Survey Results: What is the single most important trait of a successful Organizational Change Consultant in todays economy? Please only list one!

Survey conducted by Jim Markowsky, X-Factor Solutions (www.x-factor-solutions.com/). Participants were members of the Organizational Change Practioners group on LinkedIn - a group of over 5,000 global OCM professionals (there were 70+ responses). Frequency shown in brackets:

1. (4) Agility – intellectual fleetness of foot; adapt on the fly; fluidity; adapt to internal and external environment; be as good at Plans B, C, D, E as Plan A.
2. (4) Listening – generative listening; discovery by listening and collaborative thinking; without it you cannot start the change journey; the client will tell you.
3. (3) Confidence – positive body language, building it with client; attitude and behavior.
4. (3) Facilitating – generative thinking with client to see possibilities; of collaborative learning process.
5. (2) Questioning – requiring client to see themselves as they are and as they want to be; asking the right payoff questions.
6. (2) Results – we are paid to produce; what the client is paying for.
7. (2) Systems Approach – wear systems glasses.
8. (2) Truthfulness – integrity; bring up the difficult issues
9. (1) All of the following:
10. Awareness
11. Billable
12. Chaos – comfort
13. Clarity – of focus
14. Communication – two way and ongoing
15. Conceptual and global thinking Dialogue – around tough and delicate issues
16. Directionally correct
17. Expectations - clarifying
18. Experience
19. Extraction – of salient points from client… reading between the lines
20. Faith
21. Flexibility
22. Gap analysis – utilization to implement needed changes
23. Influencing
24. Innovative solution – getting out of the safe zone
25. Integrity
26. Intentional – 100%, while radiating agility
27. Journey – preparation and setting expectations with client
28. Live and Practice Change – day in and day outObservation – includes active listening
29. Opportunistic – there are opportunities durin this downturn
30. Outcome – develop clear and concise with client
31. Patience
32. Perception
33. Persistence
34. Realism
35. Reflexivity - reflect and help client make sense of change
36. Saavy – navigation of the organization to get things implemented
37. Seeing – really seeing and not force-fitting
38. Sense-making – in complex situations
39. Synthesis – process and activity
40. Teamwork – collaboration
41. Tenacity – in the real value of the end state
42. Vision – ability to hold
43. Wisdom – to see the truth