Navigating Strategic Change

John Pritchard, Director of Strategic Planning,

Durham University

Olivia Kew-Fickus, Director of Strategic Planning

University of Birmingham

Navigating Strategic Change

Session Overview

• Where are we going and how are we going to get there?

• Are we there yet? Is everyone still on board?

• How will you navigate the journey?

Thinking Big

Thinking Long

Thinking

D E E P

• Strategic thinking is identifying, imagining and

understanding possible and plausible futures for your

institution

Diagnosis

Guiding Policy

Action Plan

http://catalogue.pearsoned.co.uk/educator/product/Strategy-Safari-The-complete-guide-through-the-wilds-of-strategic-management/9780273656364.page

Establish effective structures for deliberation and

engagement

Establish a credible evidence base

Determine priorities and trade-offs

Determine priorities and trade-offs

Strategic Decision Making

1. Identify the choice alternatives

2. Identify the criteria relevant to the decision

3. Weight the criteria

4. Assess each choice alternative in relation to the criteria

5. Review scores for each alternative and confirm choice

Market

Demand

Market

Capacity

Widening

Participation

Finance

Average Tariff

Subject Area A

Subject Area B

Subject Area C

Subject Area D

Subject Area E

Translate strategy into operational outcomes

WHAT HOW: STRATEGY INTO

ACTION

GOAL IMPLEMENTATION POLICIES

/ CRITICAL INITIATIVES

AIMS RESOURCES

GAP ANALYSIS KPIs

OBJECTIVES DEPENDENCIES & RISKS

IMPACT ON EQUALITY AND

DIVERSITY

APPENDICES - EVIDENCE

Facilitate/influence effective strategic dialogue

Julie Hodges

Managing and Leading

People through

Organizational Change:

The theory and practice

of sustaining change

through people

Entering the Zoud

The Zoud and the role of the strategic change agent

• Accept the uncomfortable

• Review the situation

• Identify wants and needs

• Be objective

• Be flexible

• Recognise triggers

• Actively support others

• Be honest

• Assume responsibility

• Help colleagues to think big, long and deep

• Establish effective structures for deliberation and stakeholder

engagement (formal and informal)

• Establish a credible evidence base

• Determine priorities and trade-offs

• Translate strategy into operational outcomes:

what are your five bold steps?

• Facilitate/influence effective strategic dialogue

Enter the Zoud

Be political (remember Machiavelli)

Be persistent

Getting from here to there: local implementation

A bit of background

• University of Birmingham – new VC (Sir David Eastwood)

in 2009

• Awakening the “sleeping giant”

• Strategic Framework 2010-2015: “Shaping our Future” – Five areas: Research Excellence, Student Experience, Engagement,

Financial Sustainability, Destination of Choice

– Five values: Excellence, Distinctiveness, Impact, Pride, Confidence

• Strategic Framework 2015-2020: “Making Important Things

Happen” – Four areas: Research, Education, Influence, Resources

– Five values: Excellence, Leadership, Pioneering Spirit, Purposefulness,

Pragmatism

• College strategies developed over past year

• School strategies under development, different stages

What did your institutional strategy ever do for you?

• Strategy = where you are going and how

you get there

• Institutional strategy = Compass

• Specifies some main roads (institutional

initiatives)

• But universities are complex…

• …and the institutional strategy requires a local

response to work out the detailed route

So what stands in your way to develop local

strategy?

• People don’t see the need…cynicism…academic

disengagement…

• Things keep changing…

• I don’t understand how what I’m doing aligns with the

institutional strategy…

• I need to be fleet of foot and able to respond to emerging

opportunities…

• Everyone thinks their bit is the most important…

• I can’t get the resources I need…

• The institutional strategy doesn’t address what I think is

important…

• Political sensitivities…

And what’s your toolbox?

Challenges Tools

• Getting people on board

• Cynicism • Politics • Alignment • Seizing opportunities –

carpe diem! • Resources • Prioritisation

• Listening – “Where is the energy?” • Feedback – gives credibility • Honesty – acknowledge issues • Scenarios • Resonant phrases • Problems and solutions don’t always

emerge together • Powerful examples • “Ambitious realism” • Your “story” • Repitch for the local audience • Champions • KPIs – but only if people feel they matter • SWOT and starters for ten

The Strategy Book

Max McKeown

A practical toolkit for those who

would manage strategic change

• Initially give people space to get

things off their chests

• Be authentic and avoid

defensiveness

• Get people beyond the immediate

• Consistency of messaging

• Don’t get so far ahead that people

can’t see you

• Look back periodically to give

yourself perspective

• Help colleagues to think big, long and deep

• Establish effective structures for deliberation and

stakeholder engagement (formal and informal)

• Establish a credible evidence base

• Determine priorities and trade-offs

• Translate strategy into operational outcomes:

what are your five bold steps?

• Facilitate/influence effective strategic dialogue

Enter the Zoud

Be political (remember Machiavelli)

Be persistent