Identifying When Change is Required: The Pre- requisites for Success Florida Benchmarking Consortium 2014 Annual Spring Conference

Reject the idea that public administration can be any less human or any more scientific than the humans who are the administrators. Dwight Waldo & Charles Linblom in Fry & Raadschelders (2008)

“External Causes of Change” Economy and Society Advancement s in Technology Education Government Regulation

“Internal Causes of Change” New Mission, Vision and Goals Increase/D ecrease in Funding Personal Circumstances New Technology Needs

“Reasons People Reject Change” Fear of Loosing Their Job A Belief That Change Isn’t Needed Closed-Minded Attitude Toward Change

Select a “Change Strategy” Identify the Current Situation Identify Stakeholders Involved Identify Potential Resistance Identify Information Needed

An 7-Step Template For Successful Change  Create a sense of urgency.  Pull together the guiding team.  Develop the change, vision, and strategy.  Communicate for understanding and buy-in.  Empower others to act.  Produce short term wins.  Don’t let up and “create a new culture.”

References 1. Fry, B. R. & Raadschelders, J. C. N. (2008). Mastering Public Administration (2 nd edition), Washington, D.C. 2. Kan, M. (2007). “The dance of leadership, the art of leading in business, government, and society”. Public Administration Review, Vol 9, no 4, Kotter, J. P. & Schlesinger, Leonard, A. (2008). “Choosing strategies for change”. Harvard Business Review, July- August, Kotter, J. & Rathgeber, H. (2005). Our Iceberg is Melting: Changing and Succeeding Under Any Conditions, New York: St Martin’s Press.

Think of a successful change that occurred in your organization and think of an unsuccessful attempt to make a change in your organization. What was done (the steps taken) and what lessons were learned in each case?