By Kristin Baird

Patient experience literature is loaded with information about best practices. It’s tempting to dive right in and start implementing these tactics but without a supportive culture, those best practices will fail.

I see it all the time. Leaders from various healthcare organizations will tell us, “We tried [insert best practice here] and it didn’t work.” That comment always gets to me. A faulty piece of equipment doesn’t work, but when we’re talking about best practices like executive rounding or hourly rounding, it’s the execution that fails.

When we delve a bit deeper, we inevitably find that the best practice tactic failed due to lack of accountability and ownership. If your culture lacks accountability and ownership, no best practice will stick.

When it comes to improving the patient experience, I find that there is no shortage of tactics. There is, however, a shortage of leadership and a shortage of cultures ready to foster best practices.

Not long ago, my team and I were doing a culture assessment that helped reveal valuable insights. During focus groups with employees, we heard over and over, “Nothing sticks here. There’s no follow-through and no consequences.” Even the executives shared the same sentiment which was astounding to me.

It was clearly a culture that lacked accountability and ownership. Being passionate about service without follow-through won’t achieve your goals.

If you find that you are spinning your wheels trying to implement best practices that don’t stick, it’s time to look deeper at your culture:
What are the beliefs and attitudes among staff and managers that may be holding you back? What are the leadership practices that help or hinder your progress? Delve deeper and you may find that it’s the culture preventing progress.

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By Donna Cardillo

While recently accompanying a man who had just been admitted to the hospital, the nurse looked at his wife and asked, “Are you his P-O-A?”

We all (including me) looked dumbfounded so she repeated the question a little louder. I finally spoke up and said, “You’ll have to tell us what “P-O-A” stands for. She replied, “Power of Attorney.” OK, now at least I knew what she meant but the patient and his wife were still not sure how to answer.
Another nurse came in and told the same patient that he would be getting “FFP”. Once again, even I did not know what it stood for so I asked. The answer: fresh frozen plasma. Even at that, the patient had absolutely no idea what that was or what it meant. I politely asked the nurse, “Can you please explain to them what that is and why he’s getting it?” So she did.

​A fellow nurse relayed a story about taking her elderly aunt to be admitted to a rehabilitation facility. The admitting personnel asked the older women if she was a “DNR” which most healthcare folks know stands for “Do Not Resuscitate.” Just as in my first example, when the woman did not respond, the admitting person repeated the question a few decibels louder.

When the nurse who had accompanied the patient to the hospital explained what they were asking, and after the poor patient had also just been asked if she knew which funeral home she would be using, went into a panic saying, “Don’t put me away yet. I came for therapy — right?”

OK, I understand that certain questions need to be asked but if we have gotten so entrenched in filling out forms and checking off boxes that we can’t or don’t consider to whom we are speaking or why, how our words will be perceived or understood (or misunderstood), and why we even have a job in the first place, then we need to take a step back and refocus.

A friend of mine’s husband was once diagnosed with a serious neurological disorder. He was close to death and she asked his physician whether he would survive. By her own admission, she was hanging expectantly on his every word, looking for some reassurance. The answer she got: “This is a self-limiting disease. Your husband has a fulminant case. It could prove to be lethal.” Honestly, I’m not even sure what that means myself, and I’ve been in healthcare for a long time. When, at a later date, she questioned the same physician about whether her husband was ready to be discharged for rehab, he said, “This disease is typically monophasic – his clinical signs are improving.” My friend, who is not a medical person, was happy her husband was improving but still didn’t get an answer to her question.

You may be thinking, “These are extreme examples.” But I’m not so sure about that. We get so locked into our own world sometimes we simply lose our ability to relate to those we serve. There are times when nurses and other healthcare folks don’t even understand each other! Fellow nurses often make statements to me loaded with acronyms, abbreviated words, and the jargon of their particular specialty. I frequently do not understand what a nursing colleague is saying and have to ask for a translation.

