Apologies, this was not posted yesterday due to illness!
Module 9: Whakataurite i ngā Huringa (Navigating Change in Education): This module equips you with the knowledge and skills to effectively navigate and lead change within the education system, fostering a culture of continuous improvement while ensuring the wellbeing of staff and ākonga.
“Titiro whakamuri, kōkiri whakamua”
“Look back to the past, strive for the future.”
Due: 8th September
Module Objectives:
- Understand the change process.
- Develop change management strategies.
- Build a shared understanding of the need for change.
- Lead and support staff through the change process.
- Evaluate the effectiveness of change initiatives.
A Harvard University study published twenty years ago, and various other research sources, such as the more recent study by David Leonard and Claude Coltea from Gallup, (published in Business Journal in 2013), estimate that 70% of all change initiatives in schools fail. As recently as 2016 in New Zealand this statistic was still quoted as relevant to understanding sustaining change in the presentation by Randy Pennington, Business Strategist and author, to NZSTA and available here: https://vimeopro.com/nzsta/govtalks/video/145795736.
The National Aspiring Leaders programme is committed to supporting delegates and ensuring growth in leadership skills, in this case by reflection on your role in change practice in your school. This will be achieved by supporting your exploration of change research sources against your current experience, particularly of change management and change leadership.
Reading: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1YcwSPqd5k3yWUMe1yFIvEz3-ulMqwQJE/view?ts=689bc6d8
Task: Reflect on this reading in light of your own practice and discuss your reflections with your learning partner. Post on the forum as a partnership, your joint reflections. You may use some of the following prompts to support your reflections:
- Understanding of change management vs change leadership
- Essential skills for leaders of change
- Key reflections/learnings about change leadership
- Creating a culture which supports change implementation
- What I need to develop further
Assessment:
- Completion of reading.
- Discussion with learning partner(s).
- Participation in the online forum discussion.
- Submission of reflection on the forum.
27 Responses
This reading really got me thinking about my own practice and the changes I’ve led over the years. A few of the errors hit close to home—especially Error 1, not creating a strong enough sense of urgency. I’ve definitely been guilty of rushing into change because I could see it clearly, but I didn’t always take the time to bring others on the journey with me. Error 7 also stood out—declaring victory too soon. In education, we often move so fast with new initiatives that we don’t give change the time it needs to really embed. The reminder that embedding real change takes years, not months, really landed with me. And then there’s Error 8, not anchoring change in culture. I’m a firm believer and the love the saying that ‘culture eats strategy for breakfast’ — if a change doesn’t align with a school’s values and culture, it’s never going to last.
Good point about error 8 Mike! I’ve seen some effective changes take place at schools during my 20-ish years in Secondary education and then fade out due to the lack of ongoing anchoring or embedding in the school’s kaupapa and/or values.
The most important difference between change management and change leadership is that your team should see you actively leading the change and living it yourself. As a new leader of a team who have been together for a couple of years, I found that it was important to show why the change is happening and why it is effective. If your team sees that it is actively working for you, they are more likely to jump on board as well.
The idea of creating urgency is also important, particularly when you’re working in individual classroom spaces. If that urgency isn’t created and recognised, then most likely, the change will be forgotten and pushed to the side. When the change is being made, it needs to be brought to the forefront.
Linking to other modules, having that sense of trust within a team will help with leading change. If your team trusts you, they are more likely to want to activate the change alongside you. This creates the culture that supports change implementation. Strong communication through words and actions, a strong sense of trust and urgency is a great foundation to implementing change within a team.
I agree with what others have said about recognising progress along the way. Actively showing your team that the change is working as progress is made is so important for the effectiveness of the change being made and for it to not fall through as time goes on. I really liked the term ‘change champions’. Leading change isn’t only about making changes and guiding your team through them, it’s about giving the skills needed to create change and progress with change to your team members.
I found this very interesting in the point where they talked about the difference between ‘change management’ and ‘change leadership’. It brought home to me the importance of leading the change and walking alongside your team – ensuring that your team sees you, as the leader, walking the walk in the process of making change also. It also discusses the importance of transparency and keeping lines of communication open through the process of change. Listening to all team members and not ignoring resistance.
