Change theory, a field in education that has evolved significantly over the past century, offers invaluable insights into the intricate process of implementing change at an individual and organizational level.
Effectively applying these theories is a critical task for university executives—especially considering the digital advancements, innovative instructional practices, and changing market landscape these institutions face. Change theory is applied to improve all areas concerning teaching, such as:
Developing personalized lesson plans that better address individual barriers and resistance to change
Building change capacity so departments can efficiently adopt new teaching modalities
Overhauling curricula so learning better prepares students for real-world application
Adopting hybrid learning models to make up for the declining in-person enrollment
However, despite the academic focus and strategic imperatives, leaders still need to work on applying change theory in alignment with their organizational goals. Worse, only 13% of higher education institutions invest in critical change initiatives like digital transformation.
Today, we’ll look at change theory, how it’s applied across higher education, and how Prosci applies decades of change management expertise to enact change at these institutions.
What Is Change Theory in Education?
Change theory is a framework that leaders across higher education use to drive efficient change on an organizational level. It attempts to explain the factors that help and hinder people from adopting new processes and systems while outlining why change can sometimes fail.
In higher education, change theory is particularly helpful as institutions work through pressing challenges:
Meeting the learning needs of students in a digital era
Updating critical components of digital infrastructure
Match the shifting paradigms of academia and students
Addressing resistance to change in the name of upholding tradition or protecting reputations
Change theories applied in educational institutions emerged from work in several fields—such as psychology, sociology, organizational behavior and management science—and have evolved to focus on specific organizational issues.
Researchers and funding agencies have recognized the need to understand how change occurs in unique environments like universities, colleges and teaching hospitals. A systematic review of evidence-based teaching practice can provide a solid foundation for understanding the change process.
Now, let’s examine why having a change theory in education is so important.
Addressing common objections and challenges
Higher education is quickly changing. Universities and colleges deal with operational issues impacting the financial bottom line and student long-term outcomes. As fewer students enroll in or complete degree programs, the old ways are increasingly being questioned.
Curriculum overhaul and remote learning options are viable solutions. However, these institutions still struggle to implement these changes due to resistance and other impediments to growth, like:
Reluctance to alter established practices
Fear of the unknown
Concerns about the effectiveness of new initiatives
Long implementation cycles
Investment to train staff and faculty
Measurement of change ROI
EdTech company D2L states that 70% of higher education change initiatives fail to meet goals because of employee resistance and inadequate management support.
Change theory is a proactive solution to resistance because it predicts all participant reactions to a new approach, including negative ones. To ensure the effective application of change theory, faculty heads, and organizational leaders must:
Communicate "why and how" – Convey the purpose behind the change and the steps towards implementation.
Equip teams – Provide training and resources to make staff receptive to change and help them navigate the process confidently.
Foster collaboration – Create a participative environment where feedback is valued, encouraged and acted upon.
Role-model the changes – Ensure that leaders provide a key example of institutional support for the change by adopting and applying new processes.
This strategy helps everyone understand and prepare for change and encourages everyone to work together toward a common goal.
Change Theory in Action—Examples in Education
Now that you better understand change theory, let’s look at some prominent examples of change theory in action. Here are a few major university initiatives that applied change theory to improve student learning outcomes and other organizational challenges.
The FIRST Project
One notable example is the Faculty Institutes for Reforming Science Teaching (FIRST) Project. The FIRST Project aimed to improve undergraduate science education by engaging faculty members in a series of workshops designed to enhance their teaching methods and better address the needs of students. The project was grounded in the assumption that change must begin with the faculty at the forefront of education for change to be effective.
By focusing on developing faculty teaching practices, the FIRST Project facilitated a shift towards more student-centered learning approaches, which improve student engagement and learning outcomes.
This initiative is a prime example of change theory in action, where the change process starts by empowering key change agents—in this case, the faculty—and leads to a broader impact on the educational system.
