Why Change Management is the Secret Sauce for Strategic Success in Higher Education

Change management isn’t just something you tack onto a strategic plan; it’s a mindset and a set of practices that should be incorporated into all institutional initiatives, whether it’s updating technology, modernizing curricula, or improving operational processes.

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Transformations succeed when people understand the why, are informed, and feel engaged because ultimately, success is predicated on adoption. You need people to change their behaviors. According to a recent Prosci “Best Practices in Change Management” survey, projects with strong change management plans are seven times more likely to achieve their objectives than those without. In higher education, that kind of success isn’t just nice to have—it’s critical.

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Embedding Change Management into Strategic Planning

A strategic plan does more than set goals—it changes how faculty, staff, and leadership collaborate and prioritize work. Integrating change management ensures the plan doesn’t just sit on a shelf but becomes a shared roadmap for action.

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When we start working with institutions on a new project, one of the first things we ask is: “What didn’t go well the last time you did this?” Inevitably, one of the answers is, “Too many people didn’t understand the process or it wasn’t inclusive, so nobody felt satisfied with the end result.”

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We make it a point to address that from day one. Here’s how we do it:

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• Stakeholder engagement: Bringing faculty, staff, and students into the process early ensures diverse perspectives shape the plan. It also confirms initiatives are realistic and understood.
• Regular updates: Frequent communication clarifies priorities, reduces uncertainty, and reinforces the why behind each change.
• Community champions: Empowering influential faculty or staff to advocate for initiatives helps the broader community feel heard and motivated to implement solutions.

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When people are involved in creating solutions, they’re far more likely to embrace the future state, adopt new practices, and sustain change over time. Strategic planning becomes a collaborative effort, not a top-down mandate.

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Collaboration Builds Momentum

At Kennedy & Company, one of our favorite parts of this work is facilitating cross-functional workshops and gatherings. Almost every time, participants tell us this is one of the few, if not the only, times they’ve had the opportunity to collaborate across units. Most people genuinely care about their institutions and want to see them succeed. Giving them a chance to participate not only keeps them invested but also builds a coalition that will champion the initiative, making implementation smoother and more sustainable.

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Why Timing Matters

Higher education is changing fast. Institutions are being asked to do more with less, adapt to evolving student needs, navigate financial pressures, and innovate in ways that were unthinkable just a few years ago. The old way of doing things—business as usual—isn’t enough anymore.

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Ambitious initiatives—whether modernizing curricula, updating technology, or optimizing academic portfolios—need change management from the start. Waiting until decisions are made often leads to disengagement, resistance, and lower chances of success. When change management is built in from day one, people understand the why, feel heard, and are much more likely to embrace new ways of working. In higher education, timing isn’t just important—it’s critical to achieving meaningful, lasting outcomes.

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How Kennedy & Company Supports Institutions

At Kennedy & Company, we partner with colleges and universities to embed change management into everything we do—from strategic planning and academic portfolio analysis to technology implementations and operational improvements.

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Associate Principal Kendra Grinnage is a Prosci Certified Change Practitioner, bringing research-backed tools and methods to help institutions:

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• Increase adoption of new processes and technologies
  
  
• Align stakeholders with project objectives
  
  
• Ensure people understand the why behind changes
  
  
• Reduce resistance and build engagement
  
  
• Sustain long-term improvements
  
  

Strong change management doesn’t just help a single project succeed—it builds institutional capacity to adapt and thrive in the face of future challenges.

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Driving Lasting Transformation

Change is inevitable, but it doesn’t have to be disruptive. When done right, change management accelerates adoption, boosts engagement, and creates meaningful, lasting improvements. It transforms not just what institutions do, but how people think and work—making ambitious goals achievable reality.

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The next blog in this series will focus on creating goals and KPIs that are clear, measurable, and flexible enough to adapt as circumstances change. We’ll explore how to set ambitious yet achievable targets that guide decision-making while keeping institutions nimble in a rapidly evolving higher education landscape.