The discussion in the reading about resistance being an important part to focus on was a new way of looking at it for me. The fact that others might have fears or concerns is a valuable part of the process that needs to be addressed and looked at together. No one person can see all perspectives and points of view when it comes to change in an organisation or school and by ‘leaning into’ this resistance (As Brene Brown would say) and by working together to remove the obstacles then change can be more robust and embedded.
I also liked the part (either in the video or the reading) where it was discussed to not wait until there has been a crisis to implement change. The old saying of ‘if it’s not broke then don’t fix it’ isn’t really the best way to go. Change is needed often to keep up with the natural changes that occur, either in society or with technology, etc.
Also, change is often feared – maybe because of the 70% of change that does not stick (we just need to look at the changes we get in education directed by the Government year on year!)
I feel the biggest takeaway I have from this reading and video is that change is vital, as a leader I need to be seen making change also – not just telling others they need to change. We need to be change leaders – as opposed to change managers. And also that we need to welcome the resistance, listen to it and try to overcome the obstacles together, by being transparent throughout the process and communicating the vision often.
Steps 5 and 6 stand out for me. Empowering others to act on the vision is so important if we want change to be authentic and long lasting. We need to have our team have ownership in the change otherwise it means nothing. The same is for step 6 – the short term wins are vital – as human beings we need to see that what we are doing is working and is worth all the effort – short term wins are important to remind us that change is worthwhile and what we are doing is working. It’s the same for children and adults – if you never see the fruits of your hard work then it just gets harder and harder to keep going forward.
Kia ora Linda, your reflection highlights the critical distinction between leading and managing change, emphasizing the importance of leaders actively participating in the process. It also underscores the value of embracing resistance as an opportunity for robust, collaborative improvement and the need to celebrate short-term wins to sustain momentum.
Ngā mihi nui
Had a good chat with my learning partners. Found the video a bit better than the reading but also took a few interesting points out of the reading as well. In particular the errors that impact change. The stats also came across very interesting. For example the 70% of changes fail and 80% of what you say does not interest 80% of people in the room.
That last stat alone would suggest that making sure you go through the steps to influence change would be hugely important in making sure that it is done right as it is a lot of stress to make change happen and it be successful.
Some things that we had not really thought of was the use of resistance in change. If there are people resisting change they are either afraid or they have concern. Consultation of these people could provide you with good information. For example there could be holes in your plan that you had no considered or have overseen. This also relates back to point number 3 in the video of connecting with the people. Staff are going to be the ones that implement this change or at least be the big drivers of the establishment of a new culture so they need to be heard. This then links back to what has been a big theme and one of the themes that have resonated to me throughout this whole Aspiring journey and that is relational trust.
The last thing we discussed was the idea of setting small wins throughout the change process. We thought this was a great idea as not only does it allow you to see success but it also allows you to gather information along the journey of managing this change. It may speed up or slow down the process as you identify the road blocks along the way but also allow you to identify things that have worked really well.
I really liked reading the errors of change. The last one of not Anchoring Changes into the culture of the organisation as a critical last step. This can take years to change and then establish culture and allowing the time to do this will be massively important and require vision, communication and leadership. At the moment I am implementing changes around personal accountability around students and their treatment of themselves, their peers and their responsibilities both in and outside the classroom. I have a few ideas that I am looking forward to implementing within my 400 strong Year 9 cohort going into Year 10 in 2026 and this module has made me think of a bit more of a structured approach.
Hey Jeremy. I found the stats of 70% of changes fail very interesting also – in fact, that shocked me – no wonder people are generally so reluctant to change!
Also the concept of embracing the reluctance makes so much sense they way it is written in the reading. How can we introduce and have robust change if we don’t see everything from all angles? That is why communication is so important – being transparent with the vision and the process – as well as ‘walking the walk’ as a leader.
