Minnesota Institute of Public Health

Dealing with major systems change can be tough. I've blogged before about these times of change and what they seem to mean to people within their organizations. Change remains one of the few constants in life.

We know from experience that its possible to embrace a changing world with unchanging principles, if you are guided by the pursuit of truth and science, and have the heart of a learner, not to mention retain your sense of humor.

Often where it seems to break down, it seems to me, is what colleague Tom Backer Of the Human Interaction Research Institute once described as "the subtle sabotage of withheld enthusiasm". Our own co-workers and colleagues need to discuss change, embrace it, influence it, and buy into to it within most any organization. For many it's scary and unnerving; the status quo is just more familiar and comfortable. I get that, yet like a shark in the water, we need to keep moving or we will not survive. Leaders can't lead by Harris Poll; at some point when many views are on the table, leadership owes the entire organization the courage and the integrity to decide based on the best input, and to own the burden of that decision moving forward. The commitment is, our colleagues hopefully will recognize their input into the new plan, even if it's not everything they wanted.

The enemy to change therefore isn't so much open opposition. It withheld enthusiasm toward a planned change, and it works like this:  "OK, you want me to help implement this change? Sure. You bet. I won't visibly oppose it, but I will remain quietly not supportive of it. I will show up at the meetings, drink my coffee, smile and do my job so as to not get into trouble, but I dare you to make me internalize this change!". The subtle sabotage of withheld enthusiasm.

We're very fortunate that today, MIPH people know we're all in this together. We don't always agree, but we fight fair, and don't penalize alternative viewpoints. That seems to make all the difference.

How do you engage your co-workers in embracing change within your work world?