So, just a reminder for all of us, including me, wherever you work, or whenever you are speaking to lay people (even other healthcare folks), speak in plain simple English. Use whole words instead of acronyms but avoid jargon and medical terminology as much as possible. If you do need to use jargon, at least explain what it means.

Also consider to whom you are speaking and how your words, including your questions, may be interpreted. If you speak and people don’t understand what you say, you may as well remain silent. And once you lose your ability to communicate clearly, effectively, and compassionately, you lose your effectiveness as a care provider.

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By Steve Berkowitz

The scene is all too familiar: a physician in the Medical Group suddenly leaves or develops an extended illness.  An atmosphere of panic pervades the clinic. Who will see that physician’s patients?  How quickly can we get another physician? Where do we recruit? What do we do in the mean time?

All Medical Groups face these situations on a regular basis. Having consulted with many Medical Groups across the country over the years around the issue of recruitment and retention, here are some tips that should be considered by your Group:

1. Develop and Implement a Recruitment Plan for the Medical Group. Ideally, this plan should be in place BEFORE the event. Several factors must be considered in the successful development of this plan.  Importantly, it must tie to the overall needs of the Group and must be an integral component of Group’s Strategic Plan.

There are several key issues to consider: The Group must first determine which services/specialties are needed within the Group as well as the costs/benefits of providing such services. Then it must be determined if there is a specific need within those services. Multiple issues to consider include the desired/ ideal panel sizes for primary care, productivity assessments for all current physicians, geographical or office coverage issues, and the potential for growth, to name a few. These factors determine the ideal number of physicians for each specialty in a given geography and the Group can objectively determine if there is a gap and whether recruitment is even necessary.

The recruitment plan, like the Strategic Plan, should be periodically reviewed and adjusted as the needs of the Group change.

2. Develop a Medical Group Charter. This document defines the ideal physician for the group in terms of the Group’s mission, vision, and values as well as acknowledging the cultural issues, both overt and covert, that exist within the Group. The cultural piece needs to be discussed openly and frankly amongst the providers. For example, does the Group expect high productivity/ high compensation amongst its physicians, or does the Group “set the thermostat” at a lower workload/ lower pay expectation? These cultural expectations are critical to discuss especially as one considers the compatibility of future recruits.

The Charter becomes an integral part of not only the recruitment process, but also a part of the compensation/ incentive program for the Medical Group, as those physicians who most embody the spirit of the Charter should be those most rewarded in the compensation plan.

3. Just because a physician leaves the Group does not mean an additional physician should be recruited. A recruitment plan is not a glorified replacement plan. Despite the chaos that can ensue with a sudden physician vacancy, as described above, there is now an opportunity for the Group to reevaluate the need for recruitment. Do not get cajoled into thinking that just because a physician has left, there is an automatic need to recruit another.  There may be other options for the Group to consider, such as redistributing patients to other, less busy physicians.

4. Utilize a standardized process for recruitment. As new physicians are added, the Group needs to develop a consistent methodology to most insure hiring the best physician. It is imperative that the recruited physician have a reasonable understanding of what will be expected by the Group. Compatibility with the Group Charter is essential.  Group expectations in productivity, on-call and work/life balance must be clearly articulated.

It is important that as many members of the Group as possible personally evaluate the applicant. Likewise, the applicant should have the opportunity to interview as many of the physicians in the Group as possible. Both parties must honestly assess the situation and make the best decision objectively. It is OK for either party to disagree and walk away.

The worst-case scenario is not the absence of the physician, but rather the “miss-hiring” of the wrong physician.  The inappropriate hire can be considerably costly to the group in many ways down the road.

5. Develop a strategy for physician retention. Turnover has a considerable cost in terms of lost patient visits, lost time in diagnosis/treatment of patients, increased workload for the remaining physicians, and the time-consuming and expensive process of finding a physician and acclimating that physician to the Group.  By and large, turnover should be minimized.

However, one must acknowledge that some turnover is good—not only if there is a quality or competency issue, but also if that physician does not fit in with the culture of the Group, or is not compatible with the values of the Medical Group Charter.

