Introduction
Ruffalo Noel Levitz (RNL) is a higher education enrollment management and fundraising marketing company based in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. While RNL considers the Hawkeye State home, all of its nearly 500 employees work remotely from cities across the United States. Approximately 1,900 colleges, universities, and nonprofit agencies from across the United States collaborate with RNL annually to manage their student recruitment and fundraising efforts. I imagine I should cite this information, but to me, it’s all common knowledge. I have worked at RNL for nearly seven years, and I currently serve as its Copywriting Lead, specializing in developing engaging copy for our Enrollment Management (EM) and Graduate/Online (GO) marketing campaigns. I am part of RNL’s Creative Team, which consists of six writers, six graphic designers, two directors, and an assistant vice president. Every campaign is assigned a lead and a secondary writer, and a lead and a secondary graphic designer. This Creative Team members collaborates to develop the creative collateral. Then it works closely with an assigned Client Success Consultant (CSC) who serves as a direct liaison with the client, or, in RNL speak, the Campus Partner.
Description of Opportunity
Developing creative content that will drive members of the desired target audiences to respond to specified calls to action is at the heart of what we do within the Creative Team, and in the working world—especially within the corporate world—time is money. This all holds true at RNL. The quicker we can produce impactful content in conjunction with the Campus Partners, the more time we have available to serve other partners. Looking for improved efficiencies was at the center of my initial adaptive change project. From my Adaptive Change Project in LDR 515, my proposal was to, “Increase the roles the Creative Team (writers and designers) plays in working with the Client Success Directors (CSDs) at Ruffalo Noel Levitz (RNL) to enhance interactions with campus partners and improve overall production time and cost efficiencies” (Digmann, 2023). If you read that proposal closely enough, the fact that the CSDs of then are now referred to as CSCs merely scratches the surface in the evolution of my project. Many internal work processes and procedures have shifted in the last 18 months, and economic downturns have led to multiple layoffs within the company. This includes the Creative Team. Despite these shifts, the core of my project and its goals has remained constant in its quest to improve overall production time and cost efficiencies among the Creative Team, CSCs, and Campus Partners.
Goals and Objectives
To initiate this project, I have spent the last five months evaluating the strengths and weaknesses of workflows for two EM recruitment campaigns—for a small private university in southwestern Pennsylvania and for a small public university in the southeastern United States. This included collaborating with the lead writers and CSCs assigned to these campaigns. I am looking into the time and money that was invested (including employee wages and printing and mailing costs) to develop and produce the campaign materials. Having this hard data will help me demonstrate to my leadership that this adaptive change project was more than just an idea I had for my graduate school requirement. In her 2013 book Action Research: Principles and Practice, author Jean McNiff explained why such research is important when she stated, “… it’s a big claim that needs to be tested, to show that you are not simply stating an opinion, or making it up” (p. 89). While the respective campaigns from last year are completed, the current campaigns are still running through their final phases. Once they are completed at the end of May 2025, I can start pulling the data together and begin evaluating places where production time could be trimmed, and a greater profit margin for RNL can be realized.
Literature Synthesis
Change is an inevitable part of life, from beginning to end. This is why businesses and organizations must be flexible and open to changes in everything from workflow processes to customer needs, leadership styles, coworker relationships, and production demands. “… challenges will always exist because there can be a great deal of organizational variability, including employee resistance (aversion), during these moments” (Hubbart, 2023, p. 3). Cawsey et al., (2020) note that change often is messy because it throws people off their daily routines and beyond their comfort zones. “To create change, the balance must be upset by adding new pressures for change; increasing the strength of some or all of the pressures for change …” (Cawsey et al., 2020, p. 209). This can be a challenge at a company as big as RNL. There is a lot of history, and some of the long-time employees may likely feel as though things don’t need to change and pull out the age-old adages akin to “This is how we’ve always done it,” or “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” I think this is where my leadership abilities can come into play because, comparatively speaking, I am among the long-time employees.
My seven years at RNL has positioned me among the “legacy” writers. With this, I can speak the language of people who have been here longer, relate to where they are coming from, and help explain in way they understand the need for new ways of thinking and operating. Many factors influence people’s difficulty in accepting changes in the status quo, including evolving expectations, fears of the unknown, and embracing routines (Hubbart, 2023). “Sometimes, people may experience cognitive dissonance when trying something new. Cognitive dissonance can occur when people hold conflicting beliefs or attitudes, such as ‘I like my old way of teaching’ versus ‘I should try something new’” (Hubbart, 2023, p. 4). Having solid and researched data to support the proposed changes, even if they don’t make sense at first, helps to justify the need for a new direction for the company. “… I much prefer the dirtbagger attitude: Okay, that’s going to be really hard; let’s think about what’s necessary to make it possible” (Rubin, 2023, p. 9). McNiff takes this a step further to explain that data also demonstrates the change is not a personal pet project among leadership. “… it’s a big claim that needs to be tested, to show that you are not simply stating an opinion, or making it up” (McNiff, 2013, p. 89).
