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By Jack Uldrich
In between all of the presidential tweets, catastrophic rain storms, fires and hurricanes, sexual harassment scandals, and Bitcoin mania, it is sometimes hard to remember that technological change is accelerating and, as it does, the world continues to evolve. Over the past year, a number of developments have occurred, but below are ten which I believe could be real “game-changers.” The majority may appear to relate to healthcare (and they do), but the advances in artificial intelligence, self-learning computer chips, and quantum software will accelerate progress in a myriad of other industries. 1. Alien Intelligence. Imagine a robot with no knowledge of an internal combustion engine being given thousands of bolts, screws, panels and parts and then constructing a high-performance automobile within a matter of hours. It sounds impossible, right? Well, artificial intelligence experts have done something comparable by getting a computer to master the game of chess with no human input in just 24 hours. This is a game-changer for a two reasons. First, it suggests that an “alien intelligence” has been created. I say “alien” because with no human input, the computer, which was only given the rules of the game, came up with novel methods to win games that had evaded the world’s best chess players since the game was first created. This then leads the second game-changer: “Alien Intelligence” may soon be able to apply the “rules” of other fields, including biology, chemistry, logistics, manufacturing, pharmacology, traffic, and travel–to rapidly create innovative solutions to complex problems. What this implies is that machines may soon be doing everything from reducing gridlock by more effectively managing traffic to creating personalized drugs to cure people of diseases that they didn’t even know they had. 2. Genetic Sleuthing. Curing a person of a disease that they don’t even know they have may sound like science fiction, but it is now moving closer to reality. This is because Google recently released a tool called DeepVariant that applies artificial intelligence to sequencing data to build a more complete picture of a person’s genome. In addition to teasing out the genetic causes of diseases, this information will help better identify potential drug therapies. While DeepVariant is impressive, what is facilitating this revolution is the sheer torrent of genomic data that is being created, analyzed, and turned into useful insights via artificial intelligence. In the UK, 500,000 people are sharing genetic data via UK Biobank; in China, Kadoorie Biobank has recruited a half million people; and in the United States Stanford University has created the Global Biobank Engine. The net impact is that people the world over–by comparing their genetic information against millions of others–will soon begin to have a better understanding of their genome and their unique potential health concerns thanks to artificial intelligence. 3. Chemical Surgery. The first shot in the medical revolution of curing diseases before they start was fired this year at Sun Yat-sen University when scientists performed “chemical surgery” on a human embryo. Beta-thalassemia is a potentially life-threatening blood disorder caused by a change to single base in the genetic code and it might soon be cured by replacing a single, errant gene through a procedure known as “base editing.” That embryo was not implanted, but the treatment suggests that in the near future a number of inherited diseases may be treated and eliminated before a person is even born. (A similar experiment was also conducted at the Oregon Health and Science University this year.) 4. Molecular Scissors. As positive as “chemical surgery” may be, there may be even better news for those already inflicted with gene-related diseases. Earlier this year, scientists attempted to cure a patient’s Hunter Syndrome by permanently modifying their DNA. The technology employed is called zinc finger nucleases and the procedure has been likened to a pair of “molecular scissors” that can identify and cut out a specific piece of DNA. The modified DNA–which is hoped will cure the disease–then becomes a part of the person’s DNA and will remain there for the rest of the person’s life. The technique won’t fix the damage someone has already suffered, but it is expected that the technique may soon be applied to embryos and keep young people from getting the disease in the first place. 