What do all changes have in common? Change Agents! These are the enthusiastic supporters of a new idea who help build interest in and acceptance for it within their organizations.  But Change Agents are just one small segment of any organization. In order to understand the important role they can play, we first must look at how everyone reacts to change.

    If we studied the public’s reactions to notable changes introduced in society during the last century, a distinct pattern of responses would emerge. Regardless of which innovation we looked at - from the introduction of the horseless carriage to the wireless telephone, we would see that most people did not welcome the new trend.  Instead, all innovation is typically greeted with excitement from a select few and skepticism from the vast majority.

    In recent years, this same pattern has been seen in institutions implementing diversity initiatives.  When diversity is first brought to the attention of an organization, a predictable set of reactions occurs.  Some members greet the idea with excitement and enthusiasm, many others with skepticism and a few with open hostility.

    Why is it that people react differently to the notion of valuing and leveraging diversity? These varied responses are directly linked to each individual’s perceptions of diversity as an opportunity versus a risk.  Those who see the positive potential, will adopt diversity as an idea and then implement programs to realize its benefits. Those who associate risk and loss with diversity will resist this change and may even work to derail it.

Diversity Adoption   

    Based on extensive behavioral science research about predictable reactions to change①, the Diversity Adoption Model (below) depicts the typical path that the principle of “valuing and leveraging diversity” takes from its introduction into any organization. Every member of an organization/community falls into one of the five segments shown in this model. Within each specific segment, people share certain attitudes and assumptions about diversity.

    Like a wave forming and rolling towards shore, valuing and leveraging diversity is an idea that is initially embraced by a very small, select group of Innovators in an organization.  As this new paradigm gains attention, Change Agents embrace the idea and speed up the wave, accelerating its movement.  Slowly, after a period of successful testing and refinement, the diversity wave gathers the strength required to become an idea that Pragmatists start to accept. Ultimately, this wave will dash itself powerfully upon the rocks of the Skeptics and Traditionalists and begin wearing away their fear and resistance.

Diversity Adoption Model

    As The Diversity Adoption Model indicates, one’s placement in a particular segment is based on the level of perceived opportunity versus risk associated with valuing and leveraging diversity. For example, while Innovators focus on the creative potential that diversity offers, Pragmatists are motivated by bottom line evidence of diversity’s benefits.  In addition to wanting statistical evidence, Pragmatists often look to their more progressive peers for endorsement and become more likely to support diversity once their Change Agent colleagues have tested and proven its worth.

Change Agents: Energetic & Influential

    Unlike Innovators, the tiny segment first to acknowledge and quietly embrace diversity, Change Agents are opinion leaders. They are the people out front and visible in their support for diversity.  Change Agents can be highly influential in promoting diversity.  As change leaders, they like public recognition and enjoy playing a proactive, visible role as champions of diversity. Because they enjoy communicating their support for diversity, they like being spokespersons for this idea and want to influence the attitudes and behaviors of others.

Eager for New Knowledge

    Throughout implementation of diversity projects, Change Agents welcome new information about cultural diversity, just as singers welcome new songs and artists welcome a new palette of vibrant paints. Knowledge enhancement is a strong motivator for Change Agents.  They are information seekers who will participate in seminars, read books, watch films and engage in cross-cultural dialogue in order to understand more about inclusion issues and their impact on different groups.  If there is a demand for volunteer facilitators, mentors, role models or people to publicly endorse the benefits of diversity, it is the Change Agents who are the first to step forward.

    As they broaden their knowledge base and acquire greater cultural competence, Change Agents like to pass along their learnings to others. As such, they are excellent role models and important conduits in communicating about the benefits of diversity with colleagues farther to the right on the Diversity Adoption Model.

Strategies for Promoting Change

    Ironically, although Change Agents can be highly influential with their Pragmatic and Skeptic peers, they sometimes increase resistance within these segments through well-intentioned but ill-timed actions. To successfully promote diversity’s value, Change Agents must be flexible and able to modify their tactics in order to reach out across segments.

    At times, this flexibility may mean providing Pragmatists with bottom line arguments about diversity’s benefits - even when they seem obvious to the Change Agents.  At other times, flexibility may mean reassuring fearful Skeptics - regardless of how distorted or exaggerated their concerns appear to be.

    Rather than assume everyone is ready to accept and leverage diversity, effective Change Agents recognize the differences in readiness that exist within other segments.  Then they utilize targeted communications, education and other change implementation strategies to reduce perceptions of risk and systematically build momentum and support for full adoption of diversity.

    When Change Agents ignore the special needs of each segment of the Diversity Adoption Model, they are more likely to increase the risk of having the wrong idea adopted - that diversity has a negative value. By paying attention to each segment, Change Agents can greatly reduce this risk and improve the likelihood that diversity will succeed and prosper as an organization reality in the future.

NOTES:

1. ➀ Everett M. Rogers & F. Floyd Shoemaker,(1971), Communication of Innovations: A Cross Cultural
   

2.    Approach, New York, NY: The Free Press
   

Note: This article first appeared in Cultural Diversity at Work, May 1996.