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The good, the bad and the ugly (not necessarily in that order) |
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The good, the bad and the ugly (not necessarily in that order) |
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Objectives:Change Agents (CA's) can be internal or external. Internal CA's are people from the ranks of the organization who have special expertise in some aspect of OD related to the needs of the organization--perhaps they recognize your work as a graduate student and that you have had some coursework in OD. The external ones usually are referred to as "consultants" although they usually assume a similar role. Both may be involved in a variety of activities:
- to describe the typical tasks and skills of change agents (CA)
- to distinguish between internal and external CA's based on their role, legitimacy, advantages, disadvantages, and risks
- to use criteria for deciding on internal/external CA in determining your role as a CA in your organization
- to propose a strategy for establishing legitimacy as a CA
- to determine how you would select an external consultant
OD Skills. OD Specialists need to have a wide variety of skills to help them work with diverse organizations, as well as understand the theories that underlie the change process so the skills can be applied flexibly and effectively. The link below lists the extensive skills considered important by OD practitioners: Advantages and Disadvantages of Internal and External CA's. Especially if you are in a position to decide whether to call on internal or external CA resources, there are some important tradeoffs:
- provide specialized perspectives, skills, and knowledge that the organization does not have available or is limited in use as a formal role.
- help the organization with the problem solving procedures: identify, define and clarify the problem; generate alternatives; anticipate consequences; and plan evaluation.
- provide training and skill building to people.
- assist groups to build "team learning" skills in order to facilitate team building and development.
- develop and conduct surveys of other assessments to gather data on important organizational processes.
- impart skills to the organization so that it can carry on with the task after the consultant has left.
- they generally do NOT do: implement plans, take responsibility for decision maiing (which the organization can and should do for itself), or remain permanently with the organization.
INTERNAL CHANGE AGENT EXTERNAL CHANGE AGENT ADVANTAGES 1. Knows the environment, culture, people, issues and hidden agendas 2. Develops and keeps expertise and resources internal
3. Creates and maintains norms of organization renewal from within
4. Provides higher security and confidentiality
5. May have trust and respect of others
6. Has strong personal investment in success
1. Provides fresh, outside, objective perspective 2. Willing to assert, challenge, and question norms
3. May have more legitimacy to insiders by not taking sides
4. Brings skills and techniques not available from within organization
5. Brings diverse organizational experiences to bear; benchmark comparisons
DISADVANTAGES 1. May be biased; has already taken sides, or may be disliked or mistrusted by some stakeholders 2. Previous relationships may contribute to subgrouping or fragmentation
3. Takes CA away from other duties
4. May be enculturated and is "part of the problem" or does not see it
5. Is subject to organizational sanctions and pressures as an employee
1. May or may not be available when needed by the organization; may split time and commitments with other clients. 2. High expense
3. Takes time to become familiar with the system
4. May create co-dependency or may abandon the system.
Concerns Unique to Internal Change Agents. The decision to assume the role of a change agent within your organization is an exciting challenge, but also one frought with risks-- better you should be clear about these risks, potential complications and problems.
Contingencies that influence the choice of a CA
- Confidentiality. In the role of internal CA, you may obtain information to which you otherwise would not have access. How is personal or exclusive "inside" information treated? Who has a right to know certain information? To whom are you obligated?
- Conflict of Interests. When an internal CA is caught between serving oneself and serving the organization, this is a conflict of interests. How will you avoid these, or if involved, how will you reconcile these?
- Dual role. This occurs when you are in dual or multiple roles that conflict or are incongruent, and therefore potentially compromise the integrity of your role. What are the effects of having CA power over your supervisor, best friends, worst enemies, or over the nature of your own position?
- Overenthusiasm. Be cautious in trying to do too much, bring about too many changes, or teach them everything you know too soon. Temper the opportunity to change the organization with patience and timing.
- Stress. There can be extreme stress and pressure from all stakeholders for you to promote a particular point of view--especially from old alliances. In addition, you may be doing your regular job as well as the CA role, dealing with petty jealousies over your status, or struggling with difficult decisions. Find a way to successfully management stress.
- Practice vs. reality. Be cautious and judicious in applying your novice knowledge from academic course work and simulations to real environments--there are real consequences for real people. You DO have expertise, and you also have limits: know them both.
- Support. As much as you provide consultation and support to your internal client system, who can you rely on for the same? Who can you go to for reality check, direct and balanced feedback, speculation and sharing dieas, and receiving encouragement and care?
- Depth. At what level of problem solving and disclosure should you set limits (organizational, group, interpersonal, psychological)? How is depth related to your level of skill, seriousness of the problems uncovered, and risks in handling?
- Status. There is much status derived from serving as an "expert." Can you sacrifice the power and prestige in order to empower others rather than yourself?
- Problem Focus. There can be a temptation to focus efforts on the biggest problem or your "pet" problem, rather than to more strategically focus on the most workable problem. Pick a problem that provides the greatest ownership, has high success potential, and supports the norm to promote continued OD.
- Job effects. What are the effects of your CA time on your regular job? Do others have to pick up the burden of your delegated tasks? Are you losing important opportunities? If you still have to do your primary job, are you getting behind, producing lower quality, or don't have enough time?
- Relationship effects. How does your unique position affect others: jealousies, fears, power affiliation, delegated tasks, promotional opportunities, etc? How will they be different when you return to your regular role?
- Skill level. Do you have the range and expertise in skills required for successful change given the nature of the problem(s), personalities, and statge of organization development? Do you need to refer or request additional expertise?
- Replaceable models. Don't become too attached to your conceptual model for understanding the organization. It is not the only one--perhaps not even the best one. Be prepared to change when another fits better or is more understandable to the client system.
- Worst case scenario. After all your committment and effort, are you prepared for failure and its consequences? How might this affect your prospects with the company, reputation, relationships, and future?
As an internal CA in your organization:
- Trade-offs between the internal/external advantages/disadvantages.
- Time and availability and duration of consultation required.
- Expense of consultation versus cost of not intervening, putting it off longer, and time of internal CA away from work.
- Seriousness of the problem and level of expertise required
- Receptiveness of the organization members and legitimacy of internal and external CA's
- Philosophy and style of a CA and compatibility with organizational culture and values (BUT--it may be that a person with very different culture and values is exactly what is needed to help transition the organization!).
Other Links on Change Agent Roles & Activities
- How would you obtain legitimacy and power from all stakeholders?
- What are your areas of expertise and limits?
- What are the issues and problems you would likely take on in your organization?
- What would be the possible implications and consequences of your efforts at being an internal CA?
- 10 tips for choosing a consultant--
- How to choose a consultant--
- Consultant or facilitator?--
- The agents of change. Overview of several opinions
- Team roles by stage of change. Interesting phase approach
- Change team members--series of brief articles on roles
- The unexpected change agent--internal teams in IT
- Surviving as a CA--insightful suggestions and more links
- Other important roles in the change process.
- 10 sure fire ways to fail as a change agent--
- Wanted: Company change agents-- Fortune article
- Essential reading for CA's-- recommended list from Fast Company
last updated 1-20-01
Please do not use this page without permission of the author
David X. Swenson Ph.D.