What are the most common reasons for change initiative failure in educational institutions?

The issue with vision in education, especially in schools and colleges, is that the vision rarely changes as always about students. Staff and community may be included and still with a focus on students learning. So then it’s about being more specific about the vision for your students. This must be extremely clear in terms of the difference the vision will make which then enables a stray tic focus on who and in what ways the organisation can achieve this. It must also be spelt out that everyone in the organisation should be involved in creating and achieving vision and strategy.

University senior leaders don't tend to come from management backgrounds, so usually there are strategy teams in place to offset this gap. However, these need committed and productively challenging members of staff if they're going to have the confidence to facilitate strategic development and guide some of the big egos at the top. If not, they become project delivery teams. But, however well the various strategic projects are delivered, if they're not the right projects they're not going to benefit the university.

The lack of vision and strategy can be particularly detrimental. For instance, when a university decides to implement a new curriculum without clearly defining its purpose and how it aligns with global educational trends, it can leave students and faculty feeling disconnected and resistant to change. I recall a university where a shift to digital learning tools was met with skepticism because educators didn't understand how it would enhance the learning experience. To address this, institutions must articulate a compelling vision for change and involve stakeholders in crafting a strategy that resonates with their needs and aspirations. This ensures buy-in and fosters a sense of shared purpose, essential for successful implementation.

Vision and strategy needs to be clear, consistent, meaningful and given sufficient time to evolve and mature. High level churn amongst senior university administrators means that sometimes fundamental organisational innovations can be left to wither on the vine or restructured out of existence when new University adminstrators arrive who don't necessarily agree with or even understand the previous strategy.

As for any change management in any organisation, culture is often the main issue. If strategy and culture are not aligned, no change will happen, or only a small part of what is expected.

Successful changes require inclusive leadership - leaders who know and value the knowledge and strengths of their team and embrace that experience to then collectively design and make that change. This approach ensures people are actively involved in decision making - that they are invested in making the change successful. When changes are made with a top down approach that investment is lost from those who actually have to ‘live out’ that change. Empower and value your people.

*Poor management and leadership with improper strategy leads to educational institutions collapse *Change requires strong and visionary leaders who can inspire, motivate, and empower others to embrace and adopt the change. *It also requires competent and supportive managers who can coordinate, monitor, and evaluate the change activities and outcomes in educational sectors.

I would add that the leaders and sponsors of change need to be visible and active. This means being 'front and centre'. Talking about what's happening and engaging with the people it impacts. That's how you inspire, empower and motivate others. Leading by example.

CHANGE INITIATIVES are a good thing for the human race to progress. Nevertheless it is necessary to see a VISION but more importantly … a MISSION Statement. This gives GOAL prerogatives of how things will percolate to make the initiative successful. Never forgetting the PAST the CURRENT and the FUTURE … your yardsticks are made of.

1. The catalyst driving a prescribed change may only be a symptom of the real problem. Without proper analysis the change may not address the problem. 2. Lack of a clear path to implementation that is communicated to all involved. 3. Lack of a sound policy framework, and a monitoring and evaluation mechanism. 4. Lack of an understanding of change management strategies by those leading the change process. The selection of the right person(s) to develop and manage the change process is vital to the success of any change initiative

Take our Online University (Grace Hardison Tefl University). We launched our first fully online Tefl DEGREE Programs, which was a big shift from traditional culture where most education institutions in this discipline offer entry level certificate programs online and in-class. The key to our success? We really understood our own culture [from our many years living and teaching abroad and teaching online,] which made sure there was a need for the change, and kept everyone in the loop with great communication. Lack of Support: It’s like trying to start a wave in a stadium. If you can’t get enough people to stand up with you, it fizzles out. Initiatives need everyone, from the top brass to the newest students, to really get behind them.

For a new initiative to be trial out in the department, I always believe that 1) there must be a team of three people behind it: The Initiator, A team player and A supporter (or I love to coin it as the Triangular Framework, like how a firm building structure has to adopt this framework). If any of the three people is absent, we will see this change as a failure. 2) usually it has to be a ground-up approach (and not top-down approach); i.e.: the initiator must feel belonged and has a great zest to push the change forward. My 2 cents worth of opinion.

It's very difficult to secure the right resources at the right time. The HE sector hasn't got bucket loads of cash to chuck at programmes and projects but... if the right people are brought on at the right time a change can happen successfully. It's just ensuring the need for the right resource is articulated in the right way. Sometimes change management is seen as a 'nice to have' when it should be a 'must have'.

