Home Features School Operations Building Sustainability in Private Institutions: The Sustainability of Change Management Model
Building Sustainability in Private Institutions: The Sustainability of Change Management Model

Building Sustainability in Private Institutions: The Sustainability of Change Management Model

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By Rhondra O. Willis, Ph.D., Dissertation Chair, Grand Canyon University

Driving factors

“Sustainability is driven by internal factors” (Willis, 2016).

The implementation of Jim Collins’ Good to Great concepts is not a new phenomenon; but in the current, rapidly and evolving environment, it has the potential to increase and maintain private/for-profit school ownership. Good to Great concepts have been successfully applied across a wide variety of sectors. With modifications, the sustainability of change management model can be universally applied at institutions and be continued by effective leadership. The challenge for many institutions is maintaining the momentum or managing the change beyond the transformational period. This approach assists institutions in building a customizable model for sustainability by not only using the evidence-based Good to Great concepts but integrating it with the sustainability of change management model.

Success cannot be cultivated in a vacuum or by a single person; it is a long-term process that requires a collective effort. There is not one single factor that will build or sustain the sustainability of change management model. The success is built on several driving factors and precision is key. Throughout my twenty years of experience in education and accreditation, multiple themes surfaced as driving factors for implementing Good to Great Concepts (Collins, 2008, Willis, 2012) and concurrently incorporating the sustainability of change management model.

Background and results

This sustainability of change management model is based on Jim Collins’ Good to Great concepts and results of the implementation at a private university which was largely tuition-driven. At the beginning of the implementation, the university struggled to maintain enrollments, meet payroll obligations, sustain infrastructure and retain quality faculty members.

“Private school profitability is largely driven by tuition which alone, is unsustainable in the long term” (Willis, 2016).

The data over a twenty-year period was reviewed, and the results were astounding. The university increased not only in enrollments but also endowments, infrastructure, academic programs, faculty, and diversified its funding streams. I studied qualitative and quantitative measures to triangulate the findings which provided a holistic picture. The quantitative materials included but were limited to improvement in graduation rate, capital/human expenditures, and revenue growth margins at the undergraduate and graduate levels and online schools. The qualitative measures included but were not limited to the interviews of 13 faculty and staff members who were present during the transformation, student government meeting minutes, and faculty meeting minutes.

Good to Great Concepts

  • Level Five Leadership (Collins, 2008)
  • Right People in the Right Seats (Collins, 2008)
  • First Who … Then What? (Collins, 2008)
  • Level Five Leaders make unpopular decisions (Collins, 2008)
  • Technology as an Accelerator (Collins, 2008)
  • One University: Consistent technology across all departments and campuses
    • Requires team effort and ownership
  • Core Values (Collins, 2008)
    • Who are we?
    • What are our core values?
    • Are they publicly posted?
    • Do we practice them?

Sustainability of Change Management Model

  • Engaging stakeholders: Community and academic partnerships work
    • Students
    • Community
    • Policy Makers
  • Maintain quality education programs
  • Capture data accurately and consistently
  • The cornerstone of success: Staff and faculty development
    • Leadership development program
    • Succession planning
    • Mentorship program

As the landscape at for-profit institutions changes, it is evident that community stakeholders are an often overlooked but invaluable resource. Institutions can engage with their communities by leveraging a variety of vehicles to include open houses, internships/externships, training, student services throughout the community, and maintaining visibility.

Level Five Leadership

Leadership starts at the top. The deciding factor in the success of institutions and organizations that have successfully implemented the Good to Great concepts is effective leadership, specifically Level Five Leaders. This is the highest form of leadership in Jim Collins’ hierarchy of leadership levels. Level 5 leaders move beyond personal interests and goals to support the goals of the organization (Collins, 2001). Level Five Leaders are rare, although there are many notable leaders throughout history such as President Abraham Lincoln. It is not unusual for leaders who are charismatic and transformational to succeed, but this is a short-term state. Consequently, many leaders are competent, but they are not Level Five Leaders. They “blend genuine personal humility with intense professional will…it is a driving force in creating and sustaining change” (Collins, 2008). To that end, it is not sufficient to be a transformational leader; Level Five Leaders have harnessed the ability to build a Culture of Discipline and Execution.

