Thingish Things

'Pooh began to feel a little more comfortable, because when you are a Bear of very Little Brain and you Think of Things, you find sometimes that a Thing which seemed very Thingish inside you is quite different when it gets out into the open and has other people looking at it.'

So here in response to a request from a colleague are some of the Thingish Things that are inside me - coming out into the open so that other people can look at them.


Thursday, December 4, 2008

Time for Change

There are lots of commentators giving their opinions about how to embed sustainable change within an organisation. One I heard of recently stated that it takes about 10 years to embed lasting change. But what if you don't have that long?

Whilst authentic change doesn't happen overnight the rate of change can be strongly influenced by the way a professional community operates. Relationships built upon and supported by meaningful dialogue create trust between members of a community. Trust enables people to work together to create a dynamic community of learners who continuously reflect on their practice.

Reflective practitioners are always looking for ways to be the best they can be. Reflective pratitioners identify the things they do well and look for areas in which they can improve. Reflective practitioners know that the only thing they can change is themselves.

We might think that a school, business or organisation needs to change. We are wrong. A school, business or organsation cannot change. It is only the individuals within the school, business or organisation who can.

Many long serving community members talk about wanting change. What they often forget is that for change to occur within the organisation they themselves will need to change. Relationships that support and challenge are the only way to get these people to abandon their practices of the past and do their bit to bring about organisational change.
Posted by at 6:28 PM
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1 comments:

  1. A very pertinent opening blog, since I have been reflecting recently about the astounding changes we have embraced over the last two years, but this year in particular.
    In a static organisation it is those who are inspiring changes who have to work the hardest, and are at risk of feeling drained and disillusioned. They may even stand out as acting against the best interests of the organisation. When the organisation has vision and direction, change is a natural practice. Then it is those who are resistant to change who have to expend the most energy and who stand out as being contrary. It is easy to focus on those individuals and overlook the progress of the organisation as a whole.
    My wondering is, if people resisted change in the first place because it is safer and more effortless to do what they have always done, how long are they prepared to go on expending energy on resisting it when change is the norm?

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