Friday 13 February 2015

Day 12 of #28daysofwriting - Change is uncomfortable


"Change is not hard, it is uncomfortable"

When I first heard Grant Lichtman say this, I just about dropped my laptop. Here is a statement that needs to be heard more often and not just by the school community. Family, friends, government, sports fans and business owners all struggle against change, and I know that some changes in my life have proved incredibly ha... uncomfortable.

In a burst of genius last year, Edchatnz organisers secured Grant to deliver a great GHO last year. This is where I first learned about Grant and heard this idea. I can confess that I haven't read any of his books, although it is on my to read list and every time Steve (@Geomouldy) refers to Grant on his blog, I think must read that book! Grant's statement was based around innovation, but not all change is innovative. "Who moved my cheese?" is a good read on dealing with change, its not education focussed but it really spells it out the different camps people fall into.




Dealing with change is an interesting topic. Naturally, a growth mindset is vital as it provides enough incentive that you are actively looking for improvement which in essence is change. Thinking of some changes I've made in the last year I've been pleased with my coping. I've moved school (blogged here and here), but also I've made many changes to how I've taught, dealt with students behaviour, implemented school initiatives and many other changes at the family level. Change is ubiquitous, what I've come to appreciate over a long period is that dealing with some changes might be comfortable but others less so. You need to consider the personal, familial, mental, emotional, collegial, societal, and professional impacts and a change at any of these levels can be har... ha..uncomfortable.

Dealing with change yourself is all up to the individual, but there can be much consternation when your peers are on struggle-street with change, they're change-adverse, they nod and say yes but do their own thing anyway, or they just flat-out refuse. We've all been there, we'll go there again no doubt, so what do you do?

In the past I've tried various mechanisms to encourage change, some not so subtle. Ultimately, the changes didn't occur until the individual wanted...

Oh, damn out of time! Let's continue this conversation tomorrow.

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