Managing the Politics of Organizational Change Through Adaptive Leadership

It is no secret that health center professionals must manage tremendous change as they operate in the midst of a health care payment and delivery environment that is moving from a focus on volume to value. Such shifts can challenge deeply held values and beliefs about the best way to fulfill the mission, while raising questions about the organizational culture and supporting structures. Differences of opinion are bound to arise over what are the best ways to navigate these changes and whether or not to undertake the effort at all. Sincere and committed colleagues can easily be drawn into opposing camps, creating internal political gridlock that can frustrate any attempt to achieve meaningful change. How can leaders manage the politics of change and help the organization to thrive? This session will define and explore adaptive leadership as a framework for managing major organizational change and highlight the difference between adaptive leadership and traditional change management approaches. Participants will be introduced to theories and principles of adaptive leadership, identify approaches for applying the framework to managing the politics of organizational change, and examine who within the organization may be in a better position to lead adaptive change.