Role of Change Champions or Agents

i) setting the leadership style (leadership style is very situational; with participatory leadership the most effective in many situations)

ii) create a shared vision or purpose (involve all relevant stakeholders including workforce, customers, etc)

iii)  encourage maximum buy-in/ownership (by all the relevant stakeholders, etc)

iv) develop continuous improvement processes (at the same time understanding organizational priorities and needs, ie big picture; This involves ongoing feedback and reviews so that opportunities for improvement are identified and implemented)

v) develop relevant measurement criteria (gather meaningful data about work processes so that meaningful analysis and Improvements can begin)

vi) encourage professional and personal development (necessary training provided to maximize professional and personal development)

NB The process involves

“...first to define the specific objectives that will cause the change, then to describe the results that the change is expected to reduce. The manager should then describe the impact of the change will have on the work unit or department…”

Jonathan H Westover, 2010

Furthermore, if the change agent’s skills are inadequate, especially around people handling, they can easily ‘get people offside’ and increase resistance to change.

NB

“...The prospect of change is frightening to most people, whether realistic or not. This fear of change often produces disruptions in organizations……if managers do not adequately anticipate or plan for the responses of their subordinates to a proposed change, the change may be far more disruptive than necessary. However, change agents have the opportunity to prepare those in the organisation for such turbulent change, and therefore minimize potential organisation to disruption and leverage the situation as an opportunity for competitive growth and progress…”

Jonathan H  Westover, 2010