Examples of Roles and Responsibilities of Champions
- Attends Community Implementation Team meetings.
- Often described as a voluntary leadership role, opinion leader, a change agent, and an individual who influences colleagues and friends.
- An expert who provides education, champions a cause, or gives support to colleagues around the implementation of practice, protocols, or research evidence
- Able to influence others to adopt or implement a new or revised process or to become champions themselves
- Promotes autonomy by modeling behaviors, serving as an example to others, and providing information and guidance to others.
- Provides a vital link and serves as a liaison—updating colleagues on project status, creating a mutual understanding of the needs of all parties, and facilitating solutions to issues affecting processes and outcomes.
- Uses his/her sphere of influence to promote change
- Overcomes skepticism of newly discovered evidence for a practice change by verbally supporting and physically implementing the change
- Shares the knowledge gained through implementation experience to ease the transition and narrow the gap between evidence and practice
- Uses multiple forums to share information and knowledge, including:
- Presenting the process change at meetings
- Holding impromptu discussions in the hallway
- Sharing new evidence in a staff lounge
- Understands and recognizes the reluctance and hesitation by others to embrace change and addresses these concerns in a manner that is forthright and informed
- Is prepared to answer questions including:
- What is the evidence to support the change?
- Why is the change necessary?
- Are there others who have already adopted the change?
- Is there value to the change, or is this change only for the sake of change?
- Why should I want to change (what’s in it for me)?
- Is prepared with data from professional journals and leaders in the field that:
- Demonstrate the need for the change.
- Support the evidence.
- Demonstrate potential gaps between the evidence and practice.
- Leads peer discussions to build consensus for the change
Examples of Characteristics for Success
Primary Characteristics
- Has a wide peer and social network and an extensive knowledge of how his/her colleagues interact with eachother
- Perceived as credible and is respected by peers
- Highly knowledgeable and stays connected to his/her area of expertise
- Willing to share knowledge with others
- Willing to support and advocate for process changes
- Willing to implement new initiatives and serve as a resource for others
- Easy to speak with, welcomes contact by others, makes time to attend to their issues, and shows an interest in their views
- Is flexible in the face of stress, leading others by example
- Is not afraid to speak his/her mind or of trying to influence others, but does so in a way that respects the personal boundaries of others
Secondary Characteristics
- Able to foster self-control and respect in others
- Able to discern mutual goals beyond apparent differences in order to build consensus among opposing parties
- Holds that all people should be treated as equals
- Recognizes, perceives, and directly relates to the emotions of others
- Communicates truthfully and does not withhold relevant information
- Shows appreciation for the efforts and contributions of others
- Follows through with duties and takes the time necessary to get the job done correctly
- Demonstrates patience and recognizes the importance of timing when initiating change