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Today's organizations are faced with an increasing need to adapt to new realities that almost always result in some organizational change. The process of implementing change in organizations is often complex and challenging for most managers. To help managers successfully implement change, it is recommended that they use some version of a change model to increase their chances of successful implementation. While there are many models for change management, most of them originate from the work of John Kotter's eight-step change model. Specific steps in the model include: establish a sense of urgency, create the guiding coalition, develop a vision and strategy, communicate the change vision, empower broad-based action, generate short-term wins, consolidate gains to produce more change, and anchor change in the organization's culture.

A framework that has implications for the practices of professional development acknowledges that learning brings change, and supporting people in change is critical for learning to "take hold." The model holds that people considering and experiencing change evolve in the kinds of questions they ask and in their use of whatever the change is.

Katrina Schwartz reports on the work of Robert Evans on change issues. He has found it tremendously important for leaders to understand that for many people, change - at least at first - isn't about growth or capacity building or learning; it's about loss. This interesting article explores change in the education setting.

"Change is a multifaceted process, it requires a suite of cognitive and emotional skills to transport you smoothly through the process from start to finish. And being change-ready means that you have already spent the time and effort to strengthen this toolkit of mental skills so that you are primed and ready. This means that you are able to intelligently anticipate, prepare for, manage and respond to change. In doing so you are well placed to thrive off the resulting opportunities, as well as mitigate any potential negative consequences. "

Is change hard? Is change easy? The answer to both of those questions is "yes." If you reflect upon all that is done to "change" schools, you would probably think that policymakers think change is hard - very hard.

This model of change was designed by educators to be used by educators. One component is based on the emotional components of any change process. Each component can assist leaders in understanding what is happening in the change process. Diagnostic tools are also available to measure each component.

"Current education is calling on schools to transition into a new paradigm of learning. We can see this in the challenges given through current standards (e.g., Common Core State Standards, Next Generation Science Standards, and International Standards for Technology in Education), the demands of the work place, the complexity of the world, and lack of effectiveness of the "stand and deliver" method of teaching. 21st century teaching and learning is this new paradigm that is trying to create students that will be problem solvers and critical thinkers. Our society is changing at such a rapid pace; we, as educators, are preparing students for jobs that don't exist yet. This means we have to change how we teach and how we lead our schools."

Change is hard, but it's worth it. Part of change and transformation, especially in education, is focusing on our best professional development. Useful tips to support PD and change processes. From Global Digital Citizenship Foundation

"Total Leader by thinking about leadership through the lens of productive change. There are five pillars that make up productive change. Purpose, vision, ownership, capacity, and support. Let's break these down in terms of school librarians and leadership with some examples of what the pillars look like in the world of libraries."

"As a person finally acknowledges that doing the same thing will not bring about a different desired outcome, a reflection emerges as "How do I get unstucked from where I am now?" Donna Howes shares her workshop experience on Dr. Robert Kegan's behavior improvement approach to "Immunity to Change". The good things ahead start with a rigorous adherence to the step-by-step process of recognizing where one is at the moment and where one desires to be in the future. The change process works at the individual as well as at the organizational level. "

An article on change as part of a commercial product.

As we continue to look at teachers, students, and learning becoming more "innovative", it is important that leadership changes. As administrators often set the tone for their district or their building, if they are saying the same, it is not likely that things are going to change in the classroom. Leadership needs to not only "think" different, but they need to "act" different.

Education and political leaders in countries around the world have recognized the imperative to prepare their youth for the 21st century, a goal that many believe requires the fundamental transformation of educational opportunities together with the integration of technology into teaching and learning. But educational change is complex. It takes place within an ecosystem of influences that range from national policies, programs, and supports to local community contexts and school-specific professional cultures. Part of Microsoft's commitment to education, ITL Research is a multiyear global research program designed to investigate the factors that promote the transformation of teaching practices and the impact those changes have on students' learning outcomes across a broad range of country contexts.

Chris Betcher writes about the stultifying effect of a fixed mindset reflected in the phrase "That's the way we've always done it." or similar and talks about the very nature of education - as students learn, they change, each year the world changes - and how it is beholden on teachers to reflect this in the classroom teaching practice.

I'm an author, business leader and visual facilitator working at intersection of leadership, learning and change. Drawing on his business background Tanmay Vora blogs about individuals, teams and organizations delivering high-performance through process excellence, culture, capability building, coaching, consulting and leadership development interventions.

There are a number of different approaches, or 'styles' to leadership and management that are based on different assumptions and theories. The style that individuals use will be based on a combination of their beliefs, values and preferences, as well as the organizational culture and norms which will encourage some styles and discourage others. Under the menu find information about change and change management

Article on the significance of Middle Leaders to bring about change in schools. Has links to Dr Hilary Hollingsworth's work in this area. She is speaker at the upcoming ACER Research Conference 2017, 27 to 29 August at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre.

Author Elena Aguilar hopes that when educators build their own resilience they'll not only continue teaching, but they'll have more energy to change the systems that are depleting them. She offers a series of reflections and activities that teachers can do together throughout the year can build habits that cultivate resilience.

"Our workplaces are changing, and the changes are dramatic. Professionals need to pay attention to and prepare for the workplaces of the future. An important aspect of this preparation is to develop the job skills that will help you succeed and thrive in the new reality of the next decade. "

"'Know thyself' - pithy self-help aphorism? Impossible task? Life-changing wisdom? What really is the value of reflection? And how is it effectively taught? In a world characterised by hurry, progress and efficiency, reflection requires a change of pace. It requires that we pause, breathe, and shift our future-orientation to dwell instead on what has been. This does not come naturally to many of the students in our classrooms (perhaps not even to ourselves)."