The Change Agent

Photo by Amanda Udoff

I am one of those people who is rarely satisfied by the status quo in an organization and looks for opportunities to improve.  Given my involvement in a variety of organizations, I wanted a blog that would allow me to speak to a wide variety of my experiences, which is how I arrived at the broad [yet popular] topic of being a change agent.  

So what is a change agent?  I think of it as someone who acts as a catalyst for change--one who causes or accelerates a change.  After looking for a better definition online, I found this article that I like very much:

• A change agent lives in the future, not the present.
• A change agent is fueled by passion, and inspires passion in others.
• A change agent has a strong ability to self-motivate.
• A change agent must understand people.

Honestly, I don't talk very often about the futures I envision for my organizations, but I know they hold a significant amount of untapped potential; personally, I need to work on this because it is by sharing passion with others that we can find other change agents.  There are obstacles to change in any organization, and it can feel like insanity when we continue to push for change without much movement.  But it is passion and conviction in our beliefs that help us stay motivated as we change the world.