Kia ora Jeremy, your reflection emphasizes the importance of a structured approach to implementing change, noting that a high percentage of change initiatives fail. It highlights that resistance to change should be viewed as a valuable source of feedback, providing opportunities to improve the plan. The author also notes the significance of relational trust, celebrating small wins, and anchoring new changes into the organizational culture for long-term success. Great to see you are making changes with your year 9 cohort.
Thanks for sharing.
I found all the key points in the video very thought provoking and appreciated the “what to do/how to do it” focus of the video message. An absolute lightbulb moment for me was “use resistance as your friend” – as in, assume that everyone has the best possible intent with their concerns, they want to do a good job, and their concerns/negativity are an opportunity to identify and unpack/deep dive into the thinking behind the resistance. Until now I have found it hard to remain patient and supportive in the face of (what I thought was) baseless negativity when discussing a change/upcoming project. I now see this from quite a difference lens and have already shared this gem with my leadership team, some of whom had also not encountered this idea before. My group partner & I agreed on the importance of connecting with people where they are, and not being at the front as the presenter, with no “skin in the game”. This also tied in with the point Kotter made about the dangers of under communicating and therefore not capturing the hearts & minds of the staff who will be involved in the change process – this also links to your credibility as a leader (point 5 in the video: Go First – model the change/process). We agreed that it is vital that the Senior leadership team have their finger on the pulse and are modelling the change as well as being visibly invested in the process. Anything less smells of tokenism.
Hey Fiona. The ‘using resistance as a friend’ comment reminds me a lot of what Brene Brown talks about in “Leaning in to vulnerability”.
If we are going to instigate and lead change as leaders (note: not manage it) Then we need to be able to hear the reluctance and work with our team to remove the obstacles. In this way we can work together to ensure the change is robust and the vision is shared by the whole team. Then hopefully the change we are working on with our team does not fall into the 70% of change that fails.
Kia ora Fiona, you have highlighted a significant shift in perspective regarding change leadership, emphasizing a proactive and empathetic approach. I like your comment of using resistance as a valuable tool to be a “lightbulb moment,” seeing it as an opportunity to understand and address genuine concerns rather than dismiss negativity. You also stress the crucial importance of leaders demonstrating authentic commitment to the change by actively participating and modeling (skin in the game) the new behavior yourself, arguing that a lack of visible investment from leadership undermines credibility and feels inauthentic.
Ngā mihi nui
I love this comment, Fiona. I can really relate to feeling frustrated when I’ve been met with negativity around change and leadership. I agree that it’s a powerful mindset shift to see those with concerns as people who also want the best for our kura, our kids, and our whānau. Their negativity can actually be an opportunity to think more deeply about the changes we’re making. It’s definitely a challenge, though—I’ve often felt like my self-esteem is tied to the changes I lead, so it can be tough to face negative viewpoints.
Yes, until I had this “Aha” moment I had put my frustration down to differences in how personality types (e.g the Peacock/Owl/Eagle/Turtledove or Red/Blue/Green/Yellow etc) process information and change, and had never considered the negativity/concerns to be indicative of something “deeper” that could be explored. I am now adopting a colleague’s mantra of “all questions and comments are welcome” at any kaimahi hui – even if I (still) feel frustrated, it doesn’t mean the concerns/issues raised aren’t valid and worthwhile. Yes, I struggle with negative viewpoints – sometimes it’s a bit of a battle to get to the bottom of the concern or issue, and I have to really bring my coaching conversation A-game skills in to action to get to the heart of the matter.
Exploring the readings on organisational change made Rachel and I reflect deeply on the difference between change management and change leadership. Management ensures systems and processes are in place, but leadership is about inspiring people, building trust, and carrying the vision. Without leadership, change can feel like something “done to us” rather than something we own together.
We both noticed that the most successful leaders of change focus on people first. They create urgency, form strong guiding teams, and keep communicating the vision clearly and consistently.
This connects strongly to what we learned in earlier modules:
Trust is essential if people are to take risks and try new approaches.
Courageous, open conversations are part of keeping staff engaged and supported during uncertainty.
Data can provide the evidence that builds understanding of why change is necessary, while emphasising the importance of relationships with whaanau and iwi to strengthen collective purpose.
