The six images of change serve as a metaphor giving perspective about how managers
operate based on their role and/or personal experiences and circumstances. The following images
are described below:
The director, vital to any organization, fosters a strong sense of vision and dictates a step-
by-step plan with clear objectives. Such approach is proven to be effective when restructuring a
company or rolling a new strategy after meeting with investors.
The coach focuses on promoting individual development. A coach cultivates each
member’s unique abilities and encourages them to solve their problems independently. Examples
can be seen when providing cross-training among team members for continuous improvement.
The caretaker guides employees through changes caused by external forces and facilitates
a smooth transition for employees. Cases include changes in government regulations, natural
disasters, recessions, etc.
The interpreter has the ability to make sense of a situation, supporting employees to
comprehend the reasonings behind the change in a way that is meaningful to them. This method
is helpful when decisive actions are taken with no time for negotiation, such as cutbacks in
budgets or labor.
The navigator works through complexity and uncertainty with strategic flexibility. A
navigator comes into place when there is conflict of interest internally, and when consultation
and negotiation are heavily needed. A project manager who launches a new strategy due to
market shifts can operate as a navigator.
The nurturer focuses on the journey rather than the destination, granting a sense of
security in times of uncertainty. This manager builds the organization’s capacity to adapt, learn
and self-organize rather than trying to control every aspect of change. Examples include
supporting employees through a technological upgrade.
After completing the assessment to find out which of these images resemble closest to my
character, results revealed that director and coach were at the top of the score while caretaker and
nurturer were at the bottom. In the past, I would approach almost every scenario as a director.
While this method proved to be effective to obtain my goals, many teammates would get lost in
the process. It is now that I realize I need to adopt more wholesome images such as nurturing,
interpreting and navigating into my arsenal despite those being out of my comfort zone.
On the other hand, Eddie Lampert, former CEO of sears reflected the director image as
well as Caretaker. He exercised control and set reactive measures driven by external factors -
pressure from online competitors who were driving major retailers out of the competition. This
duality, however, neglected the emergent needs of employees and customers. This system
resulted in the breakdown of employee alignment, organizational culture, and revenue.
Using the director and coach image, the first step I would take is to assess the company’s
weaknesses. One of the many disadvantages that Sears possessed is that “The company
overextended its physical footprint — operating 3,000+ Sears and K-Mart locations at its peak
— many of which became unsustainable” (Tokosh & Chen,2022). Therefore, I would focus on
renovating key central stores located in promising locations, making them more modern and
appealing to the younger generations and selling those that were less frequented. In addition, I
would integrate digital platforms and shift the company’s focus to customer service. Lastly, as a
coach, I would create programs to train employees on how to navigate the emerging changes that
were happening in the company instead of allowing internal competition to hinder the overall
progress.
Sadly, despite Lamper’s attempt to save the company, Sears Corporation first filed for
Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in Oct. 2018 (Garner, 2022). One of the things that motivated
Lampert was his appetite for increasing business profits. Focusing solely on gains led to
irrational decision making that ultimately led to the downfall of Sears. Timothy 6:10 warns about
the love of money: “For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after,
they have erred from the faith and pierced themselves through with many sorrows”. While
money itself is not harmful, it is the love of money that corrupts the soul and deems one’s
capacity to see the needs of others. When our motives are purely selfish, we are destined for
failure.
References
Tokosh, J., & Chen, X. (2022). Did the Macy’s in my mall close? Revisiting the closures
of Macy’s, Sears, and JCPenney stores.GeoJournal,87(4), 2551-2575.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10708-021-10386-6
Garner, S. (2022, Aug 12). Sears Holdings Reaches $175 Million Settlement With Former
CEO Eddie Lampert, 4 Years After Filing for Bankruptcy.Footwear News : FN
(Online),https://go.openathens.net/redirector/liberty.edu?url=https://www.proquest.com/
magazines/sears-holdings-reaches-175-million-settlement/docview/2701318259/se-2
(King James Bible, 1769/2017, 1 Timothy 6:10)
Leading Organizational Change. (2021). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill/Create
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