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Action Taking As was just mentioned, the challenge of the
implementation phase of an intervention is to maintain stakeholder interest and
enthusiasm after the excitement of the planning process concludes. And
especially to deal with the resistance that can be expected when participants
try to change their behaviour to establish the new ways of doing things. In an ICC type of
intervention as many of the stake holders as possible are involved in action
taking activities. Special activities may be set up to involve key stakeholders
who have other responsibilities that prevent their on going participation. For
example in a school board project introducing student-centred, experiential
learning into a high school, senior administration and school board trustees
were identified as key stakeholders. They were invited to the demonstration
classrooms to work for a session as an assistant leader or classroom observer.
The observers were given the observation guide to complete as part of the
program's evaluation. In both cases the invited stakeholder participated in the
regular staff planning and debriefing for that session. When the students planned
a weekend retreat, other key stakeholders were invited along to lead a segment
of the pro-gram (chairperson of the school board leading a sing-song). "Resistance to change
is normal and helpful in stabilizing new changes" •assumption #7 about
changing social systems. Likely resistance was considered in the planning stage
and hopefully specific plans were created to reduce the impact of restraining
forces. It is important to follow through with these plans during the action
taking phase. The best way to deal with resistance is to get it out in the
open, talk about it, and try to understand it for what it is. A usual approach
that fits in well with the monitoring dimension of the action taking phase is
the periodic check up meeting. The first of these meetings of participants is
scheduled to take place before serious resistance surfaces. At these meetings
the progress of the intervention as seen by the participants is assessed.
Possible or likely resistance taking place is identified and discussed. The
meeting facilitator might ask:
In such a meeting no person
or sub group is put on the spot. And the resistance to change is considered a
normal, healthy response. The group discussion helps to clarify the new
expected standards of behaviour, and support participants in the change process
while gently pressuring the deviants to live up to the expectations of their
friends and colleagues. The intervention
participants joined this project because they wanted to see some good things
happen and because they wanted to be part of the action. It is important that
the periodic monitoring reviews and celebrations proclaim the progress of the
intervention toward its goals. The goal achievement review is most helpful if
it shows each person contributed to the success of the group in accomplishing the
goal. The more widely a project's achievements are known, the more participants
can bask in its reflected glory. Increasing the status and recognition of the
project participants in the community is a sure way, too, of raising their
enthusiasm for being part of the action. And, the more attractive the project,
the more likely they will work at changing their usual ways of doing things to
meet the new goals. ... Next Section - Evaluation and Replanning
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