Departmental Action Teams
Departmental Action Teams (DATs) are cross-functional teams composed of faculty, students and staff that work collaboratively to address specific issues within a department. DATs aim to create sustainable changes by building the change management capacity of key change agents within the organization.
For instance, the University of Colorado at Boulder uses DATs to help improve student educational outcomes across various departments. By involving faculty and department heads, these DATs develop and implement changes that are more likely to be accepted and supported within the context of humanities, engineering or science departments, leading to lasting improvements in educational practices across the board.
DATs are a great example of change theory applied in higher education. It’s a generalized approach that empowers specific departments within the larger institution in a contextual manner.
Partnership for Undergraduate Life Sciences Education (PULSE)
The Partnership for Undergraduate Life Science Education (PULSE) initiative is a collaborative effort between higher education institutions responding to calls for significant improvements in undergraduate life science education. The PULSE initiative represents a concerted effort to transform life science education at colleges and universities across the United States.
PULSE refers to its overall initiative as a “theory of change,” a strategic model applied at the program level in higher education settings. Theory of change differs in that it outlines the how and why behind a change while change theory focuses on its implementation.
In the case of PULSE, the theory of change consists of the following components, which are implemented using change theory:
Core capacities developed in each department
Transformation strategies that new capacities would help implement
Departmental changes that each transformation strategy would facilitate
The collaboration of institutions under PULSE is focused on aligning life science education with the rapidly evolving field itself, ensuring that the curriculum is relevant and comprehensive. It prepares students for future challenges in research and various scientific fields.
PULSE Theory of Change
Moreover, PULSE's focus on implementing the recommendations of a national report highlights its strategic approach to change. This approach ensures that the changes made are:
Evidence-based
Targeted to specific outcomes
Aligned with broader goals in life science education
The initiative's success in driving change across numerous institutions demonstrates the power of collaborative efforts and strategic planning in enacting meaningful and sustainable improvements in education.
A Template for Change in Higher Ed—The Prosci ADKAR Model
The Prosci ADKAR® Model is an example of a change theory in action. It provides a structured framework for implementing change, focusing on the people involved, how they experience the change process, and the preconditions necessary for successful long-term change. Prosci ADKAR Model focuses on five key stages: Awareness, Desire, Knowledge, Ability and Reinforcement.
Prosci ADKAR Model
ADKAR offers a flexible, adaptable approach change leaders can use to support people through unique changes within their unique institutions. For example, a college might apply the Prosci ADKAR Model to navigate resistance to change surrounding the rollout of a new eLearning program. This would include:
Raising awareness among faculty about the need for eLearning to enable students and themselves to succeed in a digital future
Fostering a desire for change by engaging with resistance and establishing a dialogue around solutions
Providing the necessary training and resources to help faculty understand how to use the new program
Enabling faculty and staff to demonstrate their ability to use the eLearning program in their courses
Ensuring that there are mechanisms within the department to reinforce and sustain the new practices
Considering D2L’s assertion that nearly three-quarters of universities and colleges struggle with resistance during major transitions, the Prosci ADKAR Model is an excellent application of change theory for higher education, especially as part of an organizational approach to managing change like the Prosci Methodology.
Now, let’s look at how Prosci has helped some of the largest institutions in the country drive change.
How Prosci Enacts Change in Higher Education
As a recognized leader in change management solutions, Prosci has a track record of facilitating impactful change in higher education. Its research-based methodology, models and tools are built on decades of experience mastering the people side of change. The Prosci Methodology and training programs help organizations successfully adopt change and reap the intended benefits. The case studies below showcase the application of Prosci change theory across education:
University of Virginia (UVA)
As an institution with over 200 years of tradition and process, the University of Virginia (UVA) struggled with change fatigue and projects needing to meet outcomes. As a result, UVA embarked on an Organizational Excellence program and partnered with Prosci to enhance its capacity for change.
