Leader as Change Agent Nancy Stanford-Blair Cardinal Stritch University © 2005 NSB

If you're in a bad situation, don't worry it'll change. If you're in a good situation, don't worry it'll change. ~John A. Simone, Sr.

Your Experience with Change Think of a change that is underway in your district or professional life What is the change? What is the change? What is the momentum behind the change? What is the momentum behind the change? What are the obstacles? What are the obstacles? Share the change with a colleague

Reflecting on Change So, what do your experiences about change tell us about the nature of change? So, what do your experiences about change tell us about the nature of change? –Hard or easy to accommodate to change? –What determines whether its hard or easy to adjust to change? What can we conclude about the nature of change? What can we conclude about the nature of change? © 2005 NSB

Current Research on Change McREL (Mid-Continent Research on Education & Learning) has completed a Meta-Analysis on the impact of leadership on student achievement. McREL (Mid-Continent Research on Education & Learning) has completed a Meta-Analysis on the impact of leadership on student achievement. A key finding focuses on what McREL calls: The Magnitude of Change. A key finding focuses on what McREL calls: The Magnitude of Change. Change has personal and organizational implications. Change has personal and organizational implications. © 2005 NSB

McRELs Definition of Change A change is defined by the implications it has for the people expected to implement it and/or those who will be impacted by it. The same change can be perceived differently by different stakeholders. Source: Balanced Leadership Participants Manual, McREL, 2005 © 2005 NSB

Magnitude of Change Incremental, Linear Extension of Past Consistent with prevailing norms and paradigms Marginal/limited impact Focused, bounded Complex, non-linear A break with the past Outside of norms and beyond paradigms System disturbance Emergent, unbounded Source: Balanced Leadership Participants Manual, McREL, 2005 © 2005 NSB First Order Second Order

Order of Change Definition: Order of Change Definition: Order of Change Order of change is the magnitude & implications of change for the people expected to implement them or those who will be impacted by them. Source: Balanced Leadership Participants Manual, McREL, 2005 © 2005 NSB

First-order Change Definition: First-order Change Definition: First-order Change First-order change implies a logical extension of past & current practices intended to make incremental improvements in the current situation. First-order changes can be implemented with current knowledge and skills. Source: Balanced Leadership Participants Manual, McREL, 2005 © 2005 NSB

Second-order Change Definition: Second-order Change Definition: Second-order Change Second-order change implies a fundamental or significant break with past & current practices intended to make dramatic differences in the current situation. Second-order changes require new knowledge and skills for successful implementation. Source: Balanced Leadership Participants Manual, McREL, 2005 © 2005 NSB

Change in Your School Think about something in your school/district that you would identify as 1st order change: Think about something in your school/district that you would identify as 1st order change: –What characteristics made it 1st order change? Now, think about something in your school/district that you would identify as 2nd order change? Now, think about something in your school/district that you would identify as 2nd order change? –What characteristics made it 2nd order? © 2005 NSB

If we desire second order change, we require highly skilled leadership behavior.

To Initiate Change You must demonstrate: High Profile Need High Profile Need Clear Model Clear Model Strong Advocate Strong Advocate Active Initiation Active Initiation

All changes, even the most longed for, have their melancholy; for what we leave behind us is a part of ourselves; we must die to one life before we can enter another. ~Anatole France

To Implement Change You must demonstrate Orchestration Orchestration Shared Control Shared Control Pressure and Support Pressure and Support Technical Assistance Technical Assistance Rewards Rewards

During the Change Remember the Trailblazer Model Trailblazer Trailblazer Pioneer Pioneer Settlers Settlers Stay at Homes Stay at Homes Saboteurs Saboteurs

Faced with the choice between changing one's mind and proving that there is no need to do so, almost everyone gets busy on the proof. ~John Kenneth Galbraith

The Journey of Change

The Journey of Change -

The Journey of Change +

To Institutionalize Change You must insure: Embedding Embedding Links to Student Achievement Links to Student Achievement Widespread Use Widespread Use Removal of Competing Priorities Removal of Competing Priorities Continuing Assistance Continuing Assistance

In summary….

Trio Conversation What type of change do you envision your team will be leading? What type of change do you envision your team will be leading? What implications do you see for your teams leadership? What implications do you see for your teams leadership?

If nothing ever changed, there'd be no butterflies. ~Author Unknown

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