Communicating and implementing changes doesn’t happen in a vacuum or with one person. This is why Cawsey et al., 2020) express the need for “change leaders” to show people the possibilities of doing things differently. “Change leaders use visions to create and advance the mental pictures people have of the future. …” (2020, p. 124). Heifetz et al. (2009) explains the importance of connecting with others in the organization who have a vested interest in how the change will happen and its end result. These are the people who can best help to move the change forward, knowing that they had a say in the project and that they were heard. “… forge strong connections with people who have big stakes in the challenge … Listen to them to comprehend their interests and loyalties” (Heifetz et al., 2009, p. 135). I am not hidden at RNL. Yes, I am on the Creative Team, but my connections to other units and departments mean I am able to reach out and connect with so many others because they either know of me or have heard about me and my work ethic. They will know I am a trusted, honest, and compassionate person who is committed to the success of our company. This kind of transparency, listening, and empathy, according to Hubbart (2023), can also help to smooth things over for people who may oppose changes within the organization. “Leaders must also be empathetic during change initiatives to reduce aversion and resistance. They must foster a culture of openness and encourage employees to share their thoughts and ideas” (Hubbart, 2023, p. 4).
There are a number of ways to implement changes within an organization. Dugan (2017) provides insight into the method and collaborative value of team leadership. He explains, “It represents a shift away from solely examining linkages between leaders and subordinates and toward interactions between leaders and teams as well as the ways in which teams can be afforded greater agency for their collective work” (Dugan, 2017, p. 161). He also discusses related leadership theories that are successful in building teams and advancing changes within an organization. One of these is servant leadership. Dugan explains that with servant leadership, “… the motivation to lead is derived from a deeply personal desire to serve others … that the desire to serve other operates not just in a particular organizational or group context, but in all aspects of the leader’s life …” (Dugan, pp. 200-201). My commitment to servant leadership goes beyond my work at RNL and is exemplified in everything from leading teams with the National Multiple Sclerosis Society to serving as president-elect on my church council. Khuwaja et al. (2020) simplify this leadership style by referencing the perspective of Van Dierendonck. “Servant leader convinces and persuade followers to get things done rather than using his or her power and authority” (Khuwaja et al., 2020, p. 4). Irvin and Berndt (2017) discuss how this kind of service is grounded in a person’s demonstration of selflessly serving others. Bordas, as cited by Irvin and Berndt (2017), “Just as the servant-leader is ‘servant first’ and begins with a ‘natural feeling that one wants to serve,’ seeking the guidance of personal purpose begins with the desire to connect with the ‘greatest good,’ both within oneself and society” (Irvin and Berndt, 2017, p. 3).
Recognizing that changes are inevitable in every organization, my Adaptive Change Project to improve campaign production processes at my workplace—RNL—is informed by the concepts of change, change leaders, and team leadership, particularly through servant leadership. Building these connections within the company will be crucial for implementing process changes that enhance overall efficiencies and improve client and coworker satisfaction with the work the RNL Creative Team develops.
Results
The campaign production processes at RNL are continually evolving. This evolution is driven by various factors, including changes in best practices, shifts in campaign collateral, and unpredictable economic conditions leading to staff downsizing. Consequently, my Adaptive Change Project mirrored this ongoing change, which complicated efforts to gather specific comparable data on the two pilot projects I was assessing for potential efficiencies. The most significant of these were measurable reductions in Creative Team and CSC positions. Such layoffs forced the remaining staff to assume additional responsibilities and build new relationships as they were assigned roles in additional projects already in development. A commitment to doing whatever was needed to maintain momentum and meet contracted campaign launch dates suddenly took precedence over any focus or concern for improving overall production time and cost efficiencies. With this, analyzing the production timelines and costs between last year’s and this year’s campaigns of my two pilot projects would be akin to the age-old adage of comparing apples to oranges. The unparalleled situations and circumstances wouldn’t match up and provide clear evidence of how and where to develop new processes for the production workflow. However, all was not lost in this analytical endeavor. In fact, it opened the doors for honest and frank discussions about what does and doesn’t work with the processes in place, how to develop new workflow plans and best practices between the Creative Team members and CSCs, and ways to eliminate and expedite tasks in product development.
Preliminary Project Pivot
My initial Adaptive Change Project aimed to involve more Creative Team members in the production process and directly connect with Campus Partners. This was sidelined when our former Creative Director and the RNL Process Team introduced new guidelines for executing college enrollment marketing campaigns. The original process featured a lead writer and graphic designer championing creative development, while a secondary writer and graphic designer were assigned to review, edit, and critique their work. The writing and graphic design leads participated in initial creative meetings with the assigned CSC and Campus Partners to discuss branding, messaging, and specific calls to action for prospective students who received the emails, publications, and digital ads that were produced. While the lead writer and designer met with the campus partners for the initial discovery meetings, all future communications were managed through the CSC.