Prosci training programs were utilized to train over 50 UVA staff members, equipping them with the skills to manage change effectively. Key outcomes from the partnership with Prosci included:
A centralized project portfolio framework to ensure alignment across initiatives
A significant increase in project ROI due to enhanced change capabilities
The establishment of a common language for change, fostering better communication and collaboration
Organizational Excellence Program
Five years after the change training program was initiated, UVA had implemented hundreds of improvements while realizing annual savings of over $20 million.
University of California, San Diego (UCSD)
UCSD, aiming to embed change management practices throughout the organization, initiated a strategic plan to bring about campus-wide changes. The Prosci Methodology was chosen for its adaptability and effectiveness in large organizations. UCSD’s collaboration with Prosci led to:
Large-group training sessions for awareness and role-specific change management
The creation of various learning opportunities tailored to the needs of the institution
Over 90% of the 500+ staff attendees found the tools and knowledge applicable to their roles
A shared language for change among executives, managers and teams, leading to more people-centric planning and execution
The change initiatives facilitated by Prosci at UCSD were so successful that the University of California administration explored applying the process across the entire network.
Prosci Change Theory in Action for Higher Education
Use Prosci-proven strategies to drive change efficiently in a university, college or other academic environment. Our empirically tested 3-Phase Process and the Prosci ADKAR Model help executives and change managers turn theory into action, with attention to the specifics of your educational context. Whether you need to improve student outcomes or implement a new ERP, Prosci helps meet your institutional goals.
To see change theory in education come to life, visit our change management in higher education page, where you will learn how the Prosci Methodology and change theory help leading institutions nationwide.
Evelyn Williams
Evelyn Williams is a skilled enterprise change leader with over 18 years of project management experience. Responsible for driving complex, multi-year transformations across the financial services, education and aerospace industries, she combines best practices in organizational development, project management and change management to create an impactful change readiness toolkit. Evelyn is a seasoned facilitator and coach who has led training for diverse teams globally. In addition to being a certified Project Management Professional, she holds a master’s degree in organizational development, an MBA, and a certificate in Brain-Based Coaching.
What happens if you install a new LMS that students and faculty refuse to adopt and use? What if employees in finance develop a manual workaround for the new multi-million-dollar ERP system? What if you implement new course scheduling systems and not all units participate? Any significant, high-risk change that depends on people adopting and using it needs effective change management to be successful. Because institutions don’t change—people do. Critical Changes to Manage in Higher Ed Today According to a recent Educause poll on adapting to change and disruption, 69% of respondents in higher education said their institution continued to experience a great deal or some change and disruption. Disruptions range from staffing challenges and flexible work arrangements to outdated technologies and falling enrollments. Although implementing any change comes with unique challenges, projects that have the most significant impacts on the way people do their daily work pose particular risks to the institution’s investments. This is because the success of these changes depends upon people adopting and using new ways of working. And because changes in higher education often impact the day-to-day actions of thousands of staff, faculty, students and stakeholders, the risk of these projects failing outright can’t be understated. Although any change can pose challenges to people, these six challenges are particularly complex and dependent on adoption to succeed: Process changes are common in higher education today, especially with IT systems changes. Some are very large in size and scope, such as installing a customer relationship management (CRM) system or transitioning to a new enterprise resource planning (ERP) system across multiple colleges or departments, or entire university system. Other process changes are smaller, like integration of tools and resources, or an academic technology that is specific to one college. Regardless, process changes impact many aspects of a person’s job—from job roles and responsibilities to workflows and tools. Data governance in higher education is critical. Do we have the same language? Do we have shared definitions? Are we storing data in a consistent manner? Who owns the data? Who can access the data? Who can generate reports versus react to reports? The data governance component is another big part of the complexity of managing changes in higher education, and data governance drives additional process changes to manage, impacting systems, tools, job roles, mindsets, and more. Regulatory changes affect institutions far more broadly than it seems. For example, a regulatory change from the US Department of Education on third-party partnerships impacts the outsourcing of different operations to support and deliver services and programs. Changes in financial aid application process—the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) that every student fills out every year—impact the ways institutions must collect, store and manage personal information and tax data from students and parents. Regional, state, and programmatic accreditation requirements drive changes broadly across the institution and within specific programs. Institutions need to understand and address all these ripples and plan carefully to ensure that people are equipped to perform their jobs the day the regulatory changes go into effect. Failure leads to costly rework, incorrect reimbursements, and the loss of students who depend on timely financial aid. Technology impacts nearly every area of higher education. Institutions leveraging outdated or homegrown IT infrastructures and systems experience challenges, which inhibit their