But the huge cost of turnover should be recognized by the Medical Group. Physician retention is the best way to minimize the need for recruitment.   What is being done by the Medical Group to encourage the good physician to stay?  Ideally, recruitment should be reserved for Medical Group growth.

Many groups routinely assess the satisfaction of the physicians, and adapt accordingly.  Your Group should strive to be the ideal place to practice medicine in the community.  Are you creating an environment where the good physician wants to stay?  Are symptoms of burnout promptly recognized and addressed?  Are there long-term benefits and incentives in the compensation program?

6. Leaving is the final step in the process of being dissatisfied.  What are you doing to recognize physician dissatisfaction early on, and what are you doing about it?  Many times, appropriate intervention can obviate the need for the physician to leave.  There is a great opportunity here for "preventive medicine."

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By Vicki Hess

Happiness at work is a hot topic. You probably hear people talking about it in the hallways and break rooms. 

Whose job is it to make folks happy at work?
You won’t be surprised that I’m going to say that the primary responsibility lies with the individual (that’s you) to create his or her own Professional Paradise. In thoughtful moments, that’s the only logical response; however, there are times when senior leaders, managers, coworkers and customers/patients all impact the equation. As with most things at work, It’s a shared responsibility. Now that we have the responsibly piece cleared up, let’s get more specific. 

What are things that positively influence your ability to be satisfied, energized & productive?

Take a quick break. Stop what you’re working on and jot down your answers. To prompt your  brainstorming, here are two things that I frequently hear that positively influence someone’s ability to be satisfied, energized & productive:

1. Having the resources to do my job
2. Teamwork

Give yourself a few minutes to think. There’s no rush. Include at least 6 answers on your list. Go beyond the top of mind responses and dig a little deeper. The answers are different for everyone and there are no incorrect responses.

Now that you’ve made your list, the next step is to “code” the list according to who is responsible for each influencer.

M = Myself
L = My Leader
O = Organization/Senior Leaders
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I recently asked this question at a workshop for healthcare leaders and frontline staff. We focused on the “M” and “L” categories because those are within the span of control of the participants. It’s fine to list things that are influenced by the Organization/Senior Leaders…you just have to be willing to follow up with those folks to prompt change in those areas.

Here’s the great news. The items that you listed with an “M” can be influenced TODAY and tomorrow and the next day. You’ve got the power to create your own Professional Paradise no matter what is happening around you and your coworkers do too.

Take it to the Team
​Imagine the power of this discussion with the whole team. Those Chain Gang Members (disengaged employees) will not like the responses that include an “M” because it’s always easier to point fingers and blame others for creating our own happiness at work. When you do that, you can remain a passenger who waits for others to fix everything. 

If you are reading this, I’m hoping you are a Chief Paradise Officer who wants to be in the driver’s seat. I’m hoping you are a leader who wants to support those on your team as they create their own Professional Paradise.

Wrapping up, the last step is to write down one or two things you could do today to be more satisfied, energized & productive. This can’t be something you need someone else’s help with. It’s all about you. Because at the end of the day, that’s the only person you can totally influence so why not start there.

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By Beth Boynton

​Let’s face it, nurses — we’re all different! Millennials grew up with rapid advances and total comfort with technology, more progressive values about women in society and the workplace, and a heightened sense of boundaries and limit-setting. There is so much that Baby Boomer nurses can learn from their Millennial nurse peers. Boomer nurses, on the other hand, have years of valuable experience despite the challenges of providing care amidst inadequate staffing, bullying, and toxic workplace cultures.
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I have no doubt that if we can build relationships and respect our differences, the things we can learn from each other will have a positive impact on patient care, career paths, and the nursing profession. 
Here are seven tips to help Millennial and Boomer nurses create bridges to thriving interprofessional relationships and all sorts of positive outcomes:

1. Recognize the inherent value in diversity. 
Sometimes our differences are overshadowed by fears or power struggles that are hurtful and keep us separated. Yet diversity is an element of complex adaptive systems that allows for a variety of creative ideas. When the clinically seasoned Boomer nurse joins forces with the tech-savvy Millennial, the possibilities for problem-solving in any given situation are much more than the sum of two parts.

