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By Kathleen Passanisi. Kathleen Passanisi PT, CSP, CPAE is an internationally recognized transformational speaker, therapeutic humor expert, healthcare professional and author. She has spoken to bajillions of people about life balance, wellness, the power of perception, and the link that exists between humor and health. Kathleen is a member of the National Speakers Association Hall of Fame and the funniest woman in Lake Saint Louis, Missouri (and, quite possibly, the Western Hemisphere.) For more information on Kathleen's presentations, books and products please visit the New Perspectives website at www.KathleenPassanisi.com
Eighteen to 22 minutes: the approximate length of a TV sitcom without commercials, the frequency cars get stolen in Ohio, and the estimated length of the average American doctor’s appointment. Most sitcom residents have only one issue to deal with in this amount of time, and the odds are comically stacked in their favor. Most even have a friendly laugh track for encouragement. You, on the other hand, have pains, a chaffing, unflattering paper gown, an ever-deepening hole in your wallet, and a highly trained professional with somewhere else to be. In this land of ticking clocks and premium co-pays, we are losing sight of the end-goal: wellness. Although you cannot control the time you are given, you do have options when it comes to managing that time. Whether or not you’ll leave with your health problems revealed and remedied is anyone’s guess. However, using these simple techniques will guarantee a less stressful, more productive and satisfying visit. So sit back and try to relax, “the doctor will be in to see you shortly.”
Be prepared to dedicate the necessary time and resources to getting well. Be specific with your family, friends, bosses and co-workers about your needs. Be direct and honest with yourself about how well you are feeling. Be persistent in your follow up routine and carry it over into a daily wellness habit. Take the professional advice you were given – after all, you paid for it! And finally, be kind to yourself. Surround yourself with things that make you happy. Laugh as much as you can. Give yourself the time and space needed to recover. And, by all means, “get well soon.” Looking for your next healthcare speaker? Get in touch with us at the Capitol City Speakers Bureau today to make your healthcare event a success!
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By John O'Leary. 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.
It happened seven years ago while in Toronto. After a 75-minute presentation to a group of sales leaders, I received an impassioned standing ovation from the crowd of almost 1,000. A book signing followed with more than 100 people waiting in line, giving me a hug, sharing a bit of their story, and thanking me for sharing mine. As the line eventually dwindled, the person who had planned the meeting asked if I’d like to join him for a late dinner. I thanked him, but shared that between the travel and speaking and signing, I was simply exhausted. We chatted for a few minutes before I went upstairs, indulged in room service, took a much-needed shower, and fell into bed. With the background sounds of city traffic and the echoes of people on the sidewalks below, I responded to some emails, replied to a few texts, and read through several encouraging messages on social media before setting the phone down. Despite having eaten, the ache in my stomach that had been present most of the day refused to subside. With the phone and television off and the room blackened, I grabbed a pillow, shut my eyes, and started to cry. In that dark hotel room, just hours after receiving the adulation of a large audience and a barrage of messages of gratitude on my phone, I’d never felt so absolutely alone, so totally isolated. Things at home were good, but hard. My father had been hospitalized with a broken femur and hip as the result of another fall. My wife and I were in the joyful, but incredibly demanding, season of raising three young children with another on the way. And my speaking business was growing by leaps and bounds. But as the business grew, so was the travel, the airline miles, and the nights away from family on the road. Surrounded by people, I felt painfully out of place and alone. And I’m not alone. You’re Not Alone in Feeling Alone A massive nationwide survey by Cigna shares that a staggering 47% of adults admit to feeling isolated, left out and totally alone. And although all age groups experience high levels of loneliness, the loneliest age group, the one that felt most disconnected, were those between the ages of 18-22. In other words, those of us who seem to be most connected, most surrounded by others, most energetic and vibrantly alive, feel most closed off from others. This sense of isolation leads to a decrease in the effectiveness of our immune system and a reduction in a sense of passion for life, while also leading to an increase in levels of damaging stress hormones, our heart rate, and blood pressure. In short, the result of loneliness is as toxic as smoking more than a dozen cigarettes each day. And about half of us feel this way. So, how do we combat this epidemic of loneliness? 