Higher Education and Academic Research Community

As someone who's still relatively new to higher education after spending several years working in other industries, I'm learning how deeply rooted traditions and organizational culture shape the way change happens in this space. What strategies have you found effective for introducing new initiatives or driving change while respecting institutional history and values? How do you personally navigate the balance between innovation and tradition in higher education?

I appreciate the input from the experts and leaders in this community and thank you in advance for sharing your insights!

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Janice Pollock
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Hi That's a fantastic and insightful question, Janice. As a retired senior enlisted military member now working as a consultant-and with aspirations to teach at the college level-I've seen firsthand how institutional history can be both a strength and a challenge. The key to introducing new initiatives without disrespecting tradition is to frame change as an evolution, connecting new ideas to the core mission and values that the institution already holds dear. I've found it effective to identify and empower respected internal champions-those who understand the culture-to lead the integration of new strategies. Personally, I navigate the balance by always starting with deep listening and respect for the established norms, then introducing new concepts through the lens of mission improvement and future relevance.

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Tanya D. Cane
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Original Message:
Sent: 2025-10-23 11:07
From: Janice Pollock
Subject: Navigating Organizational Traditions and Culture in Higher Education

As someone who's still relatively new to higher education after spending several years working in other industries, I'm learning how deeply rooted traditions and organizational culture shape the way change happens in this space. What strategies have you found effective for introducing new initiatives or driving change while respecting institutional history and values? How do you personally navigate the balance between innovation and tradition in higher education?

I appreciate the input from the experts and leaders in this community and thank you in advance for sharing your insights!

------------------------------
Janice Pollock
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Hello,

 Great question! First, engage and participate in the current traditions and culture of your institution. Get a feel of the culture and how to communicate and connect with colleagues. Share your knowledge and ideas naturally in conversation. Slowly implement ideas in your curriculum and observe how students respond. 

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Mitchell Crocker, MBA, PMP, aPHR
Growth Mindset Partners, LLC
Mitch@growthmindsetpartners.com
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Original Message:
Sent: 2025-10-23 11:07
From: Janice Pollock
Subject: Navigating Organizational Traditions and Culture in Higher Education

As someone who's still relatively new to higher education after spending several years working in other industries, I'm learning how deeply rooted traditions and organizational culture shape the way change happens in this space. What strategies have you found effective for introducing new initiatives or driving change while respecting institutional history and values? How do you personally navigate the balance between innovation and tradition in higher education?

I appreciate the input from the experts and leaders in this community and thank you in advance for sharing your insights!

------------------------------
Janice Pollock
------------------------------

I second all of the responses so far! 

Over the years I have developed a network of trusted faculty members who I can go to for insights about how their colleagues are likely to respond to change. They help me identify impacts and pockets of resistance so I can plan ahead. Those relationships and the corresponding idea-testing are critical for anything that will go through the shared governance process. The underlying principle is that faculty are deeply committed to protecting the mission of the institution and they want to be part of the process of thinking through potential change, not just consulted after a decision has been made.

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KJ Fagan, PhD
Pomona College
Claremont, CA
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Original Message:
Sent: 2025-10-23 11:07
From: Janice Pollock
Subject: Navigating Organizational Traditions and Culture in Higher Education

As someone who's still relatively new to higher education after spending several years working in other industries, I'm learning how deeply rooted traditions and organizational culture shape the way change happens in this space. What strategies have you found effective for introducing new initiatives or driving change while respecting institutional history and values? How do you personally navigate the balance between innovation and tradition in higher education?

I appreciate the input from the experts and leaders in this community and thank you in advance for sharing your insights!

------------------------------
Janice Pollock
------------------------------

Great question!

As an internal CM, I am too deeply connected to the traditions and customs. Higher ed is fun, because there are the overall traditions and cultures common across a higher ed institution. Then, there are the individual traditions and culture unique to the various departments and colleges throughout the university. I like to lean into the culture and traditions and as an anchor for change management efforts. It is extremely helpful for connecting to team members.

For example, during a project with Athletics, I found out that the department has a list of values that they tie to their daily operations and awards. So, I have organized my CM plans around those values and incorporated a sports theme into my CM plan, naming phases after related concepts (i.e., reframing my assessments as "scouting"). If I were working with a history department, I might use historical events as project markers. University-wide, I might incorporate President or building names in the work; or I might call the go-live date "commencement". I do this to show stakeholders that I respect the tradition and their culture. This respect can help lower resistance and help team members see the connection between the innovation and its traditions.

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Dena Barnwell
Change Management Specialist
Towson University
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Original Message:
Sent: 2025-10-23 11:07
From: Janice Pollock
Subject: Navigating Organizational Traditions and Culture in Higher Education

As someone who's still relatively new to higher education after spending several years working in other industries, I'm learning how deeply rooted traditions and organizational culture shape the way change happens in this space. What strategies have you found effective for introducing new initiatives or driving change while respecting institutional history and values? How do you personally navigate the balance between innovation and tradition in higher education?

I appreciate the input from the experts and leaders in this community and thank you in advance for sharing your insights!

------------------------------
Janice Pollock
------------------------------

Hi Janice! My entire change management career has been in higher ed, so my only comparison is when I attend events and hear about industry colleagues or consultants tell of the way they rollout changes that would never work at my institution. I'm at a large R1 institution that's decentralized and rooted in history - we're the first public institution in the country and like Dena each school and division also has its own culture and traditions (btw, Dena, I LOVE that you're aligning terms with your departments!). 

We always try to make sure that we're tying the why back to the mission of the University and we tailor messages according to our audiences as well. If we have changes that affect faculty, staff, and students - our messages will look different for each group, as will the senders of those messages. We also try to plan for the resistance (because we know it's coming) and leverage champions.

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Jackie Treschl, MCMP, CCMP
Change Manager
University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill
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Original Message:
Sent: 2025-10-23 11:07
From: Janice Pollock
Subject: Navigating Organizational Traditions and Culture in Higher Education

As someone who's still relatively new to higher education after spending several years working in other industries, I'm learning how deeply rooted traditions and organizational culture shape the way change happens in this space. What strategies have you found effective for introducing new initiatives or driving change while respecting institutional history and values? How do you personally navigate the balance between innovation and tradition in higher education?

I appreciate the input from the experts and leaders in this community and thank you in advance for sharing your insights!

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Janice Pollock
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