The Managing Complex Change model puts language to that
which makes some schools successful while others struggle. The model looks at five components necessary to create a desired environment. These include vision, skills, incentives, resources, action plan. If any one piece is missing the model indicates results schools will experience including change, confusion, anxiety, gradual change, frustration, and a false start.
When thinking
of successful schools such as Science Leadership Academy, The MET, The Island School, The iSchool, you will find they have all those components in place. On
the other hand, when I hear teachers lamenting about their school failures, the model brings clarity to the fact that one or more of these components are missing.
Below is the chart that lays
this out. Following the chart, I'll take a look at what each missing
component might look like in a school environment. As you read, consider which,
if any are components, are missing at your school.
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| Source: The Managing Complex Change model was copyrighted by Dr. Mary Lippitt, founder and president of Enterprise Management, Ltd., is 1987 |
Lack of Vision = Confusion
When I hear exasperated
teachers spinning their wheels, working so hard to get ready for all the
various mandates and requirements, but never feeling a sense of accomplishment,
it is clear there is not a tangible school vision that has been communicated. In
some cases this is because what is being imposed does or can not reconcile with
what the school wanted for their vision.
Skill
Deficit = Anxiety
My heart goes out to those with a skill deficit. They
are required to implement a curriculum they are not trained in using or being
evaluated via measures with which they are not familiar. Or…they are put into a
position they were not trained for or prepared to embrace. Social media provides a great medium for
helping these teachers get up to speed, but when the outreach occurs, the
anxiety is abundantly clear.
Lack
of Incentives = Gradual Change
It is not unusual for innovative educators to feel
like and be perceived as misfits. Islands onto their own engaging in practices
others are not familiar with and maybe even fear. They are doing great work
that might not be embraced or even understood in the school. Innovative
educators get that what they are doing may not be embraced where they work, as
a result, incentives may be non-existent. In such cases, it’s not even that
there is gradual change, but rather change is not embraced. It’s a difficult
pill to swallow, but in many cases schools have no interest in making such
changes. That’s why these incentives don’t exist.
Lack
of Resources = Frustration
This is the most frustrating and least acceptable of
all. A school has all components in place, but they can not acquire the
resources to do what is best for children. They have a vision, plan, and all
the rest, but without the resources their hands are tied. In the case of
innovative educators this might be outdated equipment, electrical or wireless.
Rather than engaging in and focusing on practices that help children, their
time and effort is spent begging, borrowing, and jerry-rigging what they have
to achieve their goals. Staff in these schools are frustrated. They know their
students deserve better.
No
Action Plan = False Start
This is sort of the magic pill issue. A school will
buy a shiney new program expecting it to fix all ills. The problem is programs
alone don’t work. You need a plan of action where steps are provided for people
to take to find success. A program
without a plan will lead to people going in a direction they feel is right, but
since there is no plan to refer to, the result is a lot of false starts.
What about where you work? Do you have all these components or are some missing? If you have all components or if some are missing, share in the comments what that looks like in your environment. Take the survey below to indicate where you stand then check out the results to see about others.
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