Small Shifts, Big Impact: 5 practical change management principles for colleges and universities

From time to time, we tap into the expertise of our InsideTrack team and ask them to share insights on a student support topic they’re passionate about. This week, we turn our blog over to Katie Payne, InsideTrack’s Change Manager, to share best practices for steering teams through change in times of uncertainty. 

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The perpetual state of change in higher education

Change and uncertainty are constants in higher education right now. Between demographic shifts and an anticipated “enrollment cliff,” cuts in funding, and changes in federal and state policy, leaders are being asked to do more with less, and to make decisions without all the information. Leaders are asking themselves — What will enrollment look like this year? Will funding come through? What academic and support programs can we keep? Will we need to lay off staff?

Against this backdrop, staff and learners are stressed. A 2023-2024 study by Healthy Minds found that university staff think their work negatively impacts their mental health, while a nation-wide survey found that financial stress and mental health concerns are making it hard for enrolled learners to see a clear path to completion. Additionally, TimelyCare found that 53% of current students have contemplated taking a temporary break from college, and 17% have considered stopping out before they graduate. 

Leaders in higher education might find themselves in survival mode, doing what they can to get by day-to-day. Change management might feel like a luxury. But in times of uncertainty and change fatigue, change management is essential — not optional. Higher education remains the clearest path to upward mobility, and change management is a must for institutions who need their people to keep showing up and stay mission-focused in the current environment. 

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InsideTrack’s approach: Supporting partners through change 

At InsideTrack, we partner with institutions that are navigating major transitions — from launching new student support programs to reimagining existing ones, while also supporting their learners and day-to-day operations. Taking on one more new initiative can feel overwhelming and demoralizing for staff, which is why change management is built into every step of our Coaching Development & Training programs. We know that change doesn’t happen without the people that make institutions run. We also know that organizations that apply change management when implementing something new are 7x more likely to see results. We can support people through change and get results at the same time. 

To help you chart the course for your learners and your staff, here are 5 best practices to help make change stick in times of uncertainty and change.

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Prioritizing change management for short-term outcomes and long-term sustainability 

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1. Start with the people, not the plan

When initiatives are moving fast, it’s tempting to jump to action. But when the change you’re trying to make relies on people to be successful, it’s essential to consider those people before moving to next steps: Who will be leading the change? Who should be involved? Who is impacted by the change? How will people impact our results? Start with people to ensure your plan is the right one. 

Set your initiative up for success by building relationships and shared understanding. Start with leaders that need to be involved for your change to stick — Prosci calls these leaders your “sponsors.” You need your sponsors to know the “what” and “why” of the change, and you need to understand their team dynamics, roles and responsibilities. Answer key questions like: Who will need to change their behavior or ways of thinking? What are the management structures on impacted teams? What do managers and their teams care about, and what will they need to adopt the change? 

Middle managers are a critical group — they influence employees and set priorities. Employees are unlikely to get on board with a change if their manager isn’t on board. Prosci has found that middle managers are often resistant to change because they’re not included in planning, don’t understand the “why,” or don’t have what they need to support their teams. Engaging and aligning stakeholders up front will save time later — and makes positive outcomes more likely.

Tip: Use stakeholder analysis tools to identify all the leaders and functions you’ll need to enact and sustain the change.

‍Stakeholder analysis is the process of identifying and documenting the teams that will be impacted and could influence your outcomes. Take time to map out the groups that need to be engaged, their leadership structure, and their connection to the initiative. Evaluate leaders’ level of support for the change, as well as potential barriers, resistance, and sources of support. Prosci consistently finds that engaged and active sponsors are the #1 contributor to project success. We also know that one leader rarely is enough to make a change stick, especially in times of instability and potential staff turnover. Stakeholder analysis enables you to move forward with a clear picture of the sponsorship you have, and the sponsorship you'll need. 

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2. Plan now to save time later

Before you jump into implementation, make sure you define success. What does the ideal future state look like? How will you measure success? How will you know that people are moving from the current to the future state? Identify benchmarks to help evaluate your progress, and ensure that all of your key stakeholders are aligned. 

A clear definition of success enables you to clarify what, exactly, you are asking people to do differently. Map out who’s impacted — and how — and use that insight to identify next steps and build your plan. 

Tactic: Use tools like Prosci’s Impact Analysis to clarify whose work will change and what support they’ll need to make changes.

