A Study on the Perceived Impact of Leadership Change on an Organization’s Communication Climate

Abstract

Change is an inevitable process. Ironic as it may seem but change is indeed the only one thing permanent in this world. Moreover, in our environment wherein everything is interrelated hence interdependent to each other, any alteration in one aspect inevitably affects the other aspects. Any change brought by each component entity creates change in the whole environment or system wherein it is embedded. Being a system or an environment itself, the organization also exhibits the same characteristic. The changes experienced and implemented by the organization can be due and in response to both external and internal factors. The target of the imposed change could either be the organizations structure, technology, or people. Nevertheless, any change process that occurs in any of these three dimensions of the organization is believed to unavoidably lead to another. Therefore, the change process that happens in an organization is perceived to have a domino effect. Apparently, there is a significant relationship existing between leadership change and communication climate vital to the effectiveness of both the individual and the whole organization. Recognizing that fact and discovering that this particular issue has not given much attention, this present study poses the general question, “What are the perceived changes in the communication climate in the Philippine General Hospital Department of Surgery after leadership change?” Accordingly, the succeeding specific questions were also presented: (1) What is the perceived impact of leadership change?; (2) What is the perceived communication climate in the organization prior to leadership change?; (3) What is the perceived communication climate in the organization after leadership change? A descriptive survey research design was employed for this present study. A total of 53 respondents from the Philippine General Hospital Department of Surgery provided the needed data. To gather data, a survey questionnaire that is divided into two parts and an interview schedule were used. The first part of the survey questionnaire used was patterned after Du Brin’s criteria for rating the impact of change while the second part was adapted from Dennis’ Communication Climate Inventory. Based on the results of the study, it was concluded that leadership change imposes a moderate impact in terms of the number of people and activities affected, and investment in resources. Accordingly, it was found out that the communication climate in the PGH Department of Surgery was perceived as relatively good and supportive prior to leadership change. However, this satisfactory communication climate in the department was perceived to have significantly improved and became even more supportive after leadership change. Apparently, the aforementioned findings illustrate and further attest to the existing relationship between leadership change and communication climate. Moreover, further implication discovered through this study is that the impact of leadership change could be either positive or negative depending on the leadership styles imposed by both the previous and present leaders. In line with the conclusions drawn, the researcher suggests that the organization maintains the consultative and democratic climate as well as the disciplinarian and systematic yet not coercive manner of leadership started and presently imposed by the current Chair. An inter-division event like a social gathering where members belonging to different departments could mingle more and establish camaraderie and relationships was also recommended. Moreover, the impact of leadership change on an organization’s communication climate as influenced by the style of leadership employed by both the previous and present leaders was recommended for further study. Aside from communication climate, other people aspect of the organization can be tackled as having causal relationship with leadership change. The researcher further suggested that an organization with larger number of respondents and which exhibits more interaction among peers should be considered as site in conducting the same study in order to further verify the findings. Lastly, other than survey and interview schedule, future researchers could also conduct observations to gather more qualitative and meaningful data.