The future's in the air, can feel it everywhere, blowing with the wind of change (Scorpions)

Photo by Nathan Dumlao on Unsplash

change

 noun  

difference

1. the act or result of something becoming different 

replacing something

2. the process of replacing something with something new or different 
3. 
   

One of the standing truisms around my school is that change is the only constant and, therefore, you need to be adaptable, receptive to change, to work here.

Change is messy. That's why reams (zigabits) have been written about it. Books, careers, doctorate theses - you name it - all devoted to the process and advice given to adjust or else get left behind (Dr Johnson's Who Moved My Cheese is a famous take on it that I especially enjoy reading from time to time - Move with the cheese!)

One of the key principles of the All Blacks' philosophy is - when at the top of your game, change your game.

Like I said, it can be a messy process. They find that out from time to time by losing a game (most recently to Argentina for the first time, so they changed/adapted and beat them 38 nil a week later).

Sometimes change in education feels glacial (it's a bit oil tanker-ish after all). At other times, mysteriously fast. Sometimes it's managed well, at other times - not so well.

One of the best pieces of advice I've come across when change isn't managed well (outside of Who Moved My Cheese): 'The truth is, unless you let go, unless you forgive yourself, unless you forgive the situation, unless you realize that the situation is over, you cannot move forward.' (Steve Maraboli).

Handling change the way Donald Trump is currently doing is only leading to pain for him and others.

At the end of the day, when all is said and done, when push comes to shove, I agree with Ginni Rometty who says, 'Growth and comfort do not coexist.' 

Just take what you need and leave the rest (The Band)

Photo by Amritanshu Sikdar on Unsplash

Don't get me wrong, I love change.

In my working life, I've lived and worked in a number of countries (England, China, Qatar, UAE). In New Zealand I've lived and taught in many regions: Taranaki, Auckland, Hawkes' Bay, and Nelson). During those jobs, five years in one place is still my record and that was during last century.

All that adventure means: different cultures, different restrictions, different climates, different geographies, different colleagues, and different bosses. 

All of these different organisations brought about a lot of change.

Adaptability and flexibility are therefore deeply ingrained in my psyche along with relentless positivity.

So, when I wonder if there is such a thing as too much change, you should listen because I'm worried about that tipping point, when the rate of constant change becomes counter productive. 

The analogy of a barrel of water is a good one: there is a limited capacity for water (change); change disruption is how much water is in (and is being added to) the barrel.

How much water in the barrel can an organisation handle before saturation happens?

Luckily, quite a bit is the answer.

Except it's not the abstract idea of 'an organisation' that needs to be considered. It's people who feel change saturation, not a school.

When the water barrel is overflowing, the potential for disengagement and apathy, frustration and increased stress, fatigue and burnout, resistance and confusion, cynicism and skepticism are present. 

In addition, there is the potential for any great on-going initiatives to suffer as well; exciting existing projects may, and probably will, fail to gain or maintain momentum because everyone is cream crackered, and over it! 

And that would be a tragedy.

So, what needs to happen if that saturated bloated water gorged barrel is overflowing?

Someone with the overall vision (possibly/probably from a group often referred to as 'The Powers That Be') needs to step back and consider the collective impact those changes are having. Everyone else has either vested interests or is too close to the change implementation process.

Just take what you need, and leave the rest, is one way one looking at it, or, as William Arthur Ward says, "The pessimist complains about the wind, the optimist expects it to change, the realist adjusts the sails".

If you're walking down the right path and you're willing to keep walking, eventually you'll make progress (Barack Obama)

Mmmmm - coffee

Progress is impossible without change, and those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything (George Bernard Shaw).

My current school changed from a horizontal form structure to a vertical one a few years ago. This meant a change to vertical pastoral Deans for this year. With the year delay between the move to vertical forms and vertical Deans, the two progressions were not in synch but I'm trying (really I am) to 'build a bridge' (not literally).

As far as I was concerned, this move was progress, from a bureaucratic/administrivia oriented system to a new more caring/nurturing vertical system.

Seems there are still (older) students and staff who cannot change their mindset from that past system and want to return to it.

I think that's a shame, but I understand it more these days. Long serving staff members have an investment in the school's past organisational culture that I do not have. 

I cannot stay in a school more than four or five years; I don't understand how people can remain in one school for their whole career. The school culture becomes more 'enshrined', more set in stone, for older staff, than it does for me.

Many of the students come from families that have not moved from the family farm for generations. Of course they despise change. 

But the world around them all has moved on, and it will not stop moving on. When the students leave a school they have become very familiar with, they will have to adapt or else. Change happens! Move on!!

Unfortunately, because they will not be literally moving on beyond the school, many longer serving staff no longer have that perspective, or the will to look beyond what has always been in place and embrace fresh thinking.

Horizontal forms? Horizontal Deans?

That horse has left the building, the genie has left the bottle. A good starting point is this great article about (shock horror) the end of schools as we know them!! 

Mmmmm - coffee!! 

People, we is not wrapped tight (Frank Zappa)

Back to school.  Three little words. That mean so much! 

Back in the saddle. In the old bib and tucker.

Need some motivation? Let's get to it shall we?

1 The 80/20 rule
Creativity and innovation is the name of the game.

2 Leaders need to teach!
I'm a firm advocate for this - trap is leaders forget quickly what day to day classroom life is all about.

3 Managing change
Ch ch ch ch changes - Bowie knew a thing or two about managing change. Not sure if he saw these four tips though.

4 Be resilient
How to be resilient when things get tough. Might need this one after a long holiday break!

5 Dumb all over
And to finish off - Leadership freaky solves dumbness in leaders. No, really!