ABSTRACT
Business planning in general practice is a means to an end, rather than an end in itself. It is a set of tools that will enable a practice to make the best use of its resources. The first step in managing any change effectively is to secure agreement among the practice team that a change away from present practice is needed at all. Information also needs to be gathered as to how the change might benefit individual members of the team, for example in the form of training, personal development opportunities, or potential publications. This chapter explores specific techniques for overcoming resistance to change. The techniques include demonstration, support, mapping key relationships, negotiation, manipulation and coercion. Building an evaluation framework and a time-scale for review into the change process will help to ensure that all staff are kept informed of early successes and have the opportunity to learn from any mistakes.