My plan was to involve all assigned Creative Team members in the discovery meeting to encourage creative brainstorming, clarify any confusion throughout the production process, and increase interaction between the leads and Campus Partners. Just as I was about to present this proposal to Creative leadership, the new process was introduced, assigning a Creative Lead to work closely with the CSC to interact and communicate with the Campus Partners throughout the entire process while also directing the team of two writers and two designers. The new process forced me to pivot the focus of my Adaptive Change Project, but I realized it would benefit the company if I were to compare and contrast the amount of time and costs—including employee salaries, printing, and postage—between these two processes. I was investigating and analyzing these numbers for two student recruitment campaigns (one for a small private university in southwestern Pennsylvania and the other for a small public university in the southeastern United States) when two rounds of layoffs happened and pushed me to pause my investigation into process efficiencies and pivot my plan once again.
Becoming a leader in the process(es)
The Creative Director who facilitated the new workflow process and my former supervisor were among the Creative Team members who were let go. As the only Lead Copywriter and one of two legacy writers (original RNL employees before several company mergers) remaining, Creative Team administrators have turned to me for my opinions, guidance, and consultation as they work to reassess and revamp the creative processes. This need is especially pronounced now that we are working with fewer employees. Improving our efficiency has become the top priority, and it helps that my new direct supervisor recognizes that this is the focus of my Adaptive Change Project.
Since the bulk of the fall 2024 and late winter 2025 campaign launch season is behind us, we have had more time to evaluate our existing processes and determine how we can be as efficient as possible in meeting launch deadlines, preventing employee burnout, and saving the company money. Among the changes we already are planning to move forward with include returning to having the CSCs as the main points of contact with the Campus Partners. Involving the Creative Team with more direct contact with the clients helped with initial creative production. However, having more than one point of contact created confusion and uncertainty within the teams at RNL and the Campus Partners. While it is effective to have a creative lead oversee the writers and designers within a particular campaign, it was determined that it is more effective to have the creative lead also serve as either the lead writer or lead designer, depending on their professional area of expertise. We also have found that there are creative production tasks—such as reviewing printer proofs and testing emails—that once we’re limited to just copywriters also can be performed by graphic designers. This will help to expand our skill sets and keep projects moving forward to meet deadlines. All of this is just the start of what is possible to improve creative production efficiencies at RNL. Is this what I originally had intended to do with my Adaptive Change Project? Not necessarily. But on some levels, it’s even more than what I expected because a lot of what I’m being called to do and how I fit into all of this is that my supervisors see me as a leader of our Creative Team. I am comfortable taking the lead, believe in team building, listen to others’ concerns, project myself as a servant leader, and am perpetually committed to my why to make the people and situations I interact with better than when I first encounter them. This includes the creative process efficiencies at RNL.
Conclusion
From this point, I will finish gathering data from the 2023-2024 recruitment season for my two pilot projects as I continue monitoring similar data for the 2024-2025 recruitment season for the same campaigns. When the final phase of the latter season is completed around the end of May 2025, I can compare and contrast what did and did not work with the revamped workflow as developed by the RNL Process Team and then implemented by the RNL Creative Team and CSCs. In doing this, I can evaluate and pinpoint steps to recommend to my leadership for improving the collective processes for the 2025-2026 recruitment season utilizing the same two universities as pilot projects for the continued development of my Adaptive Change Project throughout the next cycle. Among my working goals for this project are to cut Creative Team production hours by 10 percent, improve processes to ensure employees don’t get burned out, boost the bottom line for our for-profit company, and build client confidence in and commitment to RNL.
Everything in the world is constantly changing. Even the best-laid plans to prepare for or deal with change fall through. Flexibility and keeping your eyes open for unexpected opportunities are key in dealing with changes. Improving creative process efficiencies at RNL seemed simple enough. But when unexpected challenges altered initial plans for how this change project would commence, pivoting, staying committed, and working together in critical moments can elevate companies (and aspiring leaders like me) to new heights.
References
Cawsey, T. F., Deszca, G., & Ingols, C. (2020). Organizational change: an action-oriented toolkit (4th ed.). SAGE Publications, Inc.
Digmann, D. (2023). Action Research Project Proposal Revised. LDR 515: Applied Leadership Project.
Dugan, J. P. (2017). Leadership theory: Cultivating critical perspectives. Jossey-Bass.
Heifetz, R. A., Grashow, A., & Linsky, M. (2009). The practice of adaptive leadership: Tools and tactics for changing your organization and the world. Harvard Business Press.
Hubbart, J. A. (2023). Organizational change: The challenge of change aversion. Administrative Sciences, 13(7), 162.
Irving, J. A., & Berndt, J. (2017). Leader purposefulness within servant leadership: Examining the effect of servant leadership, leader follower-focus, leader goal-orientation, and leader purposefulness in a large U.S. healthcare organization. Administrative Sciences, 7(2), 10.
Khuwaja, U., Kaleem, A., Abid, G., & Ahmad, A. (2020). Leadership and employee attitudes: The mediating role of perception of organizational politics. Cogent Business & Management, 7(1).
McNiff, J. (2013). Action research: Principles and practice (Third). Routledge.
Rubin, A. T. (2021). Rocking qualitative social science: An irreverent guide to rigorous research. Standford University Press.