What we really care about is . . .
. . . the long-term viability and relevance of post-secondary education as a path to opportunity and equity for all.
The Transformation Collaborative believes that post-secondary education is a critical element for social mobility and equity across the grand diversity that comprises humanity. The TC exists to help that happen.
Unfortunately, higher education is currently facing the greatest challenges in its centuries long history. Even before the pandemic, the industry was in the 9th year of consecutive enrollment and revenue declines precipitating nearly 1,500 reorganizations, mergers, and closures. The traditional, credit-bearing, degree granting sector of the post-secondary education ecosystem is shrinking and will continue to decline for the foreseeable future. It is essential that when the shakeout is complete that the market, though smaller, be more dynamic, nimble, customer-centric, and better integrated with other elements of the post-secondary ecosystem than it is today. There is a critical role for higher education to play in the ecosystem, but only if there is broad transformation, leading to a compelling value proposition and concrete ROI across multiple stakeholder groups.
. . . sustainable, transformative results.
. . . the quality of leadership for today’s reality.
Today’s challenges require a completely different leadership model from even 10 or 20 years ago.
The current volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous (VUCA) external operating environment combined with incredibly complicated organizational and human capital realities, demand a far different set of leadership traits, skills, and abilities than in the past. At a high level, the evolution has primarily been from “technical” skills and a top down decision making style related to process, to “soft” skills related to leading people and organizations through high change environments and facilitating success in others. At the TC our own leaders have dedicated decades of work identifying a leadership profile for the here and now, supported by a comprehensive approach to human capital development. We focus closely on leadership needs as part of any transformational change initiative.
Decades of experience. Diverse backgrounds, knowledge base and sectors.
The principals, advisors, technical experts and organizational affiliates who comprise the Transformation Collaborative™ reflect a broad and deep cadre of executives, entrepreneurs, practitioners, and consultants with a common commitment to results-driven transformational change. The professional experience in leadership roles spans the equivalent of hundreds of years. We draw on an archive of original, authoritative, and contemporary research that is deep and broad. Their sector bona fides include public and private higher education, K-12, proprietary post-secondary education, education content and delivery systems, Information Technology, natural resources, local government, association management, and extensive international practice.
The Transformation Collaborative™ brings tangible and demonstrable evidence of broad experience applied to genuine accountability and courageous leadership. We walk the walk of our own leadership principles and model, with a focus on vision, people leadership, empowerment, leading change, an entrepreneurial spirit, success through others, sustainability, and core values.
. . . operational excellence and contemporary tactics.
When an organization initiates transformation, it will encounter strong fidelity to mediocrity and deep affection for the outdated—key elements of the “doctrine of status quo.” The Transformation Collaborative™ recognizes and acknowledges the characteristics of a moribund organization at a granular level, inventories and analyzes them, and works with the client to redefine and make permanent excellence and relevance in operations. The values of excellence and modern best-practices become part of the fabric of the transformed enterprise.
Establishing a culture that values and celebrates excellence in performance, driven by modern best practices, requires structured and direct conversations with internal and external stakeholders, followed by a recurring series of projects that embed and fortify those values. The Transformation Collaborative™ designs, initiates, and manages the adoption of excellence and modern best practices until these characteristics and values are tangibly manifest and enduring in the client organization.
Even in the quest for transformation, details matter. Excellence and modernity of methods attract the diligent attention of the Transformation Collaborative™ at each step of the project, creating strength of organization and resilience of culture that survives, thrives, and succeeds.