Change Management In Education

Most change initiatives don't fail because of the change that's happening, they fail because of how the change is communicated. I've watched brilliant restructurings collapse and transformative acquisitions unravel… Not because the plan was flawed, but because leaders were more focused on explaining the "what" and "why" than on how they were addressing the fears and concerns of the people on their team. People don't resist change because they don't understand it. They resist because they haven't been given a compelling story about their role in it. This is where the Venture Scape framework becomes invaluable. The framework maps your team's journey through five distinct stages of change: The Dream - When you envision something better and need to spark belief The Leap - When you commit to action and need to build confidence The Fight - When you face resistance and need to inspire bravery The Climb - When progress feels slow and you need to fuel endurance The Arrival - When you achieve success and need to honor the journey The key is knowing exactly where your team is in this journey and tailoring your communication accordingly. If you're announcing a merger during the Leap stage, don't deliver a message about endurance. Your team needs a moment of commitment–stories and symbols that anchor them in the decision and clarify the values that remain unchanged. You can’t know where your team is on this spectrum without talking to them. Don’t just guess. Have real conversations. Listen to their specific concerns. Then craft messages that speak directly to those fears while calling on their courage. Your job isn't just to announce change, but to walk beside your team and help your team understand what role they play in the story at each stage. #LeadershipCommunication #Illuminate

The Teacher Retention Crisis: Why Good Educators Are Walking Away Most schools don’t have a hiring problem. They have a RETENTION problem. Every year, schools scramble to fill vacancies. A passionate, skilled teacher leaves—burned out, frustrated, or feeling undervalued. The cycle repeats. Is this happening at your school? Why Are Teachers Leaving……? Here’s the truth: Teachers don’t leave because they don’t love teaching. They leave because the system they’re in is unsustainable. And it’s not just about salary either. The real issues? Lack of support, respect, and a sustainable workload. -         Endless demands with little work-life balance. -         Professional development that feels like a checkbox, not real growth. -         A culture that undervalues teachers’ expertise and voice. I once spoke with a veteran teacher who left after 16 years. She said, “I love teaching, but I can’t keep sacrificing my health and family for a job that doesn’t support me.” That’s a problem. What Can Schools Do Differently? Retaining great teachers isn’t about recruitment—it’s about creating an environment where they want to stay. ✅ Respect their time. Reduce unnecessary meetings and paperwork. ✅ Invest in meaningful support. Coaching, mentorship, and real growth opportunities matter. ✅ Listen to teachers. Give them a real voice in decision-making. ✅ Prioritize well-being. Burned-out teachers can’t give their best to students. Let’s Talk What’s one thing your school has done to keep great teachers? Let’s share solutions—drop your thoughts in the comments.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝘂𝗻𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗳𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝘁𝗵 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗣𝗗 "Where there is power, there is resistance." —Michel Foucault That quote stopped me cold when I first read it. Because suddenly, every eye-roll, crossed arm, and "this too shall pass" comment made perfect sense. We've all been there. You're facilitating PD, feeling good about your content, when someone becomes 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘰𝘯—arriving late, questioning everything, clearly disengaged. Your first instinct? They're being difficult. They don't want to learn. 𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲'𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘂𝗻𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗳𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝘁𝗵: 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗶𝘀𝗻'𝘁 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂. 𝗜𝘁'𝘀 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘂𝗻𝗺𝗲𝘁 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱𝘀. Think about it. When do YOU resist? • When you feel powerless • When your expertise isn't valued • When you don't see the relevance • When you feel unsafe to make mistakes • When change feels forced, not chosen 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝗻𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻. It's your participants saying:  🔸 "I need more choice in my learning."  🔸 "I need to feel valued for what I bring."  🔸 "I need to understand why this matters."  🔸 "I need psychological safety to take risks."  🔸 "I need time to process what's changing." 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗹𝗼𝘁 𝘁𝘄𝗶𝘀𝘁? Most resistance happens when we use "power-over" instead of "power-with." When we: • Tell instead of involve • Control instead of collaborate • Judge instead of understand • Rush instead of honor the process 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗱𝗼𝘁𝗲 𝗶𝘀𝗻'𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝗯𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝘁 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲—𝗶𝘁'𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝗯𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝘁 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝘁 𝗯𝘆 𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿. What if we got curious instead of defensive? What if we asked: "What do you need to make this learning work for you?" 𝗧𝗲𝗹𝗹 𝘂𝘀 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗮 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲. 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗱𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸 𝗺𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗵𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗯𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗳𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗮𝗻𝘁𝘀? 𝗟𝗲𝘁'𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝗳𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘀𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗼𝗴𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿. 👇 P.S. If you want to grow as a PD facilitator, here’s my free Three Mistakes You’re Making with Your PD… and What to Do Instead tool: https://lnkd.in/guKwkGyu #ProfessionalDevelopment #Resistance #Power #Leadership #AdultLearning

