The Armed Forces Services Corporation - Case Study Example

Signature Assignment: Transformational Change and the Armed Forces Services Corporation Signature Assignment: Transformational Change and the Armed Forces Services Corporation Introduction Since the dawn of modern civilization, society has had to adapt to a variety of changes that occur naturally through the span of generations. This need for change is evident in any discipline, and across cultures. As the needs of a society begin to fluctuate, so must the ways in which communities across the globe deal with those changes. This reality affects organizations of all types, just as it impacts individuals people and cultures. When faced with the need for change, an organization can either choose to be transformative in their actions and vision, or they can remain the same, only to watch the increasing globalization present in society slowly push them toward obsolescence. Change is not easy, yet it is necessary. It is, therefore, critical that leaders in the 21st century work with an eye towards the future in order to implement processes and strategies that make change easier to integrate and accept across multiple platforms and generations. As we consider such transformative change in the case of the Armed Forces Services Corporation (AFSC), we will be looking at the systems approach that the organization undertook to transform itself from a long and storied history into a modern day structural entity that can more adequately meet the needs of service members and their families across the globe. This approach requires organizations such as this one to consider what is truly the heart and the source of company, coupled with the social systems and structures that are in place today that require a different approach than one implemented in yesteryear (Henderson, 2002). As an organization undergoes such a change process, it looks at a wide range of approaches and methodologies that can work within the unique construct of the organization itself. In analyzing this process for the AFSC, the specific concepts of knowledge required, skill sets, and disposition will be discussed to determine how the organization has transformed and positioned itself to fulfill its mission into the next century. Background of the AFSC The Armed Forces Services Corporation is an organization that has great evolved through the course of its proud 130 year history. Its aim is to provide needed services of all types to military families and their loved ones. This need has morphed over the years into a complex organizational structure that seeks to provide the information and resources that this demographic needs with the quickest time possible. From its inception, this has always been the goal of the organization, but as the scale of the military in the United States of America has grown, both domestically and abroad, the need for transformative change became apparent. The AFSC was actually formed as a non-profit organization back in 1879. This occurred just after the Battle of Little Big Horn. During those days, there was no Veterans Administration. In essence, there was not a dedicated group of citizens equipped to help returning service members and their families deal with the difficult on re-integrating in to society, much less dealing with any disabilities that they might have (AFSC-USA.com, 2014). In essence, there was nobody to make certain that veterans and their families received the care that they not only needed, but that they deserved. This was the reason for the formation of the Armed Forces Services Corporation. Over the years, as the government grew, so did its ability to create public agencies that were better equipped to handle the needs of returning service members. The AFSC, however, became a vital player to this end. Through the years, they have morphed their services to integrate within the government system of caring for veterans and their families. As the Social Security Act of 1957 was passed, for example, the AFSC immediately began to transform one of its divisions to be equipped to provide true case management for individuals that were either separated from the military, retired, or deceased. Change was again needed in 1972 with the implementation of the government initiative Survivor Benefit Plan. At this time, the Armed Forces Services Corporation began to expand upon their existing about to provide case management services, into one that also helped service members and their families focus on important issues of life planning, transitional services (AFSC-USA.com, 2014). In addition, at this time the AFSC began to develop new ways of providing benefit to warriors, veterans, and their families. For several decades, America was largely at peace, yet the services to military members, past and present, continue to evolve. Today, with multiple wars being fought and a sizable population of veterans returning wounded, both physically and mentally, the AFSC has had to undergo another transformative change process as it was largely determined that the government could not provide all of the necessary services on their own. Believing in this mission, and given the reality that service members and their families depend upon them, the AFSC organization as a whole had to streamline its operations in order to become more efficient and effective are serving an ever increasing pool of potential service members in need (AFSC-USA.com, 2014). Knowledge In assessing the need for change within an organization, it is important to determine the knowledge base that