There are many players in any successful change event. Each player occupies a role or in some cases one person can function in several roles. Great frustration, however, can occur when a change event is planned without engaging each role throughout the entirety of the change process.

Seer

In literature and throughout history a seer is one who functions in the role of a clairvoyant or prophet. This is the one who forecasts the need for change whether that be a large scale sea change in the external environment or the need for a new process in the maintenance schedule on the shop floor. Often this individual can be calling for change but not heard at all until the message being sent is picked up by an Advocate.

Advocate

The Advocate is also called a sponsor for change. This person may or may not have the ability or budget line to enact change, but does know how to get the message of the Seer heard by the right people. The Advocate is essential in magnifying the voice and message to the Buyer.

Buyer

The Buyer of change is the individual who can actually authorize the change initiative or event. Depending on the scope of the change this may be a level three or four person (Director or Managerial Level) or it may be someone within the C-Suite who is convinced by the Advocate that change is in the best interest of the organization. The change process, once approved by a Buyer at the decision making and budgetary level, is headed up by a carefully selected "Leader of Change."

Leader

The Leader must keep all individuals playing key change roles participating in the event for it to be a success. If any one of them is not included or involved at every critical step, buy-in can fail and sabotage can result. On the other hand, if the Leader develops and initiates the change process in a facilitative rather than a directive mode, powerful and successful change can result.

People don't resist change. They resist uncertainties. They resist when they have not been given reason to trust the leadership. And finally, they resist when realistic expectations are not met. This leads us to the third element of change which is "Integrity" of change.