We don’t resist change. We resist not knowing where we’ll land. Most pushback is rational. We hold on to what’s worked because the next step isn’t clear. If we don’t see the logic, If it doesn’t feel safe to try we stall. Every time. The job isn’t to “manage resistance.” It’s to de-risk what’s ahead. Here are 7 strategies that have helped my teams (and me) move through change faster: 1. Model it first → If leaders don’t go first, nothing moves. → We follow behavior, not slide decks. 2. Share the why, not just the timeline → Don’t wait for the perfect plan. → Share what’s changing, what’s at stake, and what we’re betting on. 3. Involve the people closest to the work → Real alignment doesn’t come from top-down decisions. → It comes from early input. 4. Make the first step feel doable → We don’t need the full blueprint. → Just a clear first move we can act on with confidence. 5. Train for what’s different → Belief ≠ readiness. → We resist when we don’t feel equipped. 6. Name what’s really going on → Resistance often hides fear or confusion. → Ask early. Ask directly. Don’t let it build. 7. Show it’s working and work hard on what’s not → Small wins build trust. → But trust grows faster when we’re honest about what still needs fixing. Most of us try to scale with complexity. But the real unlock? We simplify. That’s how we move forward - together. * * * I talk about the real mechanics of growth, data, and execution. If that’s what you care about, let’s connect.

👓 A New Report "Professional Development for Teachers in the Age of AI" 🚌 The European Schoolnet Academy Thematic Seminar Report delves into the professional development of #Teachers in the era of artificial intelligence (#AI). It emphasizes the importance of professional development programs in supporting teachers amidst rapid technological changes, highlighting their role in addressing AI-related concerns and fostering a community of teachers actively engaged in enhancing their practices. The report, authored by experts like Mutlu Cukurova and Lidija Kralj, discusses the need for evolving teacher training activities to incorporate AI and support from AI tools. It stresses the significance of educators acquiring competencies spanning ethics, AI fundamentals, and #DigitalPedagogy to effectively integrate AI in education. The report also touches on the potential challenges and ethical considerations associated with AI implementation in teaching. .......................... #DigitalPedagogy focuses on the pedagogical use of digital technologies, emphasizing how technology can transform teaching and learning practices. It involves critically evaluating digital tools from a pedagogical perspective and aligning technology use with educational objectives. 💡Implementing #DigitalPedagogy requires that educators: a. Understand digital tools available for education. b. Align technology use with pedagogical goals. c. Engage in continuous professional development. d. Collaborate with peers and share best practices. e. Focus on student engagement and personalized learning. f. Utilize digital tools for assessment and feedback. g. Be adaptable and flexible to meet evolving educational needs. ......................... What are the recommendations? The European Schoolnet Academy Thematic Seminar Report suggests several strategies for teacher trainers to effectively support teachers in integrating AI into their teaching practices: 1. #ConductPracticalActivities: Encourage hands-on tasks, either online or onsite, using AI tools to enhance understanding and produce tangible outputs for analysis, fostering peer collaboration. 2. #ImmediateImplementation: Advocate for the immediate implementation of learned skills and developed activities in the classroom to reinforce retention and practical application. 3. #Build a #ProfessionalCommunity: Foster a collaborative environment by developing a professional community that encourages peer collaboration, peer learning, and the development of AI literacy skills with a focus on pedagogy and aligning educational methods with teaching and learning principles. 4. #EmphasizePedagogy: Maintain a consistent focus on pedagogy throughout the training process, aligning educational methods with teaching and learning principles to ensure effective integration of AI in education. https://lnkd.in/eHxbZS82