One of our key learnings is that change needs to be anchored in culture. At our kura, whanaungatanga, manaakitanga, and celebrating diversity help create an environment where change is not resisted but embraced. Celebrating small wins and sharing positive stories can keep momentum alive.
Looking forward, we both want to develop our ability to monitor and evaluate change over time. Too often initiatives start with enthusiasm but fade out. We want to ensure that change becomes embedded practice, sustained through regular reflection, feedback, and continued alignment with our school vision.
The whakataukii “Titiro whakamuri, kōkiri whakamua” really resonates with us. By reflecting on past experiences and learnings across these modules, we can move forward with courage and clarity, ensuring that change in our school is not only managed but truly led.
Kia ora Rickson, thanks for sharing your response with me. Your reflection clearly distinguishes between change management and change leadership, highlighting that the latter focuses on inspiring people and building trust to foster collective ownership. I agree with your emphasis that successful change initiatives prioritize people, communication, and establishing relational trust. I also like your conclusion that anchoring change in the school’s culture and celebrating small wins are vital for embedding new practices and ensuring long-term success.
Ngā mihi nui
Understanding of change management vs change leadership:
I think this year with becoming a new leader I have worked hard to make small changes within the team. I wanted to work hard on leading through change and doing it for the better not just because. With these changes I have worked on making the connections within the team and then proposing the change so it becomes not something I want BUT something we want for the BETTER of our team and tamariki. This embodied a comment R.Pennington made about connecting with the people about the importance and getting the BUY IN from the people for the change to be made.
Essential skills for leaders of change:
During the video from Pennington something that struck me was realising the change BEFORE the BURNOUT. This hit me as teachers. We often see the burnout way too often. It has me thinking what changes have we made this year to change this? I have made lesser meetings, built on relationships not just being together for work purposes, checking in with them and listening to their thoughts, expertise and advice and using that to influence or enhance our team.
Another idea that hit me was although you seek short term wins/change, never stop looking for further ways to grow and change for the better. Keep the school and NZC vision of life long learning! There is always more to be done or to be achieved, just because you might be doing well now and showing results, there is ALWAYS room for more!
Key reflections/learnings about change leadership
The biggest thing from this reading and a majority of the readings from this course has been the people! The connections. The relationships. The TRUST. As Kotter said in his research, a large percentage of change fails as people do NOT have the buy-in or connection to support new initiatives or change from management/leaders. This reminds me of the importance of building relationships with each of the team members as individuals and as a whole. It shows that connection is important to help lead the change. Something else that resonated with me was the need to “go first”. Pennington touches on the importance of Role Model change. As leaders we were asked to lead our teams as positive role models and this aligns with that!
What I need to develop further
The belief in myself to make bigger change BEFORE the need for it. Identify areas of concern or those not thriving and find ways to improve it through urgency, connections and team members buy in. Continuing to build on relationships and break down barriers that are there to have the trust within the team. I also think my continual learning in what makes a good, positive and engaging leader will benefit me in making positive changes! Finally believing that leadership is not about holding hands, telling people what to do, BUT in building a community of like minded professionals who want for the better!
Kia ora Ashleigh, Thanks for your in depth reflection. I can see your primary learning is the crucial distinction between change management and change leadership, recognizing that true leadership requires building relationships and fostering team buy-in rather than simply implementing new systems. You’ve also realized the importance of proactive change, highlighting the need to address issues before they lead to burnout by seeking continuous improvement.
You have further emphasized that a leader’s credibility and the success of any initiative are directly tied to the leader’s willingness to model the desired change and build a foundation of trust with the team. You have acknowledged the need to develop your confidence further to initiate larger-scale changes proactively, guided by a clear vision and strong team collaboration.
