The older I get, the more set in my ways I become. I have my morning ritual, evening ritual and daily commute. I like my coffee black and my french fries with a side of barbecue sauce.
But I am also a study in contrast, as I suppose many of us are.
Once you get past my predilections, I like change. I enjoy finding new ways to do old things. I embrace innovation and relish brainstorms in the shower that let me view things differently. I love the rush of adrenaline that hits when I analyze existing features, events or conferences and discover a new approach.
Change is good.
However, I was not surprised to learn that the greatest challenge facing Patricia Kennedy-Scott, this month’s cover story subject, is effectively leading her organization through change.
“Human beings are comfortable where they are,” says Kennedy-Scott, regional president of Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of Ohio. “You have to give people motivation to change.”
And when you’re talking about 2,000 employees, as Kennedy-Scott is, that’s a lot of motivating.
Kennedy-Scott does it by constantly identifying new problems, finding viable solutions and then communicating those solutions to her entire team so they can work together to implement them. She also works hard to get employees to understand that their roles change as the organization changes.
For many employers, convincing hardworking team members to accept that the role they’ve earned no longer is the one you need them to do may be the hardest part of change.
But by using a combination of deft salesmanship and heartfelt empathy to quickly secure the necessary buy-in, you’ll find that you do not need to force role changes on your staff and then face discord and the prospect of large-scale employee turnover.
Adaptability has become a necessary trait in today’s workplace. Employers who have teams of people who are adaptable are better prepared for the challenges that face them in today’s economy.
If you’re not one of them, don’t hesitate to take a hard look at your hiring practices to ensure you’re weeding out applicants that won’t be willing to gladly do whatever it takes to help your organization succeed. Otherwise, you could find yourself doomed to spend more time selling change than implementing it.
Contact executive editor Dustin S. Klein at [email protected]
