Change Managers Play An Active Role In How Change Occ 488879

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. In your paper, Add an introduction that includes a statement that informs your reader what topics and subtopics will be discussed in the assignment. Evaluate the Organizational Development (OD) approach Discuss the OD approach as associated with the coach image. Evaluate the sense-making approach. Discuss the sense-making approach as associated with the interpreter image. Compare and contrast the steps of each evaluated framework. Add a summary conclusion paragraph.

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Introduction

Organizational change is an integral aspect of modern management, requiring effective strategies to facilitate smooth transitions and ensure sustainable improvement. Change managers play a crucial role in shaping how change unfolds within organizations through various foundational approaches and mental models. This paper explores two prominent perspectives: the Organizational Development (OD) approach associated with the coach image, and the sense-making approach linked to the interpreter image. It evaluates each approach, compares and contrasts their steps, and discusses how these frameworks influence the change process.

Organizational Development (OD) Approach and the Coach Image

The Organizational Development (OD) approach is a planned, systematic effort aimed at improving an organization’s effectiveness and its capacity to adapt to environmental changes. This approach emphasizes participative change, where stakeholders are actively involved throughout the process, fostering organizational learning and development. OD is rooted in humanistic values, promoting collaboration, empowerment, and behavioral change (Burke, 2017).

The coach image within this context positions change managers as facilitators or coaches who guide individuals and teams through the change process. As coaches, change managers support staff in understanding the need for change, overcoming resistance, and developing new skills. They employ models such as appreciative inquiry or Lewin’s change model to foster engagement and facilitate smooth transitions (Cameron & Green, 2019). The coach image emphasizes empathy, active listening, and tailored support, making change more palatable and sustainable.

The OD approach tied to the coach image underscores the importance of participative, values-driven change, where the change leader acts as a facilitator rather than an authoritarian figure. This approach promotes a culture of continuous improvement, where feedback and collaboration are central to successful change initiatives (French, Bell, & Zawacki, 2019). The steps of OD typically involve diagnosing organizational issues, planning interventions, implementing change, and evaluating results, aligning well with the coaching mindset of empowerment and development.

The Sense-Making Approach and the Interpreter Image

The sense-making approach centers on how individuals interpret and give meaning to change within their organizational context. This approach recognizes that change is subjective and heavily dependent on individual perception, cognition, and social interaction. It is rooted in the work of Karl Weick (1995), who argued that sense-making is an ongoing process where organizational actors actively construct meaning from ambiguous information to reduce uncertainty.

The interpreter image in this framework positions change managers as interpreters who help employees make sense of complex organizational changes. Change managers as interpreters engage in dialogue, share narratives, and facilitate understanding by framing information in ways that resonate with team members’ experiences and beliefs (Weick & Sutcliffe, 2007). The goal is to align individual perceptions with organizational objectives, reducing confusion and resistance.

The sense-making approach involves steps like identifying information that impacts perceptions, creating shared narratives, and fostering an environment where employees can interpret the change in a way that minimizes uncertainty. This approach emphasizes communication, storytelling, and participatory interpretation—underscoring the importance of psychological safety and trust in the change process (Maitlis & Christianson, 2014). The interpreter image champions the role of change practitioners as facilitators of understanding, rather than mere implementers.

Comparison and Contrast of the Frameworks

Both the OD approach and the sense-making approach aim to facilitate effective organizational change but differ fundamentally in their focus and methodology. The OD approach is structured, systematic, and emphasizes collaboration and developmental change. It involves diagnosing issues, planning interventions, and implementing change through participative engagement, aligning with the coach image which emphasizes facilitation and support (Burke, 2017; Cameron & Green, 2019).

Contrastingly, the sense-making approach focuses on individual and collective perception and the creation of shared meaning. It is more flexible, emphasizing storytelling, interpretation, and reducing ambiguity. The interpreter image signifies a role that involves facilitating understanding and constructing realistic frames of reference for employees, making sense of ambiguous or complex change environments (Weick, 1995; Maitlis & Christianson, 2014).

While the OD approach tends to be more proactive and planned, fostering organizational learning over time, the sense-making approach is reactive and adaptive, responding to how individuals interpret the change as it unfolds. The OD framework's steps include diagnosis, intervention, and evaluation, whereas the sense-making process involves interpreting, narrating, and re-framing information.

Both approaches recognize the importance of communication and stakeholder engagement but differ in their underlying assumptions about human behavior in change. OD views it through behavioral change and organizational systems, while sense-making emphasizes perception, cognition, and social construction.

Conclusion

In conclusion, change managers influence the change process significantly through different foundational approaches and mental models. The organizational development approach, aligned with the coach image, emphasizes participative, systemic, and developmental change facilitated by coaching and collaboration. Conversely, the sense-making approach, associated with the interpreter image, underscores the importance of perception, narrative, and understanding in navigating ambiguity and complexity. Both frameworks offer valuable insights for managing change; the OD approach provides a structured pathway for systemic transformation, while the sense-making approach addresses the subjective dimensions of change, helping organizations adapt in uncertain environments. Effective change management requires integrating these perspectives to foster both organizational learning and individual understanding, ultimately leading to more sustainable and resilient change initiatives.

References

  • Burke, W. W. (2017). Organizational Change: Theory and Practice. SAGE Publications.
  • Cameron, E., & Green, M. (2019). Making Sense of Change Management. Kogan Page.
  • French, W. L., Bell, C. H., & Zawacki, R. A. (2019). Organization Development and Transformation. Pearson Education.
  • 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. (2007). Managing the Unexpected: Resilient Performance in an Age of Uncertainty. Jossey-Bass.
  • Van de Ven, A. H., & Poole, M. S. (1995). Explaining development and change in organizations. Academy of Management Review, 20(3), 510-540.
  • Cameron, E., & Green, M. (2019). Making Sense of Change Management. Kogan Page.
  • French, W. L., Bell, C. H., & Zawacki, R. A. (2019). Organization Development and Transformation. Pearson Education.
  • Robinson, S. P., & Judge, T. A. (2019). Organizational Behavior. Pearson.

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