The study evaluates the change management skills among the directors of Indian national agricultural R&D institutions. Ten instruments were used to measure the managerial styles of the directors with reference to X, Y, and Z style of management; resilience and amenability to change; situational leadership; Myers-Briggs type indicator; personality types in interpersonal relationships; vulnerability to stress; time management skills; power orientation; self-monitoring skills; and adeptness at office politics. The results indicate that the respondents were neither poor nor excellent in `transience management skills'. Three skills contributed in large measure to deficit in change management abilities. It is suggested that those three skills could be honed by careful and concerted HRD interventions.

The ability to manage change is an important skill, especially in management of R&D institutions. It is essential to develop these skill-sets in order that chief executives of these organizations succeed as leaders and facilitators of `knowledge workers'. As knowledge workers, scientists are constantly working to expand the frontiers of science and create new knowledge. Chief executives and individuals in senior management position in R&D organizations need to understand the forces that stimulate change and should be aware of the sources of individual and organizational resistance to change, so that managing change can be successfully planned and accomplished. Such a change will not only lead to build successful teams, but more importantly, would result in transformation of the organization itself into a learning organization, which is the hallmark of the 21st century.

Managers have `different' individual styles, some of which are considered more appropriate for managing organizational change. Bishop and Taylor (1995) developed an instrument that measures the score of respondents with reference to different managerial styles identified as theories X, Y (the popular theories of McGregor) and Z (the Japanese management practice). They inferred that a high score on Z combined with an above average score on Y dimensions indicates that the managers as leaders of mutually supportive teams, and active members of the organization are happiest when operating in a flexible changing environment.

Management Research Journal, Personality Characteristics, Indian National Agricultural R&D Institutions, Change Management Skills, Time Management Skills, Self-Monitoring Skills, Social Psychology, Organizational Behavior, Interpersonal Relationships, Indian National R&D Institutions, Indian National Agricultural R&D System, Consulting Psychologists Press.