2. Be curious!  
I’ve heard Boomer nurses make unkind and generalized remarks about Millennials and visa versa. Is this necessary? Curiosity is a fundamental listening skill that requires focusing on what we don’t know about another person and a willingness to suspend judgment. Rather than making assumptions about experiences, behaviors, or intentions, consider being curious.  

3. Invite dialogue.  
If you’re a Baby Boomer, use your curiosity to find out what it’s like to be a new nurse in today’s healthcare system. What are the challenges and rewards that your Millennial colleagues are hoping for?  If you’re a Millennial, do you ever wonder what it’s been like to practice nursing with chronic problems like toxic cultures and bullying? Taking the initiative to learn more about each other will automatically build relationships. I bet you’ll have some really interesting conversations, too!

4. When values conflict, show ownership for yours.  
If you don’t like the way someone else is behaving, reflect about what’s going on for you. A Boomer who thinks a Millennial is lazy might really be feeling resentful because their young colleague seems to have a healthier work-life balance and personal boundaries. If that Boomer can identify and deal with such feelings, they’ll have the potential to improve their own self-care. 

5. Validate differences with respect.  
Millennial nurses may find themselves surrounded by Boomer nurses who have much valuable knowledge and skills coupled with very bad habits in terms of bullying and incivility. If younger nurses can express respect for seasoned nurses’ experience while clearly stating that inappropriate behavior is not OK, a whole world of relationships and learning opens up.
 
6. Ask for what you need from each other.  
Do you need help with a decision to call a physician? How about help with the new EMR? In a healthy team of Millennials and Boomers, there’s a dynamic exchange of expertise — and if there isn’t, this is one way to get that ball rolling.

7. Show gratitude for what your colleagues bring to the table! 
Millennial to Boomer:  “Thank you so much for your support when Mr. Jones passed away. He was my first patient death.”  
Boomer to Millennial: “Thank you so much for helping me figure out how to program that new IV pump. I couldn’t get it to work right.”

Conclusion
Yes, Millennials and Boomers are different, and sometimes differences create tensions that interfere with learning, communication, patient care, and mutual appreciation. Can you envision trying out any of these tips on younger or older colleagues? If you can, let us know how it turns out!

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By Ron Culbertson. With a master’s degree in social work, Ron Culberson spent the first part of his career working in a large hospice organization as a clinical social worker, middle manager, and senior leader.  As a speaker, humorist, and author of "Do it Well. Make it Fun.The Key to Success in Life, Death, and Almost Everything in Between", he has delivered more than 1,000 presentations to associations, government agencies, non-profit organizations, and corporations.  His mission is to change the workplace culture so that organizations are more productive and staff are more content. He was also the 2012-2013 president of the National Speakers Association and is a recognized expert on the benefits of humor and laughter.​

I came across an article online a few days ago that I thought a friend would appreciate. At the top of the page was a “Share” button.

I clicked the button and an email window popped up with the title of the article inserted in the subject line and a link to the article embedded in the body of the email. I entered my friend’s email address, wrote “thought you might enjoy this,” and hit “Send.”

In less than thirty seconds, I had shared a valuable piece of information with a friend. It was too easy.

Now that I think about it, sharing information has always been easy for me. Some might even say that I over-share, as I tend to include a lot of personal information in my books and blogs. When I wrote a local newspaper column a few years ago, I found that a personal approach not only led to the most interesting topics, it also seemed to connect best with the readers. However, my children were not always thrilled about the way I shared our family’s experiences.

My daughter was annoyed because I once wrote that I had more Facebook friends than she had. It was true. But for a teenager, it’s kinda tough when your dad tries to out-friend you. Another time, my son just couldn’t understand why anyone would care that he hopped to his seat during a karate demonstration. Believe me, it was black-belt hilarious. My wife, on the other hand, is just used to it. She knows that I’m just a bit odd and she has perfected her eye-rolling response.

