The loneliness of the evidence-based manager.

A recent story related to the Sichuan, China earthquake highlights how difficult it sometimes is to be an agent of change, even when you've got solid evidence to back you up. But it also shows why it's worth doing.

The director of the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, Zhang Zhihe, has struggled to build the center into a first-rate facility. But he had to overcome strong beliefs about how pandas should be raised in captivity -- and that wasn't easy. According to the NPR story, "A few years ago, Zhang did something revolutionary at the panda base. At the time, the staff was feeding the pandas a diet heavy on grains and dairy, convinced that a human diet was best. But Zhang observed that the pandas weren't healthy — they were chronically ill and exhibited stunted development — and decided to change their diet and feed them mainly bamboo" (the typical diet for pandas in the wild).

Risk... "It sounds simple, but he was bucking a rigid system — and the decision took a toll. Zhang says it was a very difficult time for him. 'I couldn't sleep for many, many nights.'" Apparently he argued with his staff at length about the diet decision, and the stress was so severe that "Zhang became physically ill and even lost his voice for months."

...followed by reward. "But he did it. And the change in the health of these animals over the last two years is even greater than I would have expected it to be," said Kati Loeffler, the base's director of animal health. (On a sad note, they're now worried about the bamboo supply, because their primary source was near the earthquake's epicenter.)

Be the change. Next time I want to throw myself a pity party because it feels like I'm the only one advocating for evidence-based management, I'll think of Zhang Zhihe.