Higher education is in the throes of major changes as disruptions impact academia, from demographic reversals to low public confidence to families and students worried about the cost of higher education. As universities face scarcity and prepare for significant changes, media stories on higher education often highlight eliminating courses, reducing programs and degree offerings, reallocating resources to high-priority areas, implementing hiring freezes, reducing workforce size, adopting new budgetary strategies and undergoing institutional consolidations and closures.
My institution is developing a new strategic plan and preparing to invest in transformative ideas among other operational changes. Knowing that significant change lies ahead as we face the headwinds in higher education, I turned to corporate CEOs and other C-suite officers to gain a new perspective on managing change. Much of their approach translates to higher education. Here, I will share their valuable insights on communicating the changes. I will also describe how higher education’s focus on values and virtues enriches their advice on managing change. In a later column, I will share their advice on implementing the changes.
Paint the Future
Tip: Embrace transformation, acknowledge challenges and create a unifying vision. Understanding challenges enables effective resourcing and plan execution for a transformative future.
Amid such profound changes, organizations must elevate the vision for everyone to see a better future beyond the present disruption. Difficult decisions about resource allocation, staffing reductions and repurposing and balancing them with new initiatives are not the last word; they are laying a foundation for a stronger, more sustainable and more successful organization in the future.
More broadly, leaders should hold up a vision of the future that embraces the whole society as well as the organization—the world where we want to live, where everyone can flourish. The organization’s mission, then, is its particular role in bringing about that future. In our case, that means equipping students with the knowledge, mindsets and skills they need to succeed and contribute to society’s success. This mission makes work meaningful for everyone.
Everyone must understand that the changes are necessary to ensure the institution can continue to achieve that mission. That’s easier when the risk is imminent—the burning platform—than when the institution is doing well. However, when threats are on the horizon, the changes are no less vital. As President Kennedy said, “The time to repair the roof is when the sun is shining.” In other words, address changes while you are still in a position of strength to get ahead of the challenges they bring.
The virtues of optimism and confidence can accelerate this progress. Leaders can provide evidence-based reasons for believing that difficult actions will lead to greater success. That can give members of the organization the confidence they need to accept changes and participate fully in moving into that future.
Capture Others’ Voices
Tip: Looking to employees and other stakeholders for ideas fosters innovation, boosts morale and creates a sense of ownership, leading to better solutions, increased productivity and a stronger organizational culture.
The vision and plan for implementing changes are created in collaboration with other members of the organization and take their ideas, insights and concerns into account. When everyone feels heard, even if the outcome is not their desired preference, they will be more motivated to embrace the decision. Universities have many stakeholders with diverse perspectives, experiences and interests whose insights should be welcomed. The broader the input, the better communication across units, which reinforces inclusion, improves morale and opens communication, making the plan resilient to changing circumstances.
This approach calls for openness from both leaders and employees. Everyone should be willing to set aside preconceived notions and consider the pros and cons of ideas that arise.
Practice Clarity Continuously
Tip: Clear, effective communication aligns goals, fosters collaboration and builds trust. Continuously repeating key messages ensures understanding, reduces ambiguity and sustains focus on priorities for consistent action.
The planned or proposed change will fail without effective communication. No one can implement what they can’t understand. Even those who dislike a decision will appreciate information to avoid surprise. The language must be accessible, the logic straightforward and the goals clear. Provide opportunities for people to ask questions and avoid misinterpretation. Communication doesn’t end with one announcement. As one CEO said, “Repetition is your friend.”
Such communication calls for perseverance. Transformative plans and significant changes take time and encounter ups and downs, even pivots before they are fully implemented. Make sure the leadership keeps everyone informed throughout.
Replace Fiction with Facts
Tip: Correcting rumors, false narratives and misinformation with facts, data, accuracy and truth in a transparent culture empowers employees, fosters accountability and promotes unity. Train leaders to combat wrong narratives.
People want to be in the know. If they lack correct information, they may accept whatever rumor is going around the organization. Leaders must ensure the real story is promptly, prominently and consistently available. Many CEOs shared the frustrations of internal incorrect information, including a true but highly inaccurate narrative during times of change or when introducing new plans and strategies. Some addressed the issue gently, some more sternly and some by asking questions until receiving clarification on the misinformation.
I have experienced some of this in my career. As George Bernard Shaw said, “The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place.” A leader must check their language to ensure they are clear and direct rather than underplaying or sugarcoating reality. Leaders should rely on data and analytics to inspire decisions and plan for the future. These tools can also help debunk misinformation and clarify the accurate narrative.
Transparency helps achieve this clarity. Facts and truth must be openly available and verifiable. Condense the plan into a page or two in language accessible to all stakeholders. Invite questions and conversation. Listen to what people are saying to ensure they accurately reflect the meaning.
Elevate Awareness
Tip: Ensure the entire organization is aware of the plan and any changes. Update everyone as ideas become concrete. Express understanding that change can be challenging.
In addition to disseminating information, leaders must communicate the why, articulating precisely why the changes are necessary. The action may appear undesirable, but the alternatives—including the status quo—are unacceptable. Employees should also know that their unsettled feelings in the face of change are valid. Change is a natural part of growth and success, but it isn’t always easy.
Empathy from the leader can reassure employees, building trust and confidence. No one should feel isolated because they are struggling with the circumstances. They should know they are valued, and the aim is to make it through the changes for the benefit of everyone.
Commission Leadership Champions
Insight: The CEO, president or senior leadership team cannot do it alone. The leadership team as a whole must champion the plan and engage additional champions to spread understanding and excitement throughout the organization.
The further the communicator is from the receiver, the greater the risk of distortion. That’s what makes the old telephone game interesting. Champions can be equipped to spread the word at all levels. Their buy-in and excitement can spread throughout the organization. Champions are bridges between leadership and employees, communicating how the vision impacts day-to-day activities and receiving feedback that fosters grassroots momentum. They inspire others to amplify the message and align units, departments and the whole organization. During strategic planning processes that engage a broad range and large numbers of individuals and stakeholders, more champions emerge, equipped with the knowledge to effectively spread the message across the organization.
Such delegation requires trust. Leaders must be confident that champions will understand the plans thoroughly and embrace them wholeheartedly, so the message will be accurate and comprehensive.
Change management in corporate organizations has its counterpart in higher education, and the experience of CEOs has enriched my confidence that we can communicate change effectively. I will share their advice on implementing the changes in a follow-up column.
You Might Also Like