Ngā mihi nui
Understanding of change management vs change leadership
My inquiry, co-led with Tim Haines, has been a hands-on lesson in the difference between change management and change leadership. My initial approach focused heavily on the management side—the logistics of introducing The Writing Revolution and The Writers’ Toolbox. This included planning professional development, organising trials, and structuring the school-wide rollout. This is the nuts and bolts of change. However, as Kotter’s reading emphasises, this is not enough. The leadership came from our partnership and our deliberate effort to establish a sense of urgency and articulate a shared vision for our students’ writing outcomes. By focusing on the ‘why’ at the start of 2025, we were engaging in a leadership act that inspired our team and prevented the initiative from becoming just another program to be “managed.”
Essential skills for leaders of change
The success of our writing inquiry has required me to exercise essential leadership skills that are clearly outlined in the readings. First, we had to establish a sense of urgency by using our achievement data to show that business-as-usual was not sufficient. Our specific goal to increase achievement and accelerate Priority One learners provided a powerful, data-driven reason for change. Secondly, we had to create and communicate a clear vision for what improved writing instruction looks like, and finally, plan for short-term wins. Our mid-year data, showing we’ve already reached the 90% target, is a crucial win that validates our work and motivates us to continue.
Key reflections/learnings about change leadership
My biggest learning is that leading change is fundamentally about people, not programmes. The Kotter reading highlights that a large percentage of change initiatives fail because leaders make critical errors in the human element of change. My reflection is showing me that without the buy-in from our teachers, the clear communication of our shared vision, and the celebration of our collective wins, this initiative could easily diminish. It has taught me to look beyond the curriculum materials and focus on the culture, communication, and relationships that are essential to successful, lasting change.
What I need to develop further
The most significant area for my own leadership development is in ensuring our change is equitable for every student. While overall achievement has risen, I need to lead a more targeted inquiry into the progress of our Priority One learners. This means moving beyond broad data and developing my skills to gather more specific evidence. The surveys we are currently creating are a direct response to this need. It’s a critical step in my journey from a leader of general change to a leader of equitable and sustainable change for all of our students.
Kia ora Zach, thank you for sharing an in-depth reflection on the material. Your reflection demonstrates a sophisticated understanding of change leadership. To continue your development, focus on two key areas. First, move beyond broad data by developing skills to gather qualitative evidence from your Priority One learners, such as through focused interviews or student-led conferences. This will provide deeper insight into their specific needs. Second, empower other teachers by distributing leadership. Identify and support a “change champion” to mentor colleagues and share successes, which will help anchor the initiative more deeply in your school’s culture.
I really like the idea of being a leader of equitable and sustainable change of all your students!
Ngā mihi nui
As a Team Leader in a large primary school, I have come to appreciate that successful change is not simply about adopting new initiatives. It is about shaping and nurturing a culture where change can thrive. We are lifelong learners and this never stops. Drawing on the principles from John Kotter’s “Leading Change” and Randy Pennington’s “Understanding and Sustaining Change,” I’ve reflected on how my role can support and embed meaningful change at the team level.
Kotter’s first step, creating urgency, is about helping people see why change is needed. As a Team Leader, I often find that colleagues are more open to change when the reasons are relevant to their day-to-day experiences. Whether it’s addressing gaps in writing outcomes or improving engagement, I aim to use real data, student work and classroom observations to ground our discussions and make the need for change feel authentic and immediate.
I do lead by example. Kotter’s concept of a guiding coalition reminds me that influence often comes from trust, not title. By building positive relationships within my team and modelling the attitudes and behaviours that align with the school’s vision, I can help generate momentum and credibility around change.
Pennington highlights that sustainable change is anchored in values. I’ve learned that team members are more willing to commit when they can see how a change aligns with what matters to them; whether that’s improving pupil wellbeing, supporting inclusion, or raising attainment. As a Team Leader I try to frame initiatives in terms of their impact on children’s learning and lives, rather than as top-down directives. Team members’ buy in is essential!
One of the biggest challenges in a large school is ensuring clear communication. Kotter reminds us that change must be communicated clearly and often. I have found regular team meetings, informal check-ins and open-door conversations to be essential tools. I try to create a safe space for feedback (both positive and critical) and share key messages from senior leadership in a way that is practical and tailored to our team.
