Friction Free Platform for Change

Simple tools, game changing outcomes

Introducing the Friction-Free Platform for Transformational Change!

This platform has been developed over several years, involving working alongside a number of educational organisations and business & industry groups.

The challenge isn’t simply that education needs to change. It’s that we need to change the way we change.

The Problem

We are navigating relentless change in a system…

built to serve a different world
accustomed to implementing rather than experimenting
where change often feels imposed
carrying significant friction
that struggles to learn from its own experiments

Our Solution

Centralised change efforts are inherently complex, slow and costly but localised friction-free transformations are simple, fast and frugal. Friction-free transformations succeed by unleashing the ingenuity of teachers by embracing experimentation.

We need to replace centralised change programmes with locally-led, trust-fuelled, experiment-enabled platforms:

Foundation / process	If present	If absent
Trust (build buy-in)	Shared ownership	Imposition & defensiveness
Experiment	Learning & adaptation	Stagnation & decline
Enable	Ease & momentum	Friction & inertia
Expand	Sustained capability	Ephemeral change

Find out more

Contact us to find out how you could use the Friction Free Transformation Framework to help guide the change process in your school or organisation. We can offer support to senior leadership teams, boards or whole staff.

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Your Facilitators

Harry Mills

Harry Mills is an international authority on the art of persuasion, negotiation and behaviour change. He is the subject matter expert on persuasion for the Harvard Manage/Mentor program, and author of 18 books on influencing, negotiation, persuasive communications and behaviour change.

He designed the world’s first friction-free change platform which enables community based organisations to triple their number their numbers of successful innovations and change experiments. He has worked with Toyota for over 30 years on continuous improvement projects. His clients include global corporates including Ericcson and Oracle, the Big 4 accounting firms, DHBs, Maori heath agencies, government agencies and NGOs working on climate change projects. On graduation, Harry trained as a teacher and has written 11 history and social studies texts. He has worked with primary, secondary and tertiary institutions

For more: www.ahaadvantage.com

Derek Wenmoth

Derek Wenmoth is regarded as one of New Zealand’s foremost future focused thinkers in education. He has worked with schools, tertiary organisations and ministries of education in New Zealand and internationally to design and implement innovative approaches in education.

With a background as a teacher, principal, teacher educator and education policy advisor, Derek has been involved with a wide range of change initiatives, and has helped create policy and strategies to enable the implementation of future focused learning systems.

In recognition of his work in education, Derek was designated one of 2008’s “Global Six” by the George Lucas Educational Foundation which recognizes individuals making a difference in education.

For more: www.futuremakers.nz

What others say

The Learning Environments Australasia Executive Committee has received a lot of positive feedback, which is greatly due to your wealth of knowledge and information you imparted on our large audience, your presentation has inspired a range of educators, architects and facility planners and for this we are grateful.

Daniel Smith Chair Learning Environments Australasia

Derek and Maurie complement each other well and have the same drive and passion for a future education system that is so worthwhile being part of. Their presentation and facilitation is at the same time friendly and personal while still incredibly professional. I am truly grateful to have had this experience alongside amazing passionate educators and am inspired to re visit all aspects of my leadership. I have a renewed passion for our work as educational leaders.

Karyn Gray Principal, Raphael House Rudolf Steiner

I was in desperate need of a programme like this. This gave me the opportunity to participate in a transformative journey of professional learning and wellbeing, where I rediscovered my passion, reignited my purpose, and reconnected with my vision for leading in education. Together, we got to nurture not just academic excellence, but also the holistic wellbeing of our school communities. Because when we thrive, so does the entire educational ecosystem.

Tara Quinney Principal, St Peter's College, Gore

Refresh, Reconnect, Refocus is the perfect title for this professional development. It does just that. A fantastic retreat, space to think, relax and start to reconnect. Derek and Maurie deliver a balance of knowledge and questioning that gives you time to think about your leadership and where to next. Both facilitators have the experience, understanding, connection and passion for education, this has inspired me to really look at the why for me!

Jan McDonald Principal, Birkdale North School

Engaged, passionate, well informed facilitators who seamlessly worked together to deliver and outstanding programme of thought provoking leadership learning.

Dyane Stokes Principal, Paparoa Street School

A useful and timely call to action. A great chance to slow down, reflect on what really drives you, and refocus on how to get there. Wonderful conversations, great connections, positive pathways forward.

Ursula Cunningham Principal, Amesbury School

RRR is a standout for quality professional learning for Principals. Having been an education PLD junkie for 40 years I have never before attended a programme that has challenged me as much because of its rigor, has satisfied me as much because of its depth or excited me as much because of realising my capacity to lead change. Derek and Maurie are truly inspiring pedagogical, authentic leadership experts who generously and expertly share their passion, wisdom and skills to help Principal's to focus on what is important in schools and be the best leader they can be.

Cindy Sullivan Principal, Kaipara College

Derek Wenmoth is brilliant. Derek connects powerful ideas forecasting the future of learning to re-imagine education and create resources for future-focused practices and policies to drive change. His work provides guidance and tools for shifting to new learning ecosystems through innovations with a focus on purpose, equity, learner agency, and lifelong learning. His work is comprehensive and brings together research and best practices to advance the future of teaching and learning. His passion, commitment to innovation for equity and the range of practical, policy and strategic advice are exceptional.

Susan Patrick, CEO, Aurora Institute

I asked Derek to work with our teachers to reenergise our team back into our journey towards our vision after the two years of being in and out of 'Covid-ness'. Teachers reported positively about the day with Derek, commenting on how affirmed they felt that our vision is future focused. Teachers expressed excitement with their new learning towards the vision, and I've noticed a palpable energy since the day. Derek also started preparing our thinking for hybrid learning, helping us all to feel a sense of creativity rather than uncertainty. The leadership team is keen to see him return!

Kate Christie | Principal | Cashmere Ave School

Derek has supported, informed and inspired a core group of our teachers to be effective leads in our college for NPDL. Derek’s PLD is expertly targeted to our needs.

Marion Lumley | Deputy Principal |Ōtaki College

What a task we set Derek - to facilitate a shared vision and strategy with our Board and the professional and admin teams (14 of us), during a Covid lockdown, using online technology. Derek’s expertise, skilled questioning, strategic facilitation and humour enabled us to work with creative energy for 6 hours using a range of well-timed online activities. He kept us focussed on creating and achieving a shared understanding of our future strategic plan. Derek’s future focussed skills combined with an understanding of strategy and the education sector made our follow up conversations invaluable. Furthermore, we will definitely look to engage Derek for future strategic planning work.

Sue Vaealiki, Chair of Stonefields Collaborative Trust

Our Principal PLG has worked with Derek several times now, and will continue to do so. Derek is essentially a master facilitator/mentor...bringing the right level of challenge, new ideas & research to deepen your thinking, but it comes with the level of support needed to feel engaged, enriched and empowered after working with him.

Gareth Sinton, Principal, Douglas Park School

Derek is a highly knowledgeable and inspirational professional learning provider that has been guiding our staff in the development of New Pedagogies’ for Deep Learning. His ability to gauge where staff are at and use this to guide next steps has been critical in seeing staff buy into this processes and have a strong desire to build in their professional practice.

Andy Fraser, Principal, Otaki College