New 2025, Third Edition, Now Available!
The Change Agent's Guide
Do you see yourself as a change agent?
As a change agent, you want to turn ideals into reality. But change is a complex, often messy process. When, where, and how can you play a constructive role? Understanding the process of change and adhering to a process model goes a long way toward making your efforts successful.
Article
Out of the Chaos Again
Or Why a revised edition now?
by Ronald G. Havelock, Ph.D. | October 2025
We are in a time of upheaval. What can we do?
From the present chaos there will come another “reconstruction.” It will happen at many levels. Some of this rebuilding will happen rationally and fairly, as Lincoln once hoped, some will not. Are we...
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View a shorter sample in your browser and choose either Paperback or eBook edition to view online.
View a shorter sample in your browser and choose either Paperback or eBook edition to view online.
View a shorter sample in your browser and choose either Paperback or eBook edition to view online.
View a shorter sample in your browser and choose either Paperback or eBook edition to view online.
Article
as a change agent, what should you think about and do?
Wherever you are on your change journey, it's important to keep the big picture in mind. Here are five key steps to help you do that.
Change as a Process
Change is everywhere and is always happening. So what do we mean by change ? And who is a change agent? To tackle a planned change project, it's helpfult to understand what we know about how change happens in human-centered systems, how and why process models for change can help and how to use a process model effectiveely to move fast without skipping important steps.
Your Place and How to Start
Are you a change agent? Are you building a change team or launching a new change initiative? If so, the first thing to do is to understand your place in the social system and identify starting points for change.
The Change Cycle in 7 Stages
The Guide defines the seven stages of the change process using an active
verb for each stage. The name encompasses a core idea, which suggests the primary considerations and activity for the stage. The core ideas in
sequence are Care, Relate, Examine, Acquire, Try, Extend, and Renew.
Change Team Roles
Each of the seven stages represents an arena in which a special type of change agent might flourish. You cannot be all things to all people, and in a very real sense, fully guiding or managing all aspects of a change process is an all-things-to-all-people sort of job. By looking at role types, you can hink about how to stretch your skills, add to your knowledge, and seek out collaborators who have complementary skills.
Articles and Case Studies
Bringing about positive change is a complicated business. Whoever you are and whatever your intentions, it is still a complicated business. For additional insight and inspiration, check out our blog articles and case studies.
Resources for Your Change Journey
To support you on your change journey, check out our supplementary resources including infographics and videos and well as free downloadable workbooks and assessment tools.
Article
The importance of checklists
When you have a checklist, your success rate goes up. This is true in all kinds of contexts from medicine to aviation to education. The more complexity in the environment, the more checklists matter. Using The Change Agent's Guide as your master checklist for managing change can help ensure your success.
Get the Book
The Change Agent's Guide is available in Hardcover, Paperback and Kindle eBook editions. Designed with full color illustrations in all editions, plus color tabs and a full index in the print edition, the guide is an easy to reference companion for your change journey.