5. CRISPR-Carrying Nanoparticles. One of the problems associated with “molecular scissors” and “chemical surgery” is that they rely on viruses to shepard the gene-modifying tools into human cells. The downside is that these viruses can sometimes trigger antibodies to fight the virus. Researchers at MIT have now developed new nanoparticles that could eliminate the need to use viruses. In addition to not triggering antibodies, these nanoparticles have the added advantage of better targeting the errant gene. This, in turn, may eliminate problems associated with genes ending up in the wrong place and causing unintended problems. 6. Cancer Vaccine & “Kill Switches". Moderna, a Cambridge, Massachusetts-based startup, has developed what it claims is a new process that allows a patient’s body to use mRNA to make its own medicine. The process hijacks a cell’s protein-making mechanism to teach the body how to recognize targets that appear only on cancer cells. Longer-term, the company hopes to create programs for infectious diseases, cardiovascular disorders and rare diseases. In a related development, researchers at Northwestern have identified small RNA molecules which might be used to prompt cancer cells to commit suicide. 7. Self-Learning Neuromorphic Computer Chips. If it seems that technological advances are arriving faster than ever, it is because they are. One reason for this is that mankind’s tools of discovery are getting increasingly powerful. A wonderful example of this is Intel’s new Loihi computer chip–a “self learning neuromorphic computer chip.” The chip mimics the human brain and gets smarter over time by constantly using data to learn and make inferences. Today, for example, a computer chip in an automobile can recognize a young child and a ball. With self-learning chips, the technology will soon be able to surmise the probability that the child’s ball may bounce into the street and that the child will chase after it. In this sense, the computer chip will know to slow the car down in the presence of a combination of a young child and a ball. This is a simplistic example but when the same process can be applied to health data, cybersecurity threats, weather, etc., it is easy to imagine how many problems could be prevented before they ever occur. 8. Solid State Batteries: Breakthrough advances in batteries always appear to be just around the corner but they never seem to materialize. The same might be true with Ionic Material’s new solid state battery technology which reportedly combines the advantages of alkaline batteries (cheap, safe and reliable) with the advantages of lithium batteries (powerful, rechargeable, and more environmentally-friendly), but the early reports are positive. The company does this by replacing the liquids in batteries with a polymer material. If the technology scales, alkaline batteries could become more powerful and rechargeable thus enabling renewable, distributed energy (solar, wind, etc.,) to flourish by allowing consumers to affordably store those energy sources and then access that energy as needed. 9. Seawater Rice. Together with wheat and corn (maize), rice is one of the three leading sources of food and calories in the world. Recently, a research team lead by Yuan Longping, known as China’s “father of hybrid rice,” crossbred a new type of rice that can be grown in diluted seawater. This is significant because in China alone almost 1 million square kilometers are unfarmed because the land has a high level of salinity. This new rice can be grown in these unused and under-utilized areas suggesting that 100 billion pounds of additional rice could be grown annually–enough to feed 200 million people. (UC plant geneticist Pamela Ronald is also working on developing rice plants that grow in harsh conditions, including those areas affected by drought). 10. Quantum Software. Quantum computers already exist and, by the end of this year, Google hopes to achieve “quantum supremacy”–using a quantum computer to do something that is beyond the power of a conventional computer. Whether it succeeds in this mission is yet to be determined, but the company has paved the way for other companies and industries to tap into quantum computers by making an open-source software available to the public for free. The software, called OpenFermion, allows innovative researchers to begin exploring how quantum computers can lead to practical advances in everything from new drugs and materials to solving complex logistical issues. The fact that the software will work on quantum computers from IBM, Rigetti and others is an added bonus. The quantum age is likely to arrive sooner than most people expect, and the possibilities this creates are astounding. Looking for your next healthcare speaker? Get in touch with us today to make your healthcare event a success!
