Overcoming Resistance to Change-Interview With Sharon Laney, Lon Woodbury and Larry Stednitz Jan. 23, 2012
Six years ago Sharon Laney joined Lon and Larry Stednitz Ph.D. on January 23, 2012 to discuss “Overcoming Resistance to Change.” The conversation ranged from the sources and causes of resistance to change from students, staff and parents in therapeutic boarding schools, to some of the insights she had learned from her 20+ years working with residential schools and programs for struggling teens. The insights cover the basics of what is necessary to overcome resistance to change and help the students learn more healthy ways of living. It also touches on what were some of the major understandings of that stage of deverlopment of the relatively new creation of therapeutic boarding schools. Sharon was Executive Director of Lake House Academy in North Carolina at the time. She is now VP of New Business Operations at InnerChange, which includes Lake House Academy as one of their seven schools. This discussion still applies to management of modern therapeutic boarding schools. -Lon
Contact: Sharon Laney 877-282-4782 ww.innerchange.com
Lon Woodbury 208-267-7717 lonwoodbury@gmail.com www.woodbury.com
This is one of a series of interviews about developments in the network of private, parent-choice schools and programs helping struggling teens and young adults. The guests are innovative leaders in this network.
Listen to Part One of this podcast:
Listen to Part Two of this podcast:
Jan. 23, 2012
“Human nature is to be cautious and there is a natural resistance to change” stated Sharon Laney, the Executive Director of Lake House Academy. Co-hosting on today’s show was Larry Stednitz, PhD, an affiliate of Woodbury Reports, Inc, joining in on the topic of change and how effective leadership helps students and staff overcome the resistance to change.
“How important is the ‘culture’ of the school or program in order to move forward with change?” Lon posed Sharon. “If a positive culture is in place, the students will blossom and bloom. If it is not sound, it is very difficult for change. In my career, I have had to go into a program with an open mind, be able to assess what is going on and identify the weaknesses and strengths and recognize what we do great and what do we need to do to move forward. It is important to show support and care for both students and staff (in regards to change), be visible and lead by example.”
“It is very critical to clearly articulate the vision of the program’s mission statement and that staff see it posted and that it is talked about and discussed. Engaging the staff with humor helps also”, Sharon replied to Larry’s question on: how does the mission statement play into a positive peer culture. Working with staff, holding others accountable and supervising (by managers and supervisors) is important in creating a healthy community. With a structured balance and a safe nurturing environment, getting back to the fundamentals of our standards, in addition to consistency, allows for the security the students (and staff) need when there is change.” As Sharon shared “not only talk the talk, you need to walk the walk, own the program and others will follow.”
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About Author
Lon
An Independent Educational Consultant since 1989, and publisher and founder of "Places for Struggling Teens" and www.strugglingteens.com from 1989 to 2017.
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Although we always talk about the need for change, it is human nature to resist change when it comes to our personal lives. I guess when you hear politicians and other people talk about the need for change, it seems to usually involve the change other people should make. Changing ourselves is difficult and something most people would like to avoid, even when the suggested change is obviously for the good.
In any group of people, once a specific group (such as a classroom-club-office-business-etc.) has been founded and operated for a while, a culture develops that has all kinds of unwritten rules. Some activities or discussions have aspects that are expected, and other aspects are unacceptable. This goes to what is called an underground, that is secret side deals or understandings a select few, special alliances for self-betterment or secret ways to gain personal advantage. People who don’t pick up well on social cues become lost and confused when faced with this situation. To them, many things they do have unexpected consequences. This is not just people on the spectrum, but all of us have been in groups where nothing makes sense.
Sometimes the culture becomes so ingrained, the only way to get on top of it is to disolve the group and start over, focusing on builging a more positive culture.
Sharon in this interview refers to some of the techniques she had learned to combate this group culture’s resistence to change.
Lon