My old boss used to say, “In higher ed, when 20 people want to do something, and one wants to do the opposite, that’s considered a tie.” This is a challenge many of us face: we see the benefits to changing our organization’s behaviors, but it may feel like the organization is unable or unwilling to make decisive or rapid changes. This can also be referred to as the “Cassandra Complex” originating from Greek Mythology.
The second, often bigger challenge if you are that individual is feeling like a broken record when advocating for change, being the lone ‘Cassandra’ constantly fixated on the same subjects. Is everyone rolling their eyes when you say for the twentieth time (that month) that the organization needs a content strategy?
In this session, we’ll talk about how a website improvement project can be the perfect opportunity to smuggle new ideas into internal cultures which are not always open to change, nudging a department or organization toward a more user-centric, collaborative, data-driven and nimble culture. Through design thinking, use of persuasive data, and strategic inclusion of key stakeholders in activities designed for buy-in, we can help unstick the gears and begin moving in a more agile direction.