Change advocate

Change advocate is a person in an organisation who promotes change, supports it and puts effort into its implementation. A change advocate may appear at each level of the organisation.

For example, a change advocate may seems to be a leader or a manager who tries to convince employees in his team to the concept of change. However, the change advocate does not have to be a manager at all, it can also be a member of the team or an external consultant. Its role is probably one of the most important in bringing about change Advocat change can be understood as a link between an organisation that wants to make a change and the people he can influence (team members, colleagues or stakeholders). The role of the advocate of change is also to work hard to ensure that change is introduced and to provide any additional explanations and answers to questions. In the case of organisational changes, change advocat can serve as a link between the management and employees, creates an opportunity for open communication, allows to express the concerns of both parties and contributes to a successful solution. Although change advocate supports the introduction of changes and tries to support them, it often does not have the power to introduce a specific change by himself. What he does is to talk about change publicly and recommend it to others.

Change advocate needs to be an extrovert with interpersonal skills as well as open-minded, risk-taking and managing people. In addition, it must have several essential characteristics:

• Empathy - change advocate must be able to understand the feelings, emotions and thoughts of employees. In addition, its intentions must be sincere. As a result, communication between managers and employees will be improved and change will be easier to implement.
• Openness - that means being reasonably transparent.
• Reward - employees will expect some kind of benefits, so it is important for the change advocate to plan it. It should also clearly show the benefits, both short and long term.
• Proximity - means to have easy access to both sides.
• Structure and organization - change advocate must be able to effectively plan all activities related to the implementation of change and choose a strategy well.

Examples of Change advocate

• Chief Change Officer: A Chief Change Officer is a senior executive in an organization who is responsible for overseeing and managing the change process. The Chief Change Officer is the leader of the change process, providing guidance and direction to the organization.
• Change Leadership Team: A Change Leadership Team is composed of senior executives and other key stakeholders who are responsible for guiding the change process. This team works together to identify the areas for improvement, create a vision and strategy for change, and implement the initiatives.
• Change Agent: A Change Agent is an individual who is responsible for driving change and adoption within the organization. The Change Agent is responsible for mobilizing resources, engaging stakeholders, and helping to ensure the successful implementation of the change initiatives.
• Change Manager: A Change Manager is responsible for managing the change process from start to finish. The Change Manager is responsible for overseeing the implementation of change initiatives, managing the timeline and budget, and ensuring that the change is implemented successfully.

Advantages of Change advocate

Having a change advocate in an organisation is beneficial in many ways. Here are some of the advantages of having a change advocate:

• Change advocates are able to identify areas where change is needed, and can provide a clear set of objectives that need to be achieved. This helps to ensure that changes are realistic and achievable, and that employees stay focused on the end goal.
• Change advocates can help to communicate new initiatives to employees and make sure they understand the benefit of the changes. This helps to ensure that the whole organisation is working towards the same goal and that employees are motivated to work towards it.
• Change advocates can provide support to employees who are struggling to adapt to the changes. This helps to ensure that the transition to the new system is smooth and that employees are making the most of the new initiatives.
• Change advocates can also act as a sounding board for employees who have ideas for further improvements. This helps to ensure that the organisation is continuously striving for excellence and that employees are always looking for ways to improve their processes.

Limitations of Change advocate

Change advocates can be limited in their ability to effect change in an organisation in several ways:

• Influence: Change advocates may not have the authority or influence to make decisions at the highest levels. They may be limited in their ability to convince leadership of the need for change and to implement it.
• Resources: Change advocates may not have the resources or capital needed to implement change. This can limit their ability to constructively influence change in an organisation.
• Knowledge: Change advocates may lack the knowledge or experience needed to develop and implement a successful strategy for change.
• Resistance to Change: Change advocates may encounter resistance from individuals or groups within the organisation who are resistant to change. This can limit the success of change initiatives.
• Timing: Change advocates may find that they have limited timeline to enact change. This can be problematic as it may not be possible to adequately plan and implement change within the given timeframe.
• Complexity: Change initiatives may be complex and require multiple strands of work to be completed. Change advocates may not have the capacity or capability to coordinate and manage this complexity.

Other approaches related to Change advocate

The other approaches related to Change Advocate include:

• Change Management - Change Management is the process of managing the people, processes and technology to support a successful change. This includes communication and training for employees, creating a system for monitoring and tracking the change and ensuring it is implemented correctly.
• Change Leadership - Change Leadership is the ability to lead people through a change process by creating a vision and setting a direction. It involves motivating and inspiring people to embrace change and empowering them to take action.
• Change Facilitation - Change Facilitation is the process of helping people to understand and embrace change. This includes activities such as coaching, providing education and training, and engaging in dialogue and feedback.

In summary, Change Advocate is one approach to managing change in an organisation. Other approaches include Change Management, Change Leadership, and Change Facilitation. All of these approaches involve different activities and processes to ensure the successful implementation of change.

Footnotes

Change advocate — recommended articles

Change agent roles — Team stages — Achievement oriented leadership — Career pathing — Adaptation process — Types of change agents — Strategic human resource management — Team development — Organizational development

References

• Barbera, K. M. (2014), The Oxford Handbook of Organizational Climate and Culture. Oxford University Press, 7(4), 271
• Hillman, O. (2011), Engaging Your Passion to Be the One Who Makes a Difference. Charisma Media, Florida
• Mook, L., Whitman, J., Quarter, J., Armstrong, A. (2015), Understanding the Social Economy of the United States. University of Toronto Press, 5(2), 416-418
• Nickles, L. (2010), The Change Agents: Decoding the New Work Force and Workplace. St. Martin's Press, New York

Author: Weronika Kmiecik