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Change Management & Adaptation Flashcards

7 cards from real CSM practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.

Read the first 7 Change Management & Adaptation flashcards as text

  1. A strategic manager wants to assess the organization's readiness for change before launching an initiative. Which tool is MOST directly useful?

    Answer: Change Readiness Assessment

    A Change Readiness Assessment directly measures organizational capacity, culture, and stakeholder preparedness for a specific change initiative.

  2. In prosci's research, the primary reason employees resist change is:

    Answer: WIIFM — not understanding what's in it for them personally

    Prosci's research identifies 'What's in it for me?' (WIIFM) as the central driver of individual resistance to change.

  3. Which scenario represents 'emergent change' rather than planned change?

    Answer: Market disruption forces a retailer to rapidly shift to e-commerce

    Emergent change arises from unplanned environmental forces rather than deliberate management intention.

  4. A strategic manager must communicate a difficult change (layoffs) to employees. Best practice suggests the communication should be:

    Answer: Delivered directly, honestly, and with empathy while acknowledging impact

    Direct, honest, empathetic communication from leadership is critical during difficult changes to maintain trust and reduce harmful speculation.

  5. The McKinsey 7-S Framework is particularly useful in change management because it:

    Answer: Shows how seven interdependent organizational elements must align for change to succeed

    The 7-S Framework highlights that changing one organizational element without aligning others creates misalignment that undermines change efforts.

  6. A company's change initiative has stalled at 60% implementation. The strategic manager identifies 'sponsor abdication' as the cause. This means:

    Answer: Senior leadership withdrew visible support after the initial launch

    Sponsor abdication occurs when executive sponsors disengage after launch, removing the organizational authority needed to sustain change momentum.

  7. When applying adaptive leadership to change management, leaders should primarily focus on:

    Answer: Helping stakeholders confront difficult adjustments and losses

    Adaptive leadership, per Heifetz, focuses on helping people work through the difficult human dimensions of change, not just applying technical fixes.