Further, because of my personal sharing tendencies, many of you readers know that I have a fear of snakes, that I proudly reflect light off of my balding head, and that I can consume a single Cinnabon in record-breaking time. While these details might disclose more than some people would choose to share, I’ve found that a significant human connection occurs when I share my daily foibles.

Sharing has the potential to help us understand one another better and thus deepen our relationships. The problem is that we’re not all as proficient at sharing as we could be. Some of us share naturally, some of us share too much too quickly, and some of us don’t share at all.

For instance, I love to meet someone at a conference and find out that we have a friend or an experience in common. I’m not as thrilled to sit next to someone on an airplane and instantly learn that they have an advanced case of toe fungus. And, I always feel awkward when I share some personal information with someone who just nods or says, “Oh.”

While we communicate to one another using a variety of different styles, perhaps there are a couple of ways we can hit the share button more effectively.

In the book “The Tipping Point,” Malcolm Gladwell focuses on how little things make a big difference in creating change or causing ideas to spread. He refers to the role that people play in this process and specifically describes “Connectors” and “Mavens”.

Connectors are the people who know a lot of people and can connect us to others who may provide some benefit to us. Mavens, on the other hand, are the people who know a lot of valuable things and can connect us to information that we might need.

If you’ve ever needed a recommendation for a plumber or were updating your kitchen, you know how helpful it is when your neighbor tells you how much they love Rusty The Plumber but warns you to stay away from Open-N-Shut Cabinet Company. Similarly, if you’ve ever had cancer or another serious health challenge, you know how helpful it is to talk with someone who has gone through a similar experience and can provide access to the information that may help you cope.

Sharing contacts or information is not only helpful, it brings us together as people who are all wanting the same thing—to enjoy life and to manage through it as smoothly as possible.

But information about people or things is not the only items we can share. We can also share our experiences, feelings, and opinions. When I facilitated hospice bereavement groups, one of the most frequent comments I heard from participants was, “I thought I was the only one who felt this way.” After hearing other people share their feelings, the group members felt less isolated, less unusual, and less “crazy.” Just knowing they weren’t losing their mind was a big relief. But this would not have happened if the people weren’t willing to share.

In Deborah Tannen’s landmark book, “You Just Don’t Understand,“ she describes how most women connect to one another by building rapport through the sharing of feelings and experiences. There is a lesson to be learned from Tannen’s work as well as from the feedback in my hospice groups. We feel less alone in the world when we know that others have been on a similar journey. And the way we discover these similarities is by sharing our experiences with one other.
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Finally, it is important to realize that the key to effective sharing is to listen to other people and to understand their needs. Paying attention gives us the cues we need to share the most appropriate information, contacts, and experiences. When we connect in this way, we help. And when we help, we are not only building better relationships, we are making the world a better place. It’s all about hitting the share button with the right information for the right person in the right situation.

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By Colette Carlson
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Change is inevitable. As humans, we reject change naturally because we are creatures of habit. Even the most adventurous individuals often long for rituals and everyday normal routines. After all, consistency and control over our schedule lowers our stress.

Yet, if you strive to be a leader and a person of influence in your place of business, rather than ignore change or push it away, why not lead the way?

Here are 3 ways to make the most of change in your influential path:

#1- Commit
In business, you often hear, “Change takes time.” Truth. Leaders need to give themselves and others an adjustment period when agendas shift. However, even greater than time, change takes commitment. Show others through your thoughts, words, and actions there is no turning back. Continue to share the why, gather input to create buy-in, and provide positive encouragement as you move forward.

Speak privately and directly to anyone who continues to live life in the past lane. Always remember to connect first through empathy. “Bill, I’m aware of how challenging this recent change has been, especially on your department. The brunt of the changes falls on your plate, and I can only imagine how overwhelming it must feel. However, for all of us to succeed, I’m going to need your commitment to finding solutions, rather than sharing your frustrations with others on the team.” 

