Change In Schools: Why Is It Such A Pain?
By Oskar Cymerman | @focus2achieve | BAm! Radio Network EdWords Blogger
My New Years Resolution:
1. Change the face of global education forever by changing all the schools everywhere for the better.
All I have to do is to get EVERYONE EVERYWHERE to do this. Well, the last row...
Affecting Change in Schools by Knoster, T.
Seriously. If you are a human being working with other people you have encountered more than one of the situations depicted in the chart above and discussed below. Here's my humble interpretation.
1. Wait, What Are We Doing Again?
If the leader has no Vision, but the people on his/her team have the Skills, and are given Incentives, while the powers that be provide them with the necessary Resources, and they all come up with and implement an Action Plan to DO SOMETHING, BUT NO ONE KNOWS WHAT EXACTLY, Confusion will ensue.
2. May I Have Some Xanax Please?
And, if the leader has Vision, but his people aren't properly trained (or incompetent), and while they are given Incentives, and the necessary Resources, and they even come up with Action Plan to DO SOMETHING THEY ARE INCAPABLE OF DOING, a widespread Anxiety develops. Hey - at least they tried, right?
3. Sure I'll Help (When Hell Freezes Over)!
But, if the leader has the Vision, and the people on his/her team have the Skills, but are given no Incentives, while the powers that be provide them with the necessary Resources, and they all resentfully come up with an Action Plan, BECAUSE THEY HAD TO, Change will not occur as the actions of the team will unconsciously (and consciously at times) sabotage any progress.
4. Just Be Creative... I Can't Give You What You Need, But I Believe In You!
Then, if the leader has the Vision, and the people on his/her team have the Skills, and are given Incentives, but the powers that be provide them with no Resources, and they even come up with an Action Plan THEY CANNOT IMPLEMENT, Frustration will happen. And, can anyone blame them?
5. Who Needs a Plan When We Have Each Other (And Our Hamster Wheel).
Now, the leader has the Vision, and the people on his/her team have the Skills, and are given Incentives, while the powers that be provide them with the necessary Resources, but they fail to come up with and implement an Action Plan, Change will not happen, as they all end up together chasing something (and each other) on a big human-sized hamster wheel aka Treadmill.
6. We Have a Winner!
But, if the leader has the Vision, and the people on his/her team have the Skills, and are given Incentives, while the powers that be provide them with the necessary Resources, and they all come up with and implement an Action Plan, Change will happen.
Change is HARD. Change can be good though. Sometimes, change is necessary.
What experiences have you had when the organization you are a part of tried changing things? Please give your opinion about the model in the comments below and share this article with all the professionals out there. And, if you enjoy reading about education, learning, and achieving success, consider signing up for our NEWSLETTER.
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