Why Changing Mindsets and Metrics Is Pivotal to Organizational Change

Education is evolving. This means the systems, structures, and mindsets that shape it need to change with it.

As the world of work transforms, the way we define student success, measure institutional progress, and invest in professional growth can no longer rely on outdated metrics. True transformation requires both a shift in mindset and a redefinition of what progress looks like.

At Catapult Masterclass, we believe that lasting institutional change starts not with devising some new strategy, nor just adopting a new piece of software, but with people: rethinking what we value, how impact is measured, and how we invest in helping our people grow.

Outdated mindsets hold institutions back

For generations, American education has operated on the Prussian model of education. This system focused on compliance, repetition, and standardization rather than creativity and adaptability. While it served an industrial society well, it no longer fits the needs of a world defined by innovation and constant change.

The problem arises when educators of today are trained to work within this mindset, prioritizing seat time over skill mastery, and measuring success through test scores rather than through relevance and application. Professional development has often mirrored this problem: information-heavy, inspiration-light, and disconnected from lasting institutional change.

It’s time to let go of these old ways. Clinging to outdated models stifles progress. We need to shift from a fixed mindset to a growth mindset, one that embraces change, relevance, and reinvention. Education should do more than deliver knowledge, and educators need to see themselves not just as transmitters of knowledge, but as catalysts for student and organizational transformation.

The metrics that no longer work

What we measure matters, and right now, we’re measuring the wrong things.

Traditional success metrics—standardized scores, graduation rates, enrollment numbers—tell only part of the story. They measure throughput, not transformation. They answer “how many” instead of “how well” or “to what end.”

If our goal is making education relevant, we must begin asking better questions:

• Are students leaving with in-demand skills and clarity of purpose?

• Do our educators feel empowered and equipped to connect classroom learning to real-world outcomes?

• Is our institution adaptable and future-ready?

Organizational change begins when leaders are bold enough to measure what truly matters.

New metrics of success should focus on students' development of self and meaningful skills as well as worldly accomplishment. They should also reflect the full picture of a learner’s journey, not just their academic performance.

A new model for professional development

Catapult was created to solve a key problem: traditional professional development doesn’t go far enough. We know webinars provide information, keynotes inspire, conferences build networks, and trainings teach discrete tactics. But none of these, alone, move the needle.

To drive institutional change, professional development must do more than transfer knowledge. It must transform culture. That’s why Catapult’s model integrates multiple key elements for effective professional development, including external expertise, broad participation, local application and accountability, and hybrid-flexible delivery.

Each Catapult masterclass weaves together dynamic storytelling, tactical planning, and hands-on engagement. But more importantly, it sets in motion a process that aligns teams, clarifies purpose, and builds institutional momentum.

What organizational change looks like

At its core, organizational change means cultivating a culture where innovation and reflection are part of everyday practice. It gives every team member, from tenured faculty/teachers to classified staff and support personnel, equal access to transformational ideas and conversations.

Catapult’s seven-step Model for Institutional Change provides a roadmap for that progress. From masterclasses to playbooks, team debriefs, feedback loops, and tailored coaching calls and Q&As, each step moves institutions closer to a shared vision of relevance and purpose.

When done with just an ounce of intention, organizational change doesn’t feel like an intrusion. It feels like alignment. It creates a unified sense of mission, where everyone understands not only what they’re doing, but why it matters.

Building the future starts with your team

Change doesn’t happen because we demand it. It happens because people believe in it, and that belief grows when leaders invest in their teams, giving them the tools and confidence to reimagine education from the inside out. By committing to ongoing learning in this way, leaders signal to their teams that growth is not just encouraged but expected. This mindset builds the foundation for lasting transformation.

The organizations that thrive through changing times will be those that redefined their mindsets and metrics before they were forced to, that embraced the shift toward relevance, purpose, and adaptability to lead the next era of learning.

It’s time to rethink how we measure success—for our learners and for ourselves.

When we change the metrics, we change the mindset...and that’s where true transformation begins.

Join your tribe of respectful education disruptors. Visit catapultmasterclass.com to learn how you and your institution can begin a journey towards relevance today.