1.6 Step-up-to-excellence:a change navigation protocol for transforming  (Page 7/20)

The SUTE Change Protocol

SUTE is a three-step process preceded by a Pre-Launch Preparation phase and it is cyclical.

• Pre-Launch Preparation
• Step 1: Redesign the entire school district
• Step 2: Create strategic alignment
• Step 3: Evaluate the performance of the entire school district
• Recycle to Pre-Launch Preparation

Pre-Launch Preparation

One of the most common reasons for the failed transformation efforts is the lack of good preparation and planning(Kotter, 1996). What happens during the preparation phase will significantly influence the success (or failure) of a district’s transformation journey. So change leaders have to take the time todo these activities in a carefully considered manner. Quick fixes almost always eventually fail even though they may produce animmediate illusion of improvement.

The early Pre-Launch Preparation activities are conducted by the superintendent of schools and severalhand-picked subordinates. All of these people comprise a“pre-launch team.”The superintendent may also wish to include one or two trusted school board members on this small starter team. Itis also important to know that this small team is temporary and it will not lead the transformation journey that will be launchedlater in the preparation phase. This team only has one purpose—to complete early activities to prepare the district for whole-systemchange.

There are many pre-launch preparation activities (see Duffy 2003, 2004c). They are all important. Some ofthe tasks should be initiated simultaneously (e.g., building political support among internal and external stakeholders whilesimultaneously scouting-out“best-practices”and funding sources to support the change process). Others need to be sequenced (e.g.,assess and document the need for the district to change followed by the development of clear and powerful public relations messagesabout that need followed by a Community Engagement Conference followed by a District Engagement Conference).

Research (Sirkin, Keenan&Jackson, 2005) suggests there are four key factors that affect the success orfailure of a transformation effort. These factors must be addressed during the Pre-Launch Preparation phase. Sirkin, Keenan and Jacksoncall these the“hard factors of change.”They are:

• Duration: the amount of time needed to complete the transformation initiative;
• Integrity: the ability of the change leadership teams to complete the transformation activities as planned and on time;which is directly affected by the team members’knowledge and skills for leading a transformation journey;
• Commitment: the level of unequivocal support for the transformation demonstrated by senior leadership as well as byemployees;
• Effort: the amount of effort above and beyond normal work activities that is needed to complete the transformation.