1. Start with Awareness: Let’s begin with the good news: once you know there is an illness you can take steps toward the cure. And realizing that half of adults experience what you feel can actually be liberating. You are not alone! The first step forward in recovering from any health scare, overcoming any addiction, surpassing any challenge or embracing any opportunity is to take inventory on where you are, how you got here and where you want to go next. In the sprint through life, it’s critically important to slow down long enough to identify your answers to these questions and clarify the next steps for you. 2. Make the Changes to Reengage in What Matters: It’s been my experience that frequently we keep putting one foot in front of the other as we climb up the ladder of life. Unfortunately, in doing so we may unintentionally be moving in the wrong direction. After years of saying “yes” to every opportunity to share my story and spread the message, I was wearing thin physically, emotionally and relationally. I used to brag how many days I was on the road. Now, through the support of my wife and the efforts of my team, we made a commitment to travel half as often and brag about how many breakfasts and dinners we enjoy as a family. This shift has allowed me to be more focused on my clients while on the road, but also to be more rejuvenated and connected to those who matter most when I’m at home. 3. Aim for Depth, not Breadth: Although social media has some terrific benefits, it’s important to note that the least lonely group in the Cigna study were those respondents over the age of 72- individuals less concerned with how many followers they have online and more engaged with the people around them in life. Slowing down my own schedule and online activity has freed me to be more present with my wife and kids at home. I see my parents more now than I did for the previous decade. I’ve chosen to actively engage in men’s groups where I can authentically be a friend for someone else, but also have the ability to lean back on them. And I’ve been more dedicated in reigniting relationships from the past, not simply through a tweet or text, but by actually sipping on a coffee (OK, it may occasionally be a beer) or catching up on a phone call. Fighting the Epidemic of Loneliness My friend, although we are all so much together, we are also all dying of loneliness. It’s an epidemic, but not a death sentence. You see, the solution to this loneliness epidemic is to be aware it’s real, to make the changes to reengage with those who matter, and to strive to deepen those relationships. Instead of loneliness and isolation, let’s strive to spread the epidemic of connectivity and love. Today is your day. Live Inspired. Looking for your next healthcare speaker? Get in touch with us at the Capitol City Speakers Bureau today to make your healthcare event a success! By Courtney Clark
Think you have your stress symptoms under control? Think you do a good job of masking your frustration at your boss and coworkers? Think no one else notices the pressure you feel? Think again. Most of us aren’t very good at hiding it, when we’re stressed. We leave little clues, like a huff in our voice or a death grip on our armrests. I promise you, people notice. Why do we think we should hide our stress? Well, many workplaces recognize that stressed-out employees produce poor work quality, provide bad customer service, and make lousy colleagues. (Some work environments still romanticize stress as a sign of being important, but that’s a whole different problem!) We think we need to hide our stress so we can show that “we got this!” and that we’re a rockstar who can juggle anything given to us. If you’re shoving your stress down thinking no one is noticing, you’re wrong. The little stress signals you’re giving off are speaking volumes to the rest of your colleagues, and they could cause you problems at work, in three major ways: You’ll Be Labeled “Not a Team Player” When you’re under stress, a natural reaction can be to pull away from the group, in order to avoid lashing out or feeling further annoyed. It is a good idea to stay away from situations that will trigger an unprofessional stress response, but sometimes your instincts will cause you to retreat too much. You might not even notice that you’ve pulled away from the group, but your boss probably will. She won’t necessarily realize you’re under stress (because you haven’t told her because you want to get that big promotion so you want to look like you can handle anything!) She’ll just see that you aren’t contributing during meetings, or assisting your coworkers the way you used to, and she’ll think you’re not interested in being a contributing member of the team. Uh oh… You’ll Drive Away Your Inner Circle But you have one team at work you can always count on, right? Your work buddies! There’s a group you can be honest with, and share your stress. Well… maybe. See, research shows that “venting” is actually an unhelpful form of expressing your frustration with a problem, because you let off just enough steam that it keeps you from actually getting up the energy to make headway against the problem. Think of it like a pot of boiling water that never quite boils over, because you’ve “vented” the lid just enough. If you stay boiling long enough, your friends are going to distance themselves from your negativity. Yikes… You’ll Get Passed Over For That Promotion You’re trying to hide your stress levels