NHRD Journal - National HRD Network

and cope up with pressure and setback. Hence,
some of them come up with experience of
"knowing the organization" and some comes
from "knowing what is best" and rest comes
from the ability to know both and use it to bring
the best in terms of the change.
The various characteristics of change agents come
from different dispositions. Some are personality
characteristics. While equating change agents
with leaders, we look at some of the basic
personality characteristics like charisma.
Research as a whole, has defied most of these
aspects that we attribute to leaders and as such
to change agents. Colin (2001) for example has
found that exceptional leaders are the ones who
are high on humility and put themselves as the
background runners to make long-term impact.
As one of the critical aspect of change agent is to
have the courage of failure it is ironical that we
expect people who have narcissist tendencies or
want to rely on their charisma more than anything
else can bring out transformations. It thus
depends on the organizations to build on
evidences of change to give responsibilities to
groom future leaders and change agents rather
than going by perceptions.
Training interventions that are carefully chosen
to develop competencies that are identified to be
critical for change management can be effectively
done. Outbound training that focuses on
altering mental blocks on change can be used
effectively for creating an atmosphere for change.
However, it has been reported by experts that
outbound as a mechanism can do very less on
the organizational context but it can be effectively
used to make the individual a better person. The
second aspect would be coaching. Coaching on
specific characteristics based on role model
change agents can be effective. Hand holding
and creating confidence and courage can go a
long way in making a mindset of change.
However, a critical organizational context that
can aid any change agent and change process
as Argyris (1997) is based on two critical factors
- first is to make previously un discussable
problems discussable. This enables unearthing
of critical issues and making change possible.
A change agent should ensure that people are
put at non-threatening stance to make this
happen. Second critical factor would be
enabling learning and information sharing in
the best possible way.
In the context of every day working in the
organization, change agents can be nurtured
only if we have tolerance to failure and
experimentation is allowed. This requires a
culture of allowing taking risks and
empowerment. Quite certainly this boils down
to how managers empower their employees
and support mechanisms are provided for
making the change.
Conclusion
This paper attempted to bring across what is
the role of a change agent, what makes a change
agent, and how we can groom a change agent.
A change agent model is an inspirational one.
However, one can be a change agent only if
he/she has the necessary competencies that are
essentially strategic to complement traits like
courage and confidence. As John Kotter states
"Leaders establish the vision for the future and
set the strategy for getting there; they cause
change1. They motivate and inspire others to
go in the right direction and they, along with
everyone else, sacrifice to get there." This is no
different for a change agent who takes the
leadership of the situation on him/herself and
rides towards the goal. It is the ability of the
organization to set up a culture that supports/
tolerates change that is the biggest enabler of a
change agent.
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November 2007 NHRD Journal