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By Steve Berkowitz
Many of us are now looking forward to next year’s budget, strategic plan, and either updating or enhancing the quality dashboard. Additionally, this time of year, there may be new Board members and medical staff officers, some of whom may need to be educated on the above processes, in particular, the quality improvement initiatives. At a minimum, one needs to better understand the quality dashboard, the indicators which comprise that dashboard, and the process by which the system will improve performance. It is easy to get overwhelmed with quality indicators. Many health care systems track hundreds of them on a regular basis. Ultimately, these indicators should roll up into a single dashboard. When educating new Board members, it is tempting to have them “drink from the firehose” by showing them all of the indicators that the system is tracking, and it is not hard to quickly lose the audience in a sea of data and acronyms. Oftentimes, and sometimes out of shear frustration, a prudent Board member will ask the question: “How did you determine which of these indicators to incorporate into the dashboard?” So, both the time of year and the need to educate new leadership makes now a good time to revisit the concept of “Indicators for Indicators”...Specifically, out of the myriad of indicators that are tracked, how do we pick out the cherished few that will be reported to the Board and management on a regular basis? Having worked with many systems over the years, the following points have greatly assisted me in transforming this mass (or morass) of data into a useable, effective dashboard that will drive the appropriate results necessary to move the organization forward. 1. The dashboard should be just one page (and not done so with micro-print!) It should go without saying that the document is concise, easy to read, and will enable the readers to quickly focus onto the most important indicator at the time. Often, the indicators are color-coded red, yellow and green, so that the outlying indicators are quickly apparent. 2. The dashboard should consist of 3-6 Value categories, as outlined by the organizations mission, vision and values. Examples would include: patient safety, quality outcomes, cost-effectiveness, citizenship, mission goals, etc. 3. The total number of indicators to populate the system dashboard should be distilled down to approximately 8-12 individual data entries. 4. All the indicators for the individual members or departments of the system should roll up into a common dashboard. Having said that, I do acknowledge that there may be specific issues within an individual entity that must be managed, and that they may deserve a place on the local dashboard. But ultimately, everything that is monitored and managed should roll up to the ultimate success of the organization, and correlate with the entries of the system dashboard. 5. The dashboard is a dynamic document that needs to be continually managed and massaged as the organization and the health care climate changes. Individual indicators will change with time, either because the appropriate result has been obtained, and the indicator is no longer needed, or a more important indicator has arisen to take its place. Incidentally, the Value categories should not change much through time 6. The ideal indicator should have the following attributes: a. The indicator must be significant to the organization. Put simply, if the organization is going through the effort to obtain and manage this indicator, the successful accomplishment of that indicator must have a significant positive effect on the system. Otherwise, it is a waste of time. The fundamental premise is that the successful accomplishment of the components of the dashboard will result in the success of the system. If this argument cannot be made, it is not worthwhile to include that data as part of the dashboard. b. The indicator must be measurable. The organization must have the capacity to appropriately abstract and obtain the indicator. Typically, many of the indicators are obtained through the existing EMRs. c. The indicator must be reasonably objective. There should be a common, agreed-upon, definition for that indicator. Any ambiguity should be minimized, if not eliminated. There should be no ability to “game” that number to benefit the organization. d. The indicator target must be obtainable with reasonable effort. It does no good to track an indicator that cannot be accomplished. The targets should be aggressive but doable by the organization. I have found the above thoughts to be very useful, both in the day to day operations of the system, and as part of the ongoing leadership educational program. Looking for your next healthcare speaker? Get in touch with us today to make your healthcare event a success! 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.
Holiday gatherings are often full of stories. But sometimes, I wonder if the story we tell is the whole story? When I was in elementary school, my father would take me with him to get the family Christmas tree. I had no choice in the matter as I suspect it was his way to get me out of the house so I wouldn’t bug my mom. We’d get up early on a Saturday morning and pack our lunch with a sandwich, some chips, and a thermos of milk. Back then, the idea of bottled water was unheard of. You drank milk from a thermos and supposedly, it grew hair on your chest. I’m not sure how the girls felt about that, but it’s the message my dad gave me. (For what it’s worth, the same was true for broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and liver.) Anyway, my father and I would get in our very old, very used, Chevrolet station wagon and head for Whitetop Mountain, the second highest mountain in Virginia. We were in search of the perfect Christmas tree. The first half of the trip was spent on gently winding roads through the beautiful countryside near Meadowview and Damascus. Then, as we headed up the mountain, the road turned into what felt like a gnarly pile of spaghetti. We