ability to scale. Those without online offerings before the pandemic found quick ways to add online offerings by building or buying tools to host them—and now the systems and processes to be formalized. And accessibility issues need to be addressed in face-to-face and virtual delivery. Overall, institutions need to find balance between using SaaS integrated IT services, third-party provided services, and homegrown efforts. These decisions provide many choices, and drive changes to people’s jobs and reporting structures, systems and processes, tools, critical behaviors, and work locations. Course planning includes changes that enable coursework and degree completion, such as updates to registration systems and creating student pathways to graduation. Design and delivery of instructional content also involves changes like enabling virtual lab work or installing a learning management system (LMS) to house curricular assets and facilitate asynchronous student conversations. In addition to impacts on systems and processes, changes to course planning have huge impacts on mindsets and beliefs. People need functional training, as well as support throughout the transition, to ensure that they have the skills and mindset needed to bring the change to life and then sustain it without developing workarounds. Data and cybersecurity issues drive ongoing cross-functional changes. Declining enrollments and the need to offer online programs is accelerating changes that keep institutions relevant, attract students, and maintain market share. Leveraging data-driven insights enables institutions to make better business decisions, such as identifying programs with the potential for high return on investment (ROI), understanding marketing conversion rates, or simply understanding what activities no longer align with the institution’s vision. Cybersecurity also generates ongoing, top-priority changes to protect institutions. And because cybersecurity is everybody’s job today, it can’t be relegated to the IT department. We really need to help people change behaviors and adopt new tools to be successful. Why Higher Ed Needs Change Management Change management is far more than sending a few communications about the changes and offering functional training on the new tool or process. Change management is an enabling framework for managing the people side of change. It’s the discipline that guides how you prepare, equip and support people who are impacted by these important changes to their daily work. The benefits of applying change management in higher ed institutions include: Preventing and mitigating resistance to change from faculty, staff, students and other stakeholders Improving engagement, mitigating negativity and turnover, and enhancing the working experience at your institution Delivering the people-dependent portion of ROI on your must-win projects and initiatives Mitigating costs and risks from project rework and failure Minimizing change saturation and fatigue, and avoiding project collisions within your portfolio of changes Prosci ‘s 25 years of research on the Best Practices in Change Management represents the largest body of knowledge in the change management discipline. This research shows that projects with effective change management are 7X more likely to meet or achieve objectives than projects with poor change management. Even fair change management correlates with achieving a 3X likelihood of success. In addition to meeting objectives, our research shows that projects with effective change management correlate with being 5X more likely to stay on schedule and 1.5X more likely to stay within budget. Actions to Start Addressing Critical Changes in Higher Ed The fact that institutions must juggle different types of changes with cross-functional overlap and limited resources adds to the complexity of managing change in higher education and requires more focus on managing the overall portfolio or program of changes to get it right. Our research consistently shows that having a structured approach to change management is a top contributor to success with change because it enables you to implement multiple changes and scale efficiently while speaking a common language across the institution. Your institution can start managing important changes more effectively by taking the following steps: Work with institutional leaders to get support and commitment for change management Our research shows that change management expertise lives in many functional areas of institutions, and most commonly in IT, HR, the project management office, and strategic planning office. If you already have change management professionals applying change management on projects in your organization, enlist them to help you present a case to leaders for why change management can benefit your project or initiative and the larger institution by sharing its benefits, how it works, success stories, and its ROI. Intentionally build change management capabilities in your teams Building your institution’s change capabilities enables you to handle more change, faster and more cost-effectively. Every institution is unique. You might start by selecting key members of your team to go through to change management training. If you need to scale and mature quickly in change management, our Change Advisors can help you develop a holistic approach to building capabilities with training, hands-on deployment support, change management consulting, licensing, and other guidance. Equip people to perform their unique roles during change Change management practitioners are equipped to lead your overall change management strategy and planning, but they can’t do it alone. Active and visible sponsorship is the number one success factor in every Best Practices in Change Management research study. Sponsors need coaching to understand what to do, when to do it, and how. People managers are so essential, they play five key roles during change, and they need to develop the right skills. You can support them with coaching, holding meetings to practice new skills, or by hosting a community of practice to share best practices and insights. Learn More About Change Management in Higher Ed Higher education institutions face a wide range of disruptive changes, and change management is essential for managing the people side impacts. By acting today, you can start developing the skillset your people need to lead your institution into this new era of education—one that is steeped in innovation and resilience.
