Building a culture of professionalism:Three counter-intuitive principles of organizational transformation

Tony SuchmanOrganizational ProfessionalismThe Foundation for Medical Excellence

Changing the culture of a big organization involves starting an epidemic of mindfulness, of people becoming aware of the patterns they are enacting in each small everyday moment.

Parallel processFoster reflection

#1

This is an emergent process. You can’t design it, you can’t control it. But you can influence it.

Be the changeThen help it spreadNorms and accountability

#2

The best way to change what’s wrong is to focus on what’s right.

Appreciative inquiryBrain activation

#3

Amygdala

References

Suchman A, Sluyter D, Williamson P. Leading Change in Healthcare. New York: Radcliffe, 2011

Watkins JM, Mohr BJ. Appreciative inquiry: Change at the speed of imagination. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass/Pfeiffer; 2001

Annotated bibliography on Relationship Centered Administration. Available at www.rchcweb.com