Whether a change initiative is operational (e.g., introduction of a new sales process), strategic (moving into e-commerce), or cultural (implementing improvement initiatives), active change management is crucial to any organization’s success. 

The biggest challenge for organizations in transition lies in controlling the change process so that it occurs at the right speed and keeps the whole organization moving in the right direction. Using change agents can help organizations better manage the process and achieve their transformations with minimum disruptions.

Change agents are empowered individuals who take leadership roles in managing the organization’s journey and its ultimate transition to the future desired state. Whether they are internal staff, external consultants, or a team comprising both, change agents dedicate their time and focus their abilities on making effective change happen.

When putting together a team of change agents, there are several key issues to consider regarding roles and responsibilities.

Who are your change agents?

Here’s a hint: They aren’t all at the top of the org chart. Leadership comes from knowledge, ability, and creativity, not from job titles. Change agents can come from anywhere within an organization. In fact, it’s crucial to recruit a team of employees with both formal and informal authority.

Look for opinion leaders at the grassroots and high-performance individuals who tend to be the go-to experts, who have the respect of their co-workers, and who know how to enlist the support of others.

Of course, competency is required and the best change agent teams represent a mix of skills. Teams should usually include individuals with analytical talents who excel at project management, as well as individuals with strong interpersonal skills who demonstrate an innate ability to motivate others. Diverse perspectives can also contribute to an effective team, and organizations should recruit change agents among veteran managers as well as in promising young professionals.

What will they do for you?

Establishing responsibilities at the outset is key, and putting a team of change agents to the task will help an organization overcome many of the typical barriers to change. Chief among them is resistance to change in the workplace.

Together, the right team of agents works to translate and communicate the vision for change, solicit support from the front-line, and build a coalition of believers. Separately, each team member should be assigned specific responsibilities, from project planning and active problem solving to training employees on new procedures and tracking activities.

Managing change is demanding, hands-on work, and organizations should expect their change agents to be actively working in the trenches and on the front lines. This will mean that most selected agents will need to be temporarily relieved of some normal day-to-day duties in order to focus on the change program.   

Champions of change

With clearly defined roles and the shared responsibility of winning people over, the right change agents can lead the way to effective implementation and ensure an organization’s successful transformation. Consider putting the power of a change agent team behind your next project or process.