Agent of Change: The Mission is Success by R. E Smith

Let your influence be Positive 

We are all change agents despite our social background or upbringing regardless of race, class, color, creed, and religion and we all possess the qualities to become Agents of change. How we use these attributes will determine our level of influence on those we come into contact with. For this lesson, we are going to examine who is an agent of change, the qualities of change agents, and the benefits of being a change agent as you strive for success.

What is Change? 

The term change in this context refers to the process by with an individual adjust, develop, adapt, or evolve into something else. This is often seen as changing their basic characteristic to become distinct from what was before by reinventing one's personal image. We all have the ability to change but do we posse the capabilities to influence others in our surroundings to become their best self. The law of Biodiversity dictates that even the smallest of change in a single ecosystem can greatly impact the environment and the world around us. Therefore our aim as a species is to make a small change that will become a ripple effect throughout time and last for generations.

Who is an Agent of Change? 

An agent of change is someone who is capable of promoting and influencing change in others. Often times the concept is used in a business sense however we will examine it from the perspective of success. The change agent is someone who is methodical, focus, and goal-oriented. This individual is often blindly committed to the idea of continuous improvement of self and those around them. There are many classifications of individuals who are referred to as change agents such as Coaches, Mentors, Councilors, and Educators and the list goes on. To be an agent on change one must be deliberate about there actions and observe how it influences others to behave.

Qualities of a Change Agent.

The term qualities reflect a person's unique abilities and skills that separate them from others. Therefore once these qualities are mastered and fully utilized then it will undoubtedly influence others and make us agents of change. Though we are unique and separate agents of change we display similar characteristics such as:

• Commitment- Agents of change have the uncanny ability to stick to a task or goal without being distracted until it is complete. This is sometimes referred to as parochialism or tunnel vision. 

• Flexibility- Agents of change have the skills to adjust and adapt to every situation often using limited resources to overcome and complete our goals.

• Knowledge- Agents of change possess a wide range of knowledge that can be applied to various situations and circumstances to make life and work easier. 

• Negotiation- Agent of change are expert negotiators able to communicate and are able to appeal to others better judgment by allowing them to see their true potential. 

• People-centered- They are coaches and mentors whose main focus is to unearth the talents that are hidden inside of us. They are good at helping others to see beyond who they are now and realize who they can become.

The qualities above are common but not limited to the vast qualities that agents of change possess. Our ability to see the best in others and work to continuously improve and better ourselves make us agents of change.

Benefits

There are many benefits of becoming an agent of change. Some of these benefits include:

• Building a comprehensive network

• Improving your communication skills

• Developing a greater sense of self

• Learning new skills that will become valuable

• Satisfaction that you have made a difference in society.

We often think that work done without pay is not important but the greatest work one can do is philanthropy and voluntarism. We must always try to assist those who are not as privileged as ourselves. Helping does not mean giving of monitory values only because the most important gift is that of charity. We must endeavor to share basic knowledge that will allow others to become world movers and shakers. We must share the knowledge that will allow others to become successful. The greatest benefit we can get from being an agent of change is the satisfaction that you have influence someone else to change.

The Mission

As an agent of change, your mission and desires are to be successful at helping others to achieve success. Therefore you must become master tacticians and strategists as you take on the mission of success. You must utilize all that you have learned to develop, grow, and evolve. As you make these changes your level of success will increase. Let us not believe that our own personal accomplishment is more important than helping others achieve their goals.

The success of an agent of change depends on two components the internal factors and external factors.

• The internal factors focus on the innate ability of the agent to persevere and work hard to overcome the barries of success. When this is done it gives the change agent the opportunity to assess and evaluate each situation. When done correctly the change agent develops the requisite skills to teach, empower, and mentor others to become successful.

• The external factors focus refer to our degree of interaction with those around you and how you impact life or lack thereof. The feeling of accomplishment and the need to have a social support unit will be essential to growing and mastering your craft. The change agent relies on the resources that are available to influence the change that they want to see. This is done through careful calculation and planning before attempting to complete a task. This approach is one that is needed for all to be successful.

There is a popular saying that knowledge is power but there is no power without using your knowledge and skills to craft the world around you and create your path to success. The main role of the change agent is to influence change in self and undoubtedly influence change in others. The mission is simple we all need a guide, a support unit, and motivation as we traverse the sometimes lonely road to success. The journey is a climb but the view is often worth it. Learn from your journey, document your shortcomings, and reach down from your mountain and help others to climb and see the view from your perspective because what is success without having others to share it with. Remember that our degree of accomplishment is dependent on our ability to Measure our Success daily.