drove one way and then quickly angled back the other way. I was not a fan of those roads and, at that age, I was not fan of spaghetti either. Without fail, when we hit the halfway point, my partially digested breakfast decided it had had enough. It wanted out. I said to my dad, “Uh, I think I’m going to be sick.” Also without fail, my dad would say, “No you’re not.” We continued up “Spaghetti Turnpike.” A few minutes later, I would say, “I really think I’m going to get sick.” My dad would reply, “It’s all in your head. Look at the horizon.” The horizon? How can you see the horizon when you’re driving up a wooded mountain road? Finally, I realized that time was of the essence, so I said, “PULL OVER, PULL OVER, PULL OVER, I’M PUKING!” My dad swerved to the shoulder and I spilled out onto my knees just as my breakfast spilled out onto the grass. For the rest of the trip, my stomach felt like it had been to the Tilt-A-Whirl at the county fair. Ever since I was a child, whenever I thought about our trips to get a Christmas tree, I vividly remembered the upchucking part. In fact, I’m a little nauseous just describing it. I never could understand why my dad didn’t believe me when I said I was going to get sick. This always bothered me and became the focus of my story. But here’s the interesting thing—the stomach emptying was only part of the experience. As I sat down to write about this, a flood of memories came back and reminded me that while the car ride was not particularly enjoyable, it was not the bulk of the day. It was just the story I had told myself. Now, I realize, there was much more to it. Since we lived in the country, we didn’t buy our trees at K-Mart or even at the lot where the Boy Scouts sold them. We went old school. We took a John-Boy Walton approach and drove to the top of the mountain where we could cut down our own tree for just five dollars (nausea included). The guy who owned the tree farm lived in a small cabin that was so run down, you could almost see through the walls. He had a chest-length beard, was dressed in well-worn overalls, and did not appear to have even heard of a stock portfolio. Yet, he always greeted us with kindness and Christmas cheer. One year, my father, who I think felt sorry for him, offered him an extra couple of dollars because he let us use his saw. The man said, “I wouldn’t think of taking that money.” With saw in hand, we trudged through the mountain snow to find the perfect tree. It had to be six feet tall with evenly distributed limbs. No Charlie Brown tree for us. My dad was very particular and a little OCD. After we cut down the perfect tree, we paid our five dollars, tied the tree to the car, and then retraced our path down Spaghetti Turnpike making sure we didn’t lose the tree off the back of the car. I did, however, lose my lunch off the side of the road. But the tree was secure—mainly because my dad used his OCD skills and miles of twine to make sure it didn’t budge. In fact, it usually took us an hour just to get the dang thing untied once we got home. The tree was placed in a homemade stand (coffee can nailed to two boards) and we began the arduous process of centering the tree in both the stand and the room. Then it was time to trim it. Our tradition was to decorate the tree while listening to Mahalia Jackson and Nat King Cole albums or while watching the Andy Williams Christmas Special on television. Both of these experiences put us in the proper mood to decorate. We packed the tree with all of our old, often handmade, ornaments. And then the icing on the cake was putting the icicles on the tree. I probably don’t need to tell you that my father implored us to carefully drape the icicles on the limbs of the tree to make sure that they hung properly. No clumps, no overlapping, and definitely no throwing. When the process was complete, we all sat back and admired our work. At that point, my stomach was just about ready for some Christmas cookies. In hindsight, I realize that the story I had told myself about our search for the perfect tree had become more about getting sick and less about the whole experience. The real story was that we had spent quality time together on an all-day adventure that ended with creating a lot of Christmas spirit in the Culberson house. Sometimes, I think, we choose to tell ourselves the wrong story. That story might be that people don’t care about our needs. Or that we’re not good enough. Or that we might not be as successful as someone else. But if we really look closely, there may be another story. I hope that the stories you hear, tell, and create this holiday season are not only the right stories but are worth retelling for years to come. Looking for your next healthcare speaker? Get in touch with us today to make your healthcare event a success! By Barb Bartlein. Barbara Bartlein, RN, MSW, is the People Pro. A workplace cutlure expert, she offers keynote, seminars and consultation to increase teamwork and productivity. For more information on her programs and services, please contact Capitol City Speakers Bureau.
Looking for more serenity and ways to be happier? Hoping for better connections with friends and family? Try a little compassion. Compassion is defined as “experiencing feelings of loving kindness toward another person’s affliction.” It’s related to empathy, which is feeling another’s emotions, but is rooted in kindness. Amishi Jha, an associate professor of psychology at the University of Miami, has conducted research on attention, compassion and mindfulness. She has found that compassion is the key to coping. The compassionate tend to have deeper connections with others and more friends. They are more forgiving and have a stronger sense of life purpose. Compassion also has direct personal benefit. The compassionate tend to be happier, healthier, more self-confident, less self-critical and more resilient. A large industry exists to teach you compassion, but you don’t have to spend money to improve. You can start with an exercise called the Loving Kindness Meditation. All you need is a quiet corner and about 20 minutes or so.