In today's global marketplace, uncertainty has become the only certainty. Leaders face unprecedented challenges—from rising inflation and trade tensions to rapid technological disruption and shifting workforce expectations. Making strategic decisions amid such volatile market conditions demands both agility and foresight. So how do organizations forge ahead during turbulent times? Let’s examine three business outcomes organizations need to focus on, how to succeed with each, and how you can transform change into a sustainable competitive advantage. Digital Transformation and Technology Optimization Enterprise clients across sectors are searching for enhanced leverage from technology investments. After committing significant resources to these platforms, many haven’t achieved intended benefits or realized a positive ROI. We see this challenge spanning industries: healthcare organizations implementing electronic health records, higher education institutions replacing fragmented student information systems, and logistics companies deploying warehouse management systems and other complex technologies. This gap between investment and value realization isn't primarily a technology problem—it's a people problem. Realizing benefits from digital transformation hinges on changing the mindsets and behaviors of leaders, managers and front-line team members. Without addressing the people side of change, even the most sophisticated platforms fail to deliver. Effective change management bridges this gap by: Aligning leadership around clear technology adoption goals. Engaging users early in the implementation process. Providing targeted support for the specific changes required. Enabling adoption and usage, not just technical implementation. AI is a unique opportunity Artificial intelligence represents both a tremendous opportunity and a significant change management challenge. While AI aspirations and technology advancements soar, value realization lags. Many organizations find themselves at a crossroads after piloting AI solutions without achieving the expected ROI or adoption. The frustration is palpable. Leaders express disappointment with returns on early AI investments just as economic pressures intensify the need for efficiency. However, some organizations are already making dramatic policy shifts—one client now requires managers to prove that AI cannot perform specific work before approving new hires. Effective change management bridges the gap between implementation and AI adoption, especially in global organizations where localized context matters. Successful AI integration requires change management, enabling: Clear connections between AI capabilities and business outcomes. Thoughtful workflow redesign incorporating AI. Skills development enabling employees to leverage AI tools effectively. Cultural shifts embracing AI as an enabler rather than a threat. Measurable outcomes from AI adoption. Organizations that effectively manage the people side of AI adoption position themselves to achieve operational efficiencies while building capacity for innovation. This is a critical advantage during economic uncertainty. Workforce Adaptation and Engagement Employee engagement has declined as workers contend with constant pressure from changes. After years of pandemic disruption, inflation, geopolitical conflicts and organizational restructuring, workforce resilience is stretched thin. The challenge for organizations? Balancing necessary change initiatives with employee belonging, well-being and engagement. This delicate equilibrium becomes even more complex amid global instability and exacerbates the issue for leaders. Change leaders need to pay immediate attention to: Strategic workforce planning – Align talent strategy to evolving dynamics, including AI impacts on jobs, distributed work models, and capability demands. This requires communicating the need for change, identifying appropriate development approaches, and supporting employees through job transitions. Organizational restructuring – Ensure that your organizational design delivers on objectives. This can mean making difficult decisions about workforce reductions. How well you manage these changes affects immediate performance, as well as your ability to attract future talent. Preserving employee engagement and culture – Maintain connection with critical talent during uncertainty. Employees may struggle with decreased psychological safety, reduced confidence in leadership, rising stressors outside of work, and mandates to do more with less. Organizations are under pressure to reduce costs and think differently about where they invest, but cutting without strategy can deteriorate morale long-term. Impact of Change Management on Employee Engagement Effective change management addresses these challenges through: Aligning cost