Change is hard regardless of change. However, complex changes are even harder because it generally means that multiple parties have to change. Each person has their own framework for why they do or don’t want to change. Aligning all those parties is complex. The bad news for healthcare is that almost every change is complex. You have to convince multiple people, navigate challenging regulations, and understand a wild set of often perverse incentives.
When new people come into healthcare, they often come really excited to make an impact for good. However, they bump into the challenge of managing complex change and they end up confused, frustrated, and bump into resistance and anxiety from many of the staff.
Thinking about these ideas, I was pleased to discover this framework for managing complex change that was shared by Mark Brooks and further shared by Jay Parkinson, MD, MPH. Check out this explainer for why many changes in healthcare go sideways.
Frustration. I’ve been there for sure! What a wonderful framework especially to share with the entire organization at the kickoff of this change. https://t.co/BOyp9Mh9eC
— Jay Parkinson MD, MPH (@jayparkinson) September 23, 2022
Are you living through one of these situations where something is missing? Are you living through all of these situations? I think I’ve seen all of these situations in my work life. This is why good leadership is so important. A great leader can identify what’s missing and work to fill in the hole so change occurs and progress happens.
What do you think of this framework? Is this a good way for looking at why change isn’t happening? Does it help you understand what may be missing in your organization or project? Is there something missing?