You don’t have to be someone’s supervisor to speak up if your daily coffee includes daily complaining from a colleague. Individual contributors can simply say in a playful tone of voice, “Angela, I’m as frustrated as you regarding all the recent changes to our workflow. My way of coping is to focus only on what I have control over, and let the rest go. Let’s help each other by spending as little time talking about this as possible!”

#2 – Expect Growing Pains
Think of change as a baby mobile hanging above a child’s crib. When the baby swats any one of the dangling items, the entire mobile moves. Change has a powerful impact on personal connectivity for the same reason. When you change, everyone around you is impacted.

Following a recent presentation, I was approached by a newly-appointed leader concerned about the emotional distance her prior colleagues showed during a meeting. Turns out a few of them vied for the position, and their congrats felt less than sincere. My advice: Act like a leader. Be fair, firm, humble, and inclusive. Show up with a smile and model the behavior. You can’t expect everything to stay the same when you grow to the next level, so expect some growing pains.

If you’ve attended my programs, you’ve probably heard me say your success is in direct proportion to your ability to connect. To effectively nurture relationships. Having said that, during change, relationships that aren’t in alignment with the direction you’re heading will morph. That’s okay. That’s life. Hold on tight to relationships that genuinely support positive change in your life. Release the rest to make room to cultivate new connections you can learn from and serve.

#3 – Have Patience
Some days the world seems like it moves at the speed of light. Other days, like a snail on valium.  Projects flow and then come to a screeching halt as suddenly it seems everyone is on vacation. One moment you’re charging hard one direction, only to have to shift gears at a moment’s notice. This ebb and flow is part of life. When we expect change to happen faster than humanely possible, we set ourselves and our teams up to fail.

Help yourself and others succeed by setting realistic goals from the beginning. Rather than succumb to unrealistic deadlines pushed on your department, build a case for creating a true timeline using facts and figures from prior projects. Educate versus complain.

Furthermore, consciously choose to be patient with people and processes as priorities change. Flipping out, loudly sighing, rolling your eyes, or blaming others doesn’t change the situation. Nor does it motivate others. Show some Emotional Intelligence and take a breath, take a walk, take a moment to talk yourself back towards reality. Gather the troops, refocus, and take action on the next best step.

Let me know how these 3 steps toward change impact your influence, connections and outcomes!

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This was originally posted on JohnOLearyInspires.com. When John O'Leary was 9 years old, he suffered burns over 100% of his body and was expected to die. He is now an inspirational speaker and bestselling author, teaching more than 50,000 people around the world each year how to live inspired. John's first book, ON FIRE: The 7 Choices to Ignite a Radically Inspired Life, was published March 15, 2016. John is a contributing writer for Huff Post and Parade.com. John is a proud husband and father of four and resides in St. Louis, MO. Order John’s book today anywhere books are sold.

Last weekend, my siblings came in town with their kids. Our Mom and Dad wanted to capture the gathering with a quick picture with their grandchildren.
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My siblings and I corralled the nineteen grandchildren (ages 14, 13, 11, 11, 11, 10, 9, 9, 8, 7, 7, 5, 5, 4, 3, 2, 15 months, 9 months and 4 months). We shepherded my father from the house to a little couch in the side yard. Mom followed and sat next to him. One by one the kids filed around them.

As we worked to get a formation where 21 faces could be seen, chaos erupted.

A little girl became upset (her brother was teasing her); a little boy started crying (convinced he’d contracted Lyme disease, unlikely as he’d been bitten by a mosquito, not a tic); a two-year-old wanted nothing to do with the picture (a promise of limitless ice cream could not change her mind).

And yet, through teasing and tears, bug bites and chaos, we got a picture to commemorate the gathering.

