The Kardia Group

You never change things by fighting the existing reality.
To change something, build a new model that makes the existing model obsolete.
~Buckminster Fuller

What does it take to effect real change in the goals, practices, or perspective of a department? Two basic principles lay the foundation.

Prepare Yourself for Change
Before you can lead change, you need a clear understanding of what is changing and why. What will be different - departmental policies? faculty-student interactions? resource availability? And what does the future look like without this change in place - what's at stake? what is motivating this change? It's also important to have a clear and realistic assessment of the timeline for change.

Second, be sure you know the history of whatever aspect of departmental life you're seeking to change. How long has the current status quo been in place? What prior change efforts have occurred (and what were their outcomes)? Who has paid attention to this in the past, and what's their relationship to the topic now?

Third, how is this kind of a change enacted? Are there formal rules and regulations in your department, college, or the university that need to be utilized? How do reporting or recordkeeping requirements affect this change? Also consider other allies: who else has experience with this kind of change? What do other departments do?

Finally, prepare yourself by considering the long term outcomes and consequences of the change you have in mind. What are the specific benefits? What dominoes might this change set in motion? Are there constituencies that are more vulnerable to negative outcomes of this change than others?

Prepare Others for Change
Motivating others to participate in change is the next challenge. Often this begins with an educational process - what is the status quo? what are its pros and cons? what has been considered in the past? what are the new realities or constraints that must be taken into consideration? Most people will not have a clear understanding of the current situation or the future possibilities - take the time to fill them in, correct misperceptions, and stimulate new thinking.

In this educational process, be explicit about the alternatives - i.e., what will happen if the change does not occur. Is some other entity likely to come in and force the change anyway? Will there be a slow accretion of undesirable outcomes? Will the next generation of scholars have to pick up this challenge?

The motivation of others will also depend on their confidence in you. Change involves risk, and people are more willing to risk if it's clear that others are well-intentioned, thoughtful, responsible, and responsive. Speak specifically about your own preparations, and how this change relates to other goals in the department.

You can count on the fact that each and every change effort will meet resistance. By accepting this reality, you allow yourself to prepare for what you can learn from and gain by resistance. Four key behaviors will make a difference: proactively identify the challenges associated with a change (so that others don't feel they have to convince you); acknowledge the hardships required for this change to be implemented; demonstrate your care and attention to the needs and experience of those going through the change; and invite problem-solving.

Once you have others on board, remember that they are there. Your department will need regular updates, reminders (of what is happening, why it's happening, and what their role is in it), ongoing mechanisms to express their concerns and ideas, and opportunities to appreciate, celebrate, and integrate any changes that do occur. This aspect of the change process is often the most neglected one as change leaders get immersed in the details of actualizing their intent.