title: Denial and immunity to change: it starts with the leader.
abstract: It is common for leaders to be confronted with resistance that makes forward progress impossible. The easiest action for the leader is to label the resistance as denial. Labeling behaviors that do not agree with expectations is one way leaders keep their immune system intact and fight off valuable feedback. The enlightened, well-developed leader is aware of her/his own immune system and can monitor the filtering system effectively. We have many opportunities to help organizations and leaders think through the roadmap that makes our immune systems switch off when new, helpful information is trying to enter.
authors.affiliation: Aurora Health System, Milwaukee, WI, USA. karlene.kerfoot@aurora.org
authors.forename: Karlene M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Kerfoot
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003142:Communication; D003717:Denial, Psychological; D034462:Dissent and Disputes; D030141:Feedback, Psychological; D006801:Humans; D007400:Interprofessional Relations; D007857:Leadership; D009718:Nurse Administrators / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000523:psychology; D009740:Nursing Staff / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000523:psychology; D009936:Organizational Innovation; D012647:Self-Assessment; D013240:Stereotyping; D013850:Thinking