Being a Change Agent:: Theory to Practice

The Change Process.
There seem to be several main theories on the stages of the change process.
There is Kurt Lewin’s model from the 1950’s, which uses the metaphor of an ice cube. He calls the steps “unfreeze, change, refreeze” (Ritchie, 2010). This can be summarized as follows:
“Unfreeze
1. Determine what needs to change.
· Survey the organization to understand the current state
· Understand why change has to take place.
2. Ensure there is strong support from upper management
· Use Stakeholder Analysis and Stakeholder Management to identify and win the support of key people within the organization
· Frame the issue as one of organization-wide importance.
· 3. Create the need for change.
· Create a compelling message as to why change has to occur
· Use your vision and strategy as supporting evidence
· Communicate the vision in terms of the change required
· Emphasize the “why”.
4. Manage and understand the doubts and concerns
· Remain open to employee concerns and address in terms of the need to change.
Change

1. Communicate often
· Do so throughout the planning and implementation of the changes

· Describe the benefits

· Explain exactly the how the changes will effect everyone

· Prepare everyone for what is coming.
2. Dispel rumors
· Answer questions openly and honestly

· Deal with problems immediately

· Relate the need for change back to operational necessities.
3. Empower action
· Provide plenty of options for employee involvement

· Have line managers provide day–to–day direction.
4. Involve people in the process
· Generate short-term successes to reinforce the change

· Negotiate with external stakeholders as necessary (such as employee organizations).
Refreeze

1. Anchor the changes into the culture
· Identity what supports the change

· Identify barriers to sustaining change.
2. Develop ways to sustain the change
· Ensure leadership support

· Create a reward system

· Establish feedback systems

· Adapt the organizational structure as necessary.
3. Provide support and training
· Keep everyone informed and supported.
4. Celebrate success!” (Ritchie, 2010).
Then there is Kotter’s Eight Step Model (Kotter, 2002). Leadership and change management guru, John Kotter is a professor at Harvard Business School. Kotter introduced his eight-step change process in his 1995 book, "Leading Change" (Kotter, 1995). His eight steps are:
· “1. Create urgency.
· 2. Form a powerful coalition.
· 3. Create a vision for change
· 4. Communicate the vision.
· 5. Remove obstacles .
· 6. Create short-term wins.
· 7. Build on the change.
· 8. Anchor the change in corporate culture.” (Kotter, 2002).
I found it interesting that under “Create urgency”, he recommends that you should only move ahead with a change if at least 75% of the constituency agrees. I have heard a great principal say he would not move ahead with a change unless at least 80-90% of the teachers agree. I think there needs to be consensus, especially in education.

The models for the change process listed above are useful because they remind you of details that you might forget in the process. I would use Kotter’s steps 1 and 2, “Create Urgency and Build a Powerful Coalition” basically are what Lewin is describing in “Determine what needs to change” and “Ensure that there is strong support”. I see these steps as deciding on a direction and then consensus building.
As a principal, the first thing that would be needed is to look carefully at methods that are being considered to determine if there is data to confirm that this is the way to go. Then, if so, the next step would be to build consensus for the change desired. One way to do this is to share the data. This way all can see the necessity of the change. Data driven decisions are easier to defend and easier to evaluate after the fact.
Another is to involve parents who always want the best for their kids. Parents are a “powerful coalition” Then work closely with those who might have objections to see what their objections are and then try to change the plans in a way that would help them come on board. This would be one of the ways to “remove obstacles”.
I loved Kotter’s idea of “Create short term wins”. That would boost morale. Then, both Kotter and Lewin end with, “Anchor the change into the culture.” This would be done the way all culture is created and transmitted, by symbols, hero stories, rites and rituals, etc. It is so important to continually stoke the fires of a positive culture by creating this “symbolic substance.” Schools are rife with symbols: mascots, cheerleaders, graduations complete with costumes. These are there for a reason, and should be observed.

From Theory to Practice: A change I was involved with.

I was involved in a “School Improvement Project” at Uintah Elementary School last year. I initiated this program as a result of an assignment in Dr. West’s class at USU. I began by getting a committee of teachers to spend an hour in a focus group, comparing their school’s data with data determined by researchers to be the 27 most important aspects of a “great school” (West, Smith, & Taylor, 2004). We determined that this school had all but two of the 27 items. So, the beginning of my project became to install the two items: A clear set of School Wide Expectations posted on the walls, and a program to positively reinforce those who do well.
I wanted to talk to teachers, office staff, lunchroom staff and parents about what they saw as the needs of the school. One thing that kept coming up was hallway behavior such as running and yelling. The office staff and teachers were most concerned about this. Several commented that they felt a need for a school wide approach to behavior in the common areas.
I spoke with the PTA Representative over safety. She invited me to attend a PTA Board Meeting. She and the other PTA Board members shared that their greatest concern was fostering more kindness among the children and preventing bullying behavior. They felt that teaching skills to deal with these behaviors would be their greatest concern. We had identified some needs.
This project seemed to develop a “life of its own” as I talked to friends and community members who stepped forward and took part. It was determined that we should have an assembly to kick off our changes. While we were preparing the assembly, which was about a month off, I took some pre-assessment data or baseline measurements of behavior such as how many student ran in the hall within 10 minutes around lunchtime, how many decibels of noise it was in the lunchroom, etc. About 40 percent of the kids in the halls ran at lunchtime. This can be more fully explained in the attached document, if you are interested.
The assembly had portions given by teachers, community members, administrators and student groups. It was very humorous. It showed kids acting out how to say “Stop” when they had had enough, etc. I gave a heartfelt plea for better behavior in the halls, lunchroom, and playground. The principal spoke for a few minutes on the same vein. We instituted a program to reward kids who do well. The next Monday, the halls were decorated with the twenty-two 3X5 foot signs we had made, including the clear set of School Wide Expectations posted on the walls.
I came back after the intervention and took more data. Running in the halls was down significantly. About 60% of the teachers felt that the project did some good, according to a quick anonymous survey I passed out, that was returned to me. The administrators, however, were ecstatic with the project. So, I felt that the School Improvement Project was a success.


