| | December 20158UTLOOK Healthcare Tech OpinionIn myThere are very few IT leaders who do not feel overwhelmed today. Between the never-ending list of user requests, scalability and sustainability problems within the IT infrastructure, as well as compliance and regulatory needs, there is no time to think about getting ahead.I have been blessed over the past years to take direction from leaders who have prepared me for taking on increasing responsibilities. When I reflect on the guidance it often stands out as contradictions. Contradictions don't sound like a plausible means to solve many of our most complicated and time-consuming problems, but experience is telling me that it is absolutely correct; it's also rooted in psychology.According to Wikipedia, "Leon Festinger's theory of cognitive dissonance focuses on how humans strive for internal consistency. An individual who experiences inconsistency (dissonance) tends to become psychologically uncomfortable, and is motivated to try to reduce this dissonance--as well as actively avoid situations and information likely to increase it." Being uncomfortable sure doesn't sound appealing, but to a motivated IT leader who is determined to succeed, it can stoke a hearty fire that can knock down walls. I'll call out a few here.Slow Down to Speed UpWe are all busy. Busy, busy, busy. Responding to emails at all hours of the day, night and weekend. Many of us are perpetually racing against a competitor that we cannot see or maybe even name. We just know that we need to "get caught up", which never happens. Aside from your own discomfort, what would actually happen if you took a 30min walk in the middle of the day? Would the system crash? Would something happen that you yourself would have been able to single-handedly prevent during that time?A hurried workforce is rarely effective. Joe Deney, SVP of Customer Operations at Peak 10 says, "A well-run manufacturing facility is a quiet facility without people running about." Unless you make your business responding to external events that you have no control over (fire fighters, law enforcement, military) you can always find the time to pause and reflect on your situation.Getting your team to slow down in order to speed up is not an easy task. Inertia is an incredibly difficult force to repel. Remember, people strive for internal consistency and when that is challenged stress ensues. Even if you are insanely busy, you will perceive a "non-busy" state as impossible, something incongruent with the world as you currently know it. This is cognitive dissonance in action and those persons who are able to recognize it and move into and ultimately against it are able to create real change in their organizations.Managing Contradictions Can Lead to SuccessBy Randy Franklin, VP & CIO, Informatics and Technology Services, Premier, IncRandy Franklin
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