Collegiate Project Services
Higher education isn’t our business…it’s our passion.
Latest posts by Collegiate Project Services (see all)
- Is Your Project In Trouble? A Checklist - May 10, 2016
- 5 Ingredients for Project Success - April 14, 2016
- 4 Common Barriers to Systems Change - February 9, 2016
This sentiment rings true today on college and university campuses across the country. Leaders in higher education regularly face the challenge of initiating progress on campus while at the same time dealing with very natural, and very present, resistance to change.
We see two primary types of change that face institutions: Directed Change and Engaged Change.
Directed Change is best described as “top-down” initiatives, such as new administrative or academic policies brought about by federal or state mandates. In instances of Directed Change, campus leaders make decisions and then drive the change forward – but are typically met with resistance, as many campus stakeholders have not been involved in the decision to make the change. A common example of Directed Change is legislative policy that directly impacts the institution like performance-based funding.
Engaged Change involves a more collective effort across campus, where many are asked to provide input into the change initiative, but key leadership is still accountable for driving the change forward. A good example of Engaged Change is an enterprise systems implementation – many are asked to contribute input to the planning and implementation, but a select leadership group is accountable for making decisions that represent the best interests of the institution. Even in examples of Engaged Change, there will still be some resistance to change, and leaders must be prepared to proactively communicate with and involve campus constituents in the process.
How can institutions create an environment where any type of change initiative – Directed or Engaged – is embraced by campus rather than resisted?
Creating a Readiness for Change Culture on Campus
We define a “Readiness for Change Culture” as an environment that meets two important criteria:
- Change is easily accepted throughout the institution and
- Change can emerge from anywhere within the institution, instead of being driven top-down.
Let’s discuss how institutions can fulfill these two criteria.
Readiness for Change Culture Criteria #1: Change is easily accepted
In order for change to be easily accepted throughout the institution, campus leaders must understand the motivating behaviors behind change resistance, and the conditions under which staff are more likely to embrace change.
What motivates change resistance?
Individuals will resist change for many reasons – but all have one thing in common: people resist change because of the impact it will have on them as individuals. Staff that resist change aren’t maligned in their intentions, they are just protecting their own interests. Some of the more common reasons campus staff will resist change include:
- Fear of the unknown or uncertainty of the future
- Loss of control
- Vested interest in the current state
- Hesitancy to assume more or different job responsibilities
- Lack of awareness or understanding
Campus leaders must pull their staff out of the self-protective mode to see the bigger institutional picture. And to do that effectively, certain conditions need to be in place for staff to embrace change on campus.
What are the conditions under which staff will embrace change?
So how can you break down change resistance behaviors? To create a Readiness for Change Culture, institution leaders need to create the conditions under which people will embrace change. There are nine conditions to consider.
Institution stakeholders are more likely to embrace change…
…If the change is not a surprise
…If it’s a small or gradual change
…If they see the benefit and understand the rationale
…If they have been involved in making the decision
…If they trust the change agent
…If past change events at the institution have been successful
…If they believe they have the needed skills and knowledge
…If they feel managers will support them in the change
…If there is a good communications strategy
Once the conditions are right for staff to readily accept change, institution leaders are challenged to support change coming from every level of the institution.
Continue reading how to fulfill the second criteria essential for a Readiness for Change Culture: Change can emerge from anywhere.
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