Theories and Solutions: Understanding Organizational Change

“Culture eats strategy for lunch!”

Institutionalize Changes in the Culture What are the indicators of success? Coaching cycles are flowing and involve a majority of teachers Student work is at the forefront of conversations and instructional decisions Coaching is understood to be a partnership to improve student achievement rather than a method to “fix” teachers Teachers have opportunities for collaboration, participative leadership, & ongoing learning What is culture? The way we do things here. May not always come from leadership, so remember the role of coach as translator/interpreter. Can play a powerful part in establishing the culture. Cannot skip this final step because you leave the potential for everything to come undone. Take a long and wide view and ask what it will take to make this change a part of the culture.

Change Readiness “To the fearful it is threatening because things may get worse. To the hopeful it is encouraging because things may get better. To the confident is is inspiring because the challenge exists to make things better.” (Whitney)

Change Readiness Change Readiness Continuum Convert an Additional 20% of the Population to Change Enablers Change Resistors, 10% of Population Change Enablers, 10% of Population Inherently Resistant to Change Change Readiness Continuum Inherently Ready for Change

Form a Guiding Coalition “Go where the energy is.” (Graves)

Form a Guiding Coalition In what way can you influence others? Power Position Knowledge Trustworthiness Ability to articulate vision & ideas Openness to be influenced by others Demonstration of trust & respect Active listening Acquiring important information from others Ethical influence. You have things like power, knowledge and trustworthiness with some of your colleagues. Have to also remember it’s a 2 way street. Coaching is a partnership, and you will influence those who know you trust and respect them.

Alignment & Engagement “Change is disturbing when it is done to us, exhilarating when done by us.” (Kanter)

Alignment & Engagement Active Engagement Disengaged Not Aligned with Aligned with Forward Direction Direction Potential Obstructors Exemplary Leaders/Contributors Pragmatists Potential Leaders/Contributors Bystanders

District/School Leadership Creating Alignment Understand direction & key issues Architects District/School Leadership Create meaning & aligned actions Interpret results & provide feedback Translators Coaches Implement Provide feedback Doers Teachers Even if it’s just to “improve student achievement”, this goal comes from the top and needs to be “translated” by coaches to teachers. Going the other way, coaches need to listed to feedback from teachers and use that along with data to give feedback to leadership.

Messaging Recruitment Celebrations Communicate Widely How is the school leader making this clear? How is the coach making this clear? Recruitment Who is in the next 20%? How can you get them on board? Celebrations How is success being shared through multiple venues? Just like with our students, we know that motivation and engagement are crucial for anything productive to happen. For adults in the workplace (across professions) these are the most common factors affecting motivation and engagement. For each state in the change process we need to think about which or these elements are activated. Reflection – think about a time when you were motivated and engaged and how these 3 factors played a role.

Autonomy Mastery Purpose Creating Engagement The urge to direct our own lives Mastery The desire to get better and better at something that matters Purpose The yearning to do what we do in the service of something larger than ourselves Just like with our students, we know that motivation and engagement are crucial for anything productive to happen. For adults in the workplace (across professions) these are the most common factors affecting motivation and engagement. For each state in the change process we need to think about which or these elements are activated. Reflection – think about a time when you were motivated and engaged and how these 3 factors played a role.

Develop a Shared Vision & Strategy How does involvement increase ownership? Participative Leadership Performance Shared Decision Making Problem Solving Remember that this is a partnership. It may be coming from the top, but we need to get people on board by getting them to buy some shares of the stock. Think about each of these levels and what it would look like with your teachers. What would it look like at each of thes steps (higher )? Communication & Understanding Directive Involvement

Generate Short Term Successes & Build Momentum Focus Determine what’s most important Don’t overload Commit Build ownership & accountability Develop a workable plan Follow through Implement! Evaluate results Build momentum Build your “management operating system”. Define priorities, aligning and gaining commitment, ensuring follow-through, measuring success. This is where all the nuts and bolts about coaching flow and coaching cycles come in. Have to be transparent so people know exactly what you’re up to, and have to be able to measure and repot success.

Resources Kotter, J. (2012). Leading Change. Harvard Business Review Press. Pink, D. (2011). Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us. Riverhead Books. Kanter, R. M. (1985). Change Masters. Free Press.