life cycle renewal 09
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Life Cycle Renewal for Charter Schools
OPENING
GROWTH
STABILITY
STAGNATION
DECLINE
CLOSURE
RENEWAL
PLANNING
1
2
3
4
5
6
7B7A
Critical Transitions
Peter Hilts & Doug Hering: The Classical AcademyColorado Springs, Colorado
Charter schools pass through a series of predictable life cycles or phases.Each phase has distinct characteristics.Each phase has unique challengesSome phases are separated by critical transitions.The phases are sequential, but not absolute.Recognizing the current phase allows school leaders to make better decisions about personnel, planning and program adjustments.
Life Cycles in Charter Schools
PLANNING
1
STAGNATION
5
OPENING
2
DECLINE
6
GROWTH
3
RENEWAL7A
CLOSURE
7B
STABILITY
4
Planning Phase Stagnation Phase
Gateway Red Tape Crisis
Opening Phase Decline Phase
Leadership Crisis Survival Crisis
Growth Phase
Delegation CrisisRenewal Phase
ClosurePhaseStability
The sequential phases in the life cycle of a charter school constitute a type of “punctuated equilibrium.”The school finds a steady state in each phase.Internal and external factors change the conditions around the growing school.The steady state of each phase becomes unsteady, leading to a transition.Some transitions are critical, and take the form of a crisis.Managing critical transitions is key to sustainable growth.
PLANNING
1 Planning and Gateway
Visionary LeadershipEvangelistic ZealIrrational OptimismMinimal Viability
During the planning and pre-operational phase, an inspirational vision is the most important factor.Founders, volunteers and early board members are attracted by the vision of the school and the personal charisma of the founders.A strong sense of unity and purpose turns early adopters into spontaneous and zealous evangelists for the school.Despite seemingly overwhelming odds, the founders and volunteers are confident they will succeed.Meeting the standards for minimum viability (determined by the state, district/institute, and board is the only absolute task.Receiving a charter is the signal that the school is through the first gateway and is ready for the opening phase.
OPENINGOPENING
2
Entreprenuerial EnergyReactive Management“Jacks-of-all-Trades”Leaders are doersUnsustainable Effort
During the opening phase, everyone involved seems to have limitless energy.There is no shortage of volunteers.Projects are often chaotic, but nobody minds.Management is mainly a series of reactions to new situations, needs and events.Everyone does everything. From the founders and board members to the newest hire, people pitch in based on need, not on their ability.Everyone is an active worker. The founders and board members maintain a level of involvement in the daily operations of the school.The energy level and intense effort are admirable, but cannot last.
From volunteers to employeesOutgrowing the foundersProfessional managersGeneralists must specialize
The First Crisis: Leadership
As the founders and the entrepreneurial volunteers reach the limit of their intense efforts, they begin to reduce their activity and involvement.The school needs strong leadership and management, just as the founding workers need a break.During the first crisis, the school experiences a “tipping point” as the balance of leadership and authority shifts from volunteer founders to employed staff.The school often grows to a point beyond the scope of the founding vision. Usually this creates significant tension between the “new management” and the founding stalwarts.If a genuine power struggle ensues, the school will either fire the founder(s) or fire the new manager.
GROWTH
Increased ExpertiseStandardized PoliciesA loss of “fun spirit”Improved programs
GROWTH
3
During the growth phase, staff members gain experience and expertise.As the school grows towards stability, new staff are hired with position-specific skills and experience.Practices that have proven viable are institutionalized as standard policies.Staff give more attention to consistency and precedent as they make decisions.The school begins to feel more like a business and less like a family.There is a sense that “things have changed around here.”Despite a loss of enthusiasm/energy, programs are actually improving.Staff apply their experience to refine and extend programs.
DecentralizationAutonomy vs. AccountabilityCapacity over Quality
The Second Crisis: Delegation
During the second crisis, the school is moving from the growth phase to the stable phase.This transition requires a change in the way leadership responsibility is distributed.The skillful and charismatic leader must become adept at building the capacity and skill of others.
STABILITYSTABILITY
4
Things just workConfidence aboundsSecurity, not urgencyPredictable order
The stability phase is when the school is at peak performance.During stability, systems function properly.A sense of security has replaced the sense of urgency.The board operates in governance mode.The weeds of stagnation begin to sprout.
STAGNATION
Status QuoPower shifts to controlDeliberate changeTraditions & rituals
STAGNATION
5
The stagnation phase is marked by an unreasonable appreciation of the status quo.The main power center in the organization shifts decisively to the control functions such as legal, financial and human resources departments.Change, if it happens, is deliberate, planned and cautious.The culture of the organization is laden with “sacred” traditions and rituals.