Use an Impact Analysis early — not just to map how the process will impact people, but also to engage your stakeholders. Your change plan is more likely to succeed if you have context and insight into peoples’ needs, mindsets and potential reactions to change. Anticipate challenges and benefits, and proactively address those through communication, training and by removing barriers. 

When time and resources are short, it becomes even more important to anticipate and mitigate resistance so you can save yourself and your staff time and energy later on. 

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3. Simplify to sustain progress

Complexity is a barrier to success when teams are overwhelmed or saturated with change. Breaking down initiatives into clear, manageable steps is key to sustainability for both employees and the change itself. 

Start by focusing on essential behaviors, not full transformations. What are the specific actions you need staff to take? What are the individual behavior changes that will add up to long-term change? Can you break a larger change into smaller phases or chunks? 

Tactic: Make the change simple and concrete. Identify 1-2 new behaviors or shifts at a time that are needed to move the change forward. Make sure each person knows what to do differently and how, and then scaffold on new behaviors. Be very clear about what is not changing, and what people should continue to do. 

Ask: “What can we remove?” Sometimes the key to sustainability is streamlining — not adding. Eliminate duplicative processes and decision fatigue where possible. 

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4. Think long-term from the beginning

In survival mode, it’s tempting to focus on one day at a time — to divide and delegate to just “get it done.” Short-term wins can be motivating, but they can also undermine long-term success if you don’t also proactively plan for sustainability. 

Don’t wait until the end of your implementation process to figure out how to make your change stick. Take time up front to define how each team or function contributes to change over time. Ensure that tasks and responsibilities are divided based on what’s doable in the long term, and that your coalition of leaders is on board. Without long-term accountability and shared ownership, even well-trained staff and dedicated leaders can lose momentum and backslide into the old way of doing things.  

Make the change part of day-to-day routines. Wherever possible, embed new practices into existing processes rather than layering new systems on top of old ones. Work across functions to build your change into the fabric of your institution. 

Tactic: Reframe sustainability as a long-term culture shift, not a final deliverable.

Ask: Who’s keeping the change alive after 3 months, 6 months, 1 year, etc.? Where can we build the change into our existing structures and ways of working? How do we make sure we’re not relying solely on specific people, and have embedded the change into our operations? 

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5. Stay flexible 

No change or initiative exists in a vacuum. Successful change planning leaves room for the unexpected, as needs and capacity will continue to evolve over time. Teams need clear goals, but it helps to be flexible about how to reach those goals, especially in an environment where projects, funding, staff and other variables can change rapidly and without warning. 

Empower teams to make decisions whenever possible. Be clear about what’s essential and required, and where there’s flexibility and room for creativity. Let departments choose the methods that work best for their context. Prepare your managers — and trust them. Team ownership accelerates adoption and mitigates resistance. 

Tactic: Anchor teams in the “what” and “why” (the strategic goal), and give them ownership of the “how.” This is one of Prosci’s top 10 tactics for managing resistance to change — where possible, include people in figuring out the details of implementing a change in their area.

Practical tool: Try a weekly “3 priorities” check-in: What do we need to do this week to further our goal? What’s the one small step that will move us toward change this week? 

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Let’s make change work for you

Change can be exhausting and hard — and it is also essential. Leaders in higher education have to balance the realities of our industry and the demands of operating institutions with their aspirations for their institutions, their staff and the learners they serve. With the right planning and tools, leaders can make change stick without burning out their staff and without adding undue stress or uncertainty. Change management can feel “extra” or like too much in times of chaos, but that’s when it’s most important to pause, consider what you need from your people, and consider what your people need from you to continue to show up in challenging times. 

If you’re looking for support, InsideTrack’s Change Management Checklist can help you evaluate and strengthen your current approach. And our Resources for Resilience page offers practical tools for navigating transitions, without losing sight of what matters most: empowering your staff to advance our shared mission of impact, enabling learners to achieve their educational and career goals, and supporting the essential needs of the people you serve. 

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In her 12+ years at InsideTrack, Katie Payne has coached learners, worked with partners to embed our coaching methodology, and managed coaching teams. As InsideTrack’s Change Manager, Katie designs and drives change management strategies to support InsideTrack’s ongoing organizational development and to ensure that internal initiatives produce the desired results. She is a certified Prosci Change Practitioner and Train-the-Trainer, and is passionate about unlocking human potential by centering people in our change process. 

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