Content area
Full Text
Five frameworks help leaders to effectively make major changes in their organizations, including partnering with healthcare entities.
ABSTRACT One way to approach change leadership is to frame some of the critical challenges to insure that the leader keeps them in mind throughout the process. The frames discussed in this article are self-awareness, coherence and alignment, actionable small steps, and political savvy. | key words: change leadership, self-awareness, coherence and clarity, alignment, actionable steps, political savvy
It takes leadership, not merely management, to guide an organization through a rapidly changing external world, and working effectively through change is what distinguishes leading versus managing in an organization. When sector and marketplace environments are stable, there is general buy-in around the values and direction of the organization, resources are adequate, and, with no new competition, most organizations can get by with competent and able managers. But in a climate of continuous change, a clear future direction is instead vague and not necessarily shared by internal stakeholders, traditional sources of support evaporate, and there are disruptive new entrants to the market. This is when leadership is most needed.
Community-based organizations (CBO) that are currently considering partnering with healthcare entities to address social determinants of health are actively responding to the external world. It is not an overstatement to point out that many organizations fail because they try to manage-not lead-toward success in this environment. What is most needed is "change leadership." Change leadership is a large and involved topic, but there are a handful of frameworks-self-awareness, coherence and alignment, first steps, and political savvy- that every leader will need to work within to be successful. These are explicated in the following sections.
Frameworks for Success
First, leaders must be self-aware-especially when it comes to their skill profile. What are the leader's strengths or weaknesses relevant to the change process? Is there a vision that can be communicated clearly? Are external trends well understood and positioned against the organization's mission? Have key relationships been developed and maintained over time? Are decisions being made in a well-informed, clear manner and then communicated throughout the organization? A good grasp of these and many other leadership competencies is essential to success.
A second dimension of self-awareness involves what a leader thinks of...