employees and stakeholders should have moving forward. This is in an effort to ensure that the proper people are in place, who understand the changing dynamics of the organization, and can provide solid recommendations about how to make that transitional not only effective, but as seamless as possible (Bono & Judge, 2004). In the case of the Armed Forces Services Corporation, as the scope of military warfare, techniques, and service have changes, so have the needs of the people. There are psychological and transitional needs apparent today, for example, that did not exist even a few decades ago. The number of casualties, on both sides, is higher and the mental strain is great. As a result, members of the AFSC have had to change their own methodology and increase their level of knowledge in new areas in order to effectively carry out its mission of assisting with a multitude of needs that service members and their families may have. Transformative change is a process that involves learning. It is important to remember that such change involves a transition. The AFSC has implemented new services and delivery programs that are deigned to remain in place. This is not situational change we are talking about. It is about developing and reshaping a new organization that is ready to tackle that challenges ahead in a way that creates a new, more balanced operation. As such, it requires a learning curve that all employees of the organization must be comfortable with. In the case of the AFSC, this transition involved a psychological process whereby existing employees, new and old, had to come to grips not only with the need for the transition, but the reality of it. There were new situations that had to be learned, and there would certainly be consequences for failing to do so. Consider the need to better advocate for veterans benefits. The AFSC is now owned by veterans and their respective stakeholders. The need arose in recent years to advocate for veterans before the government and to ensure that returning service members were being adequately provided for. In essence, the government has become overwhelmed with the sheer volume of veterans under their charge, and one the transition that the AFSC has undergone recently is to make sure that they are available to assist any service member who is having difficulty with the adjustment. In order to effectively accomplish this aim, however, leaders had to first become experts in the area of veteran benefits, and they had to train and empower their employees how to respond quickly in times of need. To simply transition into new divisions and services to be offered, without first have the requisite knowledge base, would certainly be a recipe for disaster. As we have learned throughout the period of this course, there must be a focus on systematic transformational change (Svensson & Wagner, 2011). This begins with knowledge. All affected members of the AFSC needed to go through a process whereby they examined, questioned, validated, and revised the existing perceptions they had of the organization and what services they needed to be offering service members and their families. Through this process of validating existing mindsets, it became obvious that new knowledge needed to be acquired in order to push the AFSC forward in terms of helping the immediate needs of all veterans, but in particular those returning from recent wars. In essence, it seems that transformational change and transformational learning go hand in hand. To be effective, one cannot be accomplished without the other. As transitions were made at the AFSC, leaders and their staff at the organization began to look at the learning process as a means to think critically through new challenges that were on the horizon. Part of this transformative change involved considering what the future holds for service members and their families in order to provide them with they resources they will require in future generations to come. This involved a process whereby all involved stakeholders had to consider the various divisions that AFSC currently operates in an effort to determine how they need to be reshaped and restructured for the future. In many situations the learning process seems to be jumpstarted when individuals within an organization experience a particularly troubling or new situation. Such an encounter may stoke at the very heart of what the organization needs to focus on, yet realize they are incapable of dealing with. This certain has occurred with the Armed Forces Services Corporation many times through the years. Each time, visionary leaders worked to gain the knowledge necessary to create solutions, thereby entering into a transitional period that would lead to lasting change (Franz, 2010). It is important to note that many helping organizations, such as the AFSC, do not inherently have a culture that promotes and learning. This is an area that must be developed over time. When the AFSC first began back in the late 1800s, there was no other organization like it. This created a definite learning curve that really continues to this day. While change was often slow in coming during those initial days, the did learn quickly and learned to work together with service members to determine what services they required. As the nature of the military has evolved through the last century and a half, the AFSC has gained a great deal of knowledge right alongside them. There are many programs that have become obsolete, and they have bee replaced with others. Knowledge was also gained as to how to work