The images of change initiative are the key reference to develop and shape actions, behavior, and thinking of employees and team members. They often have a rigid review of change image and it is highly difficult for them to perceive things from the other perspective. Companies have set up a specific image about themselves. For instance, if you perceive the company as a machine you would see a lot of repair and maintenance faults that require fixing as a mechanic. Today, we’ll discuss the 6 images of change management; types, outcomes, and uses of change management images.
Dunford and Palmer outlined the two types of broad images of task management in 2002; they’re as follows;
Management as Controlling Image
The role of a change manager is to budget, report, direct, supervise, organize, and plan various activities. It is a form of top-to-bottom management approach; where they’re controlling things everything and offering guidelines and directions to gain the required results.
Management as Shaping Image
The change managers play a key role in the decision-making process. It focuses on involving employees in designing and implementing changes; it shows their strong commitment to the change project.
Outcomes Produced by Change Project
- Intended Chane Outcome: it focuses on planning change outcomes and achieving them accordingly. It follows the belief that change is the outcome of actions and intentions by leaders and change managers.
- Unintended Change Outcome: it follows the assumption and belief that it is highly difficult for the change managers to achieve the desired results; it is because various internal and external factors impact the changes
- Partially Intended Change Outcome: it follows the assumption that some people achieve the desired results with planned changes and others don’t. Different factors like skill, knowledge, and process impact the capability of change managers to achieve the desired results
6 Images of Change Management
Let’s discuss the 6 images of change management; they’re as follows;
Director
The image of director management is like a controlling figure, and the change results are achievable as planned. The role of change managers is to guide and direct employees to achieve the desired results. In fact, they guide and direct employees to achieve the desired organizational goals and objectives. It is significant to mention here that change is a strategic decision of the leadership and management that would impact the company’s survival and well-being.
The image of the director follows the assumption that they have the mandate to develop a new system that is relevant and performs well. However, it results in the form of top-performing companies that are familiar with the external environment.
Navigator
The control is the key area of management activity in the navigator image. The change management could achieve the desired results and outcomes, but they have limited control over the results. That’s why the navigator manages and controls the change initiatives. Just like planes and ships don’t function and perform well in autopilot mode. They would require regular input from the captain to deal with various types of situations and circumstances.
Caretaker
The role of the caretaker is to have significant control, but a variety of internal and external factors impact their capability to exert limited control. Those internal and external factors are out of their control. However, the term caretaker means that the change managers won’t have sufficient control over all other factors. The managers serve as caretakers and they make sure that the change process would go as planned in the difficult and changing environment.
Coach
The coach image is the role of change managers who control and improve the company’s capabilities in a particular way. They collaborate with various team members and employees of the company. However, change is a difficult and complicated process and the coaches would make it less threatening. They communicate with various employees and workers and offer them valuable feedback and suggestions. The change managers are like sports coaches and they boost the skill and expertise of employees to ensure their success in the competitive environment.
Interpreter
The interpreter image outlines the role of change managers who guide and support employees and team members to make sense of the change event. It is obligatory for change managers to guide members on what the change program actually represents. However, there are multiple conflicting perspectives on the change project, especially when different groups of people have different perspectives. The goals of individual employees should be relevant to the organizational goals, and it allows them to interpret them with their roles.
Nurturer
The nurturer image outlines the role of change managers who believe in the fact that small changes have a great impact on the company and the change managers can’t control its outcomes. They nurture organizations to build properties and become strong and independent. However, the nurturer plays the role of a gardener who shapes and cultivate the plant; the planting needs regular trimming, cleaning, fertilizing, and watering. They should take care of them regularly.
Conclusion: 6 Images of Change Management | Images of Change Management
After an in-depth study of the 6 images of change management; we have realized that images and roles of change projects are highly significant. If you are learning about the images of change management; then you should keep in mind the abovementioned roles like; caretaker, nurturer, interpreter, coach, and navigator.
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