Change Means More Change

     Last week, it was suggested that change must be planned.  But change can take three directions (there's always "three" involved, isn't there)...

     Change can go smoothly, as planned.  That's the best we can hope for.  But usually, there are two other things that happen, even after careful planning.  The first is that we decide not to change, and shelf the whole project.  Hopefully, it's only for a short time, or until a better idea and subsequent plan comes along.  For those that don't want to change - at all - I would invite you to click the link and read the article "Change or Die" from the May 2005 edition of Fast Company Magazine.

     The second (actually, the third result) is that the change that you have planned and implemented begets more change - and usually, it's an unplanned change.  That's the reason that most people fear change.  It may be easy to make one little change - but that small change to the left side of the spectrum may result a disproportionately large change at the right side of the spectrum.  Sometimes, that's the intention - for instance, expand distribution of school brochures from the narthexes of your sending parishes to include doctors offices, gyms, beauty salons, supermarkets, Realtor offices and hair/nail salons, and you may see your enrollment inquiries increase.  But the unintended consequence may be that school's office receives so many phone calls that the secretary can't keep up with the amount of calls and the amount of information that must be mailed to prospective families.

     But if we're not happy with the results that we are seeing from traditional practices, then change must happen.  Change, in fact, is the whole point of marketing.  Marketing's goal is to get the person we've reached to begin to think differently, change their thought patterns, and be open to new ideas.  Constant repetition of the message is the way today's advertisers do it.  Remember that education's goal is exactly the same - to get the learner to think differently, change their thought patterns and be open to new ideas.  This must first occur in order for learning to take place.

     With that in mind, let's consider what we usually say about our Catholic school.  We may have to examine what we think we're all about as a Catholic school.  For instance, is academic excellence the result of the caring community and focus on Gospel values found within our schools?  Or is the result something more, with academic excellence just a part of the equation?    Such a question is an exemplar of the hard questions that must be considered.

     Indeed, change is hard - but the alternative is worse.  

    © Michael V. Ziemski, SchoolAdvancement, 2008 (Original Publication Date: 20080811)

Back to Marketing Matters Index