Good Great Intersection

Two distinct traits identified in Level 5 leaders are contrasting factors: a fearless resolve that seems to be inconsistent with an unassuming personality. Level 5 leaders are often described as lacking presence or the ability to inspire or move people; but, the unassuming tenacity is a critical factor that separates them from Level 4 leaders. Prominent examples of Level 5 leadership include leaders such as Colman Mockler, former CEO of Gillette and President Abraham Lincoln, who underestimated but successfully defeated the South (Collins, 2001, p. 140). Both leaders withstood attacks from within and outside their organizations for actions that went against popular practices. Lincoln and Mockler both possessed duality traits of modesty and willfulness, coupled with humility and fearlessness (Collins, 2001).

The Culture of Discipline (Collins, 2008) is built as a team effort that is supported by espoused and practiced core values. When the workforce is clear and has buy-in about the collective core values, it is a dynamic environment that operates without the visible presence of leadership. It is built on the individual belief of the core values and personal accountability. Leadership is accountable and expects accountability across the board. This is accomplished through the evidence of leadership living and espousing the core values.

Figure 2 – Disciplined People – Thought-Action

Disciplined People

The Culture of Execution (Collins, 2008) relies on collaborative and shared goals which all align to the overarching mission, vision, and core values. There must be a scheduled meeting, at a minimum of quarterly, to discuss the current SMART goals in an interactive forum. The practice of execution and assessment is a continuous loop that must be repeated without fail.

Getting there

The Sustainability of Change Management model is customizable and replicable across a spectrum of institutions in four steps: 1) Assessment; 2) Action; 3) Reassessment; and (4) Sustainment. Each step is critical to the successful and sustainable transformation of the institution. In order to move toward sustainability, the institution must first assess itself. This requires absolute honesty and examination to identify where the institution consistently performs well. If it is not an area of excellence, it should be removed from the focus of the implementation team.

Collins refers to the Hedgehog concept in his work as a staple of success in implementing and sustaining a model. The hedgehog is not distracted by each new trend or shift; instead, it is focused on very specific goals. It is tempting to shift directions and focus but only if it aligns with the areas the school excels in consistently. To that end, with articulated goals, accountability, employee buy-in, and effective leadership, the institution will build a brand that underpins its sustainability. In order to optimize the workforce’s performance, the implementation team should make every effort to ensure that each employee is able to excel in their current position (Collins, 2008).

Figure 3 – Getting There

Getting There

The second step requires action which is directed by articulated goals and values. The collaborative goals executed by a disciplined culture lead to highly impactful results. At each significant juncture, leadership should employ the third step to reassess the institution’s progress toward their goals. It is acceptable and recommended to shift directions if the plan in place does not effectively support the overarching mission and goals.

The final step in the process, but not the end of the cycle, is sustainment. Once the institution has consistently reached its goals and performance measures, the sustainment step can begin, but it will concurrently exist with the other three steps within a defined time frame.

Final Thoughts

As evidenced by Good to Great’s research (Collins, 2008) and recent events, a myriad of internal and external factors can determine the success of the model. No school can insulate for every external factor out of their control, but they can be better prepared to react and adapt.

References

Collins, J. (2001). From good to great: Why some companies make the leap and others don’t. New York, NY: Harper Collins.

Collins, J. (2005). Level 5 leadership: The triumph of humility and fierce resolve. Harvard Business Review, 83(7/8), 136-146. doi:10.1225/R0507M

Collins, J. (2005). Good to great and the social sectors: A monograph to accompany good to great. New York, NY: Harper Collins.

Collins, J., & Porras, J. (1997). Built to last: Successful habits of visionary companies. USA: Random House.

Willis, R. (2016). Building Financial Sustainability in Private Schools. Annual Conference
CSPEN Presentation.

Willis, R. (2012). Saint Leo University’s Quest to Go from Good to Great. Dissertation

Willis, R. Leadership in a Global Society, (2008). Journal of Leadership, Accountability and
Ethics


Rhondra Willis

RHONDRA O. WILLIS, PH.D. is an author, researcher, accreditation specialist, Ph.D. Chair, life coach, and publisher. She is a lifelong learner who believes that to whom much is given, much is required.



Contact Information: Rhondra O. Willis // Dissertation Chair // Grand Canyon University // 803-238-2918 // rhondra.willis@my.gcu.edu // www.rhondrawillis.com // Twitter: RhondraO, ResearchCoach1

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