Page 188 - E2 Integrated Workbook STUDENT 2018

Chapter 13

Change agents

Many organisations seek to identify and reward change agents to encourage and
facilitate change. They can play a major role in helping deal with resistance to
change. Usually change agents are figures who are familiar and non-threatening to
other people.

Whether internal or external, the change agent is central to the process, and is
useful in helping the organisation to:

 Define the problem and its cause – the change agent should be able to
identify restraining forces or potential resistance and help management to
understand the root causes behind them.

 Diagnose solutions and select appropriate courses of action – the change
agent will be responsible for proposing ways in which these problems can be
overcome and then helping management to select the most appropriate course
of action.

 Implement change – once management have made their decision about which
course of action to take, it will need to be implemented. Given that the change
agent will be well informed about the proposed change and the reasons behind
it, they are likely to be the best person to take the lead in implementing the
change.

 Transmit the learning process to others and the organisation overall – the
change agent should document the learning process and discussions which the
company has undergone during the change process. They can then take the
lead in spreading this information throughout the company.

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