Mastering Change Management: A Guide for Today’s School Leaders

Truth be told, leading a district or school right now is like trying to keep yourself grounded in the eye of a tornado, while juggling flaming torches and solving a Rubik's cube with one arm behind your back. With teacher shortages, policy flip-flops, community pressures, and not nearly enough bandwidth, it’s no wonder so many administrators today feel stuck in survival mode. 

With that being said, you don't need to have it all figured out, you just need a plan, a purpose, and a whole lot of patience to weather through the storm. That’s where “The Rider, The Elephant, and The Path” come in. (BYU Idaho, 2025). The Rider represents logic and planning. The Elephant is the emotional drive, and The Path is the environment. When you align all three, real change becomes possible (speaking of threes, we’re going to get into that a bit later).  

In the middle of all this madness, what does real, sustainable leadership look like? Spoiler alert: it’s not about doing more, it’s about doing what matters. Let’s break down what really works in 2025. 

Combatting Change Fatigue with Growth

Let's be real, administrators are tired. Not just regular tired but soul tired. School administrators feel like they are starting over and district administrators feel like they are dragging everyone uphill in flip-flops. 

One of the biggest shifts right now isn’t new policy or initiatives, it’s mindset. To lead through lasting change, administrators must guide both the logic (The Rider) and emotion (The Elephant) of their staff. And while it’s not always possible to fully clear or control the environment (The Path), even small shifts like streamlining routines or removing common roadblocks can open the door to real growth. 

Dropping one-off professional development sessions and calling it a day won’t cut it…It's building a culture where learning never stops, questions are welcomed, consistent support is given, and plans are in place. And like all habits this doesn't happen overnight. One study (Lally et al., 2009) found it takes 66 days on average to form a new habit, something to remember when The Rider gets impatient and The Elephant is dragging its feet. 

This is why, if we want to see real change, we have to commit to consistent professional development, job-embedded coaching, and support. Let's not forget that old habits die hard. It's kind of like plastic bag bans in some states. Even years after the switch, people still forget their reusable totes. Same with leading…just because "student-centered" has become a buzz word in education, doesn't mean it magically replaces decades of "this is how I've always done it".

Building Resilience Through Strategy

Once the newness fades, it’s easy to slip back into old routines. That’s The Elephant Craving comfort. The solution? Give The Rider a roadmap. Strategy builds resilience, and simple structures like regular check-ins help you steer the team back on course. Think of it as if you were signing up for a  fitness class with an accountability buddy, but for instructional practices. Another tactic is The Rule of Three. What are the three things that will help you move forward? Something about sets of three makes reflection feel bite sized and not overwhelming. Research even shows our brains love triads (Bhatia, 2020). Keep The Elephant from getting overwhelmed by narrowing the focus and making The Path easier to follow. 

Why Leadership Stability Matters

Administrators can’t always prevent staff turnover, let's just get that out of the way first. But they can influence how it impacts the district and school community. Every time a principal or teacher leaves it's like pulling the Jenga block that makes the whole tower wobble. It's not just a person walking out the door, it's institutional knowledge, relationships with students, team cohesion, and instructional consistency going with them. The Path becomes shaky. Leaders can build a culture that supports retention, manage exits thoughtfully, and ensure transitions are as smooth as possible.

While the 2023-2024 academic school year data has shown improvement, we are still far from pre-pandemic numbers. Nationally, 7% of teachers and 8% of principals in 2023-2024 have retired or resigned (ASDP Districts, 2025). That’s why strong change management strategies such as mentoring programs, realistic workloads, and consistent support are key. These systems steady the Path, reassure The Elephant, and give The Rider a plan to lean on, even during times of turnover.

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Using Data Without Drowning in it

Post-pandemic tech burnout was everywhere, so what did leaders do? They stopped forcing tech for tech sake and started asking "Does this actually help students learn?". They leaned into not only the data but also the feedback. The Rider uses data to steer, but The Elephant needs to understand why it matters. 

