It can be a challenge to modify the customs of a whole organization, particularly if the staff is large and spread over several locations. To find out what works, you can always look to the success stories of organizations that have gone before you. Adventist Midwest Health is just such a success story.
Adventist needed to start with straightforward, concrete steps that all 5,000 employees, spread over multiple facilities including hospitals, outpatient and support locations, could talk about and achieve.
The greatest objective was to shift the patient’s opinion of the level of care they were receiving. The organization had always been dedicated to providing great medical care, but it often happened that the staff’s focus on the task at hand caused the impression they were in a hurry and non-communicative to those they encountered during the day. This often resulted in patients perceiving that the quality of care they received was substandard, although this was not the case.
To gain the trust of patients and their family members, Adventist realized it needed to be a friendlier place, one that demonstrated respectful communication to all patients, family members, and staff. While it might have been tempting to simply direct the employees to “be more polite,” Adventist saw the value in identifying straightforward actions that would help achieve the goal.
With the help of consultants from the Studer Group, Adventist leaders implemented the 10/5 Rule. Employees were directed to give direct eye contact to any staff member, patient or vendor they encountered within ten feet of them, and to greet them if within five feet.
Suddenly everyone had a shared norm and a simple name for it. The employees would check each other on whether or not they were following the rule and kept each other accountable. Most agreed they didn’t like to be corrected by a co-worker for failing to greet someone in passing, but acknowledged that the process resulted in a friendlier environment for staff and patients alike.
Adventist’s culture has changed significantly since the implementation of the 10/5 Rule. Within a month of implementing the rule, patients began to remark that “something is different around here,” and employees starting saying, “this feels like a better place to work.
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.
According to the book, Influencer, it is important for leaders who want to effect change to identify vital behaviors. These behaviors are the initial key actions that the members of the organization must achieve in order to lead to other changes. 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. “Sticky” messages are effective.
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.
Lastly, accountability was a key element in the success of this initiative. Adventist leadership encouraged employees and staff throughout the Adventist organization to hold each other accountable with respect to the use 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 consultant, speaker, and change catalyst who specializes in leading and communicating change. For more articles and resources on mobilizing energy for change, visit www.WendyMack.com.