precisely because you want to get ahead at work. But those hidden “tells” that you’re letting slip are ratting you out. Your boss is noticing the changes in your behavior, and even if he does realize it’s stress-related, he’s wondering why you haven’t approached him about it. Successful people often (not always, but often) get to where they are by admitting they can’t do everything themselves. My husband, an entrepreneur, is a great example of this for me. He always reminds me that he hires people far smarter than he to do their jobs, and he relies heavily on them when the workload gets high. If your boss thinks you can’t admit when you’re stressed and can’t ask for help, he may think you aren’t qualified for that promotion. And he may (rightly!) be worried that you don’t have enough appropriate stress-management techniques to handle the job. Bye-bye, corner office! Even if you think you’re hiding your stress from your boss and coworkers, you probably aren’t. And the symptoms of your stress that are showing are probably hurting you worse in the long run than just admitting you’re stressed. Come clean if you’re feeling stressed, because then you and your team can come up with appropriate ways to successfully get you back in peak form. Looking for your next healthcare speaker? Get in touch with us at the Capitol City Speakers Bureau today to make your healthcare event a success! By Colette Carlson
Effective leaders know deliberate learning is not optional, but a requirement of growth and success. Consistent learning demands an investment of time, money, and energy, but the price paid pales in comparison to the abundant returns in awareness, understanding, and the development of richer connections to people, places, and ideas. Which begs me to ask, how often do you invest in the following three areas to receive the greatest return both on and off the job? 1. The Leader-Reader Connection As someone who studies successful individuals’ habits, the common thread of voracious reading never fails to show up. From Oprah or Bill Gates to my most recent client, COO of Raintree Systems, Terrance Sims, these leaders are disciplined in their practice of carving out time to read. According to a New York Times article stating that Gates reads over 50 books a year, he mentioned that reading is still the “main way that I both learn new things and test my understanding.” Gates also has taken an annual two-week reading vacation for his entire career. Not only does reading open up your mind to new adventures and perspectives, but it also betters your vocabulary, stimulates your thinking, and can shift how you see yourself and others – making room for more empathy and less judgement. If you consistently find yourself reading fiction, try some non-fiction on for size and vice versa. I often share an Audible book with my sweetie as we walk the beach sparking both our thinking and conversation. 2. The Conference Connection Perhaps I’m biased since I speak at conferences weekly, but I witness the conversations, camaraderie, and coaching that randomly occurs in the hallways, during meals, and even in the washroom! These unplanned moments of connection often equal or surpass the well thought out education provided. If I were to unexpectedly ask anyone in attendance how they can afford the time away from work, the answer would overwhelmingly be, “I can’t”. Yet, after years of showing up, these same individuals realize they can’t afford not to attend. The savviest attendees maximize their conference investment by proactively creating memorable moments. For example, my colleague and friend, Laurie Guest, organizes a fun friend’s dinner months in advance. She invites an eclectic group of individuals, many even new to her, to gather off-site for conversation and connection. Having been privileged to attend, I’ve also been fortunate to meet a few individuals (who turned into dear friends) that otherwise might never have come across my radar. 3. The Crew Connection While leading a training activity, I overheard a co-worker tell another, “Wow! I’ve sat next to you for the past three years, and I had no clue you’re a docent at the botanical gardens. I studied botany in college!” When we make the time to share our truths, ask insightful questions and fully listen, we can always find common ground with another or better understand what makes them tick. This awareness becomes a building block for greater appreciation, trust and respect. In our busy, demanding days, it’s all too easy to default to unengaging small talk or mindless chatter with another rather than create a quality moment or two for genuine conversation that opens the door for powerful collaboration. If you can’t remember the last time you invested real time learning something brand new about someone in your crew, now is the time to begin. Looking for your next healthcare speaker? Get in touch with us at the Capitol City Speakers Bureau today to make your healthcare event a success! By Beth Boynton
