This study was initiated by the need to develop change agent skills in a group of consultants from a large government organisation facing major challenge from a competitive market. In order to develop a program, a group of mature and experienced change agents, with around 20 years experience in a variety of different organisations in each case, was asked, through the medium of an unstructured interview, to tell the story of their own growth and development. A model of 12 factors was developed, based on recent studies of leadership, the researcher's own career experience and an analysis of a well known practitioner's biography. This model was used to analyse the content of the interview material. The study found that there were a small number of factors which distinguished the development of this group from that of leaders who had been the subject of earlier studies. These were, firstly, the primary influence of the mother as role model. for both men and women. Secondly, the influence of early confrontations with established systems of power being employed in abusive ways, which developed a commitment to preserve the freedom of individuals to participate in decisions which affect their lives. Finally, a belief in the critical part ethics, integrity and the continual practice of learning for self-awareness, plays in maintaining a sustainable career as a change agent. The conclusions for a program of development for change agents are, firstly, that prospective participants should self assess their personal experiences from childhood, their attitudes to learning and the maintenance of an integrated self as an essential for mediating between stakeholder groups. Secondly, the influence of practical experience far outweighs that of schooling or academic studies. Thirdly, change agents employ what Bateson describes as type III learning, more than any particular theoretical approach, when designing organisational interventions. The study concludes that further research into the nature of the attachment bonds formed by change agents in childhood is needed to better understand the psychological dynamics which support excellent and sustainable practice. / Master of Science (Hons)
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:ADTP/181922 |
| Date | January 2000 |
| Creators | Lord, Kay Elizabeth, University of Western Sydney, Faculty of Social Inquiry |
| Source Sets | Australiasian Digital Theses Program |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Source | THESIS_FSI_SEL_Lord_K.xml |
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