Read a selection of your colleagues postings. As you read their responses, note those to which you would like to respond with advice, questions, comments, and/or encouragement.
Respond to two or more of your colleagues postings in any of the following ways:
Provide feedback.
Ask a question.
Share an insight.
Offer an opinion.
Make a suggestion.
Note a similarity or difference to your posting.
my first colleagues What have you learned in this course that convinces you that transformational change is not only possible, but also absolutely necessary?
Throughout this course I learned that adaption and change are a must, teamwork can make a university stronger, and leadership is the key. This course has shown governance, leadership, challenges colleges face, different cultures and their effects on a university but also, theyre downfalls, such as an advocacy culture even though the outlook of do as you want, the way you want, and how you want is a good opportunity for independent focus it has its own misfortune. Teamwork is irrelevant in this type of culture which can lead to a dictatorship and decrease in employment and students. Transformation to a university under this culture is a must in order for it to survive when times get hard. Each party of a university must make changes around them to adapt with the times and changes happening in the world. Universities must accept transformation, or they will fall due to decline in enrollment, reduced financial circumstances, and eroding impact (Guarasci & Lieberman, 2009). Majority of this class I have seen a wide range of reasons why change is a must. Even during the current situation, the world faces today with COVID-19 transformation had to take place in order for universities to keep running, which meant going virtual for students. The whole university, including students, had to adapt to the new situation. Things happen and change must happen in order to keep a steady progression if not it will fall to its own mistakes. Successful universities serve their time and place (Guarasci & Lieberman, 2009).
How will you use what you have learned to facilitate change in the institution where you work or plan to work?
I plan to keep up with the understanding and times at which the university transitions. Becoming open minded to change in technology, situations, and people in power. Supplying the least amount of resistance as I can is also be a must. How we perceive a situation can be change as well, being more open -minded and informed about the changes happening around us is universally promising or challenging. I also plan to be more involved in the university by attending the meetings especially if it involves the changes being made, understanding which culture the university is under is also something to look into because the culture may not be ideal and therefore may have to be brought to attention and discussed and revised if possible. Ill also pay attention to leadership, sometimes leadership may not always be exactly what the university needs. Meaning what they put into effect may not benefit the university but themselves or the board at which they listen to. I will also have a more open door policy which doesnt just apply to students. It also applies to faculty and colleagues as well so we all can better connect with one another and get help when we need it. Guarasci & Lieberman (2009) raises a valid point when they state: There may be no better time to initiate transformation than while in the throes of economic uncertainty. Uncertainty can lead to bonds stronger than any force known to man, each individual cannot stand alone during uncertainty that also goes for universities. With this pandemic it is a time of uncertainty where people are scared of job security, educational growth, and finances. Faculty and staff banded together to fight through the uncertainty in order for them to be successful.
Reference:
Guarasci, R., & Lieberman, D. (2009). Sustaining Transformation: Resiliency in Hard Times. Change, 41(6), 2431. https://doi-org.ezp.waldenulibrary.org/10.1080/00091380903297667
and my second colleague You make strong points throughout your discussion post. I agree with your beginning statement where you mentioned that transformational change is necessary in higher education institutions as they need to respond to changing market needs. Furthermore, transformational change enables institutions to keep the publics trust and to stay competitive thus, reiterating that the institutions must show evolution in its mission and goals; in the end, to uphold accountability institutions must demonstrate progress in student learning, scholarship, research, and service, as well as financial viability (Guarasci & Lieberman, 2009, p. 25). This understanding creates a transformational culture that encourages interdepartmental collaboration to work toward a like-minded goal (Guarasci & Lieberman, 2009). Transformational change is the response to a crisis that the higher education institution is facing (Kezar, 2001). This crisis mandates that the governance think in new ways or change old thought patterns even if it is out of the current comfort support systems; thus, the transformational culture emerges (Bergquist, 1998). What do you think a transformational culture looks like within an institution? I look forward to your thoughts.
my is my paper Transformational Change in Higher Education
Transformational change is necessary in institutions of higher learning to ensure that they remain responsive to the changing market needs. According to Holley (2009), successful change can only be realized through planned and intentional efforts from all organization stakeholders. Therefore, the administrators must involve the students in formulating the university’s strategic vision and its implementation. The collaboration between the faculty and the college administrators gives higher learning institutions a shared purpose and interest, which is critical in the realization of transformational change. Universities can transform by setting boundaries between various stakeholders’ duties, which would result in development and increased productivity. For instance, the creation and separation of academic departments can positively influence leadership and learning behaviors. The boundaries also foster power, control, and coordination of activities within each department (Holley, 2009). Therefore, the administrators should appraise each department and make transformational changes that would increase its efficiency and facilitate the realization of the institution’s goals.
Through this class, I have learned about various theories of change, which will be instrumental in facilitating change in my future place of work. I will, in particular, employ Kotter’s Eight Stage model to ensure successful implementation of change in the organization. As recommended by Kotter, I will start by establishing the sense of urgency, create coalitions with coworkers, formulate a strategy/vision, inform stakeholders about the proposed changes, empower them through education, set short-term wins to keep them motivated, produce more change for short term gains and lastly anchor the changes into the corporation’s culture (Brock, Peak, & Bunch, 2019). Besides, I will ensure that all stakeholders are involved in all stages of planning and implementing the changes to prevent resistance.
References
Brock, J., Peak, K., & Bunch, P. (2019). Intuitively leading change: Completing a Kinesiology department-to-school transformation using Kotters 8-Stage Change Model. Journal of Physical Education, 6(2), 14-24.
Holley, K. A. (2009). Interdisciplinary strategies as transformative change in higher education. Innovative Higher Education, 34(5), 331-344
