| Incremental change or step change? It is very | | | | resistance and reluctance of senior clinical staff to |
| important to establish very early on whether or | | | | embrace an initiative, the simple truth was that |
| not what you are proposing can be regarded as | | | | clinical staff did support the board's intentions - but |
| incremental change and realistically can be | | | | they didn't have the time or energy to handle it. |
| accomplished within the constraints of "Business | | | | What was needed was someone to own the |
| As Usual", or whether it is a step change and | | | | initiative full-time and to "formally" recognise that |
| needs to be handled as a specific initiative - and | | | | this was a specific step change initiative that |
| with the appropriate level of senior sponsorship | | | | needed to be handled outside of hospital "business |
| and practical support. | | | | as usual". |
| The key questions are: | | | | Here are 8 simple yet powerful questions that will |
| (1) Is the change you are proposing an | | | | help you clarify which approach to take and how |
| incremental change that can and should be | | | | to implement it successfully: |
| introduced as part of "Business As Usual" and that | | | | (1) How's it going to be different when I've made |
| can be absorbed as part of the day-to-day | | | | the change? |
| running of your organisation? | | | | (2) Why am I doing this - how's it going to benefit |
| (2) Or is the size, scope and complexity, priority, | | | | me? |
| timescale, strategic importance of the proposed | | | | (3) How will I know it's benefited me? |
| change such that it is a step change and needs to | | | | (4) Who is it going to affect and how will they |
| be regarded and handled as a specific initiative and | | | | react? |
| requires some form of change management | | | | (5) What can I do to get them "on side"? |
| process? | | | | (6) What are the risks and issues that I'll have to |
| This is extremely important as you define change | | | | face? |
| management in the context of your organisation. | | | | (7) What steps do I take to make the changes |
| The reason this is so important is because people | | | | and get the benefit? |
| are stressed, tired and generally fed up with | | | | (8) How am I going to manage all this so that it |
| change initiatives. They need careful and detailed | | | | happens and I succeed? |
| explanation of the proposed changes - why the | | | | For more on this: " So how do we define change |
| proposed change is necessary, and the direct | | | | management?" |
| effects on them and the benefits to them. They | | | | Equip yourself to avoid the 70% failure rate of all |
| need help and practical support. | | | | change initiatives with the "Practitioners' |
| As an illustration of this - I was involved with an | | | | Masterclass - Leading your people through change, |
| NHS Trust recently, and contrary to the board's | | | | putting it all together and managing the whole |
| initial perception of the reason for the apparent | | | | messy business. |