Randy Pennington stresses the need to remove obstacles to change. Within my team, this often means helping colleagues manage their time, offering support with planning or simplifying a process that feels overwhelming. As part of this, I sometimes need to have critical conversations – planning these conversations and keeping mana intact is key. I also see my role as an encourager; checking in on how people are coping, acknowledging challenges and celebrating small wins along the way.
Kotter’s idea of creating short-term wins is particularly powerful. As a Team Leader, I make a conscious effort to highlight progress, whether it’s a successful lesson, improved assessment outcomes or increased confidence in using a new strategy. These small victories help build belief that change is both achievable and worthwhile.
To sustain change the feature must become part of the way we work. As Pennington notes, culture is shaped by what leaders consistently do. I strive to embed new ways of working into our routines, planning structures and professional dialogue. I also reflect regularly on my own practice; am I reinforcing the change we want to see? Am I supporting colleagues to take ownership? Am I walking the talk?
Leading change is less about authority and more about relationships, consistency and values. Kotter and Pennington both highlight that real change is cultural; it lives in how people think, feel and act every day. My role is not just to manage implementation, but to help cultivate a team environment where change feels purposeful, supported and sustainable.
Kia ora Michelle, thanks for sharing an in-depth post on the readings which shows a strong understanding of change leadership, moving beyond simple management to focus on culture, relationships, and values. A couple of key areas for development could be:
– Coalition Building
You recognize the importance of building a guiding coalition based on trust, but to amplify your impact, think about expanding this beyond your immediate team. Consider identifying and nurturing “change champions” from other teams or departments. This can help you create a cross-functional network that builds broader support and influence across the school. By actively seeking out and collaborating with allies outside your direct sphere, you can ensure that your team’s successful changes aren’t isolated and can be adopted more widely.
– Communication
You emphasize the need for clear communication. To make this even more effective, focus on storytelling. Beyond sharing data and outcomes, practice sharing compelling narratives about the change. For example, instead of just reporting “improved writing outcomes,” tell a story about a specific student who now loves writing because of a new strategy your team implemented.
I really like your final comment about your role.
Ngā mihi nui
The biggest things that hit me through these readings/videos were the idea that although you seek short term wins, never stop growing, never hit a finish line, look for further ways to incorporate the vision, be a life long learner and grow. It hit me the idea that when you stop and celebrate before it is engrained this is when results stop, change stops and you can sink back to square one. I have seen this a lot but having it spelt out was significant especially when it shows the lifespan of change.
Also the idea of not just having urgency but creating it, I found key. Seeing leaders utilise this to create a better momentum for change.
The idea that has been reiterated throughout many modules of being a leader, having the knowledge and confidence to walk the talk as you need to embody the change yourself for others to be inspired to follow. Also the leadership communications – I found the strategies that were mentioned I have seen a lot. I appreciated and see the purpose of communicating in the daily activities linking these things back to the vision to show purpose the WHY. This not only would spark motivation but also help create the rituals and culture around what we do.
Lastly, creating a clear vision. I appreciated the example of the full manual being given. I believe at times we can ‘over explain’ in an attempt to justify change. I feel the reminder of concise and clear vision was important.
Being in a Deaning space I have not had the time to develop a change as of yet. I feel to prepare for this possibility it is important to continue to add to my kite of knowledge and PLD is important. I am going to try and utilize goals and the concept of creating clear visions. Within my role of Year 9 Dean I want to do this for our year level – have a shared vision for the year and everything we do in Year 9 links back to our vision. This I understand is a little different than intended but I do see that this will be useful in working on communication channels and sharing common goals and getting others on board.
Working on collaborating with staff is key, I can be stubborn within myself of doing it all, working on incorporating key staff and having people on board is definite work on, one that will be front and center as I take on my new role next year.
Speaking to my learning partner despite her focus being curriculum our feedback on this module was very similar.
Kia ora Rebecca, your reflection demonstrates a good grasp of the core concepts of change leadership, particularly the importance of continuous growth, creating urgency, and a leader’s role in modeling the change. A couple of comments to further develop your understanding and application of these ideas especially into your area of year 9 leadership.