Try a little compassion in your life! Looking for your next healthcare speaker? Get in touch with us today to make your healthcare event a success!  By Beth Boynton
As an applied improv teacher, nurse, woman, mother, sister, and friend, I think a lot about communication! I study the impact it has on outcomes in healthcare, such as patient safety, patient experience, morale, and utilization of resources. I reflect on my own behaviors in the relationships in my life. And I often wonder how it pertains to our challenging political landscape. Our ability to be our best selves with others in family, groups, teams, organizations, and countries while making room for others to do the same is fascinating to me. And quite complex! Do you ever think about assertiveness and listening with respect to power dynamics? Assertiveness requires ownership and a willingness to take on more power while listening requires us to let others influence any decision, plan, or idea, i.e. give up some power. Either of these can be emotionally risky and can shake our sense of self, confidence, and control beyond measure. When we add a toxic hierarchy, a blaming or bullying culture, or high-stakes work to the mix, the risk involved in taking on or sharing accountability increases….increases a lot. So much so, that the risk involved in sharing power is a formidable barrier to effective communication! Quite frankly, I believe this is a major reason why our efforts to improve communication in healthcare have not been as successful as they need to be. This is why applied or medical improv activities are a goldmine for us. They provide low-risk and fun opportunities to practice sharing power outside the clinical environment that can be so stressful. If we can do this in healthcare, not only will we have better outcomes, we interface with all of the rich diversity of human life. We can model empowering language and behaviors across genders, races, age, political parties, and so on! Wow, right? Where is your growing edge? With listening or assertiveness? Or maybe both depending on what relationships or cultures you are in? Looking for your next healthcare speaker? Get in touch with us today to make your healthcare event a success! 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.
How do you view the work that you do? Whether your job is selling insurance policies, serving coffee or leading a large organization… Raising tots at home, teaching kids at school or basking in the twilight years of life: The manner in which you view the work you do – and the life you lead – matters profoundly. Let me explain. A Reminder about the Impact of Our WorkFrequently, after speaking at events for organizations, I have the pleasure of meeting individual employees. During the “meet-and-greet” I enjoy signing my books, but I love meeting people and hearing their stories. After a handshake or hug, I often ask the individual to tell me about him or herself. The open-ended question permits them to take the conversation in any direction they choose. Some respond with hobbies they enjoy, family they love, individuals who inspire them or dreams that motivate them. All too often, though, they begin by telling me what they do for the business with a word that cheapens everything that follows it: just. I’m just in sales. Just a janitor. Just an admin. Just an intern. Just work at the front desk. It’s not just at corporate presentations that I hear people diminish the extent to which their work and lives matter. I also hear: I’m just a stay at home dad (or mom). Just a sophomore. Just a retiree. The work we do, the tasks we perform, the relationships we cultivate, and lives we lead matter. Always. I learned this truth 30 years ago by a doctor in the burn center where I was treated. Every morning, he made rounds to each of the patients’ rooms with his team. He then reminded each of them individually that they weren’t just doing a task, but shouldering the sacred role of keeping their patients alive. One of the team members on these rounds was ‘just’ a janitor named Lavelle. Dr. Ayvazian would bring him into the room, invite him to come close to me and say, “You see this little boy? You are keeping him alive. This is the result of your good work.” You see, with burn care the primary killer of patients is an infection. And the primary agent to mitigate the likelihood of infection is the janitor. In other words, the critically important role of saving the life of patients relies upon just the janitor. My doctor, an inspired leader, not only reminded Lavelle of this truth but invested time to remind the entire team. He wanted each of them to understand the value of the job they did. Everything You Do Matters So, how do you view the job that you do? No, not what do you do, or how much are you paid, or how do others perceive that work. How do you view the impact of your job… and your life? Turns out your answer to this question informs how you view yourself and your ability to impact those you serve. My friend, know that you do make a difference. You. Do. Matter. Own the truth that one person can change the world…and that person can and must be you. It’s an inspiring and uplifting feeling, and it’ll breathe life back into you. Looking for your next healthcare speaker? Get in touch with us today to make your healthcare event a success! By David Glickman
