Mobilizing Change Agents: A Digital Transformation’s Secret Weapon

Table of Contents

• Chapter 1: Launching Project Pulsar: Dreams, Doubts, and Digital Transformation
• Chapter 2: Investigating Team Dynamics: Uncovering Insights for Developing an OCM Plan

Erin Torres, OCM Lead for Galactic Gravity Inc, liked to think of change agents as a project’s secret weapon. These individuals, while not holding an official role in the project, play a key part in championing the changes among their peers, rallying the team through challenging times, and acting as a bridge between their team and upper management.

The sun glinted off a picture frame on Erin’s desk, and she reached up to adjust the angle, smiling at her son’s fifth grade class photo looking shyly at her from behind the glass. Their recent move had been difficult for Gavin, especially when it came to school.

Despite her encouragement, Gavin hadn’t been able to shake his dread of going to a new school. It wasn’t until his classmate Jose befriended him that things began to change. Jose had switched schools multiple times, and the outgoing boy had taken Gavin under his wing. Once he saw Jose’s confidence when it came to making new friends and finding his place within the school culture, Gavin began to open up, try new things, and finally get excited about the possibilities ahead. Evidently, hearing, “it will get better” from someone who’d already lived through the experience had a bigger impact than hearing it from his mom.

Sometimes adults weren’t that different from grade schoolers, Erin thought with a chuckle. Change was personal, no matter if it was a new school or a new forecasting system, and oftentimes the people that have the most impact on morale and general receptiveness are not the project sponsors or leaders but other peers on the team.

In her experience, the best change agents were people who:

• have earned their peers’ trust
• embrace change
• consistently rise to meet challenges
• understand the complexities of human emotion and have a high emotional intelligence (EQ)

After talking it over with the business process owners (BPOs) of both the production and procurement teams, two names rose to the top of the list of candidates for influential change agents: Marie, the Production Supervisor, and Frank, a Procurement Specialist.

Erin glanced one more time at her son’s photo. “Let’s see if we can find our own Jose,” she thought.

Empowering Influencers: The Role of Change Agents in Transformation

Erin strode into the conference room with a warm smile. “Thanks so much for meeting with me,” she greeted, her handshake firm and welcoming. The two people could not be more different: Marie, the middle-aged production supervisor, wore glasses, sensible flats, and understated lipstick on her reserved smile. Frank – a high-energy procurement specialist – sported a colorful tie, messy curls, and an easy grin. Erin gestured to the carafes of coffee and water waiting nearby. “Please, grab a drink and make yourselves comfortable.”

Lucy and Jonathon joined them shortly thereafter, and a pleasant hum of chatter filled GGI’s conference room. As the team settled around the table, Erin took a moment to gauge the energy and then cleared her throat.

“As you know,” Erin began, “Project Pulsar is in the early stages of execution. While attention to the functional details of project execution is crucial, the real key to our success lies in our people. As the Organizational Change Management lead, my role is to ensure that every team member is not just involved but empowered to lead and make an impact. One of the most effective ways of driving change is by using key people on the team to be what we call ‘change agents’. As I talked with Jonathon and Lucy, both of your names came up as ideal candidates for this type of role.

“Now,” Erin continued. “’change agent’ isn’t an official title on the project team itself, but it’s no less critical to the project’s outcome. Essentially, you are already viewed as leaders, as difference makers in your circle, and what we want to do is to set you up for success to help you drive change within your team.”

Leveraging Personality for Positive Change

“That sounds great!” Frank said. “I’m really excited about this project, and I’d be happy to help however I can.”

“Wonderful!” Erin smiled. Lucy had been right about him; his positive attitude was infectious. “From what I’ve been told, you experienced a similar project at your last job, is that correct?”

Frank nodded. “That’s right. They started out as a smaller company, and I was hired during a season of rapid growth. While I was there, we went through a project to optimize our demand forecasting processes.”

“So, you’re getting quite a bit of deja vu now, aren’t you?”

“Yeah, some days it feels like I’m in the matrix!” Frank laughed. “But the culture here is definitely different. More open and engaging. I think that will make a big difference when it comes to pushing through the tough days.”

“The people here are the best,” Marie agreed. “I’ve worked for a lot of teams over the years, but GGI is something special.” Incredibly loyal, Jonathon had told Erin about the production supervisor, and Erin could see the passion for her team in Marie’s face.

Frank nodded enthusiastically. “I’ve only been here for six months, but already I feel super comfortable and connected. I don’t know exactly how much help I’ll be, considering how new I am to the team, but whatever you need from me, Erin, I’ll give it my best!”

“I wouldn’t worry too much,” Erin assured him. “One of the reasons your name was brought forward was because you’ve already connected so well with the team in the short time you’ve been here.”

“It’s true,” Lucy added. “The others on the team seem to gravitate toward your positive attitude. And the fact that you’ve gone through a similar project in recent history will go a long way in dispelling any doubts that may arise.”

“I hope so,” Frank shrugged. “Most of the other purchasing agents on the team seem open and excited about the project, but there are a couple who are pretty pessimistic that this project will benefit them.”

