For two decades, research conducted by change management thought leader John Kotter and others has shown that approximately two-thirds of large-scale change initiatives fail to meet their objectives. Faced with daunting odds like these, how can strategists position themselves to better lead and communicate the significant changes sweeping through the healthcare field? The following principles can guide you in developing an effective communications plan for a change initiative:
1. Understand the neuroscience of change. “Resistance to change is more than an intellectual response—it’s biological,” says Lu Anne Stewart, senior vice president, US Health Provider Group, Hill+Knowlton Strategies. “Recognizing the physical and emotional underpinning of the human response to change is a critical first step for the strategist in building a plan to introduce and rally support for change among stakeholder groups.”
2. Gain senior leader buy-in. According to Stewart, change programs often fail because senior leaders don’t fully embrace the change and model it in their own behavior. In a successful transformation, leaders have a sense of urgency, get fully engaged in the effort, and accept personal accountability for making the change successful.
3 Listen and engage key stakeholders. “The most successful healthcare change programs emphasize two-way communications and genuine opportunities for physicians, nurses, and other key stakeholders to play a role in implementing and communicating the change,” Stewart says. “Among the strategies that work: establishing active listening and feedback mechanisms; engaging staff in designing pilot programs that break big change into smaller bites; and celebrating early adopters.”
Is It Time to Make a Change?In the January/February 2017 issue of SHSMD’s Spectrum newsletter, Stewart shares real-world strategies and examples to positively impact your hospital’s next reorganization, process improvement, or behavior change initiative.
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SHSMD members, read the full article: 4 Core Principles to Help Your Organization’s Next Big Change Succeed.
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