Total System Change Intervention: The Need for Inclusion

Organizations interested in total system change often over-focus efforts on new policies and procedures, as if transformation can be accomplished solely by rewriting the rule book. When we talk about organizational culture and total system we are talking about the collective mindsets and behaviors of the people within an organization: how they interact with and treat each other; how they partner and work as teams; how they recognize a team's performance as key to organizational success; how each person brings their ideas, perspectives, and experience to work; and how the workforce joins leaders and leaders join the workforce. Mindsets drive behavior, behavior drives performance, and consistent performance leads to sustainability. Focusing on mindsets and behaviors is critical if you want to drive higher operational performance.