1 And Now for Something Completely Different --Change in (Academic) Organizations COL Steve Horton - USMA Improving College Mathematics Teaching Through Faculty Development 14 June 2012

2 Some Mathematics Let X be the set of all experts on Organizational Change Let Y be the set of all people who can be persuaded to talk about Organizational Change Theorem:  y  Y such that y  X. Proof:

3 Outline Introduction Preparing for Change Introducing Change Communicating Change Implementing Change

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5 Outline Introduction Preparing for Change Introducing Change Communicating Change Implementing Change

6 Preparing for Change: Why does Change Fail? Allow too much complacency/no sense of urgency Fail to create strong guiding coalition No clear vision Undercommunicate the vision Permit obstacles to block the new vision Fail to create short-term wins Declare victory too soon Changes not anchored in culture Employee resistance Lack of leadership support Limiting organizational policies

7 Outline Introduction Preparing for Change Introducing Change Communicating Change Implementing Change

8 Introducing Change: What Should I Do? Increase urgency Overcome inertia  Aura of prosperity  Lack of data  Low standards Build a guiding team Get the vision right Communicate for buy-in (≠ “sell”) Empower action Create short-term wins Don’t let up (don’t declare victory too soon) Weave change in to culture (to make it stick)

9 Outline Introduction Preparing for Change Introducing Change Communicating Change Implementing Change

10 Communicating Change Explain the change Communicate message often – over and over Be empathetic Exhibit passion and intensity “Walk the Talk” – people at the top need to adhere to the change themselves

11 Outline Introduction Preparing for Change Introducing Change Communicating Change Implementing Change

12 Implementing Change (traditional, linear model) Replace inertia with imperatives Communicate the change Actively remove obstacles Aim for early success Sustain momentum

Implementing Change: Recess (nonlinear model) Let’s take a field trip to the local Elementary School. You’re in charge of recess; you’ve got 3 minutes; what’s your plan to lead recess? Imagine recess at the elementary school... The bell rings! What do you see? Wait 5 minutes; now what do you see? Could you have predicted exactly... ? How do you Evaluate Recess? What’s the leader/teacher doing? Which plan? (yours or theirs?) Why does it work? Simply hands-off? Or... 13

14 The Recess Model A few simple rules… Some initial conditions… Details are very unpredictable, but… Order emerges from the chaos

15 How is Change Harder/Easier or Different in your Environment?

16 How do I approach my Department Chair/Dean about my ideas for change? Be positive Have a plan Catch him/her in a good mood Be passionate about your ideas, but not emotionally attached to them!

17 Thanks Scott Snook – Associate Professor of Business Administration at Harvard Business School.

18 Q.E.D. █