The Change Agent

Written By Allison Pollard

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.

Allison Pollard

Allison Pollard is a coach, consultant, and trainer who brings the power of relationship systems intelligence to go beyond tasks, roles, and frameworks to create energy for change. She engages with people and teams in a down-to-earth way to build trust and listen for signals to help them learn more and improve. Allison focuses on creating alignment and connection for people to solve business problems together. Her experience includes working with teams and leaders in energy, retail, financial, real estate, and transportation industries to help improve their project/product delivery and culture. Allison currently volunteers as program director for Women in Agile’s mentorship program. Her agile community focus is championing new voices and amplifying women as mentors and sponsors for the next generation of leaders. Allison earned her bachelor’s degrees in computer science, mathematics, and English from Southern Methodist University in Dallas, TX. She is a Certified Professional Co-Active Coach (CPCC), a foodie, and proud glasses wearer. Allison is a prolific speaker at professional groups and international conferences, including Scrum Gatherings and the Agile Alliance Agile20xx conferences. Allison is co-owner of Helping Improve LLC.

http://www.allisonpollard.com
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