Leading Change

Lawrie Drysdale

Change

• It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent: it is the

one that is most adaptable to change.• -Charles Darwin

Goals for session

What we already know about change in the school

Establish a model for change Identify key change strategies Develop strategies for overcoming

resistance to change Examine the research findings into

change management

Lessons about Change

• Think of a change that you have been associated that worked.

• Why did it work? • What strategies worked?• What did you learn about change?

Lessons about change

• Think of a change that failed. • Why did it fail? • What did you learn about change?

Research Findings

Why change programs fail?

• lack of senior management commitment

• lack of clarity of vision and specific objectives

• introducing too many changes

Why change programs fail?

• when used in isolation as a kind of 'magic bullet' to spread change rapidly

• training and performance expectations not related to real organisational problems and needs

FRAMEWORK FOR UNDERSTANDING CHANGE

People School - Context

Change Proposal

Framework for Change

Purpose

Scope

Skills

Resources

Support

Level of Concern

Teacher growth states

Responses to change

Context

Structure

CultureCurriculum

Processes

Plan

Purpose & vision

Skills

Career stagesGenerational differences

Context

School - Context

ProcessesStructure

CultureCurriculum

Processes

Purpose & Vision

Organisational context

Environment

Describe your change context Describe your change context • What is the school context – demographics etc• What is the school culture?• Size and Structure of the school?• Vision and direction? • Past history?• Staff (experience, age, experience, attitude)?• Stakeholder and community expectations?• Forces for change - external and internal ?

Establishing a need for change

• What are the pressures for change in your school?

• What are the sources of tension regarding change?

Change Proposal

Types of Change

• Identify the changes recently implemented in the school:1. .............2. .............3. .............4. .............

Types of change introduced into the school

• How were they introduced and implemented?• How successful was the implementation?

Change Proposal

Change Proposal

PurposeScopeSkillsResourcesSupport Plan

Change Proposal

Creating the vision

• Do you have a clearly stated vision?• If you continue on your current path, where

will you be in 10 years?• Do your key people understand where you

are headed?• Do the structures, processes, people,

incentives, & information systems support the intended direction?

Change Proposal

What is the scope of the proposed change

• Estimating the magnitude of the change–New materials–New behaviour/practices–New beliefs/understanding–New program–New perspective/philosophy

Change Proposal

Change Models

• Simple Model for Smaller Changes• Top Down• Bottom Up• Pilot Program• Lighthouse• Systems Approach

Change Strategies

Vision and Values

Change Culture

Change Structure

Change Management Style

Change Human Relations Approach

Change strategies

First or second order change?

• An extension of past?• Consistent with prevailing

organisational culture?• Congruent with personal

values• Easily learning using exiting

knowledge?

• A break with the past?• Inconsistent with prevailing

organisational culture?• Incongruent with personal

values• Requiring new knowledge and

skills

First order changeChange

ProposalSecond order change

Change is about the individual

People

Level of ConcernTeacher growth states

Responses to change

Skills & attributesCareer stages

Generational differences

Individuals

The type of change depends on perceptions of individuals

Type of Change

Rate Rapid Slow

Scale

Degree

Continuity

Direction

Planning

Major Minor

Fundamental Superficial

Transformational

The Nature of the Change

Linear Cyclical

High Low

Incremental

Resist to change

1. Reason for change is unclear2. People are uncertain or unclear what to do3. Poor communication 4. People don’t believe change is worthwhile5. People are afraid they will fail – can’t do it6. Change is not aligned with the corporate culture7. Staff are not involved8. Lack of trust9. Lack of leadership 10. Lack resources11. Lack knowledge, skill12. Lack confidence

Stages of Adoption of InnovationIndividuals

2008 Dr. Philip Hallinger 26

Innovators

Change Characteristics:– Like change, most change– Small % of people (~5-8%)– Outside the mainstream– Provide energy for change

Change Strategies:– Involve them early– Share your vision of change– Include them in activities– Use their energy– Talk to them

2008 Dr. Philip Hallinger 27

LeadersChange Characteristics:

– Open to change, but they consider the effects first

– Small % of people (~10%)– Not always managers– Provide direction for change

Change Strategies:– Talk to them early– Seek input/opinions– Give them responsibility– Keep talking to them

2008 Dr. Philip Hallinger

28

MajorityChange Characteristics:

– Cautious about change– Large % of people (~80%)– Look to their leaders & managers first– Will move with the group– Concerned about ability

Change Strategies:– Explain the rationale– Understand why they resist– Get leaders’ & managers’ support first– Involve in group activities – Support efforts to change – Use pressure as needed

2008 Dr. Philip Hallinger

29

Resistors Change Characteristics:

– Resist almost any change– Small % of people (~5 - 8%)– Are not leaders– Others do not follow them

Change Strategies:– Resistance is natural; theirs is too much– Talk to them; assess response– Don’t let them waste energy– Involve selectively in groups– Don’t confuse with other types

Teacher Growth States

• Omnivores• Active consumers• Passive consumers

(pragmatic skeptics)• Entrenched (stone-age

obstructionists)• Withdrawn

Individuals

Generational Differences

• Digital natives• Digital immigrates • Generations

– Builders– Silent generation– Baby Boomers– Gen X– Gen Y

Individuals

CATEGORIES OF CONCERNS • SELF CONCERNS

– How will this change affect me?–

• TASK CONCERNS– How can I do this?

