LEAD FPX 5220 Assessment 1 Immunity to Change Map

Student Name

Capella University

LEAD-FPX5220 Leader as Change Agent

Prof. Name:

Date

Personal Immunity

When I think of immunity, the first concept that comes to mind is the human immune system, which fights off germs and keeps us alive. Similarly, there exists a psychological immune system that protects us from harmful situations. This concept can also be applied to individuals, employees, or organizations as a whole. According to Kegan and Lahey, immunity to change is a fundamental root cause that creates conflict and hinders commitment to change (Kegan et al., 2001). This immunity can lead many individuals to fail in achieving their life goals.

To create an Immunity to Change Map, one must first recognize the goals that require improvement and identify the obstacles that impede progress. Initially, I need to summarize my personal commitment to improvement. Next, I will outline the actions I am taking or neglecting that may hinder my progress toward achieving my goal. Finally, I will examine the competing commitments and the assumptions that underlie those commitments.

Cashunda Buckner Goal

Cashunda Buckner enjoys assisting others with their work, often placing her own assignments on the back burner. She frequently finds herself working late to complete her tasks after everyone else has left. Often, she takes work home, cooks dinner, attends to family needs, and then stays up late to finish her assignments. Cashunda never asks her coworkers for help because she believes that no one can perform her work as well as she does. She realizes that she is overcommitting to please others and genuinely desires a more stable life. Cashunda’s primary goal is to prioritize her own needs and manage her time more effectively.

Things Cashunda Does or Doesn’t

The following list outlines the factors that prevent her from achieving her self-improvement goal:

Engaging in activities that are not a priority for her needs.
Committing to others without addressing her own responsibilities first.
Overworking and failing to utilize her time efficiently.

Why Cashunda Does What She Does

When asked to assist someone, Cashunda feels she will disappoint them if she admits she is busy. She believes she can always complete her work later and feels it is crucial to be a team player. If she does not help others with tasks they deem more urgent, she fears they will think less of her. Cashunda’s competing commitments include being a team player, feeling appreciated, being dedicated, and being seen as essential to the organization.

Immunity to Change Map

According to Kegan and Lahey, when individuals experience a sense of “oh, therefore I am stuck”—even if part of them recognizes the assumption as flawed or at least questionable (Kegan et al., 2001). Cashunda’s assumptions include:

If I say no, I will let the team down.
I can always complete my work later.
If I work hard enough, I will be noticed and appreciated.

Test the Assumptions

The primary assumption may be that she should finish her own duties before helping others. She could inform her coworkers that she will assist them as soon as she completes her own tasks. By managing her time at work and only taking home assignments that absolutely cannot wait, she can observe the outcomes. Did her colleagues view her differently? Did the world end because she said no? Did her colleagues truly lose respect for her? It is possible that nothing negative will occur even if she delegates her time and workload to others. Over time, as she focuses on her own needs and uses her time wisely, Cashunda may discover that her situation improves. She may find herself more successful, not less, and thus better respected. Furthermore, as a result of her experiments, it is likely that both her perspectives and actions will continue to evolve in healthier, more fulfilling directions.

Many individuals believe that to enhance performance, they must correct a weakness to become strong. They fear being perceived as weak, as this could lead to failure. “ITC teaches you that while the path to change is difficult, the rewards are undeniable—for the individual, the team, and the company” (Dossier, 2009, p. 9).

The Plan

To achieve immunity to change, it is essential to take a comprehensive look at personal immunity in the workplace. Based on the perceptions of the learning administrative division, we utilized a three-column personal immunity map to facilitate administrative learning. Cashunda’s primary goal was to focus on her needs and manage her time effectively at work. Therefore, we will implement a plan and evaluate its effectiveness over the course of a month.

The plan involves organizing her work and time in the office. The first step is to establish a calendar that outlines the deadlines for each assignment on a weekly basis. By adhering to this calendar, Cashunda should not feel overwhelmed or compelled to work extra hours. This plan should enable her to achieve her goals both at work and at home. Bringing work home can create tension in the household and lead to sleep deprivation. Many individuals mistakenly believe they are failing or letting a colleague down when they do not assist others. However, in any business, employees are compensated for their own work, not for completing others’ assignments. If someone believes they can rely on you to finish their tasks, they will likely attempt to do so. By maintaining her boundaries, Cashunda can achieve success.

References

BCODN. (2012). An evening with Robert Kegan and immunity to change [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FFYnVmGu9ZI

Cawsey, T. F., Deszca, G., & Ingols, C. (2016). Organizational change: An action-oriented toolkit (3rd ed.). [VitalSource]. Retrieved from www.vitalsourcebookshelf.com

Dossier. (2009). Immunity to change. Business Digest, 197, 1-9. Retrieved from http://slab500.com/mindsatwork/images/resources/resources-BusinessDigest2009.pdf

Kegan, R., & Lahey, L. (2001). The real reason people won’t change. Harvard Business Review, 79(10), 84-92.