Just putting down some thought that had occupied my brain ;) The Change Agent - People who act as catalysts for change must have these 5 Characteristic. 1. Clear Vision – A “change agent” does not have to be the person in authority, but they do however have to have a clear vision and be able to communicate that clearly with others. Where people can be frustrated is if they feel that someone is all over the place on what they see as important and tend to change their vision often. This will scare away others as they are not sure when they are on a sinking ship and start to looking for ways out. It is essential to note that a clear vision does not mean that there is one way to do things; in fact, it is essential to tap into the strengths of the people you work with and help them see that there are many ways to work toward a common purpose. 2. Patient yet persistent – Change does not happen overnight and most people know that. To have sustainable change that is meaningful to people, it is something that they will have to embrace and see importance. Most people need to experience something before they really understand and that is fact. With that being said, many can get frustrated that change does not happen fast enough and they tend to push people further away from the vision, then closer. The persistence comes in that you will take opportunities to help people get a step closer often when they are ready, not just giving up on them after the first try. We continuously find that people have to move people from their point ‘A’ to their point ‘B’, not have everyone move at the same pace. Every step forward is a step closer to a goal; change agents just help to make sure that people are moving ahead. 3. Ask tough questions – It would be easy for someone to come in and tell you how things should be, but again that is someone else’s solution. When that solution is someone else’s, there is no accountability to see it through. It is when people feel an emotional connection to something is when they will truly move ahead. Asking questions focusing on, “What is best for us all?”, and helping people come to their own conclusions based on their experience is when you will see people have ownership in what they are doing. Keep asking questions to help people think, don’t alleviate that by telling them what to do. 4. Knowledgeable and leads by example – Leaders must have “character and credibility”; they are not just seen as good people but that they are also knowledgeable in what they are speaking about. Too many times, people feel like their government have “lost touch” with what is happening in the country, and many times they are right. If you want to create “change”, you have to not only be able to articulate what change looks like, but to also be able to show it to others. 5. Strong relationships built on trust – All of the above, means nothing if you do not have solid relationships with the people that you serve. People will not want to grow if they do not trust the person that is pushing the change. The change agents must be extremely approachable and reliable. You should never be afraid to approach that individual based on their “authority” and usually they will go out of their way to connect with you. Therefore “Every Leader Must Be A Change Agent Or Face Extinction” - Change is the new normal for leadership success and all leaders must accept this fact. Leadership in the 21st century not only requires the ability to continuously manage crisis and change – but also the circular vision to see around, beneath and beyond the obvious in order to anticipate the unexpected before circumstances force your hand. As you embark upon your change management journey, there will be things that will challenge your capabilities as a change agent and potentially become defining moments along your leadership success path. Leaders can no longer be comfortable just gravitating to the generation they belong to. Connecting the dots of talent, unique perspectives and experiences requires all leaders to change their attitude, approach and style to accommodate the needs and seize the opportunities that lie within a broader multigenerational reach. The opportunities embedded in the rapid demographic shift are endless, yet the lack of cultural intelligence is making it difficult for leaders to understand what best practice requirements that lie right within reach. The 21st century leader must be more culturally intelligent about others (as well as themselves) in order to finally realize the value of the demographic shift. Culture is the new currency for growth and leaders must change their perspectives. Izzee Sulaiman (aka Mohammad Bin Sulaiman)
Posted on: Wed, 14 Jan 2015 18:57:38 +0000
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