• IMPACT CONCERNS– How am I impacting on the students?

Individuals

Concerns based model

Concerns about the SELF

Length of change program

High Concern

Low concern

Individuals

Concerns based model

Length of change program

High Concern

Low concern

Concerns about the TASK of teaching

Individuals

Concerns based model

Length of change program

High Concern

Low concern

Concerns about the IMPACT on student learning

Individuals

Concerns based model

Length of change program

Self Task Impact

Individuals

Stages of Concern• 0. Awareness• 1. Informational• 2. Personal• 3. Management• 4. Consequence• 5. Collaboration• 6. Refocussing

IndividualsSELF

TASK

IMPACT

Anticipating the forces for and against change

Forces for change Forces against change

Plan to design middle years

curriculum

Too many changesLack of student engagement

Build into VELS

Pressure fromschool community

Regional funding

Low staff commitment

Too many other school priorities

School has a goodrecord in VCE

4

3

2

3

5

2

3

2

VISION

VISION

VISION

VISION

VISION

SKILLS

SKILLS

SKILLS

SKILLS

SKILLS

INCENTIVES

INCENTIVES

INCENTIVES

INCENTIVES

INCENTIVES

RESOURCES

RESOURCES

RESOURCES

RESOURCES

RESOURCES

ACTION PLAN

ACTION PLAN

ACTION PLAN

ACTION PLAN

ACTION PLAN

CHANGE

CONFUSION

ANXIETY

RESISTANCE

FRUSTRATION

TREADMILL

MANAGING COMPLEX CHANGE

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=

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=

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Research shows that effective change occurs in six steps (1-2)

1. Gain commitment to change through joint diagnosis of school problems and goals

2. Develop a shared vision of how to organise and to manage in order to solve the problems and to achieve goals

Research shows that effective change occurs in six steps (2-3)

3. Foster consensus for the new vision, competence to enact it and cohesion to move it along

4. Spread change to all departments without pushing it from the top

Effective change (5-6)5. Institutionalise change through formal

policies, systems and structures6. Monitor and adjust strategies in response

to problems in the revitalization process

Robbins S.P., Waters-Marsh, T., Cacioppe, R. & Millett, B. (1994). Organisational Behaviour: Australia and New Zealand. Prentice Hall: New York , pages 789-791

Steps to leading change• Create a context for change• Clarify the school's intentions and ground rules

(change proposal)• Analyse the school context (people, structures, culture

and processes)• Develop a vision• Diagnose forces for and against change• Acknowledge emotions• Develop a model for change• Identify strategies• Identify your leadership strengthsIdentify your leadership strengths and actions and actions

Rate your context factors from 1 (weak) to 5 (strength)

1. Staff Readiness: Attitude ____2. Staff Expertise: Skills ____3. Top Management Support ____4. Other Stakeholder support ____5. Complexity of the change ____6. Size of Business Unit ____7. Leadership ____8. Financial Resources ____9. Corp Culture Supports Change ____10. Policy support for the change ____

Total: ____

With permission of Dr. Phil Hallinger

Overall Score: ____

Strengths• ________________• ________________• ________________• ________________• ________________• ________________• ________________• ________________• ________________

Obstacles• ________________• ________________• ________________• ________________• ________________• ________________• ________________• ________________• ________________

With permission of Dr. Phil Hallinger

Leaders Find Right Speed for Change

• Leaders adjust the– Difficulty of goal– Time frame for

implementation– Speed of Change Too Fast-Increased

resistance, change is short-term, limited or not

at all

Too Slow-No resistance, but no change

About Right-Excitement and some resistance

With permission of Dr. Phil Hallinger

Too Fast-Increased resistance, change is short-term, limited or not at all

Too Slow-No resistance, but no change

About Right-Excitement and some resistance

Adjust the Speed of Change

• 35-50 points = faster speed, prepare people but push harder to implement

• 25-35 points = moderate speed, push people but will take some time to prepare people

• < 25 points = change will be slower, take more time to prepare people for change

With permission of Dr. Phil Hallinger

John Kotter (Change Strategies)• Create urgency• Create a guiding team• Develop a vision• Communicate the vision• Enable people to act• Create quick wins• Make change stick