How do you take a resistant team and guide them through a successful transformation? I led a team that went from evaluating programs to developing them—a complete transformation. At first, there was a lot of pushback, but by understanding their concerns and using a thoughtful approach, we made the transition work.   ---Here’s what I learned--- 🔸Resistance isn’t about the change—it’s about fear of loss. Through candid one-on-one conversations, I discovered the team feared losing their expertise. 🔸Facts don’t inspire change. Stories do. Rather than overwhelm them with reasons for the shift, I shared stories. Emotional buy-in through storytelling sparked curiosity. 🔸Small behavioral nudges lead to lasting change. We didn’t push the team into full-scale program development right away. Instead, we used small steps that eased them into the transition. This made the change feel natural, not overwhelming. 🔸Your biggest resister can become your strongest advocate. I focused on the team’s informal leader—the person everyone trusted. Once he embraced the change, the rest followed. 🔸Embrace failure as a stepping stone to success. We reframed setbacks as learning opportunities. By openly discussing challenges and solutions, we created a culture where innovation thrived and fear of failure diminished. 🏡 Think of change like remodeling a house. Exciting, but full of unexpected snags. In business, it’s the same—something always comes up. Plan for it. Expect it. 💡 Key Lesson: Resistance isn’t a roadblock—it’s part of the process. Expect pushback and guide your team with strategic nudges. What unexpected challenges have you faced when leading change?

“They’re being difficult. They just don’t want to change.” Sound familiar? Let’s talk about what might really be going on: change fatigue, not resistance. And if that's the case, your org might be out of shape. Change fatigue isn’t resistance. It’s a warning sign. And it’s time we treated it like one. I recently hosted a session for our internal Change Management Community of Practice. When I introduced the idea of Change Fitness, most hadn’t heard the term, but instantly recognized its cousin: change fatigue. Change Fitness = an organization’s ability to sustain and absorb transformation over time. It’s not about the volume of change—it’s about the impact. Fatigue shows up as disengagement, silence, missed milestones, and cynicism. According to Prosci, change saturation happens when the disruption exceeds your organization’s capacity to absorb it. Imagine a bucket: The size = your change capacity The water = disruption When it spills = it burnout So what’s filling your org’s bucket? • Too many projects, not enough alignment • Communications that confuse instead of clarify • Leaders pushing isolated changes without visibility (or care) into other efforts • No structured CM plan—causing more chaos than calm Here’s what I often see: Leaders label fatigue as “resistance” and double down on “driving adoption” (usually more emails 🙃). But what’s really needed? Relief. Clarity. Focus. That’s where Change Fitness comes in. Just like physical fitness helps us meet physical demands, Change Fitness allows organizations and individuals to meet the demands of ongoing transformation. Instead of asking: “How do we drive adoption?” Try asking: 🔺 “Did we demonstrate the benefits of the last change?” 🔺“Have we responded to what’s draining our teams?” 🔺“Are we reducing friction—or adding more effort?” If you’ve built that trust, reinforced those muscles, and practiced good CM habits, your org will be more fit than most. Ways to build Change Fitness: • Use Prosci’s Change Saturation Assessment • Audit comms to simplify (less jargon, more showing) • Map your change portfolio to catch collision points • Equip managers as coaches, —not just messengers Because fatigue has a voice, it just speaks quietly...until it runs out of steam. Have you seen fatigue misread as pushback?

Clear strategy. Solid plan. Adequate resources. Yet your transformation is still struggling. The missing ingredient? Effective communication. I've learned that communication can make or break your change efforts. Here are the critical dos and don'ts that separate success from failure: 1. DO start with why before what DON'T jump straight to implementation details 2. DO tailor messages to different stakeholder groups DON'T use one-size-fits-all communication 3. DO address the "What's in it for me?" question DON'T assume people automatically see personal relevance 4. DO communicate regularly and consistently DON'T go silent during difficult phases 5. DO create two-way dialogue channels DON'T rely solely on top-down messaging 6. DO acknowledge concerns and resistance openly DON'T dismiss or minimize people's fears 7. DO use visual communication tools DON'T depend only on verbal or written messages 8. DO prepare leaders at all levels to communicate effectively DON'T expect executives alone to carry the message 9. DO celebrate early wins and progress DON'T wait until the end to recognize achievements 10. DO communicate honestly about challenges DON'T sugarcoat difficulties or overpromise results Communication isn't just part of change strategy — It IS your change strategy. Which do you find most challenging to implement in your organization?