in conjunction with the federal government more effectively, so this transformative change began with leaders first initiating the changes that were necessary. This is another critical component of the change process that we have discussed these past few months. Once it become obvious that the AFSC had to adapt in certain areas, and once the knowledge based was sufficient enough to move forward, then the leaders had to initiate the change to make it not only work for the here and now, but to become a part of new policy that would remain in place until the next period of transformative change becomes necessary. Skill There are numerous skills required to be an effective team member at the Armed Forces Services Corporation. This has not changed through the years. What has changed, however, are the specificity of those skills. For example, a recent transformative change involve procuring employees who were trained in areas of behavioral psychology in an effort to provide effective services to the growing number of service members returning who were suffering from various disorders, such as post traumatic stress disorder, or Gulf War Syndrome. These are critical services that can be provided to service members in a time of need. Also, the organization has needed to transition into an agency that can provide transitional and life planning services to members. In generations past, military service was considered a life-long profession. While there are still many that make a career out of the military, there are many more who are in for just a few terms, and they reenter civilian life. Now that the nation has been at war for more than a decade, another transformative within the AFSC recently took place. There are now thousands of military service members and their families who have been out of the country for long periods of time, and out of the work force even longer. The AFSC needed to find individuals, as a result, who were trained in areas of career advisement and job placement. Through it all, the AFSC has moved forward, initiated needed changes, located employees who had the specific skill sets necessary, and have made the changes for the long term. Through this process of learning about the skills necessary to make lasting transformative change a success, it is important to understand the idea of personal mastery. Leaders need to be skilled in the areas that they are called to oversee within an organization. They need to be as expert as they can be in certain areas in order to assemble a team that can effectively follow their lead. Duffy (2010) speaks about this when he looks at the importance of leaders being able to not on facilitate change, but to expand the mind-sets of their team members. Once they gain mastery over a needed area of change, they are then able to impact others in the organization to initiate that change quickly and effectively so that the benefits can be realized as quickly as possible. In the case of the AFSC, this has been of critical importance. Not long after the Gulf War began, for example, it quickly became apparent that the AFSC was going to be needed to be an advocated for wounded veterans who were having difficulty receiving their benefits back home. This was an urgent need that required a transformative change within the organization, but also required that the changes be initiated sooner rather than later. By expanding the mind set of all stakeholders involved in the affected divisions, this was able to be done. Mastering a skill within an organization involves both clarifying what is to be done and deepening the understanding of the vision. It is important to remember that the vision of the organization should not be altered during a period of transformative change; rather, the methods to accomplish that vision become altered somewhat (Caldwell, 2012). This requires a patient and realistic perspective of what the organization, in this case the Armed Forces Services Corporation, is needed for. It involves both a competence and skill level that goes beyond mere growth and development, but demonstrates their calling as an organization. When these ares are focused upon, change is noticeable and it is effective. It is important to develop this mastery because change will be difficult and will involve some pain. For example, some programs that have been in place at the AFSC have been in operation since its inception. There is no longer a need, however, and resources need to be reallocated to other areas. When this occur, people must re-train and refocus their energy on accomplishing the same vision, but it in a slightly different way. It is important to keep this in mind as transformative change begins to take hold. Disposition A final type of change that effective leaders demonstrate is a disposition for change leadership. This is discussed at length by Duffy (2010) and it involves a group of individuals who are able to take the necessary changes that much be made within an organization and get the entire team to buy-in to the transformation that is about to take place. Without such a disposition, it will be extremely difficult, and perhaps impossible in larger organizations, to push through the radical changes that will be necessary to literally transform an entire organization. The proper disposition of those leading an organization that is involved in a transformative change process should yield several effects upon the entire team. These include a feeling of idealized influence, being able to take personal considerations into account, effectively motivating