When it comes to creating change—whether in healthcare, your workplace, or your personal life—what you believe about change matters more than you might think. And often, it’s our beliefs that either propel us forward or hold us back. Let me explain, starting with a story.
Learning Service Design and Embracing Complexity
During my time as a nurse leader and full-time graduate student, I found myself constantly applying what I was learning about leadership and change to my work in the emergency department. One class introduced me to service design, a concept that centers on improving employee and customer (or patient) experiences by identifying and removing barriers.
The idea resonated deeply. People want to do great work, but systems often get in the way. When you clear the path—by improving processes and reducing frustrations—staff can thrive, and that positivity ripples outward to patients.
To put this into practice, I partnered with a classmate, Aaron, to launch a service design committee in our ER. We brought together a group of interprofessional frontline staff and introduced them to tools like design thinking to brainstorm and implement solutions. These meetings weren’t just problem-solving sessions; they were also opportunities to build trust, spark creativity, and foster collaboration.
Navigating the Belief Change Spectrum: Change Is Impossible vs. Change Is Easy
As the committee’s leader, I noticed something interesting: the team’s mindset about change would swing between two extremes. On one end of the belief spectrum was "Change is impossible." You’ve likely heard this sentiment before:
“This will never work.”
“Nobody cares enough to fix this.”
“It’s too big to even try.”
On the opposite end was the equally unhelpful belief that "Change is easy." That sounded like:
“All we need to do is [insert quick fix].”
“This is obvious—why hasn’t anyone done it already?”
The problem with both extremes is that they oversimplify reality. Believing change is impossible leads to inaction. On the flip side, assuming change is easy creates frustration when things inevitably get more complicated.
Finding the Productive Middle Ground
Through experience, I’ve learned that the most effective mindset lives in the "messy middle":
"Change is a challenge, but we are up to the task."
This perspective acknowledges complexity without giving in to defeatism. It also allows for the persistence and collaboration needed to drive meaningful change.
In our service design committee, I made it a priority to keep the team grounded in this mindset. For example, if someone said, “This will never change,” I’d respond with:
“I hear you—this is daunting. But we’ve tackled hard things before, and I believe we can figure this out together.”
Similarly, when someone said, “This should be easy,” I’d gently challenge them with:
“Maybe! But let’s think about why this problem has persisted—what barriers might we need to address?”
This consistent reframing helped the team stay motivated and focused on solutions.
Turning Belief into Action: Real Results in the ER
One of our most successful projects was developing an ER navigational tool. Patients often arrived overwhelmed and unsure of what to expect, leading to confusion and frustration. Our tool provided clear, easy-to-understand information about the ER process, including expected wait times and steps in their care journey.
The result? Not only did our patients feel more informed and less stressed, but the tool was so effective that it was adopted across multiple sites in our healthcare system. Seeing this project come to life reinforced an important truth for our team: Change is possible when we embrace the messy middle.
Why Beliefs Matter: Cynicism vs. Hope
Beliefs aren’t just abstract concepts—they have real, tangible impacts on our behavior and the people around us. Cynicism, for example, is contagious. When one person on the team says, “This will never work,” it can drag everyone down. But hope is just as powerful. When we model a hopeful, action-oriented mindset, we inspire others to do the same.
As a leader, I’ve seen this play out time and again. Teams that believe in the possibility of change are more resilient, creative, and persistent. They don’t shy away from challenges—they lean into them.
How to Navigate the Belief Spectrum
So, how do we stay in the messy middle? Here are a few strategies that have worked for me:
Check Your BeliefsRegularly ask yourself: What do I believe about this challenge? Am I leaning too far toward cynicism or oversimplification?
Reframe the NarrativeWhen you catch yourself (or your team) falling into one extreme, gently challenge those assumptions. Use language that emphasizes both the challenge and the possibility.
Build Evidence of SuccessCelebrate wins—big and small. Success stories, like our ER navigational tool, create tangible proof that change is achievable.
Surround Yourself with Hopeful PeopleSeek out mentors, colleagues, and leaders who embody the messy middle. Their energy and perspective can keep you grounded and motivated.
A Call to Action: Build Belief, Build Change
Change is never easy, but it’s always worth it. The messy middle—where we acknowledge challenges while holding onto hope—is where real progress happens. So, I’ll leave you with a few questions:
What do you believe about change?
Are you stuck in one of the extremes, or are you operating in the messy middle?
How can you build belief in yourself and others today?
If this resonates with you, I invite you to listen to the full episode of my podcast on Spotify or Apple Podcasts where I dive deeper into these ideas and share more stories from my own journey as a healthcare leader.
And remember: we’ve got this. Change, while challenging, is always possible.
Lets connect:
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