Assessing Potential Team Members

Here's what a Change Agent should look for in potential team members:

• Interest in the Change Initiative.
• Level of knowledge about the process to be changed.
• Available time to devote to the Change Team.
• Match of personal style to the work to be done on the initiative.
• Commitment to the transformation.
• Background and perspective different from other people who will be on the team.
• Any other issues specific to the Change Initiative.

The only way for you to really assess these things is to get to know the person before extending the offer to be on the team.

Recruitment is a two-way street. Both you and the potential team member are getting to know if the Change Initiative and this person are a good match. It's important to build a rapport with the person. Remember that when you are recruiting, you are not selling. You are searching for positive matches between people and the Change Initiative you have created. Even though your first impression may have been that the person was a perfect candidate, an open discussion about the Change Initiative will tell you if you made a good guess.

Find out what skills the person may bring to the team as well as what kind of diversity s/he offers. Although you won't be working with them on the Change Team, it is important to get to know these people a little bit so as you form the team, you recruit individuals that have a good chance of working together.

Only ask someone to join the team after you feel sure that s/he is a good match to both the project and to the other team members.

Be respectful when you reject people who want to be on the team; be honest about why you made the decision. Being on a Change Team isn't about popularity, it's about a lot of hard work: both to the make the Change Team a success and to make the initiative a success.

A Change Agent concerned solely with the outcome of the Change Initiative will take the chance of hurting someone's feelings in order to have a well-balanced team that is more likely to succeed. It would be very bad strategy to issue blanket invitations to people you believe may not succeed together just to be nice to them. If they don't make the team and never had a realistic chance, it's unlikely they will be interested in participating in the process on another team. Do not place a person on the team if, in your best judgment, s/he is unable to do the work. A move like this may undermine the team and the Change Initiative along with it.

Be careful with invitations to be on the team and be gentle when you turn down interested people. You (or some other Change Agent) may need that person for another Change Initiative that has yet to begin.

Building a team is like putting together a puzzle and it's up to you to try to help make the pieces fit.

© 1997 ChangeCraft

Written by Heidi Jeanne Hess
(Veronica Boaz and Doug Wesley contributed)

Check Point

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