Doctors, nurses, patient advocates, and administrators want to prevent medical errors! Yet communication, collaboration, and workplace culture pose ongoing problems. Problems with ‘soft’ skills that make patient safety a stubborn challenge. “Everyone agrees we haven’t made as much progress as we’d like to make [with reducing medical errors], and the improvements have been uneven,” -Linda Aiken, PhD, RN – Healthcare Still Misses the Mark on Patient Safety. Our approaches so far To date, we have focused on safety engineering ideas and new communication strategies. They come from a scientific and intellectual mindset. Science of safety interventions and structured communication techniques arise from this way of thinking. Safety Science For instance, the science of safety recognizes that humans are imperfect. Researchers that look at patient safety from this perspective design solutions that attempt to make it impossible to make a mistake. They force or try to force patient safe behavior. Pre-op checklists and color-coded IV tubing are examples. Structured communication Standardized communication protocols like SBAR and the two challenge rule have been implemented and assertiveness training programs such as Vital Smarts have been administered to thousands of nurses and doctors. They are trying to regulate human behavior. While these efforts are valuable, they missing important elements of communication and behavior. Communication is gray and messy and human beings want to have choices in how they think and what they do. Communication and Behavior are complex If we are going to make healthcare safe, we need to take a deeper dive into understanding communication and behavior. Listening and speaking up require ‘soft’ skills like trust, courage, and confidence. The ability to work in teams, honor other points of view, manage conflict, and lead collaboratively and authoritatively are also part of this skill set. While not easy in general, these ‘soft’ skills are almost impossible to develop and practice when bullying, blaming or a code of silence permeates the culture. What’s more, the way we behave influences the culture and the culture influences the way we behave. Forcing behavior will keep a nurse from using the wrong IV tubing in a rush, but it won’t help her address a conflict with bullying peer or eliminate worries about her student loans. The consequences of using the wrong tubing may be obvious. Whereas, the bullying behavior or late payments may not be so clear. For instance, will the bullied nurse ask for advice from the bullying person? Will she remind this person to wash their hands? Will she pass along a message from a patient’s brother about a concern in a timely manner? And what about worries about paying back loans? Will they be a distraction? Will an important detail be missed? If we are going to move the needle on patient safety, we have to address the roots of communication and behavior that influence relationships. So what do we do? We need a radical shift in thinking! In addition to structuring patient safe communication and behavior, we must also engage, inspire, and empower others to be their best! In other words, we need to help motivate nurses, doctors, and others to communicate effectively and behave respectfully. It is an intrinsic approach to behavior change that is aligned with complexity leadership. This analogy will help explain what I mean: Let’s say our goal is to get our children to eat healthy lunches at school. Our first tendency might be to look for ways to control their eating options. We could:
These ideas will probably have a positive impact too. What we're not doing is engaging, inspiring, & empowering healthcare professionals to be more effective communicators! An intrinsic approach Improv activities offer playful opportunities for nurses, doctors, and other healthcare professionals to feel heard, practice listening, share ideas, and develop trusting relationships. When facilitated properly, the emotional risk in listening and assertiveness is minimized. Think about how powerful it might be for a nurse to experience what it is like to be heard in the course of teaching him or her how to listen. Or how memorable a lesson it might be for a surgeon to accept an idea from a nurse and build on it. And how healing it might be for a nurse who tends to be aggressive and one who tends to be passive to share power in a playful way. The principle of “Yes, and…” Many of you are familiar with the principle of “Yes, and”. Maybe you’ve been to an improv comedy show? Or maybe you’ve been to a workshop where improv techniques were used for team-building? Well, the same concept can be adapted for nurses, doctors, and other healthcare professionals. To do this we take the focus off of performance, use facilitation skills to create a safe environment, and frame the learning in goals that involve patient safety and ‘soft’ skill development. “Yes and…” Improves Communication The “Yes” part of improv activities nudges nurses and doctors to accept what others are saying. Translated into communication learning, it is about listening. And listening will improve patient safety. The “…and” part of improv nudges healthcare professionals to share ideas. In terms of communication, it is about speaking up! And speaking up will prevent medical errors. And there are hundreds of activities that naturally engage participants in practicing communication! It is like a fitness program for ‘soft’ skill development. Moving the needle on patient safety requires a radical shift in thinking! Looking for your next healthcare speaker? Get in touch with us at the Capitol City Speakers Bureau today to make your healthcare event a success! By Ron Culberson. 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.