reductions with purpose while preserving engagement. Tailored and transparent communications that acknowledge concerns while building confidence. Comprehensive change impact assessments to identify affected groups. Individualized support through the Prosci ADKAR® Model. Engaging people to help define the future state. Equipping people managers to lead their teams through transition. Organizations that navigate workforce changes effectively stay productive during transitions while preserving the trust and commitment necessary for long-term performance. Prosci ADKAR Model Operational Resilience The third critical outcome during uncertainty is building operational resilience: the ability to adapt and thrive amid constant disruption. This goes beyond short-term crisis management to developing sustainable capabilities for navigating ongoing volatility. Today’s environment demands resilience in several areas, including: Global supply chain restructuring – Significant changes pressure organizations to rewire supply networks quickly. These changes touch multiple functions, from procurement and finance to compliance and distribution. Shifting investment strategies – Changes in federal incentives are reshaping where capital flows. Organizations that align quickly can gain funding, market share or both. Team ambidexterity – This means building teams that can deliver today while preparing for what's next. The best-performing teams during uncertainty are able to execute on immediate priorities while scanning the horizon for potential shifts. Effective change management builds operational resilience by: Coordinating changes across functions to avoid internal whiplash. Creating clarity about priorities and decision-making authority. Developing scenario-based planning capabilities. Establishing feedback loops to quickly identify and address emerging issues. Building change leadership capabilities throughout the organization. Organizations developing these capabilities create a significant competitive advantage—they can pivot faster, recover more quickly from disruption, and capture opportunities that competitors miss. “In uncertain environments, speed and clarity win. The most successful teams we see are cross-functional, empowered with end-to-end accountability, and anchored in clear value outcomes. That means less command-and-control and more ‘coalitions of the willing’—people brought together for their expertise and influence, not just their job title.” —Michelle Haggerty, Chief Operating Officer, Prosci How to Build Strategic Change Capability During Economic Headwinds When resources tighten, your approach to capability development becomes a critical differentiator. Companies that continue to invest in people—especially in capabilities like data fluency, leadership, and change resilience—outperform peers when growth returns. Forward-thinking leaders view economic headwinds as opportunities to build targeted capabilities that create competitive advantage. Focus on value creation During uncertain times, every initiative must demonstrate clear, measurable value. Change leaders need to speak the language of business outcomes rather than methodology. Don't talk about what you do—communicate what you deliver: Create value dashboards for tracking adoption rates and business impact metrics. Quantify the impact of successful change adoption on key performance indicators. Maintain alignment with sponsors to ensure focus on expected outcomes and enable quick adjustments as conditions shift. Document early wins to build momentum. Our Best Practices in Change Management research shows that effective change management drives significantly better outcomes from organizational changes: Correlation of Change Management Effectiveness With Meeting or Exceeding Objectives Invest in change leadership Change capability must extend beyond dedicated practitioners to become embedded throughout the organization. To ensure this, start by assessing change leadership capabilities across all levels to identify where to prioritize development. Other actions: Equip people managers with practical tools—conversation guides, resistance management techniques, and adoption monitoring resources. Create forums where managers can share challenges and solutions. Develop accessible micro-learning opportunities focused on specific change leadership skills. Establish peer mentoring programs to pair experienced change leaders with those facing new challenges. Provide senior leaders with adoption metrics dashboards across initiatives to help them focus attention effectively. Most importantly, make change leadership an explicit expectation in all project kickoffs, with clear role clarity for sponsors and managers. Manage change saturation and fatigue Change saturation isn't coming—it's already here. Organizations that thrive