Navigating change

Indiana is undergoing changes related to our high school diploma. The last several months were filled with new proposals, public feedback, outcry and acceptance.

Change is difficult. Even as adults, when we have experienced change throughout different parts of our lives, we understand change is inevitable and it is hard. We have a difficult time letting go of some things. I don’t have any research today to cite why it appears to be that way, but I will offer that as leaders we need to allow staff the opportunity to navigate the process.

For me, I have viewed change acceptance similar to the grieving process. In grief, there are different stages, anger being one of them, which ultimately leads to acceptance of what has occurred. I believe transformational change—those changes that are designed to be truly impactful—go through a similar process. As leaders, we need to acknowledge that when staff are moving through the process to acceptance, we may be at a different place than them. We likely knew about the change, have different context about the change, and accept the change based on our roles differently.

This is important to keep in mind. Change is not a light switch, it is an evolution in thinking to be successful.