Rose Cameron Introduces Change Without Getting Kicked Out of the Classroom

Last month at Converge 2015, Rose Cameron of Penn State University led an engaging session about introducing change at your university without getting kicked out of the classroom.

Cameron is the director of innovation at Penn State and describes her position as ‘opening the windows to let fresh air into the university.’ She holds a forward-thinking title and has a refreshing view of higher education.

At the beginning of her session, Cameron asked the audience a simple question: “What words come to mind when I say the word ‘change?’”

The audience began sharing words: painful, expensive, risky, stubborn.

In higher education, the word ‘change’ can hold a negative connotation. However, innovation should never be a scary subject. Innovation is important to your institution because in today’s rapidly changing, technology-driven world, innovation keeps you ahead of the curve.

Cameron explained that innovation is not solely about change and should never be confused with the term ‘invention.’ Her job as an innovator is to discover what others are already doing great, expand on it, and make it scalable.

Bringing innovation to our institutions can be easily done with Cameron’s formula: network, trust, and test.

Network

Innovation cannot depend entirely on you, and it can’t be conducted independently from the university. Find, connect and celebrate your inner and outer innovators.

Cameron finds outer innovators by going to the artists with which she emotionally resonates. Artists bring a new dimension to innovation.

Trust

Cameron explained that you mitigate risk by making connections. You can also build trust by educating your colleagues and superiors about your intentions.

According to Cameron, “Every single one of us has a seed of innovation. Wake it up!” Get the people at your institution comfortable with innovation. This can be done by blending the familiar with the futuristic.

Test

Don’t catch the perfection virus! Let go of perfectionism.

Put your idea out there. Test it. Improve it and move on to the next innovation. This strategy leads to less stress and better advancement.

If an innovation fails, you still have the opportunity to learn from the experience.

Get rid of those negative connotations surrounding ‘change’ and use this formula to bring some innovation to your institution.

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