Sustaining Change
You correctly identified that celebrating too early can lead to backsliding. For future growth, explore specific strategies for anchoring change in an organization’s culture. Research how to establish rituals, integrate new behaviors into performance reviews, or use storytelling to reinforce new norms.
Co-Creating Vision
You mentioned your desire to develop a shared vision for your Year 9 cohort. This is a great practical application. To make this vision compelling, think about how you’ll co-create it with students and staff. Instead of just presenting a vision, involve them in its development. This will foster a sense of ownership, making them more likely to embrace the goals and contribute to their success.
Ngā mihi nui
The reading is a challenging one (not to read, but one that challenges you as you read it).
Right away, the first major error is not establishing a sense of urgency. The major reason for this is trying to get people out of their comfort zones, and this not happening. Not establishing urgency is definitely something that I have been guilty of in the past. Upon reflection, people need to know the purpose of change to accept, adopt and embrace change. Giving purpose can be the most simple yet effective way to motivate. As said in the reading, without motivation, people won’t help and the effort goes nowhere.
It was fascinating to read that the more successful organisational change witnessed all started with a frank conversation regarding some potentially unpleasant facts. This is a step that can be difficult. Building trust (trust being our currency) means that these conversations are built on respect, and they can happen without fear of negatively affecting the relationships.
The second aspect is to form a guiding coalition of change. Too often, I have found myself thinking I have to ‘shoulder the burden’. No doubt this has been detrimental to any change or initiative I have attempted to put in place. It also doesn’t build trust. Managing the change, it would seem, would put one on the outside of the ‘coalition’.
Leading change, according to points three and four, is about having a clear, meaningful vision that people can buy into, and communicating that vision/purpose effectively. Communication needs to be clear, regular and truthful. It also cannot be from just one person. Using the coalition, not shouldering the load, this is important, clearly, in leading change. Not only does communication happen in words, but in deeds.
However, what really stuck out to me was that change needs to become part of the culture (the change being administered that is). This requires constant addressing, given staff turnover, changes in education, more changes, pressures to perform, and all the other aspects of education that the reading doesn’t acknowledge, but are very real.
The essential skills for change are clearly communication of purpose, creation of vision, consensus building and team building (selecting the right people to be part of the driving force behind change).
I think the creation of culture that supports change is incredibly complex. Communication, again, is really important, but high trust is really important. To be frank, there are many of the aspects spoken about in previous modules as well that tie into a culture of change. Consensus building, and regular check ins, support and having ‘change champions’ means that more people will be willing to change too.
There is plenty I need to develop. That will never stop. However, the biggest aspect is probably communicating the vision effectively. Vision and purpose is not something that I struggle with. However, others around me may not see the vision/purpose and I feel that continued, regular communication of the vision, combined with actions that share the vision of change, is the aspect I will look to develop.
Currently, I am leading a team implementing changes in writing. It will be interesting to look at recent results of a feedback seeking survey to see if the teachers we lead have a clear sense and understanding of the purpose. This module has really made me reflect on this.
You hit on a crucial point about communication being more than just words—it’s also about deeds. This is a powerful form of leadership that reinforces the vision. And what you noted about culture is perhaps the most challenging and most important aspect of the whole process. The reading focuses on the process, but as you astutely noted, it doesn’t account for the daily realities of education. Staff turnover, curriculum changes, and other pressures make the need for constant, deliberate action even more critical. It’s not enough to implement a change; it has to be continually revisited and reinforced to become “part of the culture.”
Kia ora Tim, I can see that your key learning from this reflection is a deeper understanding of the prerequisites for successful change leadership. You recognize that change initiatives fail without a sense of urgency and purpose, which is essential for getting people out of their comfort zones. You also highlight the need to share the responsibility of leading change by forming a guiding coalition rather than trying to manage the entire process alone. I certainly agree with your comment of the critical importance of continuously communicating the vision through both words and actions, emphasizing that this is a skill for you to develop further to ensure change becomes embedded in the school’s culture.
Appreciate your depth of reflection!
Ngā mihi nui