recognize and address the real limits of their capacity for change. Conducting impact assessments will help you identify groups experiencing the highest saturation levels. Other actions: Create heat maps showing where multiple initiatives overlap to identify potential breaking points. Implement prioritization frameworks requiring explicit discussions about what work will stop or slow to accommodate new priorities. Establish governance authority to sequence initiatives based on capacity, not just strategic importance. Create protected stability zones—processes or timeframes where change is minimized—to provide anchors during turbulence. Be sure to build recovery periods into plans, allowing people to integrate new ways of working before adopting additional changes. Develop monitoring systems to detect change fatigue early, so you can adjust course as needed to avoid drops in productivity and engagement. “Don’t confuse activity with adaptability. In this environment, it’s easy to overload the organization with initiatives and assume that forward motion means progress. But change fatigue is real, and it’s quiet. It shows up in disengaged teams, half-hearted adoption, and missed opportunities that looked great on paper. Leaders need to get intentional about how change is delivered, not just what’s being changed.” —Tim Creasey, Chief Innovation Officer, Prosci Ensure active and visible sponsorship No factor influences change success more than effective sponsorship. For more than 25 years, Prosci research has consistently shown effective sponsorship as the top contributor to successful change. Contributors to Success Over Time In fact, our research shows that projects and initiatives with effective sponsors are far more likely to succeed. Correlation of Sponsor Effectiveness With Meeting Objectives The ABCs of sponsorship translate into practical actions: Active participation through regular engagement with teams, Building coalitions among key stakeholders, and Communicating directly through cascaded messaging appropriate for each organizational level. To strengthen sponsorship: Create clear expectations through explicit sponsor agreements. Measure sponsorship effectiveness through objective feedback on key behaviors. Enable sponsors of interdependent initiatives to align their approaches, preventing contradictory directions. Create visibility plans that include both formal and informal interactions. Establish feedback loops providing sponsors with employee sentiment data to address concerns proactively. Develop transition protocols to maintain continuity and momentum when leadership changes happen mid-initiative. Complex changes demand effective sponsors, but they often lack clarity about their role. Change practitioners should prepare and support them in fulfilling these critical responsibilities. These practitioners should also have the tools they need to be successful. “Leaders need to understand that there’s no such thing as free change. They’re forced to pay for change, whether they want to or not. They have an active role to play, and it requires far more than signing charters or partially funding a change manager on their next project. Sponsorship is a full-contact sport that doesn’t happen by email.” —Scott McAllister, Chief Executive Officer, Prosci Leverage limited resources strategically When budgets tighten, it’s essential to find creative approaches to developing change capability. Identifying internal champions will extend the reach of your formal change management resources. To maximize limited resources: Create partnerships with other organizations for shared learning experiences. Develop modular tools usable across multiple projects. Establish knowledge-sharing platforms to prevent repeated mistakes. Form communities of practice with regular skill-building sessions. Map existing capabilities against critical needs to focus limited resources where they'll have the greatest impact. Repurpose existing communication channels rather than creating new ones for change initiatives. Create skill-exchange mechanisms where departments can share specialized expertise without impacting budgets. Utilize free resources, including webinars, forums and user groups when formal training budgets are limited. Change-Capable Organizations Grow Stronger From Change Organizations that build change capabilities during economic headwinds position themselves to survive uncertainty and accelerate through it. The difference between organizations that merely weather economic challenges and those that emerge stronger lies in their capability to lead change deliberately, efficiently, and with an unwavering focus on value creation.
Five years after the change training program was initiated, UVA had implemented hundreds of improvements while realizing annual savings of over $20 million.
