistance — fear and uncertainty — is the most effective strategy for overcoming change resistance.
Question 4: Which of the following best describes a 'change champion' in a government organization?
- An external consultant hired to oversee the change
- A frontline employee or manager who advocates for and supports the change (Correct answer)
- The senior executive who approved the change initiative
- The IT department lead responsible for technical implementation
Correct answer: A frontline employee or manager who advocates for and supports the change
Change champions are internal advocates, often frontline employees or middle managers, who build peer support and model new behaviors during a transition.
Question 5: Kotter's 8-Step Model for leading change begins with which foundational step?
- Building a guiding coalition
- Creating a vision for change
- Establishing a sense of urgency (Correct answer)
- Communicating the change vision
Correct answer: Establishing a sense of urgency
Kotter's model starts with establishing a sense of urgency, because without it, people lack the motivation to leave their comfort zones and engage with change.
Question 6: A public agency undergoes a reorganization. According to change management best practices, what is a critical role of middle managers during this process?
- Shielding employees from all information about the change
- Translating strategic direction into actionable team-level guidance (Correct answer)
- Making final decisions on which changes will be implemented
- Focusing solely on maintaining current performance metrics
Correct answer: Translating strategic direction into actionable team-level guidance
Middle managers serve as the critical link between senior leadership's strategic vision and frontline implementation, translating broad directives into specific team actions.
Question 7: Which term describes the emotional and psychological stages individuals experience when confronted with significant organizational change, often modeled after grief stages?
- Organizational inertia
- The change curve (Correct answer)
- Resistance mapping
- Transition saturation
Correct answer: The change curve
The 'change curve,' based on Kübler-Ross's grief model, describes how individuals typically move through shock, denial, frustration, depression, experiment, decision, and integration during change.
CPM Organizational Change Management 1
Which change management model describes organizational change as a three-phase process of 'unfreezing,' 'changing,' and 'refreezing'?