and inspiring the team, and being an encourager (Hassan, 2013). Naturally, not all leaders are the same. Different personalities are what make dynamic and changing organizations effective. Event with a particular division, it seems that different types of leader can accomplished each of the four objectives in order to provide a more balanced approach to the change that is taking place within the organization. This was certainly the case in the recent transformation that AFSC underwent. The organization has evolved into one that had a leadership style comprised of various demographic groups, cultures, and personalities. Each one brings their own unique disposition and ability to impact the organization. This has worked to bring new ideas and fresh perspectives to a group that is literally transforming before its very eyes. Hassan (2013) proposes that, “One of the important factors that results in extensive research in areas of leadership is the app earl of the concept of transformative leadership itself. Perhaps this fascination comes from the notion that leaders influence their follower to achieve goals” (p. 94). This very ability to get follower to adapt and change right alongside the entire organization requires the leader to have a disposition that is focused on the health and vitality of the entire team. There will be some in the organization that adjust quicker and others. For the others, they will be look towards a leader that is patient, has time to hear their concerns, and is willing to help teach. Leaders truly do lead by example, and perhaps at no time in the life of an organization is this more true than during period of transformative change. Final Discussion and Conclusion Change can be easy painless, or it can be quite difficult and painful, but the certainty of the matter is that change is inevitably necessary. As the Armed Forced Services Corporation, and countless other similarly structured organizations, have learned over the years it is important to transform oneself from time to time in order to adapt to a changing time and world. While in the past such changes may have been slow in coming, we understand today that the organization of today will likely be drastically different a mere twenty years from now. As such, it is important that leaders of such organizations have the disposition, knowledge, and skill set require to lead others through difficult periods of change in order to come out stronger and ever better positioned. In analyzing the process of organizational change, we we have examined the case of the Armed Forces Services Corporation. In doing so, it was first important to understand what transformative change is and the process by which it is effectively undertaken. Such change is about moving an organization forward in a manner that does not allow it to look back (Franz, 2010). It is the process of accepting the reality that society is literally transforming itself before our very eyes, so it is important that an organization look for ways to change and adapt with the times. For true transformative change to occur, such changes need to be irreversible and fundamental to the success of the organization moving forward. It is an approach and a methodology that has been adapted over the last few decades as a way of creating leaders who are visionary and who look towards the future in a way that equips the organization with the foresight it needs to stay competitive in an increasingly global and inter-connected world. Leaders that are charged with taking organizations through a time of radical change are often charged with the task of evaluation actions, decisions, and programs that will be newly implemented to ensure that organizational goals and the overall vision are still be reached. Such leaders also need to think creatively, and encourage those around them to do so same, in order to constantly be looking for ways to stay ahead of the game in whatever industry they may be in. This requires a process that is action based, and leader who thinking with a mind towards the future and has insight about what will happen in the future, as opposed to being focused on what is happening now. Through it all, all transformation leaders need to develop that ability to make rational choices that positively impact the organization. If they can do that effectively, then the likelihood of success will be magnified as more people in the organization buy-in to the change and develop a heart-felt interest in seeing it succeed. References Armed Forces Services Corporation. (2014, March 7). AFSC-USA.com. Retrieved March 7, 2014 from http://www.afsc-usa.com. Bono, J. and Judge, T. (2004). Personality and transformational and transactional leadership: A Meta-Analysis. Journal of Applied Psychology, 89(5), 901-910. Conger, J. and Hunt, J. (1999). Charismatic and transformational leadership. The Leadership Quarterly, 10(2), 121-127. Caldwell, C. (2012). Transformative leadership: Achieving unparalleled excellence. Journal of Business Ethics, 109(2), 175-187. Franz, N. (2010). Catalyzing employee change with transformative learning. Human Resource Development Quarterly, 21(1), 113-118. Hassan, E. (2013). Transformative leadership. Interdisciplinary Journal of Contemporary Research in Business, 4(9), p. 93-98. Henderson, G. (2002). Transformative learning as a condition for transformational change in organizations. Human Resource Development Review, 1(2), 186-214. Svensson, G. and Wagner, B. (2011). Transformative business sustainability. European Business Review, 23(4), 334-352. Read More