Being a leader of change: how to rock the boat and stay in it

1. Being a leader of change:how to rock the boat and stay in it Helen Bevan Chief Transformation Officer, NHS Horizons Team @helenbevan

2. Emerging themes in large scale change Emerging direction Dominant approach

3. A polarity (not either/or)

4. John Kotter: “Accelerate!” • Dual operating systems: the hierarchy AND the network • Many change agents, not just the usual few • A “want-to” - not just a “have-to” - mind-set Thespirit of volunteerism - the desire to work with others for a shared purpose – creates the energy to power the network • Head and heart, not just head People won’t want to do a day job in the hierarchy and a night job in the network if we appeal only to logic with numbers, contracts and business cases

5. The Network Secrets of Great Change Agents Julie Battilana andTiziana Casciaro

7. We need three kinds of people to transform healthcare • Professionals • Patients • Pirates Source: Lucien Engelen

8. What happens to heretics/radicals/rebels/mavericks in organisations?

10. Valuing radicals • “New truths begin as heresies” (Huxley, defending Darwin’s theory of natural selection) • big things only happen in organisations because of heretics and radicals

11. We need to be boatrockers! • Walk the fine line between difference and fit, inside and outside, rock the boat but manage to stay in it • Able to challenge the status quo when we see that there could be a better way • Conform AND rebel • Capable of working with others to create success NOT a destructive troublemaker Source: Debra Meyerson

12. Sometimes leaders see radicals as troublemakers Source : Lois Kelly www.foghound.com

13. Source: Foghound

14. Four tactics for change agents • Start with myself • Build alliances • Work out what might help others to change • Don't be a martyr

15. "There’s only one corner of the universe you can be certain of improving, and that’s your own self." Aldous Huxley

17. What are the risks for a boat rocker? • Our experiences of “being different” can be fundamentally disempowering. This can lead us to conform because we see no other choice Source: adapted from Debra E Meyerson

18. What are the risks for a boat rocker? • Our experiences of “being different” can be fundamentally disempowering. This can lead us to conform because we see no other choice • we surrender a part of ourselves, and silence our commitment, in order to survive Source: adapted from Debra E Meyerson

19. Source: Foghound

21. What are the risks for a boat rocker? • Our experiences of “being different” can be fundamentally disempowering. This can lead us to conform because we see no other choice • we surrender a part of ourselves, and silence our commitment, in order to survive • leave the organisation Source: adapted from Debra E Meyerson

22. What are the risks for a boat rocker? • Our experiences of “being different” can be fundamentally disempowering. This can lead us to conform because we see no other choice • we surrender a part of ourselves, and silence our commitment, in order to survive • leave the organisation • we cannot find a way to be true to our values and commitments and still survive Source: adapted from Debra E Meyerson

23. What are the risks for a boat rocker? • Our experiences of “being different” can be fundamentally disempowering. This can lead us to conform because we see no other choice • we surrender a part of ourselves, and silence our commitment, in order to survive • leave the organisation • we cannot find a way to be true to our values and commitments and still survive • stridently challenge the status quo in a manner which is increasingly radical and self-defeating Source: adapted from Debra E Meyerson

24. What are the risks for a boat rocker? • Our experiences of “being different” can be fundamentally disempowering. This can lead us to conform because we see no other choice • we surrender a part of ourselves, and silence our commitment, in order to survive • leave the organisation • we cannot find a way to be true to our values and commitments and still survive • stridently challenge the status quo in a manner which is increasingly radical and self-defeating • this just confirms what we already know – that we don’t belong Source: adapted from Debra E Meyerson

25. What do we know about successful boat rockers? They: • are driven by values • have a strong belief that they are personally able to make change happen • are able to build alliances • ignite collective action with others • mobilising others, inspiring change • are able to achieve small wins which create a sense of hope, possibility and confidence • are good corporate citizens Often, the most effective change agents in organisations are the ones with the least positional authority Source: adapted from Debra E Meyerson

26. Three assumptions for change agents • Assume that everyone has a good intention • When people “resist” change is it more likely to be a result of their interpersonal interactionwith the change process than their character traits (“a bad change process not a difficult person”) • My role as a change agent is about alignment, not judgement

27. Four tactics for change agents • Start with myself • Build alliances • Work out what might help others to change • Don't be a martyr

28. The easiest way to thrive as an outlier ...is to avoid being one Seth Goodin

29. “if you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together” African proverb quoted by Al Gore

30. Framing Is the process by which leaders construct, articulate and put across their message in a powerful and compelling way in order to win people to their cause and call them to action Snow D A and Benford R D (1992)

31. If we want people to take action, we have to connect with their emotions through values values emotion action Source: Marshall Ganz

32. What do we need to do? • Tell a story

33. What do we need to do? • Tell a story • Make it personal

34. What do we need to do? • Tell a story • Make it personal • Be authentic

35. What do we need to do? • Tell a story • Make it personal • Be authentic • Create a sense of “us” (and be clear who the “us” is)

36. What do we need to do? • Tell a story • Make it personal • Be authentic • Create a sense of “us” (and be clear who the “us” is) • Link your story to the change you want to see

40. Task • Talk to the person next to you • In one minute, tell them a story from your life which illustrates why you are committed to improving healthcare

41. Four tactics for change agents • Start with myself • Build alliances • Work out what might help others to change • Don't be a martyr

43. “Stages of change” Transtheoretical model of behaviour change Prochaska, DiClemente & Norcross (1992)

44. The model is mostly used around health-related behaviours • smoking cessation • exercise adoption • alcohol and drug use • weight control • fruit and vegetable intake • domestic violence • HIV prevention • use of sunscreens to prevent skin cancer • medication compliance • mammography screening

45. The model is mostly used around health-related behaviours It works for organisational and service change too! • smoking cessation • exercise adoption • alcohol and drug use • weight control • fruit and vegetable intake • domestic violence • HIV prevention • use of sunscreens to prevent skin cancer • medication compliance • mammography screening

46. I am not aware my smoking is a problem – I have no intention to quit “Stages of change” Smoking Prochaska, DiClemente & Norcross (1992)

47. I am not aware my smoking is a problem – I have no intention to quit “Stages of change” Smoking I know my smoking is a problem – I want to stop but no plans yet Prochaska, DiClemente & Norcross (1992)

48. I am not aware my smoking is a problem – I have no intention to quit “Stages of change” Smoking I know my smoking is a problem – I want to stop but no plans yet I am making plans & changing things I do in preparation. Prochaska, DiClemente & Norcross (1992)

49. I am not aware my smoking is a problem – I have no intention to quit “Stages of change” Smoking I know my smoking is a problem – I want to stop but no plans yet I am making plans & changing things I do in preparation. I have stopped smoking! Prochaska, DiClemente & Norcross (1992)

50. I am not aware my smoking is a problem – I have no intention to quit “Stages of change” Smoking I am continuing to not smoke. I sometimes miss it – but I am still not smoking I know my smoking is a problem – I want to stop but no plans yet I am making plans & changing things I do in preparation. I have stopped smoking! Prochaska, DiClemente & Norcross (1992)