"Change agents, as management provocateurs, generally have a short life expectancy, as they are often shot after identifying major organizational roadblocks, including dysfunctional executives."   "True change agents are able to transcend company politics and warring factions and successfully weave through the organizational minefields. They are skilled at identifying change proponents and opponents and welcome the opportunity to effectively manage the resultant organizational dynamics and interpersonal machinations." "Seek first to understand, then to be understood." Steven Covey, Seven Habits of Highly Effective People

by Clyde C. Lowstuter, President and CEO, Robertson Lowstuter   Recently, a friend of mine was talking about a book project that he and a colleague were in the process of formulating. The focus was to be on change agents, people who make things in organizations happen-hopefully, for the better. My friend observed that to remain competitive in the global marketplace, companies needed to change their practice from shooting these messengers of change to that of embracing them to agree. It's true that unless corporate America shifts its perspective from quarterly bonus incentives to multi-year strategies, senior executives will be disinclined to operate with a longer-range view. The net effect-corporations won't invest in R&D, continuous quality will be only a theory, talent will have to be imported, and our competitive edge will become dull and tarnished. Granted, organizations should be creating environments to optimize employee contributions, but that's only part of the reality. What is the true reality is that many talented professionals, be they executives or entry-level engineers, do not take complete responsibility for the way their careers and lives look. Unwittingly, and usually not by design, they have an entitlement mentality in which they point to all kinds of reasons why they are unfulfilled in their careers or frustrated by others (or the company, or the environment). They glibly abdicate their accountability for managing their organizational relationships in such a way as to produce the results they want and need. They somehow feel the organization should accommodate them versus the other way around. Taking responsibility means that change agents understand the dynamics of interpersonal relationships and organizational dynamics to such an extent that they manage themselves so as to generate excitement, endorsement, and unqualified advocacy for their ideas. Ironically, we have seen many self-righteous change agents completely miss the point that they are the ones that need to change, adapt, and modify their ideas and behavior first before they can satisfy what the organization both needs and wants. "Wannabe" change agents often fear politics, stumble interpersonally, and complain that others don't share their vision. Amateur change agents are dangerous. They mean well, but they have not mastered the ability to establish rapport and persuasively communicate their ideas to produce the results they long for. The good news/bad news is that they have successes, but they are usually limited only to isolated organizational pockets of supporters. My challenge to those of you who are in the process of honing your craft as change agents is that you consider the following: 12 Change Agent Considerations 1. Become intimately involved in understanding the business you wish to ultimately influence, seeking knowledge first before imparting some of your own. 2. Identify significant proponents and opponents to your efforts or programs and become known to them. Determine what they like and support, distinct from those things they dislike and do not support. If you are able to solve a perplexing problem or effectively fill a need, based on your opponent's input, you will often find that your greatest opponents often become your biggest supporters. 3. Be aware of the language you use with others. If you are not getting the support you'd like, you may be using language that reflects your biased opinion. If you commonly use phrases like "should, could, ought, must, or need to" when interacting with others, you probably are not validating others but rather depreciating them. 4. Learn to adapt fluidly to your organization's needs while creating a challenging and supportive environment for others' skills and capabilities to be demonstrated. 5. If you clearly add value to others, are collaborative, and operate on an interdependent basis, you will have relationships in which you generate endorsement, support, and excitement for your ideas. 6. Respect the opinions of others as much as your own, acknowledging that everyone has the best of intentions and seeks to contribute fully. 7. Accept the fact that underperforming people usually need to be supported first, then shown a more effective manner in which things are to be accomplished or placed in a role in which they can contribute. Impatience rarely creates the rapport or trust you need to be successful. 8. Assume complete responsibility and accountability for the way the outcome looks. You are responsible-no one else. A possible protest to the contrary, we all choose to operate in such a way as to achieve a result, expected or unexpected. If you do not like the outcome, then change your behavior and what you focus on to produce new changes. 9. Constantly monitor the results you create through the ongoing feedback from others, modifying your approach as needed to meet the needs of others as well as yourself. 10. Always communicate openly and straightforwardly. Eliminate hidden agendas without betraying confidences. Those people who seem to be the most effective in communicating operate in a congruent manner with others, candidly observing what appears to be the truth without portraying things in absolute terms. 11. Develop a high sense of urgency in dealing with others and in creating deliverables. Be appropriately confident, bold, and assertive while working at not being seen as arrogant, overbearing, or pushy. 12. Hold yourself to a world-class performance standard. Continually seek feedback to improve your knowledge and skill sets and employ continuous process improvement principles to always contribute to others. This article appeared in the National Business Employment Weekly, April 7-13, 1996, under the title, "When Change Agents Must Change." If you are interested in Robertson Lowstuter's organization consulting capabilities, please click on Change Management.   By the way, change agents are not particular people or functions. Good news/bad news-we are all change agents. The challenge, therefore, is to learn to be the best change agents possible, based on our God-given talents, skills, and abilities.