Change Agents
Aug 8th, 2007 by alexanderhayes
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In a short period of time I’ll be hanging up my change agent ways for nappy changing.
I’m reflecting on a series of comments this week from sources un-named which include;
Scenario One - teacher turns to web 2.0 trainer and asks, ….” why do we need all this stuff anyway ? We can all email …….”
Scenario Two - organisational manager instructs change agents that all wiki’s and blogs undermine corporate identity and therefore risk being obliterated. Next day changes mind and apologises asking permission to wiki’s in organisational showcase of e-learning.
Scenario Three - after three hours of solid delivery a teacher pipes up from the back of the room and asks …….” what’s the difference between a wiki and blog ?”
Scenario Four - facilitator instructs mobile learning workshop participants to turn their phones off ……” cause’ it’s really distracting and we dont want anyone getting hurt now do we.”
The point of it all is to realise that no matter how hard you try some people are just not going to get it. Thats ok and it’s also ok for you to keep going no matter how hard you have been working to what seems to be of no avail. Some people describe it this way;
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I tend to think that the more you give and the more you engage the easier it is to see sense in gaining knowledge for knowledge sake. At the end of the day it’s what you give that counts.
Hi Alex,
Congratulations on your change of role - I hope it’s a change you embrace as readily as all the others we’ve seen you embrace and relish.
We’ve recently been talking about similar kinds of things in my own workteam. We decided that from our experiences, the most rewarding way to promote change is undoubtedly to work with those who are themselves interested and enthused - the “early adopters” as it were.
As an innovator, working with early adopters means that you score fast quick points as they quickly adopt and implement the changes. This is heartening for an innovator or change agent - having a core group of enthusiastic and capable pratitioners can give you a boost when you need it most - and it also serves to inspire others who are slower to adopt new ideas and technologies.
Yes indeed - no matter how hard you try, some people just aren’t going to get it… but by working with the people who can and/or do get it, it vastly increases the chances of those who are more resistant becoming involved and engaged… and makes the job of a change agent a rather more rewarding one!