We believe that in the complex environments that are health care systems, there are key core characteristics that often get overlooked by physician leaders when approaching a change - characteristics such as:

• a group's unique "readiness"  or receptivity for change
  
• the formal - and informal - relationships that drive the group's engagement in any change
  
• the group's patterns (of thinking, behavior, beliefs, control, influence, etc.) which underlie many seemingly "random" responses to change

These core characteristics can greatly facilitate or hinder any change effort, depending on how they are approached and dealt with, and must be considered and leveraged when defining the actions around an initiative. 

If we do so, with both the right action at the right time, change can work smoothly and with the least amount of resistance.  In turn, by honoring these unique characteristics inherent to any system, we create an environment of adaptivity to change, and build a more agile system for the long-run.

In short, the more you pay attention and leverage the complexities that drive health care organizations, the more success you will have in rolling out short-term change initiatives as well as in creating real, long-term “agility” for your health systems.

Moreover, the role that you play, as a physician leader tasked with creating and managing change in your group cannot be overlooked .  You are being asked to become a “change agent” – whatever that looks like! – to  motivate the clinical staff you oversee, to convince them that change is a good thing … when all they seem to be interested in doing is continuing to work the way they are accustomed to, and maintaining the status quo.  To be successful in this arena takes a very specific set of skills, to build high performance not only in yourself, but in your organization as well.

The trick is figuring out how to do that… We can help you.