Student Name

Capella University

LEAD-FPX5220 Leader as Change Agent

Prof. Name:

Date

Change Management and Development Plan

Introduction

Trinity Health System focuses on enhancing leadership skills among its qualified staff. Leadership competencies are reviewed during annual evaluations. Recently, the Chief Nursing Officer appointed the Director of Post-Acute to the staff development team, requesting the creation of a development plan to train other leaders. The Director has chosen to emphasize interpersonal skills, particularly targeting optimism and opinionated staff. These competencies are crucial for effective leadership across different hospital departments. The development plan spans six months, with clear action steps and target dates.

Agile Leadership Self-Assessment

The Agile Leadership Self-Assessment evaluates three areas: learning, interpersonal, and execution (Agile Leadership Self-Assessment, 2020). The Director’s assessment revealed strengths in associative learning, driven execution, and extroverted interpersonal skills. However, weaknesses were identified in innovative learning, tolerant execution, and opinionated and optimistic interpersonal leadership (Agile Leadership Self-Assessment, 2020). Given the nature of the organizational changes, improving interpersonal agility is vital. Focus will be placed on areas where the Director scored lower, particularly opinionated and optimistic leadership traits, to foster a well-rounded team.

Change-Related Competency

Optimism and opinionated staff are key to team success. The development plan emphasizes enhancing leaders’ interpersonal skills, flexibility, understanding of others’ input, and approach to challenges. Optimism helps motivate teams through the change process, particularly when progress slows or setbacks occur. Opinionated staff, while sometimes challenging, offer valuable insights that must be considered for effective communication and change management. Leaders must learn to harness these opinions positively, ensuring all staff feels heard.

Action Plan and Timelines

Competency	Action Steps	Timeline
Interpersonal Communication	Improve communication skills, flexibility, and understanding of staff input. Survey staff to monitor progress.	Initial steps to be taken within three months; staff surveys at six months.
Opinionated Staff	Build relationships, listen to opinions, and establish boundaries for sharing feedback. Involve opinionated staff in communication.	First month implementation, progress review at month four.
Flexibility	Leaders need to maintain flexibility in their approach, responding positively to challenges and detours.	Deadline within one month, review after the first change iteration.
Dealing with Challenges	Address challenges with an optimistic mindset, build relationships with difficult team members, and seek input.	Immediate implementation, survey in month two.
Seeking Input	Value staff input, especially from opinionated team members, to foster trust and collaboration.	First month initiation, review input after two months.

Challenges and Opportunities

Leaders need to embrace optimism to overcome challenges and find opportunities. Maintaining a positive outlook during the change process is critical, particularly when dealing with difficult team members or unforeseen obstacles. Building interpersonal relationships helps leaders better understand the root causes of resistance and encourages more productive conversations. Leaders should look for opportunities to incorporate diverse opinions, which may provide valuable insights that would otherwise be overlooked.

References

Agile Leadership Self-Assessment. (2020)