Change agent

Change agent is staff member or team (in the case of the broad range of changes), responsible for the creation of conditions conducive to the implementation of the changes in organization, the promotion of the implementation of these changes and, finally, an assessment of their effectiveness.

The change agent is an expert, a spokesman for change or transformation leader (is an positive example for others). His role (determined by the customer, which is usually management of the organization requesting consulting services), generally speaking, involves inducing change and ensuring conditions for its efficient and effective implementation. The change agent task is primarily to generate reliable and properly prepared information and the provision of assistance to the management in the decision-making process and reasonable choices.

The common task of the agent and the organization's management is, however, encourage and support the development and active commitment to change among the other participants, to which this change applies. The change agent is considered to be a consultant and referred to as a specialist in the field of planning and organizations development. It works very closely with strategists, that the creators of the changes in the organization responsible for their effective implementation.

The change agent is also called an "advisor" in preparing project and crew (employees) to implement the changes.

An agent of change is called also a "leader", which aims to convince the other participants of the change program, ans achieve the necessary "critical mass" of changes. Such leaders (usually more than one) should be primarily on the middle levels of the management.

See also:

• Types of change agents
• Change agent roles

Change agent — recommended articles

Project human resource management — Process analysis — Documentation — Controller — Implementation of strategy — Organization of administrative and office work — Advantages of teamwork — Works committee — First line manager

References

• Turner, J. R., Kristoffer, V., & Thurloway, L. (2002). The project manager as change agent. Proceedings of the 2002 Australian Institute of Project Management
• Ottaway, R. N. (1983). The change agent: A taxonomy in relation to the change process. Human relations, 36(4), 361-392.