The American Academy of Pediatrics (2025) reminds us that balance between screen time and real-life, hands-on learning, especially for younger students is crucial. As a result, they trimmed the tools and focused on what mattered. Smart, right? Real data, real feedback, and real change.

One Goal at a Time, Please

Being pulled in a million different directions? You’re not alone. Instead of chasing every initiative, tackle priorities one at a time. Trying to drive multiple changes at once can overwhelm The Elephant and muddy The Path. The Cognitive Load Theory  (Sweller, 1988) reminds us that our brains work best when we focus on less. 

Shrink the change. Set one clear, meaningful goal. Break it into small wins. Celebrate each step. When goals feel manageable, staff are more likely to engage. Shrinking the change keeps The Elephant moving and The Path clear. 

Making Change Sticky

A quick win every now and again can act as a good morale booster, but lasting change comes from staying connected to your "why". The Rider needs direction, The Elephant needs purpose, and The Path must be paved with clarity. 

When leaders remind themselves and their team of the deeper purpose behind a goal, people stay motivated (Sinek, 2009). When administrators bring staff into the process asking for input, addressing fears, and modeling patience; buy-in becomes real. Teachers feel supported, not steamrolled. Change isn’t something done to them, it’s something they’re part of. 

Riding the Policy Wave

Education policy is shifting faster than your Wi-Fi connection when you need it most. From changes in assessments to curriculum pacing. Your job? Anticipate the storm and clear The Path before it floods. Stay informed. Adjust early. Communicate clearly. 

From Texas tweaking STAAR test difficulty (Chron, 2025) to states like Massachusetts rethinking graduation exams (AP News, 2025), one-size-fits-all testing is on the decline. At the same time, the curriculum is being reshaped to focus on STEM, SEL, and critical thinking. Indiana slashed standards by 25% to give teachers more room to actually teach (Indiana Capital Chronicle, 2025). Now more than ever, leadership means anticipating change, not just reacting to it.

Patching the Pipeline Leaks

Let's not sugar coat it, fewer people want to teach. Since 2000 the percentage of students earning education degrees has been slashed in half, dropping from 8% to 4% (Pew,2022). And that stat doesn’t even capture how many graduates actually stay in the classroom past their first few years. This isn’t just a talent issue, it’s a red flag that The Path itself is broken. 

The truth is, one-time bonuses or flashy signing incentives aren't enough. This isn't about handing teachers a Starbucks gift card during Teacher Appreciation Week and calling it support. If we want to recruit and retain talent, we have to reimagine the journey. Build real prep programs. Invest in mentorship. Offer growth pathways that appeal to both The Rider’s logic and the Elephant’s emotional needs.

Looking Back to Move Forward

Let’s put all of this into perspective. Twenty years ago, it was all about textbooks, standardized tests, and teacher-led assessment. Today, we’re talking AI, SEL, project-based learning, and whole-child development. The model has changed and so must our leadership. School transformation is no longer top-down; it’s collaborative, flexible, and aligned across district, state, and national levels. 

The Rider, The Elephant, and The Path must move together and an administrator's role is to guide that alignment.

A Pep Talk For Leaders

In today's chaotic education world, the best leaders aren't those who have all the answers. They're the ones who ask the right questions, build strong teams, and lead with heart.

1. Create a growth culture: Build systems for ongoing learning including job-embedded coaching, feedback loops, and time to reflect.
2. Support your people, relentlessly: Stability starts with humans, not programs. Invest in mentoring and well-being.
3. Stick to your strategy: Use tools like the Rule of Three and regular check-ins to stay on track without burning out.
4. Be data-savvy, not data-buried: Trim the tech clutter and focus on insights that actually improve instruction.
5. Simplify your focus: Choose one meaningful initiative and give it the air it needs to take root.
6. Lead with heart, not just orders: Share the why, invite your team into the process, and listen.
7. Stay agile on policy shifts: Anticipate changes and adapt early, before you’re forced to.
8. Rebuild the pipeline: Advocate for better prep programs, real career ladders, and long-term retention strategies.

Leadership in 2025 is messy but it’s also meaningful. When you align logic, emotion, and environment, you don’t just manage change...you lead it.