Leader as Change Agent

Nancy Stanford-BlairCardinal 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 Your Experience with ChangeChangeThink of a change that is underway in Think of a change that is underway in

your district or professional lifeyour district or professional life

• What is the change?What is the change?

• What is the momentum behind the What is the momentum behind the change?change?

• What are the obstacles? What are the obstacles?

Share the change with a colleagueShare the change with a colleague

Reflecting on ChangeReflecting on Change

• So, what do your experiences about So, what do your experiences about change tell us about the nature of change tell us about the nature of change?change?– Hard or easy to accommodate to Hard or easy to accommodate to

change?change?– What determines whether it’s hard or What determines whether it’s hard or

easy to adjust to change?easy to adjust to change?

• What can we conclude about the What can we conclude about the nature of change?nature of change?

© 2005 NSB

Current Research on Current Research on ChangeChange

• McREL (Mid-Continent Research on McREL (Mid-Continent Research on Education & Learning) has completed Education & Learning) has completed a Meta-Analysis on the impact of a Meta-Analysis on the impact of leadership on student achievement.leadership on student achievement.

• A key finding focuses on what McREL A key finding focuses on what McREL calls: calls: The Magnitude of Change.The Magnitude of Change.

• Change has Change has personalpersonal and and organizationalorganizational implications. implications.

© 2005 NSB

McREL’s Definition of McREL’s Definition of ChangeChange

A A changechange is defined by is defined by

the the implicationsimplications it has for the people it has for the people expected to implement it and/or expected to implement it and/or those who will be impacted by it.those who will be impacted by it.

The same change can be perceived The same change can be perceived

differently by different stakeholders.differently by different stakeholders.

Source: Balanced Leadership Participant’s Manual, McREL, 2005

© 2005 NSB

Magnitude of ChangeMagnitude of Change

Incremental, LinearIncremental, Linear

Extension of PastExtension of Past

Consistent with Consistent with prevailing norms and prevailing norms and paradigmsparadigms

Marginal/limited impactMarginal/limited impact

Focused, boundedFocused, bounded

Complex, non-linearComplex, non-linear

A break with the pastA break with the past

Outside of norms and Outside of norms and beyond paradigmsbeyond paradigms

System disturbanceSystem disturbance

Emergent, unboundedEmergent, unboundedSource: Balanced Leadership Participant’s Manual, McREL, 2005

© 2005 NSB

First Order Second Order

Order of ChangeOrder of Change

• Definition: Order of ChangeDefinition: Order of Change

Order of change is the magnitude & Order of change is the magnitude & implications of change for the people implications of change for the people expected to implement them or those expected to implement them or those

who will be impacted by them.who will be impacted by them.

Source: Balanced Leadership Participant’s Manual, McREL, 2005

© 2005 NSB

First-order ChangeFirst-order Change

• Definition: First-order ChangeDefinition: First-order Change

First-order change implies a logical First-order change implies a logical extension of past & current practices extension of past & current practices

intended to make incremental intended to make incremental improvements in the current situation. improvements in the current situation.

First-order changes can be First-order changes can be implemented with implemented with

current knowledge and skills.current knowledge and skills.Source: Balanced Leadership Participant’s Manual, McREL, 2005

© 2005 NSB

Second-order ChangeSecond-order Change

• Definition: Second-order ChangeDefinition: Second-order Change

Second-order change implies a Second-order change implies a fundamental or significant break with fundamental or significant break with past & current practices intended to past & current practices intended to

make dramatic differences in the make dramatic differences in the current situation. Second-order current situation. Second-order

changes require new knowledge and changes require new knowledge and skills for successful implementation.skills for successful implementation.

Source: Balanced Leadership Participant’s Manual, McREL, 2005

© 2005 NSB

Change in Your SchoolChange in Your School

• Think about something in your Think about something in your school/district that you would identify school/district that you would identify as 1st order change:as 1st order change:– What characteristics made it 1st order What characteristics made it 1st order

change?change?

• Now, think about something in your Now, think about something in your school/district that you would identify school/district that you would identify as 2nd order change?as 2nd order change?– What characteristics made it 2nd order?What characteristics made it 2nd order?

© 2005 NSB

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

To Initiate ChangeTo Initiate Change

You must demonstrate:You must demonstrate:

• High Profile NeedHigh Profile Need

• Clear ModelClear Model

• Strong AdvocateStrong Advocate

• Active InitiationActive 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 ChangeTo Implement Change

You must demonstrateYou must demonstrate

• OrchestrationOrchestration

• Shared ControlShared Control

• Pressure and SupportPressure and Support

• Technical AssistanceTechnical Assistance

• RewardsRewards

During the Change Remember During the Change Remember the Trailblazer Modelthe Trailblazer Model

• TrailblazerTrailblazer

• PioneerPioneer

• SettlersSettlers

• Stay at HomesStay at Homes

• SaboteursSaboteurs

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 ChangeThe Journey of Change

05

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Saboteurs Stay atHomes

Settlers Pioneers Trailblazers

The Journey of Change -The Journey of Change -

05

101520253035404550

Saboteurs Stay atHomes

Settlers Pioneers Trailblazers

The Journey of Change +The Journey of Change +

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

Saboteurs Stay atHomes

Settlers Pioneers Trailblazers

To Institutionalize To Institutionalize ChangeChange

You must insure:You must insure:

• EmbeddingEmbedding

• Links to Student AchievementLinks to Student Achievement

• Widespread UseWidespread Use

• Removal of Competing PrioritiesRemoval of Competing Priorities

• Continuing AssistanceContinuing Assistance

In summary….In summary….

Trio ConversationTrio Conversation

• What type of change do you envision What type of change do you envision your team will be leading?your team will be leading?

• What implications do you see for What implications do you see for your team’s leadership?your team’s leadership?

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

The Times-They are a The Times-They are a ChangingChanging

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9vhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9vou4qUu5YYou4qUu5YY