The change process I used was:

1. Identifying a Need
2. Pre Assessment and Baseline Measurements of Behavior.
3. Preparing the Intervention
4. The Intervention
5. Assessing the Intervention
In practice, my process was close to Kotter’s and Lewin’s processes in that it was first deemed necessary by a coalition of teachers Then we took steps toward the remediation of the only area that this school seemed to fall short, having a decided upon mission statement. We initiated the mission statement with a school assembly. We embellished the words in the mission statement with an “Anti Bullying” program of “Stop, Walk, Talk”. This came from the recommendation of the PTA committee member in charge of safety. Thus we were building on the consensus of the community. The assembly had portions given by teachers, community members, administrators and student groups, thus showing consensus as recommended in the steps above. Then we tried to measure the change using a survey. There was found to be a measurable change as signified by the results of the survey. In the end, we continued to follow Lewin and Kotter’s suggestion to “Anchor the change into the culture”. We tried to anchor the culture by the posting of signs throughout the school to remind students, parents, and teachers of the desired changes.


I believe that order breeds order. In bringing more order to the school, I feel that we made it easier for the students to bring “order” to their minds, or in other words, learning.
I believe I helped the teachers somewhat too. I received back Twenty-four of my short assessment surveys from the faculty. Of those fourteen thought that the students had improved their behavior since the interventions. Ten did not. Twenty of them thought that it was now easier to remind students about correct behavior. Four didn’t think so. So, I guess a majority thought there was success. I was amazed and discouraged that almost 40% saw no improvement. I guess nothing is 100%.
The feedback from the principal and assistant principal was more encouraging. The principal indicated that he was getting about eight office referrals per week before the intervention. He was getting two per week since. This was about a month after the intervention.


There was a lot of coordination of different groups needed for this project.
The assistant principal said that when he gets referrals now, he loves that it is much more “cut and dried” He asks the “victim” if they said to stop and showed the sign (hand held up). You see people have a responsibility to speak up if they are being bothered. If so, then he turns to the other and asks if that’s true that they did that. If they say yes, and still continued, then they are the ones in trouble: No further discussion needed on who did what to whom. He was enthusiastic. So, my project was helpful to his management skills too.

Several mothers told me that their children had rehearsed the “Stop/Walk/Talk” rules to them and felt empowered with the new knowledge. One parent that works with the Cub Scouts mentioned that her cubbies said that they feel safer now, because they know what to do, and know it will be recognized by the adults in the school, when they are bothered by someone’s behavior. One mother told me how her girls were using the “stop” signal with each other at home.

I am happy because I think we equipped these students with a social skill or tool that will be useful for their whole lives. I felt that this was a good life skill: What to do when someone is annoying/bugging/bullying. Tell them to stop, if they don’t, walk away! If they pursue you, talk to someone in authority. Don’t fight, don’t get even, and don’t take the law into your own hands. Just express yourself firmly and if it doesn’t work, walk away. Great coping skill. It surely felt good to me to give this gift to those children, that is, a knowledge of what to do in a difficult situation.
Another thing I like about the program we used was that it did not try to “define” what is bullying and what is not. Every day we are bugged by different things. Some days we can tolerate some things, some days we can’t. Bullying is simply going past what a person wants after they have told you to stop.

References

Kotter, J.P. (1995). Leading Change Harvard Business School Press, Boston, MA
Kotter, J. P. (1999). What Leaders Really Do. Harvard Business Review Press. Boston, MA
Kotter, J. P. (2002). The Heart of Change: Real-Life Stories of How People Change Their Organizations Harvard Business School Press, Boston, MA
MindTools Corp., (2010). Kotter’s 8-Step Change Model summary. retrieved April 20, 2010 from http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newPPM_82.htm
Ritchie, B. (2010). Lewin’s Change Management Model summary retrieved April 20, 2010 from http://www.consultpivotal.com/lewin%27s.htm
West, R. P., Smith, T. G. & Taylor, M.J. (2004) Principles for Effective Schools The Utah Special Educator Fall 2004.