People respond to change in different ways. Some become critics, victims, and others become champions of change. The overall success of change depends on confronting many things like resistance to change, removing bottlenecks, removing threats, improving morale, and many others. So, the role of an agent for change plays is more critical in spreading the idea of positive change until it gets anchored in everyone’s mind.
What is an Agent of Change
An agent of change is someone who identifies, promotes new ideas and spread them until they get anchored within an organisation, a group, or a workplace. The overall intention is to clear out the old ideas to make way for new things to happen.
An agent for change does not go with the flow and is not afraid of stirring up issues to initiate positive change. The reason change agent transforms things is not always to gain something out of it.
Most change agents promote change without any expectations of personal compensation. They also care about other people.
What drives the person to seek and promote change because of their deep-rooted desire of making things better than they are.
The Following are 12 Good Characteristics of an Agent of Change
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1. An Agent for Change Thinks Positively
Many people think negatively and have a pessimistic outlook. So, anything unfamiliar, they say no instead of becoming curious about it.
Being curious makes you open your mind and become more aware of your surroundings. To be an effective agent of change requires a significant shift in your thinking.
For people to accept change, it comes down to their core beliefs and the ways that they think throughout every day.
2. Never Stay Satisfied
Being satisfied with what is around you can take away any desire to look beyond your comfort zone. A change agent thinks that all the things they see every day are temporary.
So, what that means is that, no matter how satisfied you are today, do not get complacent. It is because there is something better tomorrow than what you see today.
3. An Agent of Change Acts
It is one thing acknowledging the need for change but quite another to implement it. Talking about change without taking steps to make it happen is wasting time. But when you act, the change proposal becomes a reality.
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4. Promotes Continuous Change
One aspect of implementing positive change is the commitment to continuous improvement. An agent of change not only promotes change but also is proactive in raising the bar to achieve excellence all the time.
The first thing that comes to the mind of change agent in any situation they find themselves in is what can be changed.
5. Draws Others in Promoting Change
Change agents tend to be articulate and can draw others into whatever type of change they promote. They know how to trigger the innate desire of colleagues and leaders to be part of their change campaign.
They also knows how to capture other thoughts and use them to create effective networks to promote change.
6. An Agent for Change Only Looks Ahead
Most people struggle to see what is ahead of them, but an agent for change sees things several months ahead.
A change agent does not put limits on their thinking. The person can imagine things even if it is only realized in the future when they are no longer around.
7. A Change Agent Sees Possibilities.
What other people see as best practice, the change agent sees it as just practice that can be better. Also, the change agent hates any state of regularity. They can see things that are not, and they ask why not? They have a vision of what is possible.
8. Always Committed to Change
An agent for change does not complain about issues without taking some action to improve the situation. The change agent acts and fixes all issues that need change, however big or small they are.
The person is always willing to go the extra mile to see that change takes place by putting in time and effort.
9. A Change Agent is Enthusiastic and Flexible
Most agents of change are enthusiastic about initiating change. Many people don’t like change, but sometimes they embrace the idea if the person promoting it seems persuasive and trustworthy.
A change agent is a source of inspiration but is also flexible. If necessary, an agent of change will modify the ideas to overcome resistance and maintain progress towards achieving their goal.
10. Agent of Change is Always Confident
An effective agent of change is confident. To convince others, the change agent must present their ideas with confidence. The person always inspires confidence in others and draws out the trust to take the proposals of change forward.
A change agent also functions in an orderly and purposeful manner throughout the implementation period of change. People often feel uncertainty and unfamiliarity during a period of change. So, they find reassurance when the agent of change portrays confidence and a positive outlook.
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11. An Agent of Change is Patient and Persistent
Not everybody likes to change. Some people don’t want to adopt new ideas. So, they will try to delegitimize and dismiss anyone who comes up with new ideas because to them things are fine the way they are. They think like, why adopting something new when the old one is still working for them.
People want to maintain what they know and feel comfortable with. In situations like that, an agent of change will be patient yet persistent because the person knows that change does not happen quickly. It takes determination, perseverance, and, most importantly, patience for people to accept change.
12. A Change Agent Asks Tough Critical Questions
An agent of change does not shy away from making others uncomfortable. Being critical is one of the characteristics of an agent of change. They know that sometimes you need to ask tough questions to identify things that need change, even if it means making people feel unhappy or uncomfortable.
So, the change agent is not afraid of saying things others avoid if it is the right way of getting to the heart of issues.
Conclusion
Many people walk around the workplace with blinders on their eyes. They only focus on doing the job until something serious that requires change happens. The key to being an agent of change is to keep looking for things that seem normal.
You may not see issues now because you are used to your current environment. But, when you keep your eyes open all the time, you are going to see things around you that need change.
Do you want to become an agent of change? Please feel free to leave your comment below