Comments on: Answering questions about being a change agent and change management in education http://anne.teachesme.com/2006/11/28/answering-questions-about-being-a-change-agent-and-change-management-in-education/ Comments, reflections and occasional brainstorms Tue, 16 Mar 2010 13:05:40 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.4-bleeding By: Good communication skills- A veritable feast of articles designed to whet your appetite…. | Good Communication Skills http://anne.teachesme.com/2006/11/28/answering-questions-about-being-a-change-agent-and-change-management-in-education/#comment-119362 Good communication skills- A veritable feast of articles designed to whet your appetite…. | Good Communication Skills Fri, 06 Feb 2009 09:38:56 +0000 http://anne.teachesme.com/2006/11/28/answering-questions-about-being-a-change-agent-and-change-management-in-education/#comment-119362 [...] answering questions about being a change agent and change … - a very good teacher friend asked me to answer some questions for an instructional technology class she is taking. the questions are centered around being an “exemplary change agent” and change management in education. they are tough. … [...] […] answering questions about being a change agent and change … - a very good teacher friend asked me to answer some questions for an instructional technology class she is taking. the questions are centered around being an “exemplary change agent” and change management in education. they are tough. … […]

]]> By: Jim Brady http://anne.teachesme.com/2006/11/28/answering-questions-about-being-a-change-agent-and-change-management-in-education/#comment-67415 Jim Brady Sat, 24 Nov 2007 20:16:40 +0000 http://anne.teachesme.com/2006/11/28/answering-questions-about-being-a-change-agent-and-change-management-in-education/#comment-67415 A brief comment! "Progress is impossible without change; those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything.” George Bernard Shaw A brief comment!

“Progress is impossible without change; those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything.”
George Bernard Shaw

]]> By: John Connell http://anne.teachesme.com/2006/11/28/answering-questions-about-being-a-change-agent-and-change-management-in-education/#comment-2992 John Connell Wed, 29 Nov 2006 19:18:45 +0000 http://anne.teachesme.com/2006/11/28/answering-questions-about-being-a-change-agent-and-change-management-in-education/#comment-2992 Anne, Change, like learning and democracy, is messy. The complexity you mention is often a complexity of intentions, of interests, of influence and of ideals - the net result is that change, for many people, and for most of the time, happens far too slowly. The best (worst?) examples of this can be seen when organisations try to change to 'keep up' with wider perceived changes happening around them. The complexity of relationships and structures, both formal and informal, that make up most organisations, mean that, at best, they are likely to make progress towards the change they seek only slowly and in a stuttering fashion. Schools, education boards/authorities, education agencies, all, I think, struggle to make change happen at the pace at which they would like it to happen. Those who are passionate for change therefore get frustrated, while cooler heads amongst them understand that it's either this or nothing. You are absolutely right though in your contention that, for an organisation to change at all, managers/leaders need to give everyone in that organisation (as well as to those outside the organisation who nonetheless have a genuine interest in its work) the space to debate openly all the issues that are compelling change. Without that openness, and without the leadership qualities you point to, what change does happen is only ever likely to be cosmetic. This is why heavily 'managed' top-down 'programmes for change' rarely if ever succeed. Anne,
Change, like learning and democracy, is messy. The complexity you mention is often a complexity of intentions, of interests, of influence and of ideals - the net result is that change, for many people, and for most of the time, happens far too slowly. The best (worst?) examples of this can be seen when organisations try to change to ‘keep up’ with wider perceived changes happening around them.

The complexity of relationships and structures, both formal and informal, that make up most organisations, mean that, at best, they are likely to make progress towards the change they seek only slowly and in a stuttering fashion. Schools, education boards/authorities, education agencies, all, I think, struggle to make change happen at the pace at which they would like it to happen. Those who are passionate for change therefore get frustrated, while cooler heads amongst them understand that it’s either this or nothing.

You are absolutely right though in your contention that, for an organisation to change at all, managers/leaders need to give everyone in that organisation (as well as to those outside the organisation who nonetheless have a genuine interest in its work) the space to debate openly all the issues that are compelling change.

Without that openness, and without the leadership qualities you point to, what change does happen is only ever likely to be cosmetic. This is why heavily ‘managed’ top-down ‘programmes for change’ rarely if ever succeed.

]]> By: pete reilly http://anne.teachesme.com/2006/11/28/answering-questions-about-being-a-change-agent-and-change-management-in-education/#comment-2965 pete reilly Wed, 29 Nov 2006 01:44:04 +0000 http://anne.teachesme.com/2006/11/28/answering-questions-about-being-a-change-agent-and-change-management-in-education/#comment-2965 Anne, I just posted a piece on change and our accountability for it. It is the first of several peices I will be doing on this. I didn't see you peice until after posting or I would have tracked back to your post. Please check it out. pete reilly Anne,
I just posted a piece on change and our accountability for it. It is the first of several peices I will be doing on this. I didn’t see you peice until after posting or I would have tracked back to your post. Please check it out.
pete reilly

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