The 7 p.m. flight to Philadelphia had just been canceled. I wasn’t heading to Philly, but the man in front of me in the airline check-in line was. I only know this because I heard him on his cell phone, “The screen says the flight’s just been canceled.” I looked up at the monitor and saw the only flight that had been canceled was the 7 pm one to Philadelphia. Because I fly a lot—and have had my share of canceled flights—my instinct was to look at the board and see when the next flight to Philadelphia was. It didn’t matter that I was heading to Dallas—I instinctively looked up at the board to gauge how my fellow traveler’s day might be affected. Fortunately, there appeared to be a 9: 17 pm flight to Philadelphia that was still showing “On Time.” The man, we’ll call him “Larry” (because I could clearly read the name tag on his carry-on), said to no one in particular, “I can’t believe how long this line is. By the time I get up there, I bet they’ll have filled up the late flight to Philly with everybody from the 7:00.” He seemed somewhat irritated, and all of us within earshot kind of just nodded, but no one engaged him in conversation. About five minutes later—which in “airline check-in line time” is about 45 minutes (even though it really is only five minutes)—he said, again to no one in particular, “This is bison ca ca.” (I’m paraphrasing.) “I bet they’ve already filled up the 9:00 flight and they’re not even announcing it to anyone.” Another few minutes go by and he gets back on his cell phone, his voice louder and more agitated. “Yeah, this is bad. I know the 9:00 flight is filled up by now and they’re going to route me all over the place to get to Philly. They’ll probably route me through Dallas just to get to Philly. Idiots!” At this point, I’m thinking, “Oh, please don’t route Larry through Dallas. I’m sure there’s got to be another way to get to him Philly tonight.” We’ve made the final turn and are now in the last segment of the line to be checked in. But there’s still at least three or four people in front of Larry and me. Now Larry says, a little louder, “Hmm. I bet they’ll make me make two stops to get to Philly. Two stops! This was supposed to be a direct flight. Two stops! That’s just bison ca ca.” (Again, paraphrasing.) I don’t think a full minute goes by when Larry suddenly blurts out, “I bet they’re not even going to get me on a plane tonight. They’re going to make me wait until tomorrow. Tomorrow! I can’t believe they’re going to make me wait until tomorrow! That is fundamental bison ca ca!” (Major, major paraphrasing.) At which point, the airline agent says, “Next!” and Larry storms up there, throws his ticket on the counter, and screams, “You can take your flight to Philadelphia and forcefully place it up near the seat of your pants!” (Paraphrasing on steroids.) I love Southwest Airlines. Let me repeat that. I love Southwest Airlines. The agent working the counter said, “Well, that would be difficult to do. Those 737’s are very large.” She continued. “So you’re heading to Philadelphia. Let’s take a look at your ticket. OK, you’re on the 7 pm flight. You’re in luck. That flight was canceled, but we just found another aircraft to cover that route. So we’re moving everyone over to this other flight. We had to change the flight number—crazy rules—but the new one is taking off at 7:08.” She shared this with Larry in a pleasant, but slightly louder than normal voice, so that all of us who had been “trapped” with Larry in line could hear. I think we all looked up the monitor in unison. The canceled flight was still there—but now there was a new flight to Philadelphia. “And, actually, you’re scheduled to still land at the same time as your original flight. So you’re all set. Have a great flight. Next!“ And Larry walked away, avoiding eye contact with everyone. His body language suggested that he wished he was invisible. I do not condone Larry’s behavior for one single moment. But I do understand it. Because we’ve all been there. I’ve coined a term for it. I call it “Ranticipation.” Ranticipation is the “ranting that escalates in anticipation of an event that, almost all of the time, does not live up to the imagined negative outcome that is expected.” How many times have you dreaded something…..perhaps an encounter with a co-worker, or a call to a business you’re having problems with, or a visit to a family member…..and you start building up in your mind how terrible it’s going to be. The “rant” in “Ranticipation” doesn’t even have to be out loud. The entire “Ranticipation” can take place in your head. But it seems to get worse when it does transition to the “out loud” stage—especially if others around you agree with your rants, encourage your rants, and add fuel to your rants. “No, you’re right. Customer