Change Agents Encourage Everyone to Change
Change Agents Make a Huge Positive Difference
Change agents encourage an environment that cares about the customer; and as a result creates loyal customers. Change Agents make a walk-about every day to check in with their people. They know the people on their team who need more time or training. And they know the ones that are not going to make it. Their leadership skills allow them to assess who is not the right fit. And their managerial skills create the right documentation using performance appraisals etc., to take action.
Change Agents Help Create Loyal Customers
Change agents have something inside that wants to do more. They are the ones who:
- strive to be the best
- help and grow other people
- have humility
- are passionate about their life and work
People who choose to become change agents nurture unofficial leaders by giving them more responsibility. They ask them to lead an occasional meeting. They know, anyone in the team can be a leader. These leaders are not necessarily the manager or team leader. They may not have the authority to walk around in a management role. But you can be sure they are walking around anyway. You see it everywhere. People out of their cubes interacting with other people. Change agents use them!
Managers Without Leadership Skills
Sometimes, companies make mangers out of people simply because it seems the right time. A person is good at their job and suddenly they’re managing ten people. That’s when the manager needs to develop leaders within the team. In a high performing teams some are leaders but most want to follow. These unofficial champions have an ambition to do more because they are emotionally attached to the vision. They are also smart--as I mentioned earlier--use them to help the team excel. Have them:
- Handle meetings--create agendas be the time keeper etc.
- Give people projects that stretch their abilities
- Encourage team members to perform one on one coaching
Change Agents Nurture Team members with Leadership Skills
There are many people in life who attract other people to them. They have an inborn ability to do the right thing. They don’t want the official title of leader; but they lead in an unofficial capacity. They are the wise people like my grandfather. He was in the navy working in the boiler room. He was a man of great wisdom. People wanted to be around him. He was a leader without authority. My father too, was a leader and a change agent. When he was in the room everyone generated towards him. They listened to what he said, yet he never wanted to be a manager.
I also knew an engineer in Xerox who was a leader without a title. He handled things. He went the extra mile. He was reliable, great with customers, and solved problems. He was the one everyone went to. And he never blamed anyone--he took responsibility and took action.
In a Changing World, Be a Change Agent
Technology is moving so fast. It's sometimes hard to keep up. But if you believe yourself to be a change agent; you will be the one to make a positive difference. And a positive difference is a choice...so why not make the right choice?
Change Agents Come in All Shapes and Sizes