What do you do if your practice staff resists change and innovation?

It’s essential to approach the situation with understanding and empathy. Change can be challenging, and resistance often stems from underlying concerns or emotions that need to be addressed. Here are some thoughts to manage resistance effectively by understanding the reasons behind it. So identify the sources of resistance, like, fear of the Unknown (job security), lack of understanding, poor communication (misunderstandings), or previous negative experiences. Understanding and addressing the roots of resistance can transform skepticism into support, making the transition smoother and more successful. By demonstrating empathy and actively involving staff in the change process, leaders can foster a culture of innovation.

Change and Innovation is essential to any evolving brand, business or organization. The key to successfully managing and implementing new processes is communicating 1) scale, 2) scope, 3) KPIs/OKRs. In my 25+ years corporate experience, resistance to change has been based on culture, habits, and fixed mindsets. Most view change as subtraction versus enhancement. Others view it as an attempt to minimize their roles and/or responsibilities to the larger organization. Both viewpoints are what contributes to poor performance and mediocre results. Having an open dialogue that level sets expectations is a first step. Helping teams understand purpose and practice will establish a baseline to communicate the 'why' and the necessity for change.

It starts first with getting their buy in from the start. Have them involved in the process of gathering data on the issues you are trying to solve. Allow them to be part of the solutions. Educate them on why the changes are good for them, not just different. And at implementation time, find a champion and allow that staff or group of staff to lead the change. Others will see the benefits and join in.

Many of us are resistant to change; however, once we understand what fears the practitioners have, we can gently reassure. Explaining how these changes will improve clinic life for them will help them to appreciate that they will ultimately benefit from increased patient bookings and income.

Change is one of the most difficult aspect for any employee to understand and accept. There can be several reasons: - Staff forsee change as a threat to thdir job security - Not capable to handle advancement the change bring in - Don't want to improve their skill set But they fail to understand that change is inevitable; change is the only constant. So management and sometimes even Board or owners when management is not so sure about change should address each of the aforementioned reasons.

Communicate to the staff the new changes can benefit them in the future. The more information they have will help them improve patient outcomes and safety. New technology is needed for the treatment of the patient.

One can either push or pull. Change can be communicated as nature's way of weeding out entities that cannot fit into the future. Therefore communication should encourage staff to prove that they belong to the future

While change is an instant, transition is a process. Involving staff in the process, as 'transition managers', and as process workers.

It will also be good to know the staff's career objective as against his routine job objectives and ask the question of what kind of training (job or career) would best facilitate better responsiveness to change ,

Understand the different strategies of change that have been distiguished by Hans Vermaak and Leon de Caluwe. It might be usefull to think deliberately about which strategy fits best to the organization and change issue. Not every change requires the same approach.

It’s been said that no one likes change except for a wet baby! Give your team a timeline for change that puts in place milestones based on half-steps toward your ultimate goal. Rather than attempting to make a major change all at once (revolution) chunk the goal into half-steps that incrementally move forward (evolution). If encounter push-back, it may mean that have made the half-steps too large. You can chunk change all the way down to the next 24-48 hours. What can we accomplish today that will move us closer to the change we desire tomorrow? The paralysis of inaction can often be overcome by simply getting started. The momentum of accomplishment helps keep the team moving forward once they take the first step. Communication is key!

I agree and also I would highlight trust, especially in the realm of health care dynamics, establishing and maintaining trust is paramount. It can be a challenging task to align with individuals whom you do not trust, and equally difficult to lead those who lack trust in you. The cornerstone of building trust lies in effective communication and consistent follow-through. As a leader, the onus rests upon you to articulate the vision and objectives of the organization in a manner that exudes credibility and reliability. By fostering open dialogue and demonstrating unwavering commitment, you pave the way for a culture of trust and collaboration to flourish within your community.

Actually I agree with the techniques of resistance management mentioned in above article. From the techniques mentioned above providing training, staff involvement, showing the benefits of change has profound impact on resistance management and increase their commitment for the implementation. there are also other techniques used like using force, manipulation but it has negative impact on its implementation and may increase the resistance of employees.

1. Financial incentives We add on financial incentives, so those early adopters of change get additional 5-10% performance bonus. It encourages the more adaptable staff to start. 2. Colleagues as models : The success of these early adapters function as models and encouragements for their colleagues.