It is often tough to change the customs of a company or other concern, particularly when it consists of many members who may not all be in the same location.  To find out what works, you can always look to the success stories of organizations that have gone before you.  For example, consider the story of Adventist Midwest Health. 

Consisting of 5,000 very busy healthcare employees spread out over multiple hospitals, outpatient facilities, and support offices, Adventist started first with simple, concrete actions that could be implemented and talked about by every employee.

One challenge was to change patient’s and their family’s perception of the level of care they were given.  While Adventist was committed to providing quality care, the staff was often so engaged in the task at hand that they appeared flustered and non-communicative to those they encountered.  While this was not correct, patients often expressed concern over the health care quality they were receiving as a result. 

In order to capture the trust of the patients and their families, Adventist set out to become a more attentive staff dedicated to gracious interchange among those they encountered.  It is common in many organizations to attempt to change the employee’s behavior with a vague directive such as “be nice to people”, but Adventist knew it was important to define manageable actions that would help them to reach that goal. 

The 10/5 Rule was implemented by the leaders of Adventist and the suggestion of consultants from the Studer Group. Staff were trained to look any patient, staff member or vendor in the eye who was within ten feet, and to say “hi” to them if they were within five feet.  

The result was a benchmark everyone shared and a name to identify it by. The employees would check each other on whether or not they were following the rule and kept each other accountable.  While some employees acknowledge that it can be annoying to be “called on it” when they forget to say hello, the rule has helped to create a friendlier environment.

Since it was implemented, the 10/5 Rule has become a way of life at Adventist. After about a month, patients and employees alike started giving positive feedback about how things seemed different and a better place to be.

Lessons Learned

Adventist’s experience with the 10/5 rule brings up several points regarding change and influence. 

1.    Concrete steps to achieve change work best.

The book Influencer explained that leaders who were able to make their change efforts successful identified crucial behaviors. These are the action steps needed to lead to other, less tangible change. In this example, the vital behavior was looking up and acknowledging one another. While just doing that didn’t completely change the culture of the organization, it did create a ripple effect that resulted in other positive change.

2.    Make messages “sticky”.

Authors Chip and Dan Heath suggest in their book Made to Stick that an idea has to be “sticky” in order for people to grasp the message and then spread the word.  Adventist’s 10/5 rule was sticky – it was simple, concrete, catchy, and memorable enough to spread.

3.    Make it a priority for all members of the organization to share accountability.

Finally, the accountability factor was critical to the successful outcome of Adventist’s campaign.  As we discussed, employees across the system were encouraged to remind each other of the 10/5 rule. This involved the entire staff in the success of the campaign. 

Culture by its very nature is abstract and hard to define. However, the lessons learned from Adventist is that, rather than trying to force a certain culture on an organization, it is better to focus on changing specific key behaviors, which, when changed, will ultimately lead to a successful change in the overall culture.  

Vinnie Garufi is the Director of Organization and Leadership Development for Adventist Midwest Health.  Wendy Mack is a advisor, speaker, and change catalyst who specializes in leading and communicating change.  For more information on mobilizing energy for change, visit www.WendyMack.com.

Related posts:

1. Why Medical Spas Need Patient Coordinators
2. Is The Million Mail Program – A Real Money Maker Or A Real Big Joke?
3. Tips On How To Go About Starting To Be An LPN
4. A Few Of The Superior Medical Job Positions Which Are Available Right Now Might Be A Perfect Suit For You And Some May Not
5. How Professional Is Your Answering Service Medical?