One of my biggest learnings from leading summer professional development for teachers? If you want a culture of feedback, you have to intentionally do so. The first step is to have short and sweet surveys (daily for summer PD, weekly thereafter). Most leaders do this. But to ensure the survey truly builds a culture of feedback and continuous improvement, I've learned three things: ✅ Ask focused questions. Simply, we get the data that we ask for. Ask both about the content and the general format of PD. For content, a few questions can be: What is one practice you are excited to try?; What is one thing you remain unclear on? What is one thing you know you will need further support on? For format, a simple Keep-Start-Stop can be super helpful. ✅ Review the data with your leadership team- This will allow you to process the feedback, add any additional color based on observations, and design a game plan. This can include differentiating groups, shifting a summer PD schedule or changing up future case studies and role plays to better address where the team is at. During the year, it will help you focus your observations. ✅ Respond to the feedback-It's not enough to make changes to the day based on the feedback. If you are giving people surveys, you must discuss the trends you saw and address these so that folks know they are being heard. Articulate how you are shifting things or if you can't, address where concerns or confusions will be addressed. When folks hear how their feedback is being heard they are more likely to be honest in the future. For concerns or feedback that only 1 or 2 folks have? Follow up individually. The time invested early on will pay dividends later. I know these tips don't only apply to school leaders, though Summer PD is definitely top of my mind. What are your tips and 1% solutions in building a culture of feedback and continuous improvement?

Enhancing Abilities and Well-being of Frontline Workers: Lessons from the Field The recent study on emergency education sheds light on critical factors that can bolster our approach in public health. It addresses the impact of emergencies on educational systems, particularly focusing on teacher abilities and well-being. The authors’ research questions focus on identifying teacher motivation (including concerns), and abilities (including confidence) in using digital technologies for teaching and learning – questions that are extremely applicable to cadres of public health workers involved in health promotion. I was particularly intrigued by how teachers’ abilities to use digital tools increased during the emergency – suddenly they had time to learn and experiment. Key Insights: Adaptability and Training: During emergencies, teachers who received targeted training and support were better equipped to handle disruptions. This underscores the need for continuous professional development programs that can be swiftly adapted to crisis contexts. Mental Health and Well-being: The well-being of educators directly influences their effectiveness in the classroom. Initiatives that prioritize mental health support, such as counseling services and peer support networks, significantly enhance teachers' resilience and job satisfaction. Technological Integration: Leveraging technology to deliver education during crises has proven to be a game-changer. However, it’s not just about providing access but ensuring teachers are proficient in using these tools effectively. Regular tech training sessions can bridge this gap. Community and Collaboration: Strengthening community ties and fostering collaboration among educators can mitigate the isolation often felt during emergencies. Platforms for sharing best practices and resources can empower teachers and improve collective problem-solving. Applying the Fogg Behavior Model: The authors of the study effectively incorporate the Fogg Behavior Model to enhance teacher abilities and well-being during emergencies. This model emphasizes that behavior change is most likely to occur when motivation, ability, and prompts converge. Here’s how it was applied: Motivation: Ensuring teachers are motivated by highlighting the positive impact they have on their students’ lives, especially during crises. Ability: Providing necessary training and resources to enhance teachers’ skills and reduce barriers to effective teaching. Prompts: Regular reminders and support systems to encourage the application of new skills and behaviors in real-time classroom settings. By integrating the Fogg Behavior Model, the study offers a robust framework for driving meaningful changes in teacher practices that lead to improved educational outcomes during emergencies. #Education #TeacherTraining #MentalHealth #EdTech #CommunitySupport #EmergencyEducation #Resilience #ProfessionalDevelopment #FoggBehaviorModel