service is going to tell you there’s nothing they can do. You are totally out of luck on this one.” But the truth is, if you were to keep a log of all the Ranticipations you go through—and how many of the actual events ultimately were as bad as you imagined—I think you’d find that there were very, very few incidents that warranted the energy, the anger, and the waste of time associated with this process. Almost all of the time, what we imagine is going to be terrible is far worse in our head than what actually occurs. Here’s what we do in our family. When any one of us starts on a “rant” in anticipation of the perils of some upcoming event, the rest of us start singing the word “Ranticipation” to the tune of Carly Simon’s Anticipation. Once you realize you’re “ranticipating,” the more likely you are to realize that whatever you’re imagining is probably far worse than how it’s really going to play out. And you’re able to stop…..and sing along! Looking for your next healthcare speaker? Get in touch with us today to make your healthcare event a success! By Colette Carlson
“Look at all the sugar in these cereals,” the shrunken, 85-year old man said aloud at my local Sav-On drugstore. As he reached for the Cheerios off the shelf, our eyes met. “I’m down to one teaspoon in my coffee, instead of three. Heck, during WWII I was happy if the coffee was even hot.” His eyes welled with tears. “I never used to cry, but I seem to cry all the time now,” said the man I’d soon learn was called Frank. “That’s good,” I replied with a big smile, “it means you’re normal and human.” Frank returned the smile as he started to tell me more about his buddies in the service. I glanced at the milk I had just put into my cart, and thought about how much more needed to get done during this busy holiday season. When I looked up at Frank, our eyes connected once more, and my heart made a decision to be in the moment and enjoy the gift of conversation. Together in Aisle 9, I listened as he talked about his wartime experience, and the largest land battle ever fought by our country — the Battle of the Bulge. “Do you know that there were over 70,000 American casualties during that battle alone?” “Yes, I do because my Dad was captured in that Battle, and became a Prisoner of War in Stalag 11B.” Frank’s eyes were alert when I shared the story of how Dad’s frozen feet were saved thanks to the friendship he developed with a German nurse’s young son during his brief hospital stay. The boy, who wanted to learn English, was drawn to my Dad’s warmth, smile and playful nature. He brought Dad a bottle of schnapps the night before the German doctors were going to amputate his feet. Dad drank the liquor, massaged his feet all night through the intense pain and got enough circulation going to prevent the operation. Frank chuckled when I shared how Dad ended up playing professional football for the Detroit Lions and Philadelphia Eagles with those same feet! Our conversation went back and forth, and I lost all track of time. Then the conversation came to a natural close. Frank put out his hand, and warmly said, “Thank you for taking the time to talk with me.” “It was my pleasure,” I said, “but a handshake won’t do. I want a big holiday hug!” As I held this sweet, dear man in my arms, I could feel his body shake as he can no longer hold back tears. As I took my warm milk to the check-out counter, I reflected on the incredible gifts Frank had just given me. First, the gift of perspective. Who cared what didn’t get done today?! I had the freedom and privilege to sleep in a warm bed tonight and enjoy a hot cup of coffee tomorrow. Second, the joy of giving. My heart was full from being able to reciprocate by giving Frank the one gift that’s difficult to find, yet never requires wrapping: the gift of time. Looking for your next healthcare speaker? Get in touch with us today to make your healthcare event a success! By Vicki Hess
Have you heard of any these lately? “It’s not fair!” “My boss is never around – how can she understand?” “You’ve got to be kidding, they want us to do what?” “Wah, Wah, Wah” I’m running into a lot of overworked people these days. People everywhere are reporting higher productivity goals, longer working hours and less satisfying work. It’s a big bummer! I get it. I have bad days at work too. Yes, even though I talk about being the Chief Paradise Officer (CPO) of my job, I still get bogged down in the “work” part of work every now and again. It’s no fun. Sometimes I forget I can be in the driver’s seat and steer my work experience in any direction I want. Sound familiar? Guess what? It doesn’t matter that crummy things happen at work. Unfortunately, unless you’re in charge of everything (and even sometimes when you are), you probably can’t do anything to put a stop to all the frustrations that pop up. Of course, you should spend time using process improvement efforts to minimize challenges that are within your control…who wouldn’t want to do that? But, the Blame Game has never been one of my favorites. Let’s talk about boosting your own job satisfaction by getting the driver’s seat. I have a morning meditation practice. Recently, the guided meditation was about promoting inner happiness. I love that. I love connecting to someplace WITHIN ME – not having to count on anyone else – to find my own joy and well-being. Don’t you? If you aren’t sure how to meditate, check out Insight Timer – a free app for meditating that is super easy to use and has meditations from 1 minute to many. Here are several easy to implement, high impact ideas for taking back control of your own job satisfaction and engagement. Pick a few that seem realistic to incorporate into your life RIGHT NOW so that you too, can officially claim the title of Chief Paradise Officer! 