More than that, from the experience, these three life lessons came into focus:

1.“Love is a Verb.” As one parent ran to get a favorite toy for an upset child, another helped with a crying baby. As one cleaned up spit up, another brushed the hair of a child whose roughhousing disheveled it.
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In love, there is no passivity, no sitting back, no waiting for others to jump in. Real love demands action. Love is the great motivator and compels continual forgiveness, persistent compassion and striving toward something even bigger than itself.

2. Life requires adaptability. As more little ones came around their grandparents, everyone had to shuffle to make room and make sure everyone could be seen.

Most of us are creatures of habit and like things as they were. “The good ole days” isn’t just the beginning of a story our grandparents shared, but one now repeated by most of us! It’s critical to remember and celebrate that life is constantly in flux, otherwise, we’re at risk to be driven toward protectionism and longing for a past that will never exist again.

3. Perfection is unattainable. The majority of Facebook posts and holiday cards are Photo-shopped or at least only THE BEST photo of hundreds taken before it. It also turns out when someone responds that everything is ‘just perfect’ in their work, finances, family, and life: They likely aren’t telling the entire story.

Life isn’t perfect. It can be messy, sad, unfair and undignified. And yet, seasons of adversity are often followed by joy, with overlap between the two. Instead of pretending all is perfect, be okay with the mess life can occasionally be; instead of being disappointed at what you did not perfectly capture, be grateful for all that you did.

For you see, in looking back, the best pictures, experiences, and memories often aren’t the ones we envisioned, but the unexpected ones we were lucky enough to experience.

Our final picture includes a 2-year-old with tears streaming down her face fleeing, a girl in the back moving away from her brother’s teasing, a young boy despondent by self-diagnosed Lyme disease, grandparents trying to hold onto their 19 grandchildren and a bunch of unseen parents behind the lens encouraging (and threatening!) their children to look at the camera and smile.

This picture captured two grandparents, with a combined 14 decades of ups and downs during life, surrounded by 19 grandchildren in various stages of growth, distress, joy, tears, smiles, fears, hopes and dreams.

In other words, the final picture captured one moment, in one family’s life, perfectly.
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My friends, being happy doesn’t mean that everything is perfect. It simply means that you’ve decided to look past the imperfections.

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By Kristin Baird

It’s no secret that employee engagement is pivotal in creating a great patient experience. But even beyond that, engaged employees are much more likely to stay, produce more, and ultimately contribute to the organization’s success.

The question is: what does it take to engage employees and become a great place to work?

I’ve seen many organizations grapple with these questions and embark on complex, multi-level, multi-year plans. Most start with an employee engagement survey in order to identify the issues and where there may be pockets of particularly disengaged associates. All of this is helpful in preparing a comprehensive action plan. But sometimes, part of the solution is much simpler and straight forward – and it’s right under their noses.
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A few weeks ago, my colleagues and I were conducting employee focus groups as part of a larger culture assessment. During the focus group, we asked, “If you could wave a magic wand to change one thing that would improve the culture, what would that be?”

One person spoke up and said, “I’d have the doctors look me in the eye and say hello. We spend all day, every day making sure they have what the need so they can be efficient and organized. They don’t even bother saying hello.”  I saw unanimous head-nodding in response to this statement.

Another participant spoke up and added, “I volunteered to help out another medical practice during a maternity leave. For four months I sat at the front desk, registering patients, taking calls, and scheduling. For four months, every day I would greet every one of the doctors entering the practice. They didn’t look at me for the most part and rarely responded to my greeting. After four months, not one of them knew my name. I felt like I really didn’t matter. I’m good at my job. I deliver great customer service, but in reality, I don’t matter here.”

These statements were heartbreaking. They provided a great reminder that engagement starts with showing respect and common courtesy to one another.

Although this example cited physicians, there have been many similar discussions pointing out the same issues with leaders or other staff. What the employees described are observable behaviors. Leaders owe it to the rest of the team to watch for this type of behavior and address it immediately.

Want to change the culture? Start with hello. It’s free, doesn’t take extensive training, and you can start right now.

Looking for your next healthcare speaker? Get in touch with us today to make your healthcare event a success!