What are the six change management images and how would you define them?
There are six change management images leaders will utilize and depending on the
situation a leader could any of them to solve the issue or objective. Hagl et al. (2024) stated,
“Change management interventions (CMIs) are intentional activities that managers employ to
facilitate planned organizational change by influencing employee receptivity to and adoption of
that change.” The six change management images include nurturer, caretaker, interpreter,
navigator, coach, and director. The six change management images are formed through two
dimensions the choice of the change management approach and the expectations of the outcomes
of the change procedure. Management as control is a “top-down” viewpoint of management.
Heinz (2021) stated, “The manager’s job is to drive the machine in a particular direction.”
The director's image focuses on driving the organization toward the company's
objectives. Heinz (2021) stated, “The director image views management as controlling, and
change outcomes as being achievable as planned.” The navigator change management image is
similar to the director however, the leader has little control over the results of changes. Heinz
(2021) stated, “Outcomes are at least partly emergent rather than completely planned and result
from a variety of influences, competing interests, and processes.” The caretaker change-
management image is still a controlling image but has little control due to the organization's
internal and external hurdles obstructing control. Heinz (2021) stated, “In this rather pessimistic
image, at best managers are caretakers, shepherding their organizations along to the best of their
ability.” The caretaker image only allows leaders to guide their teams towards where the
organization is already heading.
The coach change management image can guide and shape the organization in its image
using expectations, and skill enhancement to shape the organization in the leader's image. Heinz
(2021) stated, “Like a sports coach, the change manager shapes the organization’s or team’s
capabilities to ensure that, in a competitive situation, it will be more likely to succeed.” The
interpreter change management image is a leader that creates meaning for their team and
organization. The interpreter image is especially important when an organization is facing
consequences or hard times. Heinz (2021) stated, “The interpreter image of change management
may be particularly significant during an economic downturn and recession when commitment
and loyalty to employers are likely to deteriorate.” The nurturer change management image are
leaders who are aware of their inability to control everything within the organization but can help
develop their team to nurture them towards a positive impact. Heinz (2021) stated, “Future
directions and outcomes can be nurtured or shaped, but the ability to produce specific intended
outcomes is limited by wider, and sometimes chaotic, forces and influences.”
How would you describe their corresponding approaches to change management?
The director's approach to change management is focused on controlling the outcomes of
the organization through the:guidance of their team. Payne et al. (2023) stated, “Efficient change
is necessary for business (or any) organizations to succeed.” The director's main role in change
management is adjusting the organization's plans and guiding it to a positive result. The
navigator’s approach to change management has less control than the director however they still
focus on guiding the organization towards success. The navigator has to deal with forces
obstructing them to guide the company. The caretaker’s approach to change management is also
focused on controlling the organization toward success, however, the leader faces extensive
factors inhibiting their ability to control outcomes.
The coach’s approach to change management is focused on shaping outcomes within the
organization through coaching and teaching the team members towards the organization's goals.
The coach’s approach is focused on cooperating within the team to bring the best out of its
members. The interpreter’s approach to change management is also focused on shaping the
organization but unlike the coach this style of leader is not focused on coaching and teaching its
team members but instead on shaping the group's mentality towards a common goal and creating
meaning for each team member. The nurturer’s role is also focused on shaping outcomes, but this
leader is focused on shaping unintended outcomes. The nurturer understands they are unable to
fully control the results of change management, but they can make incremental differences
leading toward improved results for the organization.
Detail the results of your assessment, including your top image or images, if those images
require actions that would make you uncomfortable, and whether you feel you could
navigate between strong and weak images based on the situational context.
The top image is the coach change management image. As a leader and a Christian, I
believe it is vital to engage with others and help others. The coach's change management image
aligns with this worldview. Managers should lead their people through change. The coach
perspective allows for collaboration between leaders and workers which is essential for open
collaboration among an organization. Based on my assessment I would be comfortable
navigating between strong and weak images. Different situations call for different images. In the
case of Eddie Lampert, that situation would have benefited from utilizing an image that allowed
for open collaboration amongst the organization.
What is your assessment of the image(s) of Eddie Lampert in this scenario?
Eddie Lampert as the chairman of the merger of Kmart and Sears oversaw the
organization's loss of:profits which resulted in store closures. Eddie Lampert showed
characteristics of both a director and navigator change management image.
Lampert showcased a director image by controlling all internal changes without
collaboration with team members within the organization. Lampert’s inability to cooperate
within the organization led to an inability to adjust correctly. Due to Lampert’s inability to work
with his organization, the company eventually filed for bankruptcy. Lampert also displayed
a:navigator change management image when he merged the two stores.
Using your dominant image or images, how would you have approached the change
management efforts by Eddie Lampert at Sears?
Using the coach change management image I would have been engaging with the internal
team and focusing on areas of issue. Training and interacting within the organization would have
increased the likelihood that:the concerns of stakeholders would have been introduced and
addressed.
Christians as leaders must follow Jesus’s footsteps and work as a leader. Christians when
given a leadership role should lead in Jesus’s image. James 4:10 states, “Humble yourselves
before the Lord, and he will lift you up.” Leaders should be humble and work on behalf of their
groups.
References
Hagl, C., Kanitz, R., Gonzalez, K., & Hoegl, M. (2024). Change management interventions:
Taking stock and moving forward. Human Resource Management Review, 34(1),
101000. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hrmr.2023.101000
Heinz, A. (2021). Leading Organizational Change. McGraw-Hill Create.
https://bookshelf.vitalsource.com/books/9781307709100
New International Version. (2023).Bible Gateway. https://www.biblegateway.com./passage/?
search=2+Corinthians+13%3A5+&version=NIV
Payne, D., Trumbach, C., & Soharu, R. (2023). The values change management cycle: Ethical
change management. Journal of Business Ethics, 188(3), 429-440.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-022-05306-8
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