There is this fairly old book, by Robert E. Kelly "Star performers" (1998, Orion). Here is a list of characteristics (which are very relevant in a change agent context too)
- Initiative : Blazing trails in the organization's white spaces
- Networking:Knowing who knows by plugging into the knowledge network
- Self management: Managing your whole life at work
- Perspective: Getting the big picture
- Followership : Checking your ego at the door to lead in assists
- Leadership : Doing small-L leadership in a big L world
- Team work:Getting real about teams
- Organizational savy :Using street smarts in the corporate power zone
- Show and tell :Persauding the right audience with the right message
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Habeeb,
ReplyDeletenice list, however I believe that for a change agent to be successful, one needs to understand the various boundaries such as
1. Knowledge - Understand the task knowledge- is it analysable or not; also the variety of the task (low to high)
2. Decision based boundaries- which more so depends on the environment, hence the need to understand if the environment is 'Certain' or 'Uncertain'.
and hence should be the person who does not follow routine methods. Moreover, as the role of consultant varies during various phases of development such as:
a. consultant is a teacher and consultant during implementation,
b. consultant as a teacher and mediator during 'Change decisions'
c. as an architect during design
d. as a listener during situational analysis
Hence during strategy implementation a change agent will posses
roles- Teacher, Guider, Consultant, Wise coach
competencies - Experienced Engineer, High team skills, High leader skills
and during change decision the agent will posses
roles - Mediator, Listener, Guider
competencies - Mediation skills, Pedagogical skills, People skills
I hope this helps when you are writing more on these skills.