#######################################

     KEYZINE: An e-zine for LEADERS:
   ABOUT THE PEOPLE PART OF BUSINESS
             Volume 102, January 2010
  Publisher: © Key Associates, 2010
              ISSN # 1545-8873
           http://www.mkkey.com/

#######################################

                         

This Issue: On "Spreading Change"

Contents:

"It is not necessary to change.  Survival is not mandatory .”
           -- W. Edwards Deming

"People will remember what you did, long after they forgot 
what you said. ”
           -- Anon

"Change requires knowledge.  Improvement requires wisdom .”
           -- Peter Sholtes

"Change will not come if we wait for some other 
person or some other time.  We are the ones we've 
been waiting for.  We are the change that we seek.”
           -- Barak H. Obama

**************************************
WHAT'S HOT IN LEADERSHIP
**************************************  
CONTINUOUSLY IMPROVING.  MAKING SURE 
THAT CHANGES ARE IMPROVEMENTS.

IDENTIFYING PROCESS OWNERS AND 
EMPOWERING THEM TO INITIATE AND 
SUSTAIN CHANGE.

LEADING BY PULL RATHER THAN PUSH 
STRATEGIES.

COMMUNICATE, COMMUNICATE, COMMUNICATE.

***************************************
MAINTAINING YOURSELF AS A LEADER
***************************************
Leaders are drivers of change.  Continuous improvement 
implies one positive change after another.  However, 
not all changes could be considered improvements.

Where we sometimes falter is in the maintenance 
of desired changes--sustaining the gains, ensuring practices, 
establishing protocol.  Many times, new behaviors easily 
erode to former ways.  The organization does not 
take up the innovation and regresses.

You alone cannot implement and sustain changes.  
Where are your aids for sustaining and spreading 
change?  In the people.
*************************************
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
************************************* 
"Who should I call on to help spread change ?"

There are numerous leaders throughout your 
organization--in fact, most people are leaders in something.  
The "informal leadership" structure runs the 
organization and holds the trust of the people, 
thus their messages are believed and followed.

The concept of homophily implies that you like 
people who are like you, that you associate and 
bond with similar others.  For this reason, peer-to-
peer messages are more readily accepted.

According to Everett M. Rogers (2003), there are 
innovators and early implementers, who pull the 
critical mass toward adopting new ideas.  These 
are your "idea champions," who import, believe in, 
and educate others about needed changes.

Finally, there is the concept of "process owner," 
the person who has the power to implement and 
sustain changes.  You will want them to shepherd 
the change process over time and measure it 
periodically, to see if the gains are maintained.

 

"What practices will help us be successful in 
anchoring change?"

It is helpful to have a team, to make the change 
process culturally appropriate and design the 
roll-out process.  

A critical component is the Communication Plan, 
which should use many channels and speak to all 
the senses, e.g., video, web, audio, print materials,
leaders walking the talk.  Looping the communication 
(repeating it) is a common marketing technique.

Making a solid Business Case for change is another 
helpful strategy.  Answer the question to the station 
everyone is tuned in to--WII-FM (What's In It For Me?).  
Where is the evidence for this change?  Can you point 
to other successes elsewhere?  Can you reduce the effort 
required to adopt the new way or make it difficult to 
return to the old way?  Can you build a compelling 
vision of a highly desirable future (Pull strategy)?

 

"How can we make the improvements permanent, 
i.e., prevent backsliding?"

Langley, Nolan et al. (1996) recommend:

- Standardization (e.g., policies and practices)
- Documentation (a flowchart might be helpful)
- Visible Measurement (what counts is what we count)
- Training (adult learners like to practice and get feedback), and
- Periodic Self-Audits

Jim Handyside (www.improvisionhealthcare.com) 
encourages the use of reminders, such as making the change 
messages very conspicuous, contiguous (close to the actions), 
in context (when and where), with content (sufficient education), 
and countability (measurement).

 

"Will we ever get everyone on board?"

Likely not.  One-hundred percent adoption is rare.  
Learn from the resistance and listen to the laggards, 
but put your energies into leading those who are willing 
to move forward.

 

EXERCISES AND ACTION ITEMS:

*  Develop a plan for the spread of your idea, 
with the thought leaders.
*  Do not try to persuade the resistors, rather 
try to understand them.  That will allow you to see 
whether and how the change can benefit them
(Sholtes, 1998).
**************************************
EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES
**************************************
A white paper on a Framework for Spread, from 
the Institute for Healthcare Improvement
http://www.ihi.org/NR/rdonlyres/661BCB93-1FED-4ADB-86FE-4DDD84445AFD/0/AFrameworkforSpreadWhitePaper2006.pdf 

Literature on Spreading Change
http://www.ihi.org/IHI/Topics/Improvement/SpreadingChanges/Literature/

Change, Adaptation, and Learning Model (CALM)
http://www.decpath.com/CALM%20Overcoming%20Inertia%20to%20Enable%20Change.pdf

Key Associates offers leadership education and consultation 
in change management.  Contact keyassocs@mindspring.com. 

**************************************
OTHER USEFUL WEBSITES 
**************************************
An underground movement to spread change
http://www.ispreadchange.com/ 

Steps to sustaining process improvement change
http://characterandexcellence.wordpress.com/2009/04/30/sustaining-change/

Communication ideas for social change
http://www.comminit.com/en/node/272676/36

Former Keyzines on related topics:
Volume 4, July 2001- Change
Volume 22, January 2003 - Personal Change
Volume 29, August 2003 - Transformation
Volume 32, November 2003 - Renewing Ourselves
Volume 40, July 2004 - Building Community
Volume 56, November 2005 - Giving Direction
Volume 60, March 2006 - The Power of Vision
Volume 66, September 2006 - On Delegation
Volume 79, October 2007 - Employee Engagement
Volume 87, June 2008 - Sustaining Change
**************************************
ARTICLES/PUBLICATIONS                              
************************************** 
 Buchanan, David A.  et al. The Sustainability and Spread 
of Organizational Change: Modernizing Healthcare 
(Understanding Organizational Change).  Routledge, 2006.

Dixon,  N. Common Knowledge: How Companies Thrive by 
Sharing What They Know.  Harvard Business Press, 2000.

Fraser, S.  Accelerating the Spread of Good Practice.  
Kingsham Press Ltd, 2004.

Gladwell, Malcolm.  The Tipping Point: How Little Things 
Can Make a Big Difference.  Back Bay Books, 2007.

Langley GL, Nolan KM, Nolan TW, Norman CL, Provost LP. 
The Improvement Guide: A Practical Approach to Enhancing 
Organizational Performance.  Jossey-Bass, 1996.

Massoud MR, Nielsen GA, Nolan K, Schall MW, 
Sevin C. A Framework for Spread: From Local 
Improvements to System-Wide Change. IHI Innovation 
Series white paper. Cambridge, MA: Institute for 
Healthcare Improvement; 2006. (Available on www.IHI.org)

Nolan, KM & MW Schall (Eds.)  Spreading Improvement 
Across Your Health Care Organization.  Joint Commission Resources 
and the Institute for Healthcare Improvement, 2007.

Rogers, Everett M.  Diffusion of Innovations, 5th Edition.  
Free Press, 2003.

Scholtes, Peter R.  The Leader's Handbook: Making Things 
Happen, Getting Things Done.  McGraw-Hill, 1998.

Wenger, Etienne et al. Cultivating Communities of Practice.
Harvard Business Press, 2002.