As the Change Manager of XYZ Manufacturing, you are tasked with transforming it into a more innovative and collaboratively innovative company.
This report provides a concrete action plan based on the previous report provided by the MBA students.
This is part 2 of a 2 part series.
First read the MBA Student's report
The plan focuses on leadership, communication, employee engagement, a culture of innovation, training and development, and sustaining the change.
The report recommends that the company's leadership embrace a transformational leadership style, develop a comprehensive communication plan, establish a cross-functional innovation team, provide resources for employee training and development, and focus on continuous improvement.
Purpose
The purpose of this report is to provide a concrete action plan for the transformation of XYZ Manufacturing into a more innovative and collaboratively innovative organization.
The MBA students previously provided a report that focused on the key elements necessary for a successful organizational change, and this report builds on those recommendations to create a concrete action plan.

Leadership
The first step in transforming the company into a more innovative and collaboratively innovative organization is to establish a transformational leadership style.
This leadership style is characterized by;
- a clear vision,
- open communication, and
- employee empowerment.
The CEO and top management team should embrace this leadership style and lead by example.
They should communicate the change and the reasons behind it to employees and inspire them to embrace the change.
Communication
Developing a comprehensive communication plan is crucial to ensure that all our stakeholders understand the change and the role they play in its success.
The communication plan should be clear, concise, and consistent. It should include both formal and informal communication channels, including full team meetings, employee feedback sessions, and regular updates via email or intranet.
We also recommend you as CEO provide a monthly video update suitable for every member of XYZ Manufacturing to share with their partner and family.
Employee Engagement
Engaging employees in the change process is critical to ensure that they are invested in the success of the transformation.
The company should establish a cross-functional innovation team comprising representatives from various departments and levels of XYZ Manufacturing.
The team should be tasked with identifying opportunities for innovation, developing new products or services, and improving existing processes.
XYZ Manufacturing should also provide opportunities for employee input and feedback, recognize and reward innovative ideas, and establish a culture of continuous improvement.
Culture of Innovation
Establishing a culture of innovation is critical to the success of the transformation.
The company should foster a culture that encourages experimentation, risk-taking, and collaboration.
XYZ Manufacturing should also establish an innovation framework that defines the process for ideation, evaluation, and implementation. And should also establish metrics to measure the success of the innovation process and hold employees accountable for achieving those metrics.
Training and Development
Providing resources for employee training and development is crucial to ensure that employees have the necessary skills to embrace the change.
The company should establish a training and development program that is tailored to the needs of individual employees and departments.
The program should include both formal training, such as classroom training or online courses, and on-the-job training, such as shadowing or coaching.
Sustaining the Change
Sustaining the change is critical to ensure the long-term success of the organization.
The company should:
- focus on continuous improvement and refine its processes as necessary,
- establish metrics to measure the success of the transformation and track progress over time,
- also recognize and reward employees for their contributions to the change and celebrate milestones along the way.
Conclusion
In conclusion, transforming XYZ Manufacturing into a more innovative and collaboratively innovative organization requires a concrete action plan.
The action plan should focus on leadership, communication, employee engagement, a culture of innovation, training and development, and sustaining the change. By following this action plan, the company can position itself for long-term success in a rapidly evolving business landscape.
Special note
Once he received this second report, the CEO realised that his Change Manager was tradition-bound in extemis. He made him redundant.
The CEO then set out to recruit you as his new Collaborative Innovation Director. Will you accept?
If you do, you will have a month to prepare an action-oriented, step-by-step report, for you, the CEO, and the Senior Team to implement.
Good luck!
Keywords
Organizational change, transformational leadership, communication plan, cross-functional innovation team, culture of innovation, training and development program, sustaining the change, continuous improvement, innovative organization, Australian manufacturing