Keywords
Citation
Van Zwanenburg, Z. (1998), "Diary of a Change Agent", Career Development International, Vol. 3 No. 4, pp. 170-170. https://doi.org/10.1108/cdi.1998.3.4.170.1
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 1998, MCB UP Limited
Your response to this book will critically depend on your own approach to consultancy, irrespective of whether you are an internal or external consultant. Through the medium of his own diary, Tony Page reflects on a number of key issues:
• using self as an instrument of change and the implications of this in terms of potential value or ethical clashes with client organisations and colleagues;
• the “whole life” context within which consultants work and the requirement to take account of conflicting needs and desires in the domestic and business contexts;
• the importance of interpersonal relationships in the consultancy process and the requirement to devote time to building and sustaining these relationships;
• the need for an approach which focuses on continuous learning and sees every interaction as an opportunity to review, refine and develop.
If you are already a consultant who has developed from a strong process and interpersonal skills basis, much of what the book illuminates will not be new. However, it is the practice of reflection and review through a personal diary as a means of personal and professional development which may offer a practical and cost‐effective approach for busy consultants.
If, on the other hand, you are a consultant who comes from a stronger project management background, the concentration on the impact of interpersonal relationship on successful outcomes and the implications of using self as an instrument of change will offer greater challenges. If you are the type of individual who prefers to do their reflection and learning alone then the methodology proposed will be very valuable, giving you the opportunity to identify patterns and analyse feelings in a structured way. However, for the more extrovert thinker who likes to test their thinking with others the practice of working with a mentor or a coach will probably be more useful.
The underlying messages of seeking to add value to your work and life and engage in continuous learning are clearly going to be dear to the hearts of all consultants who are trying to make change management a successful and rewarding activity.