Change Agents

Change Agents

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  Building an effectivechange agent team
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  Thinking about changeagents When a company attempts a transformation focused on its operations, a sound plan and a robust execution strategy are not necessarily enough. Another important factor in the success of this type of initiative—involving everything from…….. simplifying processes and improving the efficiency of equipment to modifying an entire supply chain …… .is the designation of specific employees as “change agents” who lead the organization through the journey.
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  Designing a changeagent program Experience suggests that a carefully constructed change agent program is essential to any reorganization effort. Such a program requires 3 elements: a thoughtful design, the careful recruitment and development of personnel, close integration between the change agent team and the organizational areas targeted for transformation. Two of the most important tasks, when creating a change agent team, are defining the roles of its members and establishing a reporting structure.
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  Designing a program– role definition 1 As in any organization, each individual on the change agent team has a specific role. For example: executers are responsible for implementing solutions experts use their extensive knowledge to solve difficult problems coaches train line employees in the new processes, custodians ensure that knowledge is shared across organizational units controllers track what’s been done and what must still be accomplished.
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  Designing a program– role definition 2 How much emphasis an organization places on each of these roles will depend on the nature of the change program and the existing culture of the organization; For instance, an organization with a weak culture of accountability will need more coaches and controllers in order to ensure consistency.
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  Designing a program– structure 1 As for reporting structures, there are two possible models. One is to create a centralized change agent team that reports directly to the top team. The other, decentralized option is to keep change agents in their respective groups so that they report through a dotted line to a central change agent leader. Each of these approaches has its advantages and drawbacks. A centralized change agent team may encourages new ideas, the thorough development of new thinking, and a standard set of solutions across the organization.
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  Designing a program– structure 2 Alternatively, the decentralized model tends to; foster greater skill building, the quicker dissemination of the program’s values, and better customization of solutions for each site or group. Short-term priorities, the long-term rollout plan, and the culture of the existing organization are all factors that must be considered when determining which change agent structure will be most effective. In one example, the project had opted for the centralized approach. However, the agents were viewed as an outside intrusion into business unit operations, the approach was costly and not effective
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  Recruiting & developingthe best team 1 With a change agent organizational structure in place, the next step is to identify and recruit the best team possible. There are 2 crucial components in this process: Identifying credible candidates who will deliver results Building a compelling case for these recruits to become part of the project change initiative Identifying credible candidates A useful litmus test when considering possible change agents is to anticipate the reaction from other staff members when an appointment to the new position is announced.
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  Recruiting & developingthe best team 2 Selecting high-performing people who are already well respected within the company sends a clear signal that management takes the program seriously. Moreover, a credible set of team members will be better able to drive change and implement recommendations Change agents need more than raw analytical power to solve complex business problems; interpersonal skills are also critical if they are to lead others through change.
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  7 Critical ChangeReadiness Drivers There are seven critical elements which must be satisfied in the minds of stakeholders in order to achieve a successful change = Successful Change = Confusion = Inertia = Diffusion = Frustration = Fatigue = Crawl = Doubt Compelling Case? Clear Vision? Well Defined Plan? Adequate Resources? Capabilities? Sufficient Motivation? Effective Comm?