Changing organizational culture requires starting an epidemic of mindfulness among employees to become aware of patterns in their daily behaviors. Leaders should model the desired changes and help reflection and new norms spread throughout the organization. Rather than focusing on problems, leaders should emphasize strengths and appreciate positive aspects to encourage brain activation that supports change.

1. Building a culture of
professionalism:
Three counter-intuitive principles of
organizational transformation
Tony Suchman
Organizational Professionalism
The Foundation for Medical Excellence

2. Changing the culture of a big
organization involves starting an
epidemic of mindfulness, of people
becoming aware of the patterns they
are enacting in each small everyday
moment.
Parallel process
Foster reflection
#1

3. This is an emergent process. You can’t design
it, you can’t control it. But you can influence
it.
Be the change
Then help it spread
Norms and accountability
#2

4. The best way to change what’s wrong is to
focus on what’s right.
Appreciative inquiry
Brain activation
#3

5. Amygdala

6. References
Suchman A, Sluyter D, Williamson P.
Leading Change in Healthcare. New York:
Radcliffe, 2011
Watkins JM, Mohr BJ. Appreciative inquiry:
Change at the speed of imagination. San
Francisco: Jossey-Bass/Pfeiffer; 2001
Annotated bibliography on Relationship
Centered Administration. Available at
www.rchcweb.com