Change initiatives are normally incompatible with the teams' day-to-day life. As is normal, managers and their teams prioritize the day to day, since it generates the necessary cash for the continuity of the company. To successfully face any change initiative, it is necessary to provide it with specific resources, with exclusive responsibility for the transformation project. The team should be led by an executive who has successfully faced a similar situation before. The leader must work for objectives, have strategic vision, and motivation and change management skills.

The education provided in the past is not what it is at present. The rules, regulations and supervision is not enough to generate peaceful environment in the schools.

The lack of stakeholder engagement from the bottom up and across all levels is a key reason for slow or limited progress on significant change initiatives in the education sector. You can't expect students, teachers, parents/guardians, school and system leaders among others to buy into change if you don't sincerely consult and involve them at every stage.

I'd like to emphasize the critical role of communication in overcoming the lack of vision and strategy. Drawing from personal experience, I've seen how transparent and consistent communication can align stakeholders toward a common goal. For instance, when implementing a new curriculum, we organized regular town hall meetings, circulated informative newsletters, and conducted feedback sessions to ensure everyone understood the rationale behind the change and felt involved in the decision-making process. Clear communication not only clarifies objectives but also builds trust and mitigates resistance, fostering a smoother transition.

Resistance to change Neglecting stakeholders Unrealistic Timelines Inconsistent Implementation Top-Down Imposition Poor Collaboration

One of the most common reasons for change initiative failure in educational institutions is low engagement and commitment. When individuals within the institution, such as teachers, administrators, and staff, are not fully engaged or committed to the change initiative, it can hinder progress and lead to resistance. This lack of engagement can stem from a variety of factors, such as a lack of understanding or buy-in, fear of the unknown, or a perceived lack of relevance or benefit. It is crucial for educational institutions to foster a culture of engagement and commitment, providing clear communication, opportunities for involvement, and addressing concerns and misconceptions to ensure the success of change initiatives.

Low engagement and commitment comes from lack of awareness, understanding and buy in. Let's make it real for the people impacted by the change. How will their world look different, how do they need to work differently and why... Yes, we need to have a vision but the people often impacted by the change won't care too much. Just make it relevant for them.

One of the most common reasons for change initiative failure in educational institutions is inadequate evaluation and improvement. Without a robust evaluation process in place, it becomes difficult to assess the effectiveness and impact of the change initiative. Failing to regularly evaluate and make improvements based on feedback and data can result in a lack of progress or even regression. It is essential for educational institutions to establish a system for ongoing evaluation and continuous improvement, allowing for adjustments and refinements to be made to the change initiative as needed. This ensures that the initiative remains aligned with the institution's goals and objectives and increases the likelihood of its success.

Assess the assessors. Regularly Rigorously Reflectively and make sure the assessment has career consequences, otherwise it's just another chore that school management has to perform.

We want our people to adapt quickly, to be agile to a changing environment. To do that we really need to really listen to them during times of change. Also, consider is your change right? So many times a good idea is just launched without really thinking is it right? is it the right time?

é importante avaliar a mudan?a para determinar se ela foi bem-sucedida. Isso inclui avaliar o impacto da mudan?a nos alunos, nos professores, na escola e na comunidade.

Poor communication skills as you need to convince the stakeholders that this initiative will benefit everyone so they all feel that it is their initiative as well.

Las mayor dificultad para el cambio son las personas, lo demás se compra. Cambiar una institución es cambiar la mirada de las personas que la componen, sobre el mundo institucional. Esto requiere de mucho coaching de equipos, flexibilidad mental y psicoeducación. Saber que nos impide cambiar. El cambio es inversamente proporcional a la afectación que ese cambio puede producir en la identidad de los sujetos del cambio.

Los factores clave para abordar con éxito el cambio son : 1.- Clarificar y compartir la visión que queremos alcanzar e indagar como es percibida por los actores que integran la visión ( educadores, alumnos, padres) y explorar los beneficios para cada colectivo. 2.- Medir la situación actual vs la ideal (en términos de conductas observables y resultados) 3.- Acompa?ar el proceso de cambio conductual con formación, coaching o Mentoring. 4.- Hacer seguimiento mensual de los avances y corregir desviaciones, así como reconocer lo avanzado. 5.- Al cabo de 6 meses medir nuevamente lo medido en el punto 2 y comunicar avances, aprendizajes y resultados, resaltando los beneficios identificados en el punto 1 Espero que os sean útiles estas ideas ??