Managing Complex Change from a Leadership Perspective- Artefact 5

Artefact 5

Managing Complex Change from a Leadership Perspective

What

School effectiveness and school improvement researchers have realised that leadership is complex and that not one size fits all, and that effective leadership is critical to the success of a school. School leadership is primarily about teaching and learning and leadership can become more powerful when it focuses on student’s learning and strengthening teaching. Harris (2002) commented that school improvement is a process of changing school culture where the school is at the centre of change and the teachers are an important part of this process.

In a previous entry on this blog I described briefly Lippitt’s (1987), Managing Change model where there were five components necessary to bring about change. (figure 1)

Figure 1

Source: The Managing Complex Change model was copyrighted by Dr. Mary Lippitt, founder and president of Enterprise Management, Ltd., is 1987.

Knoster (1991), modified Lippitt’s (1987), Managing Complex Change model from five components to six by adding consensus between vision and skills. This then added to the model the treadmill action when an action plan was missed out.

This is shown in figure 2.

Figure 2

Kotter (1995), stated that leaders are often able to identify what is wrong but are unable to determine where the root of the problem lies and how to resolve it. The new component of consensus if left out causes sabotage. This happens often in schools where there is a top down approach to new innovations. Kotter (1995), comments that caution needs to be taken with the consensus component as if the leader is a ‘results orientated’ leader they may want to leave this this step out to get quicker to the action.   

So What

On studying these models  it is easy to see why so many new innovations that are implemented into schools, either do not get embedded into practice or are not sustained. Leaders need to fully understand this model in order to make sure that a new innovation is effectively implemented successfully. If leaders have a complete understanding of Knoster’s (1991) model, they are more able to identify needs of their staff and address issues to be resolved.

Now What

As a member of our school management team I need to:

• Share this with my principal

• Share this with my lead teachers
• Work through the model with my lead teachers discussing what each stage looks like and linking experiences we have had at the stages

References

Harris, A. (2002). School Improvement. What’s in it for school? London: Routledge Falmer.

Kotter, J. P. (1995). Leading change: Why transformation efforts fail. Harvard business review, 73(2), 59-67.