Change Managers Play An Active Role In How Change Occurs

Change Managers Play An Active Role In The Way Change Occurs Within Th

Change managers play an active role in the way change occurs within the organization. There are specific foundational approaches associated with the change process and the coach and interpreter images. Evaluate and discuss the Organizational Development (OD) approach as associated with the coach image. Evaluate and discuss the sense making approach as associated with the interpreter image. Compare and contrast the steps of each evaluated framework.

Your paper should be three to four pages in length (excluding the title and reference pages). Your paper must be formatted according to APA style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center, and it must include in-text citations and references for at least two scholarly sources from the Ashford University Library, in addition to the course text.

Paper For Above instruction

Introduction

The role of change managers within organizations is pivotal to facilitating effective and sustainable change. Their approaches shape how change initiatives are perceived, adopted, and maintained. Two significant frameworks guiding change management are the Organizational Development (OD) approach, associated with the coach image, and the sense-making approach, aligned with the interpreter image. This paper explores both frameworks, evaluating their core steps, comparing their methodologies, and examining their implications for effective change management.

Organizational Development (OD) Approach and the Coach Image

Organizational Development (OD) is a systematic, planned effort to increase an organization's effectiveness and health through interventions in its processes and structures (Cummings & Worley, 2014). It emphasizes collaboration, participative decision-making, and continuous learning. The OD approach aligns closely with the coach image, which entails supporting and guiding individuals and teams through change rather than directive control.

The key steps in the OD process typically include diagnosis, action planning, intervention, and evaluation (French & Bell, 2015). First, diagnosis involves identifying organizational issues through data collection and analysis. Next, action planning develops strategies tailored to organizational needs. Intervention implements these strategies, often through team development, training, or restructuring. Finally, evaluation assesses outcomes and facilitates ongoing improvement.

This approach fosters a participative environment where employees are active contributors, thus enhancing acceptance and commitment to change (Cummings & Worley, 2014). As the coach guides rather than dictates, this method cultivates internal capacity for change and adaptability, which is essential for long-term success.

Sense-Making Approach and the Interpreter Image

The sense-making approach centers on understanding how individuals interpret and assign meaning to organizational change (Weick, 1995). It is associated with the interpreter image, wherein change managers act as storytellers or interpreters who help employees make sense of complex or ambiguous change processes.

The steps involved in sense-making include identifying new information, interpreting its significance, constructing a coherent narrative, and communicating this narrative effectively (Maitlis & Christianson, 2014). The process begins with leaders gathering and processing data about change, but then shifts to creating a shared understanding among staff.

The emphasis on interpretation recognizes that employees’ reactions to change are shaped by their perceptions, prior experiences, and cultural contexts. Effective change management involves crafting stories that resonate with employees, reduce uncertainty, and foster emotional buy-in (Weick & Sutcliffe, 2001). This approach underscores the importance of communication and perception management during change initiatives (Boal & Jenkins, 2013).

Comparison and Contrast of the Frameworks

Both the OD and sense-making frameworks aim to facilitate effective change but differ in their processes, focus, and underlying philosophies.

Process Orientation: OD is systematic, structured, and action-oriented. It involves deliberate interventions based on diagnosis and planned actions. Conversely, sense-making is an interpretive process, emphasizing understanding, meaning, and narrative construction. Its focus is less on formal interventions and more on communication and perception shaping (Weick, 1995).

Role of Employees: OD encourages participative problem-solving, empowering employees to contribute to change development. This collaborative approach builds internal capacity. Sense-making involves engaging employees through storytelling and interpretation, emphasizing perception and emotional engagement (Maitlis & Christianson, 2014).

Focus of Change: OD targets organizational processes and structures to improve effectiveness, often used for comprehensive change initiatives. Sense-making is centered on individual and collective perceptions, helping people reconcile change with their existing mental models.

Implications for Practice: OD’s structured interventions are suited for planned, large-scale change efforts requiring clear steps and measurable outcomes. Sense-making is particularly valuable in turbulent or ambiguous environments where perceptions significantly influence acceptance and morale.

Integration of Frameworks: While different in approach, integrating OD’s participative interventions with sense-making’s narrative strategies can lead to more holistic change processes. Leaders can use structured OD interventions while simultaneously managing perceptions through effective storytelling.

Conclusion

Change management approaches rooted in the OD and sense-making frameworks offer valuable strategies for guiding organizational transformation. The OD approach, aligned with the coach image, emphasizes participative, structured interventions that foster internal capacity for change. The sense-making approach, associated with the interpreter image, highlights the importance of perception and narrative in shaping attitudes toward change. Both frameworks provide complementary insights—OD provides the methodology for change processes, while sense-making emphasizes the critical role of understanding and communication. Combining elements of both approaches can enhance the effectiveness of change initiatives, ensuring they are both structured and meaningfully embraced by members of the organization.

References

Boal, K. B., & Jenkins, M. (2013). Managing change through storytelling. Journal of Organizational Change Management, 26(4), 601–616.

Cummings, T., & Worley, C. (2014). Organization Development and Change (10th ed.). Cengage Learning.

French, W. L., & Bell, C. H. (2015). Organization Development: Behavioral Science Interventions for Organization Improvement (7th ed.). Pearson.

Maitlis, S., & Christianson, M. (2014). Sensemaking in organizations: Taking stock and moving forward. The Academy of Management Annals, 8(1), 57–125.

Weick, K. E. (1995). Sensemaking in Organizations. Sage Publications.

Weick, K. E., & Sutcliffe, K. M. (2001). Managing the unexpected: Assuring high performance in an age of complexity. Jossey-Bass.