Today’s Tuesday Reading is from Dr. Jase Teoh, Manager of Client Services and Academics Application Platform at Cal Poly Maritime Academy. Jase may be reached at [email protected] or via LinkedIn.
University organizational change and large-scale transitions are often described in strategic terms such as shared services, organizational alignment, governance models, and system integrations. What is discussed less frequently is what these transitions feel like for the people living through them, particularly for IT professionals who are expected to maintain continuity while everything else changes.
As a campus IT leader embedded in a campus experiencing an organizational alignment initiative, I learned quickly that the most challenging aspects of this work are not technical. They are cultural, organizational, and deeply human.
When Systems Are the Easy Part
From the outside, these efforts promise efficiency and alignment. From the inside, they surface long-standing silos, unclear ownership, and different interpretations of what good service looks like. IT teams are often positioned at the center of this tension, supporting multiple stakeholder groups while operating within evolving structures.
One early lesson was that process maturity matters more than tools. Ticketing systems, service catalogs, and shared platforms can enable consistency, but only when there is shared understanding of roles, decision rights, and accountability. When bringing teams together, those assumptions rarely exist at the outset.
Before debating tools or workflows, IT leaders must invest time in clarifying who owns what, how work is prioritized, and how success is measured. Without that clarity, even the best systems will struggle.
The Human Pace of Change
Another lesson was that people experience organizational change at different speeds. Some staff are eager to move forward, while others understandably hold onto what worked before. Neither response is wrong.
From a leadership perspective, this means spending less time on architectural diagrams and more time on translation. Leaders must explain not just what is changing, but why, and what it means for individuals’ day-to-day work. It also means recognizing when collaboration must give way to structure, particularly as teams grow and complexity increases.
In my experience, ambiguity is far more stressful for teams than firm expectations. Even imperfect clarity can provide stability during transition.
Centralization and Local Context
Alignment often brings increased centralization, especially within IT. While this can create efficiencies and standardization, it also risks overlooking local context. Campuses differ in history, culture, and readiness for change.
IT leaders navigating organizational alignment must constantly balance enterprise alignment with on-the-ground realities. This requires listening carefully, setting boundaries thoughtfully, and acknowledging that one-size-fits-all solutions rarely work immediately. Centralization is a journey, not an event.
The Emotional Labor of Leadership
Perhaps the most personal lesson was recognizing the emotional labor involved in leading through transition. Being the bridge between old and new systems requires resilience, empathy, and stamina.
Leadership during organizational alignment initiatives is less about having all the answers and more about providing steadiness. Normalizing uncertainty, documenting expectations, and maintaining professionalism during moments of tension are as important as any technical milestone.
Continual Humility
During periods of uncertainty, individuals naturally respond differently based on their experiences, values, motivations, and comfort with change. As leaders, we are called not only to navigate organizational systems but also to understand the human dynamics that influence them.
Perhaps my biggest takeaway is that leadership requires continual humility. Every new situation reminds me that there is always more to learn, particularly when leading through ambiguity and organizational change. One thing I have come to appreciate is the value of learning from experienced leaders who are willing to openly share not only their successes but also their failures and lessons learned. Those conversations often provide insights that no textbook can offer.
University alignment is not just an organizational event. It is a lived experience. For those of us in IT, we do not merely support the change. We embody it. How we show up during these moments can shape not only systems and services, but also trust, culture, and the future of our institutions.
What has been your most challenging aspect of organizational alignment?
Last week, we asked which is most important to you as you navigate competing responsibilities.
- 51% said setting realistic expectations
- 32% said making intentional choices
- 17% said practicing resiliency
We cannot do it all. Of those many competing priorities, it is critical that we focus on the most important. This involves setting realistic expectations both for others and for ourselves of what we can and cannot do. Keep the goal in mind. Expectations are best aligned to the goal, not to some sense of perfection.