1) Take Good Care of Yourself ◦ Meditate (see the link above) ◦ Stretch (your body and mind) ◦ Do fun things (whatever that means to you) ◦ Read (inspirational books) ◦ Sing (songs that make you Happy) ◦ Run around (playing sports, chasing kids, by yourself) ◦ Relax (without electronics) ◦ Sleep (make it a priority and create positive routines) ◦ Create Gratitude Triggers™ (every morning or night write down 5 things you are grateful for) ◦ Believe (in whatever makes you feel grateful and joyful) 2) Decide to be the Chief Paradise Officer of your Life ◦ Believe (that it’s possible to enjoy work) ◦ Smile (fake it until you make it) ◦ Be nice to others (they are struggling too) ◦ Stop complaining (no one wants to hear about it) ◦ Breathe (over and over, deeply) ◦ Quit taking things personally (unless you’ve been really mean, it’s not personal) ◦ Take a break (you deserve it and you’ll do better work if you take one) ◦ Give yourself permission to be happy (put that skip back in your step) Let me know how you improve your job satisfaction - I’m interesting in hearing from you! Looking for your next healthcare speaker? Get in touch with us today to make your healthcare event a success! By Kristin Baird
We’ve all heard the term “random acts of kindness.” Wikipedia defines a random act of kindness as: a non-premeditated, inconsistent action designed to offer kindness towards the outside world. When I think about the many acts of kindness healthcare workers deliver every day, I’m certain that they are anything but random. They are thoughtful and deliberate. Before she died recently, my sister Elizabeth had spent 21 months bouncing between hospitals and a nursing home. That is an immense amount of time to be away from home and far from family. But during that time, she encountered nurses, aids, therapists and doctors who took the time to make a difference. Here are just a few of the acts of kindness she shared. Elizabeth was novelist, so writing was as crucial to her well-being as nutrition. She didn’t feel whole when she couldn’t write. During one of her last transfers, she had to leave her laptop behind. Hearing this, one of the doctors went out and bought her a journal so she could continue to write during her stay. She made a special trip back to the hospital to deliver the journal and a nice pen. Elizabeth was incredibly touched by this. Random? No. Thoughtful, deliberate and generous. Since Elizabeth was admitted to the hospital in November of 2015, she missed Thanksgiving and Christmas that year and faced the same in 2016. She loved the holidays and it broke her heart that she’d miss yet another holiday season when December 2016 rolled around. Learning that she was far from family, one of the nurses brought her a small Christmas tree and lights to decorate her room. A very deliberate, non-random act of kindness. Then there was the physical therapist at the nursing home who brought Elizabeth a fresh avocado one day. Elizabeth happened to mention during a PT session that she was craving avocado. The conversation could have ended there as casual chit-chat. But the therapist made it a priority to purchase and deliver a fresh avocado. One of the nurses made a special point to bring her newborn to meet Elizabeth. Having cared for Elizabeth through her entire pregnancy, the two had bonded. Elizabeth was as excited about that baby as she had been about nieces and nephews being born. The visit meant the world to her. Living in hospital gowns instead of real clothes and suffering chronic bedhead can leave anyone feeling grubby and unattractive. One nursing assistant told Elizabeth she had just the thing to help her feel better about her appearance. She came in after work and gave Elizabeth a manicure and pedicure telling her, “Now you can just look at your polished hands and feet, and you’ll feel better.” Each and every one of these examples were memorable for Elizabeth. These are people who could have settled for doing just what was in their job descriptions, but instead went above and beyond to make a difference in the life of someone else. Their acts of kindness were anything but random. They were caring, thoughtful and deliberate. Looking for your next healthcare speaker? Get in touch with us today to make your healthcare event a success! |
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