One of the most difficult problems with imposed change is when it goes against what you believe is right. This is a values issue and values are, by their nature, strong and hard to move.
When you’re really angry and resistant about something, there is usually a value at stake. For example, when the trust tells a consultant that they are going to do away with the out-patients appointment system they spent years refining and replace it with their own, central system, the consultant is outraged.
But what are they outraged about? Is it the lack of respect and appreciation for what they have done? Is it the authoritarian style that the trust is using? Is it because their working life is going to deteriorate? Is it because this is one in a long line of measures that have reduced their ability to provide a good service for patients? It could be any or all of these and it will of course vary with the individual.
If you are feeling sore about a change, it can help to take a few minutes to work out what exactly it is that is getting to you. What value is being transgressed? What are you afraid of losing? When you think you know - say it’s the fact the managers failed to consult with anyone - try and clarify it for yourself by asking, so what’s bad about that? And again, and again, until you get to the nub of it.
Once doctors are clear about what’s at stake, it’s important to decide whether it’s sufficiently important to you that you will not budge on it, or whether there is room for compromise on. If you are not willing to compromise, then what are your options? Are you prepared to refuse, fight, look for a new job?
If you are willing to compromise, what exactly are you willing to do, and what small amendments would make it more bearable? Who could you ask about those?
What consultants must try to avoid here, is deciding that something is non-negotiable and then doing it anyway. If you are prepared to do it, it obviously is negotiable. If you have a mindset that says ‘un-negotiable’ and actions that say ‘negotiable’, then you are setting yourself up for a lot of misery.
Tips for doctors on handling change
1. Check on your values, what is and isn’t negotiable?
2. Consider your options in areas that are non-negotiable.
3. Decide what you are prepared to compromise on.
4. Consider what would help you and your colleagues during this change, and ask for it.
5. If you decide to do something, do it willingly.
Learning new skills as a consultant
Once you have accepted a change, there are likely to be new skills to learn, or new ways of doing things. Maybe, for example, you need to develop your leadership skills, or modify your leadership style? It can be challenging and scary to try new things, made more so by the unhelpful thoughts that often go through one’s head, such as:
“I need to be able to do this perfectly, first time.” Or, “I’ve tried and failed, so I’m obviously not up to it.” Discovering you’re not very good at something is painful, especially for professionals who pride themselves on their competence, and it’s very tempting to give up at the first hurdle. But could you ride a bike the first time you got on one?
“You’ve either got it or you haven’t (and I haven’t).” People often believe this applies to leadership, getting on with patients, practical procedures and other skills, etc. What it means is that this skill comes more naturally to some than others, but that doesn’t mean that it can’t be learnt.
“I can’t.” Which means that I don’t know how to do it at the moment.
“I’m not that sort of person.” This belief is designed to keep us safe, but effectively stops us from doing anything out of the ordinary. The best way to combat it is to just do whatever it is.
Tips for learning new skills
1. Things which look impossible can often be learnt.
2. Learn from people who do the skill well by watching and talking to them.
3. Remember that doing something new doesn’t require being a different kind of person.
4. Be kind to yourself when you’re learning a new skill, as you would when teaching a child to ride a bike - you don’t have to be able to do things perfectly first time.
5. Recognise your limitations and get help or delegate.
6. Do difficult things in short spurts at your best times of day.
7. Practice, practice, practice.
There is a story about the professional golfer, Gary Player, who was going for a difficult putt in an important competition, and he managed to put the ball straight in the hole. “That was lucky!” said an onlooker. Player turned round and said: “Funny thing is, the more I practice, the luckier I get.”
This is the third, and final, article in the series. The first considered the challenges of becoming a consultant coming to terms with being a consultant, while the second looked at how the consultant role has changed.
Anita Houghton provides management and career coaching for doctors and other professionals, and is author of two self-help books for career development: ‘Finding Square Holes’ and ‘Know Yourself’.
If you would like to order a book, or sign up for free coaching tips like this article, go to www.workinglives.co.uk and click on the links.
Tags: Management
