NOTE: This is Part 4 of a planned 6-Part series. Link to Part 3
Why do most change efforts of any substance within organizations fail? Why is failure so pervasive that most people are confident that they need only wait out the flurry of frenzied activity?
Answer: Most "change agents" are completely and ignorantly unfamiliar with the "agents of change." Everyone in a change environment is an agent of change. They are either working to promote change or they are working to obstruct it, consciously or not.
Agent 4 (A4) — The Change Minimizer
A4 is like Agent 1 in that they are opposed to change. The difference is that A4 is stealthier about their opposition than is A1. Don't mistake this to mean that their opposition is less passionate. A4 has a broad continuum of reaction to change, spanning from strong antagonism all the way to a feeling that, while change may be necessary, it must be limited to the smallest possible impact. A4 mantras would include, "If it ain't broke, …" and "better the devil you know, …"
A4 is known across the organization as an influencer; a mover and shaker that has the ear and loyalty of power brokers. They are confident and authoritative. Many in the organization won't take a public stand until they know where A4 is on a proposed change.
How to Leverage A4
First, validate the risks outlined by A4 using the intel gained from A1. If what A4 says is real, A1 is going to latch on to it and take it to hyper-drive. Once validated, enlist A3 to analyze the risk and plan contingencies, then include this info in appropriate bits in "spokesagent" messaging to change champion(s). Finally, credit A4 for bringing this to light. This tends to disarm them on that particular risk.
Handled properly, there is no downside for A4, so there is no consideration needed for how to manage them post-change. They normally move on to the next change and play their role seamlessly over and over again.