Change Agent Leadership

Changes are needed to improve the functioning of NHS organisations, improve quality of care we deliver, improve productivity and prevent harm and deaths (Darzi, 2010, Francis 2013). Kotter (2006) said that "Change is the function of leadership" hence effective and motivated leaders can also be very successful change agents. There is a strong view among policy makers and think tanks (Darzi, 2008, Kings Fund, 2012) that all the clinicians should develop into a change agent and they should innovate and use resources in imaginative and innovative manner to bring change and deliver a high quality of care (Darzi, 2008, NHS).

I have noted that Covey's (1999) 1st (be proactive), 6th (be imaginative and creative), 7th (sharpen the saw) habits indicates

Change agents should understand their own feelings about being change leader, understand their own commitment specially if the change was not started by them. Understanding the factors which are affecting the change from inside and outside the organisation which will positively or negatively influencing the change process (Moran and Brightman, 2001) can help overcome the obstacles at an early stage.

Some of the characteristics of change leaders are - lead through constant word and deed, communicate the need for change, broadcast a real world drivers of change, communicate effectively the dangers of not changing, establish the framework of measurement of change, identify the gap in knowledge and skills of the staff who are going to effect change. They need to provide rules, strategies and resources to change and create a culture of self-initiated change and improvement (Holt, 2009, Moran and Brightman, 2001, NHS, 2009).

Real Self (My Attitude towards Change and Skills I have to Become Change

I need to improve upon my time management and ability to prioritise my work (academic work in particular, but other aspects of my day to day life in general), because I take on more work than time permits and this is compounded by my attention to minute details.

I have noted that there are several challenges in innovation and improvement of services in my organisation and most of it can be dealt with effective communication with team colleagues, service users and senior managers and as a leader I should have the ability to take everyone with myself and get the changes implemented (Gill, 2011). My plan is to continue to work on my emotional intelligence (Goleman, 2004) so that I am able to understand the situation better and improve my ability to communicate in empathic manner in stressful situation, because in my opinion it is one of the very important qualities one needs to have in order to help with innovation and improvement of services by proactive engagement of colleagues. Covey (2006) has identified lack of empathic communication (habit 5, seek first to understand then understood) with colleagues as the basic failure of the leaders and I want to further develop this skill to turn this into one of my