Module 6: Creating Awareness
Action Plan
Background
- Initiatives that require people to change their behavior often fail because change is hard!
- This is, in part, because we tend to focus our energy on communicating the desired change.
- Communication is important. But not enough.
- You need to create a movement:
- Communication is something you do to people.
- A movement is something people choose to do.
- A movement is a coordinated group action focused on a desired change.
- Movements have larger communal, social, and cultural impacts.
- The movement inspires people to become part of something bigger than the change itself.
- It transcends the project, becoming more about people than the initiative.
- A movement is a coordinated group action focused on a desired change.
- Movements arise, not from a call to action but from an emotion.
- It starts with dissatisfaction with the current state and the belief that the current structures will not address the problem.
- Then, you need to provide a positive vision and path forward that’s tangible and achievable.
- Typically start small with a passionate group of enthusiasts who provide some short-term wins to demonstrate the change. This brings in influencers who can further grow the movement. (leadership lessons from a dancing guy).
- Inspire Movement
- Frame the issue in a way that incites action and stirs emotion.
- This starts with a sense of urgency, but this is typically short lived.
- You must tie it back to their purpose so that they feel a deep desire and even a responsibility to change.
- Public launch of the program
- There needs to be an official start to your program. The more amorphous the start is the less likely it is to command people’s attention.
- We realize you’ve been doing work in this area. That’s great. But this is the launch of your program!
- And it must be an event!
- The public launch allows for the public decree of support from leader’s, frontline and executives—this helps as a show of support.
- Inspire people using your sense of urgency, purpose, and vision.
- Embrace symbols.
- Symbols create a sense of identity (I’m on a team) and feeling of solidarity (with others).
- Visibly share the path forward
- Share how you’ll achieve the goals, what you need others to do.
- This should have enough detail that people can see the path, but not so much that they get overwhelmed by the work.
- Consistent Communication
- Ripple effect—starts with some communication that becomes contagious and grows. Consider using a symbol and guerilla marketing. This diffuses the message from the innovators and early adopters to the late adopters.
- Advocacy—Should be fueled by people who believe in it strongly enough to volunteer their advocacy. These are your Johnny’s and Sarah’s
- Sustainable chatter—movement’s chatter must continue beyond the original passing interest. It may ebb and flow, but it doesn’t die out.
- You must communicate at least 10 different ways, 100s of times!
- Novel Communication strategies
- People are relatively immune to emails, posters, announcements, etc.
- Work to come up with memorable ways to communicate about your program.
- Consider Guerilla marketing.
- The use of novel or unconventional methods to attract interest and gain buy-in to an initiative.
- These methods are often low- or no-cost and involve the widespread use of more personal interactions or through viral social media messaging.
- Example:
- When United Airlines was launching their new low-cost carrier, called TED, they took out ads that said ‘Knock knock. Who’s there? Ted.
- A guy named ‘Ted’ paid for lunch at diners around the country.
- Fields were mowed to spell out ‘Ted.’
- People with signs that said ‘Ted’ walked around downtown Denver and at Nuggets basketball games.
- The people doing this were paid to do it but didn’t know why.
- Only later did United announce what TED actually was.
- United was using guerilla marketing to drum up interest prior to the formal launch.
- Example: Diagnostic Excellence
- Poster in non-patient hospitalist common areas (e.g., work room) with ‘6,918 (9/9/24)’—i.e., the number of patients impacted by diagnostic errors at your site—just the number and the Launch Date.
- Poster with ‘7% (9/9/24)’--number of deaths that had an error contribute—just the number and Launch Date
- Poster with ‘$34,100,562 (9/9/24)—cost to the organization of diagnostic errors and the Launch Date.
- Poster with just the Launch Date.
- Flash Mobs
- 1-2 times per month.
- Either can send email the morning of or make it a set date/time (e.g., 3rd Wednesday of the month at 2pm).
- These should be 30 minutes, have coffee/tea/food, and a prompt for discussion. The discussion should meaningfully increase your understanding of an issue.
- Prompts can include things like how can we address xxx issue that’s come up in our case review, etc. Or, why do you think this yyy is happening.
- Develop a tracking board
- This should be prominently displayed in a common space for your providers.
- Should include number of cases reviewed, benchmarked data and references to interventions sparked by your learnings.
- Swag
- People like getting tangible items.
- Mugs, pens, badge wheels, pins, stickers, etc.
- Celebrations
- See Celebrations Module and below.
- This celebration begins to bring in the late majority who are sympathetic but also skeptical. Showing them positive momentum can bring them into the movement.
- These wins emphasize the behavior you want to see and the outcomes you intend to grow. It allows people to experience the change they want.
- Celebrations
- Excellence in Diagnosis (Ex Dx, Great Catch, etc.) Awards
- This is an awards program that should encourage people to highlight the great work of others in diagnosis.
- These should be sent out via email to the entire group with the nominating person.
- The goal is to generate at least one of these per week.
- See celebration module for more information.
- Milestones
- For example: 10th case review, 50th case review, first intervention based on findings from case review.
- Excellence in Diagnosis (Ex Dx, Great Catch, etc.) Awards
Pro Tips
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