Change is dynamic, and organizations must cope with it. As the world continues to encounter and introduce new changes, organizations must also ensure they update their operations. In most cases, when organizations fail to incorporate changes, they tend to perform poorly in the market. Change is complex, and leaders should understand the appropriate approaches to use. Leaders can apply two common techniques in the change implementation process: organizational development and the sense-making approach. Additionally, the two methods of change implementation are influenced by other factors termed as images of management. The change leader decides on which images should be used based on the nature of the organization. Leaders must settle for the appropriate image as it contributes significantly to the success of the change process.
Organizational Development and Coach Image
The organizational development approach involves planned systemic changes in employees' attitudes, beliefs, and values for the general organization and personal growth ( Cummings & Worley, 2014 ). This approach is essential for organizations because it creates a continuous cycle of improvement. Organizations that apply the OD approach dedicate themselves to continually improve their practices by adopting new technology and other external changes. It also aims to empower the employees and ensure that they can meet the organization's expectations. OD ensures that all the organizational structures and systems/units are connected and operating efficiently. As a result, it offers a conducive environment that motivates employees to unlock their maximum potential. Furthermore, OD ensures that strategies are planned, implemented, evaluated, monitored, and improved ( Cummings & Worley, 2014 ). Consequently, this approach offers a high probability of change success. Additionally, it also acts as a proactive strategy that allows organizations to embrace changes prompted by either external or internal forces.
Delegate your assignment to our experts and they will do the rest.
The Coach Image is an idea of implementing changes through a change leader. This image ideology believes that the manager or the change leader can influence an organization to move in a particular direction. He/she is viewed as the coach in sports who can improve team performance. The manager under the coach images uses his ability to educate people about the change to be implemented, offer directions/guidance, and solve problems, among other duties. Additionally, the coach image ideology depicts that the change manager can develop the team's ability to achieve the organization's goals by reinforcing the organizational development values. Therefore, OD significantly relates to coach image based on their intentions. For instance, OD focuses on different values: humanistic, democratic, and developmental ( Cummings & Worley, 2014 ). The coach image helps to evaluate, monitor, and recommend changes to these values. Therefore, coach image leads to a better performance of an organizational development approach.
Additionally, the coach image is responsible for observing, analyzing, and monitoring employees to improve their performance. The coach evaluates the employees' performance and determines the area that requires improvement, and subsequently imparts them with proper skills and knowledge on performing better in their duties ( Sosiawani et al., 2015 ). Therefore, the coach image reinforces the organizational development approach, whose one of the objectives is to ensure that people are empowered to unlock their full potentials. The coach aims to develop the OD approach and ensure that it provokes relevant changes in the organization. The couch image helps organizational development strategy to achieve its goals.
Sense-Making Approach and Interpreter Image
The sense-making approach involves understanding various concepts, processes, and changes in organizations. This approach is considered as a cognitive approach that promotes consistent learning. This approach is applicable when the change leaders have a profound understanding and knowledge about the organization's need for change. He or she helps the rest of the organization's members to comprehend the relevance of changes. Sense-making is a construction and reconstruction procedure where managers understand and interpret the organization's changes sensibly for themselves and others (Rouleau & Balogun, 2011). People must understand the importance of the change so that they can accept it. Without proper comprehension and knowledge, the change is most likely to encounter objection; thus, leading to an unsuccessful implementation process.
Interpreter image helps make sense of either intentional or non-intentional changes that may affect the organization in any way. The interpreter image then ensures that he conveys his understanding concerning the purpose of the transition to other people (Palmer, Dunford & Buchan, 2017). The interpreter image relates to the sense-making approach because one cannot exist without the other. If an organization chooses to use a sense-making approach, they have no choice than using the interpreter image to enhance the change's success. Suppose the change is unintentional and is caused by the dynamic changing external environment. In that case, the interpreter image alerts other people about the possible impacts the interpretation of changes may have on the organization. Consequently, the organization establishes the necessary plans to incorporate the change.
Contrast and Comparison between Coach and Interpreter Approach
The coach and interpreter approach possesses some similarities and differences. They both create awareness. The interpreter image alerts the other people about the effects that a change may cause to the organization. This image aims at conveying the message throughout the organization to ensure that everyone understands every detail concerning the change. Similarly, coach image educates the rest of the organization members about the change objectives and their expected contributions toward the implementation process. Additionally, the two types of managing change draw attention to the dominant images of changes. They both have a dominant group who are the change managers, and everyone in the organizations waits for their direction and recommendation. Therefore, attention is directed in one order.
However, some differences exist between the two images of managing change. For instance, in the couch image, the change leader possesses intended outcomes. He strategically visions and plans the changes he would like to implement in the organization. The couch image is devoted to improving the organizations' and employees' skills for their general growth. Under this image, the change leader is termed successful after achieving the intended outcomes.
Conversely, in the interpreter image, the change leader possesses partially intended outcomes. He plans for some changes and interprets to other people ensuring that he provides logical reasoning that makes sense. However, some new unforeseen changes may emerge, and the interpreter image has to establish meaning for the rest of the organization team. The change manager under interpreter image has a critical role in developing a profound understanding of outcomes, including the unplanned ones.
Conclusion
Organizations encounter numerous incidences of changes, notably in the current times where the world keeps on changing. Therefore, it is paramount for organizations to incorporate a proper change management approach to implement changes successfully. The typical change approaches adopted by most organizations include Organizational Development and Sense-Making. The coach's image reinforces the organizational developmental process. Coach image helps the organization to achieve its goals and improve performance. On the other hand, the interpreter approach enhances the success of the Sense-making approach. Although these two images help in managing change in the organizations, they possess some differences. Coach images have intended outcomes, while interpreter image is associated with the partially intended outcome. There are several mages of change management, and organizations should settle for the one that suits them.
References
Cummings, T. G., & Worley, C. G. (2014). Organization development and change . Cengage learning.
Palmer, I., Dunford, R., & Buchanan, D. A. (2017). Managing organizational change: A multiple perspectives approach . New York: McGraw-Hill Education.
Rouleau, L., & Balogun, J. (2011). Middle managers, strategic sense-making, and discursive competence. Journal of Management Studies , 48 (5), 953-983.
Sosiawani, I., Ramli, A., Mustafa, M. B., & Yusoff, R. Z. (2015). Strategic planning and firm performance: A proposed framework. International Academic Research Journal of Business and Technology , 1 (2), 201-207.