Procedures over productivityThe “Headless Giant”An “Entrepreneurial Exodus”
The Third Crisis: Red Tape
During the third crisis, the school has become fully institutionalized.Most problems are caused by internal systems.As external factors shift, the school fails to respond.Innovative and creative staff members flee the restrictive environment.Productivity grinds to a halt and performance slips.
DECLINE
Institutional NostalgiaPersonal SurvivalRumors & RestrictionsBroad Disaffection
DECLINE
6
The decline phase is the most painful part of the cycle.There is a recurring sense of loss and nostalgia for “the way things used to be.”Individuals begin to focus on their personal survival.Staff members increasingly compare our school with other, more attractive options.The general malaise and disaffection bubbles over into personal attacks and rumors.The overall climate becomes stifling and constricting.
Renewal or death?Tradition or existence?Control or freedom?Declining Enrollment
The Final Crisis: Survival
During the final crisis, individuals and the school must sacrifice past success in order to keep the school functioning.The status quo and traditions that dominated stagnation and decline must be openly abandoned.The final crisis is stark. The period of decline has made it obvious that the old ways of doing things are bankrupt.The school faces declining enrollment and a revenue crisis.
RENEWAL
Launch new venturesInvest in training“Sharpen the saw”Serve•more•better
RENEWAL7A
During the renewal phase, the school “reinvents itself” by launching new programs or services, and encouraging/equipping staff to set new goals, and hit new heights in customer service.During renewal, existing programs that have declined into irrelevance may be jettisoned in favor of new approaches.
CLOSURE
Loss of enrollmentLoss of relevanceResorptionTrauma without drama
CLOSURE
7B
At closure, the enrollment drops to the point that revenues cannot support the systems and structures build up during the growth phase.The school becomes irrelevant to the larger educational community.Resources, including buildings, staff and equipment are resorbed into the traditional school system.The closure of a school is not dramatic, but it will be traumatic.
OPENING
GROWTH
STABILITY
STAGNATION
DECLINE
CLOSURE
RENEWAL
PLANNING
1
2
3
4
5
6
7B7A
Managing Cycles through
“Fit to Phase”
A school has different needs at each phase.Those needs show up in many areas.ResourcesLeadershipProgramsSystems
Resource Needs of Specific Phases
OPENING
2
GROWTH
3
RENEWAL7A
Equipping the schoolEstablishing minimal infrastructure
Save every penny
Upgrade existing systemsRefine HR–especially compensation
Develop induction programs
Train, learn and assessSupport team performance
Collaborate and solicit feedback
Leadership Needs of Specific Phases
OPENING
2
STABILITY
4
DECLINE
6
Decisive, reactive, instinctiveInnovative and entrepreneurial
Diplomatic and politicalPolished and inspirational
Willing to challenge assumptions
“Outsider perspective”No deference to tradition
Courage
Program Needs of Specific Phases
OPENING
2
STABILITY
4
STAGNATION
5
Meet the minimumLet demand drive supply
Stay basic
Revalue the visionPlanned abandonment
Set “BHAG’s”
Fiddle with program linksSwitch program leaders/teachersBenchmark against best practices
Systems Needs of Specific Phases
OPENING
2
GROWTH
3
RENEWAL7A
Use it upWear it outMake it do
Build to lastRecruit professional expertiseSupport vision with systems
Smash the monolithGive autonomy & accountability
Retire the dinosaurs
Life CyclesResources
Corporate Lifecycles: How and Why Corporations Grow and Die and What to Do About It by Ichak AdizesThe Five Life Stages of Nonprofit Organizations: Where You Are, Where You're Going, and What to Expect When You Get There by Judith SimonNonProfit Lifecycles: Stage-Based Wisdom for NonProfit Capacity by Susan Kenny StevensNavigating the Organizational Lifecycle by Paul M. Connolly
Life Cycle Renewal for Charter Schools
OPENING
GROWTH
STABILITY
STAGNATION
DECLINE
CLOSURE
RENEWAL
PLANNING
1
2
3
4
5
6
7B7A
Critical Transitions
Peter Hilts & Doug HeringThe Classical Academy
Colorado Springs, [email protected] [email protected]
Presentation available at Slideshare.com
Visit charterinsights.blogspot.com for more on charter school life cycles.
Charter schools pass through a series of predictable life cycles or phases.Each phase has distinct characteristics.Each phase has unique challengesSome phases are separated by critical transitions.The phases are sequential, but not absolute.Recognizing the current phase allows school leaders to make better decisions about personnel, planning and program adjustments.