“Oh really?” Erin leaned forward. “From what you know about them, does it seem likely that they’ll change their mind?”

Frank hummed as he thought. “Possibly, one of them. I’d have to see. Although the rest of the team has a positive attitude toward the change, these two generally have the loudest voices. I might need some ideas on how to keep them from impacting morale and user adoption.”

Erin nodded and jotted down a note. “Of course. Why don’t you, Lucy and I meet sometime tomorrow to discuss this in more detail and come up with a plan for addressing this resistance while supporting you in the process?”

Engaging the Conscientious Leader

As Frank and Lucy discussed some possible times, Erin glanced over to Marie. The production supervisor was a bit harder to read than the bubbly Frank, but Jonathon had been positive she would be a good fit for the role of a change agent, thanks to the trust she’d built with her team over the years. If she was open to the idea, she could be a powerful influencer on the procurement team.

“What about you, Marie?” Erin redirected after a meeting time had been set. “You’ve been with GGI since the beginning and have helped your team get through some pretty rocky moments. Jonathon tells me you’re the go-to person for outside the box thinking and problem-solving.”

Marie smiled. “I’ve been known to come up with a crazy solution now and then, I suppose.”

“How do you feel about the prospect of being a change agent on your team?”

The production supervisor furrowed her brow slightly as she considered. “Well, I’m really quite keen about what this project could do for our team. We’ve done everything we can to keep up with demand by using what we’ve got, but our processes aren’t very sustainable the way they are. My only concern is if we will be able to implement the changes while meeting our daily quotas. I’m a bit worried that we won’t get the support we need from Maggie and the rest of the leadership team to follow through on their promises.”

Erin nodded as she listened. “That’s a really good point, Marie. I appreciate you being so honest about your concerns. We do recognize that your team is at the max and you can only be in one place at one time. I’ll make sure Maggie is aware of your concern and plans to address it by getting you the support you need.” She jotted down a quick note. “What else is on your mind?”

“Well,” Marie continued. “I want to be sure I can maintain my team’s trust, even when leadership changes strategy or direction in response to challenges. If I’m going to be championing the change, I need to be confident that what I’m advocating for will come to fruition. Besides, there are a few people who are… disgruntled with the project. If things don’t go as planned, that negative attitude could catch fire.”

“Of course,” Erin replied eagerly. She was already beginning to see how Marie’s thoughtful consideration and awareness of her team could be a huge change management asset throughout the project. “That’s a great way of putting it. We certainly don’t want you to promise your team something, only to have it changed without your knowledge.”

Erin leaned forward slightly, holding Marie’s gaze as she continued. “Part of my job will be to establish and maintain an open line of communication between all leadership and stakeholders in this project so nobody is caught off guard when changes do have to be made. And I know Jared, the PM, is prepared to ensure the Project Management Plan is visible to all relevant stakeholders so that everyone will be on the same page.”

Marie smiled and her shoulders relaxed a little. “I appreciate that. Like I said, I am very excited about this project. I think it will be game-changing when it’s completed, and I’m happy to do my part to help the production team get on board.”

“Wonderful! I can tell you right now that the impact your participation will have on this project cannot be overstated. Engaged and intentional change agents like you often mean the difference between success and failure.”

How it Works: The Essential Role of Change Agents

With both Frank and Marie agreeing to be change agents for their respective teams, Erin gave them a brief overview of how they could leverage their influence to drive change within their teams:

• Be vocal about the project, especially in group settings when others might be less than positive
• Check-in regularly with their team members and report how people are perceiving things
• Give project leadership ongoing feedback
• Help with end-user training
• Prepare and provide support for their team during challenges both before and after go-live

Before concluding the meeting, Erin scheduled follow-up meetings to check in with them, monitor their concerns, and give an opportunity to provide them with the support they’d need to drive change within their teams.

Overall, Erin felt excited about Frank and Marie’s participation. Although they were two extremely different individuals, she had no doubt that both of them would be instrumental in carrying this project through to its successful end.

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Transformation is not easy, but it doesn’t have to be impossible. Take control of your project’s success today and schedule a free 30-minute consultation to find out how Victoria Fide can equip you for transformational success.

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3 Takeaways for Mobilizing Change Agents Within Your Organization

Change management is a team effort, and with dedicated change agents like Frank and Marie, any organization can navigate through even the most challenging changes. If you’re considering a significant change initiative, here are three takeaways:

1. Identify Change Agents: Good leaders can be found in all kinds of roles, not just ones with senior titles. Look for characteristics such as high emotional intelligence, an open mind, perseverance, and trustworthiness.
2. Empower Change Agents: Communicate to your change agents the level of influence they have, and give them the tools and the space to exercise that influence.
3. Support Change Agents: Check in with your change agents on a regular basis. Offer support, listen to their concerns, and provide them with the resources they need to drive change within their teams.

Remember, your people are your most valuable resource in a digital transformation initiative. Whether you’re implementing a new demand forecasting system, undergoing a legacy system transformation or adding a product line, having dedicated change agents like Frank and Marie can make all the difference in the success of your project. Identify, empower, and support them, and watch as they bring positive change to your organization. Together, anything is possible.

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