You know, I often hear employees make comments or pose questions such as:
This company sucks.
Management sucks.
Why do we do things this way?
This is the way we have always done it.
Why can't we do things differently?
This company is just a big bureaucracy, nothing gets done.
We are so inefficient.
If I were running this company things would be different.
Now, all of these comments and questions may seem totally valid to the individuals making them, however, I pose this question: Isn't it more beneficial to address a perceived problem with possible solutions? When we function as though the problem is unsolvable, then guess what, to you or I, it is unsolvable. But this blog is about leadership, not about succumbing to perceived problems. So, what position should we take when confronted by what we perceive as organizational problems? Could becoming a change agent be the answer?
What is a change agent, you may be asking? A change agent is someone who chooses to fight against the status quo and introduce new ways of thinking or behaving in an organizational setting (such as a company, family, country, and social network) that is beneficial to the organization's performance and/or culture. For the purpose of this discussion, we are utilizing the workplace as our organizational setting.
Now, what does it take to be a change agent in the workplace. Well, it first takes thinking outside of the box. This means that when a perceived problem arises, a change agent thinks outside of the box by looking for multiple ways to address this problem. This way, when they approach the individual(s) who can actually correct the problem, they provide them with multiple ways of doing so. Second, a change agent does not allow complaints or gripes about his/her company to preclude him/her from moving forward to make the company better even if that means going up against resistance (which usually occurs when one challenges the status quo). By moving forward against resistance, a change agent usually enlists the help and support of others who also see a different or better way of addressing the perceived problem than the one that currently exists.
A change agent is a champion of new ideas and new ways of being.
A change agent is a visionary and a problem solver.
A change agent is a maverick and leader.
Instead of complaining about what is wrong in your company, become a change agent and see if you can help to shift the dialogue or behavior regarding issues that you believe you have solutions for. See if you can enlist others to join your cause. Be a leader and work to make your company more productive and a better environment to work in by helping to solve its problems. After all, what is a company, if not for the employees that comprise it? Your company needs you and your input more than you know, especially with the ever-increasing uncertainty of an evolving global marketplace.
You can be a change agent, because you have leadership in you.
Dr. Barrett has an earned PhD in applied management and decision sciences, with a specialization in leadership and organizational change. He also holds a MS in organizational leadership and a BS in organizational management. In addition to these degrees, Dr. Barrett has completed several executive certificates focusing on various areas of management and leadership development.
Dr. Barrett is proud of his academic accomplishments, as they are the product of his long and sometimes difficult journey out of poverty. Along his journey, Dr. Barrett served honorably in the U.S. Air Force, participating in several vital overseas operations in the Middle East and Europe. He has also taught organizational leadership courses at the graduate degree level at Mercy College. This desire to develop leadership whether it be in myself or others is what drives Dr. Barrett. Dr. Barrett currently lives in NYC, where he runs The Barrett Center for Leadership Development, LLC (http://www.TheBarrettCenter.com). The Barrett center offers workshops, seminars, caoching, consulting, and speaking engagements focused on the leadership and organizational principles developed by Dr. Barrett. You can find his current leadership model (The Barrett Leadership Model) in his new book Leading from the Inside-Out.
The Barrett Center's Mission: To help clients develop their leadership from the inside-out. The Barrett Center's Vision: Uplift the human condition by teaching individuals and organizations how to lead their existence from the inside-out.