Day 3- Learning How to Minimize and Deal with Obstacles of Change
No matter how good a prevention program is, there are likely to be obstacles to its implementation. The key to successful implementation is to anticipate possible barriers so you can design strategies to overcome or minimize their effect. Otherwise, implementation may be met with resistance and, possibly, efforts to sabotage the new program.
One way to identify potential barriers is by using a method called Force Field Analysis. This method can help you identify and analyze the multiple forces that affect implementation. You can then develop action steps that minimize the negative forces and maximize the positive ones.
Force Field Analysis can be used during program planning, after you have selected a research-based prevention program, or prior to training. However, according to researcher Gary Gottfredson, "The force field is best analyzed by the group of persons experiencing the forces -- including the persons making the decisions and those affected by the changes to be made."
Force Field Analysis involves five steps:
Convene the change team of key stakeholders for the prevention program. This could be your advisory board.
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Brainstorm on newsprint a complete list of restraining forces (i.e., obstacles) that might impede program success. If people get stuck, use the following set of questions to generate more information.
Is there enough money to do this?
Does anyone not want us to do this?
Would any individuals or groups oppose us if we tried to move forward?
Is everyone here convinced that we should move ahead on implementing this program?
Are there any school policies, rules, or laws that would make this difficult?
Are there any other forces outside of our school that might keep us from doing this?
Why hasn't this change already occurred?
Decide as a group which of these obstacles might be most important, and mark them with a star. Then prioritize these obstacles by assigning each a number, with number one the most important.
Brainstorm a list of positive forces or available resources that could help you successfully implement your prevention program.
Now review the most important obstacles and identify some action steps you can take to minimize or eliminate them. Use your list of resources to create the action steps.
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"The biggest job in front of me is to get staff buy-in and figure how to fit prevention into an already packed curriculum. Our township no longer has a health department or true health classes any more, so health has been placed into the science department. Science, however, has just been included in academic testing this year, and the science teachers are very hesitant to include or introduce health-related items to their curriculum. I have begun a teacher-at-a-time crusade for the inclusion of Life Skills in the seventh grade health curriculum. So far I have a few teachers that have tried it and are raving about it to others. I have scheduled a meeting with another teacher about implementation next year. Hopefully, by word of mouth, I'll get my foot in the back door. I tried the front door when I first arrived and had it slammed in my face." --Kathy Rudisill, MSC from Indianapolis, Ind. "Last year, after the training, I came in using prevention language -- assuming that the staff already knew the language of 'principles of effectiveness' and 'risk and protective factors.' I had people that looked at me as 'the outsider.' This year, I talk discipline, I talk attendance, I talk truancy, I talk about tutoring, mentoring, community service learning. I explain the risks that we are up against, and I encourage and tell them all the things they are doing right, because I think teachers are hearing a lot of what is wrong with them and the system. I'm hoping that my words and actions and the small changes that are coming very slowly will keep the prevention changes intact because they don't see them as prevention, they see them as part of their system." --Lacretia Warnstaff, MSC from Oroville, Wash. |
Click here for additional examples of potential obstacles and strategies to address them.
In summary, being a change agent is a challenging yet essential job. Learning to play the multiple roles of change agent successfully and understanding the process of change can help you set more realistic and attainable objectives, greatly enhance the effects of your overall prevention initiatives, and make your job as an MSC more satisfying.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
Please think about these questions and post your answers, comments, or questions to the Discussion Area.
What are some obstacles you have faced in implementing your prevention programs?
What effective strategies have you designed to prevent or minimize these obstacles?
How have you successfully dealt with resistance to implementation as it has occurred?
References
Gottfredson, G. D., Nettles, S. M., & McHugh, B. (1996). Program development and evaluation for schools and communities. Ellicott City, MD: Gottfredson Associates, Inc.
This completes today's work. Please visit the Discussion Area to share your responses to the discussion questions! |
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