The largest non-profit children’s literacy organization in the U.S. is Reading is Fundamental, Inc. When I was a child, however, I found reading fundamental-ly frustrating. You see, I was a slow reader and every assignment felt like drudgery. I remember lying on my bed one Sunday afternoon trying to finish Tom Sawyer so I could complete a seventh-grade book report that was due the following morning. It felt as if I had to read each word individually and then think about its meaning before I could go on to the next. As a younger child, I recall spending ten minutes trying to figure out what the word “between” meant. I kept thinking, “What the heck is bet ween.” Thus, I avoided reading whenever I could. Then, something changed. In the late 70’s, I read The Amityville Horror. I remember being completely enthralled while at the same time terrified by this Jay Anson novel. In fact, it scared me so much, I could only read it during daylight hours so I could actually see anything that was lurking behind the closet door before it could come after me. What seemed to be different about this book was that the story activated my imagination in ways no other book had. I’d like to say that I became an avid reader after reading The Amityville Horror but the transition didn’t occur until a decade later. When I was in college and graduate school, I had too much required reading. Then, while working as a hospice social worker and keeping up with my family at home, I did not usually want to read during the evening. Instead, I would click on the adult babysitter (i.e. the television) and become hypnotized until it was time for bed. The next night, I would rinse and repeat. When I became a hospice manager however, I realized that I needed additional training to be a good supervisor. So, I immersed myself in management and leadership books. Our CEO was also continually recommending the most recent bestsellers so as a “several-minutes manager,” I learned to take my “seven habits” from “good to great” while “winning friends and influencing people.” Needless to say, I was hooked on improving my life by reading professional development books. For years, I read these business oriented books until I made an alarming discovery. They were all the same. Well, not really, but the themes were pretty similar from one book to the next. They were just packaged differently. After this unexpected realization, I had a hard time being engaged by most professional development books. I kept thinking, “I know this. I’ve heard that. I’ll never do those things.” During this same time, I was working with my friend and colleague, Lou Heckler, on improving my presentation skills. He had a great knack for sorting through all of the clutter in my outline and helping me hone the material, stories, and humor. During one discussion, he said, “If you want to be a better storyteller, read more novels.” It was as if a light went off in the library of my brain and illuminated new possibilities for my ever-developing reading muscle. I realized that professional development was not limited to the business section of the bookstore. Today, I rarely read professional development books unless I need specific information. For instance, I’m working on a film about my college band and have immersed myself in several fantastic books on creating documentaries. But most of my reading now focuses on the human condition and how we, as people, manage this journey of life. Here are my primary interests: Mindfulness. I think one of the greatest regrets I have is not learning about mindfulness until a few years ago. Essentially, our minds want to create drama in our lives and to battle these theatrics, we must become more present and more aware. This has totally changed how I now deal with stress, anxiety, and adversity. In particular, the following books were instrumental in helping me understand these concepts: The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle Full Catastrophe Living by Jon Kabat Zinn The War of Art by Steven Pressfield Novels. I’ve always been a fan of Stephen King novels (probably due to some residual fear from the TheAmityville Horror) and as I’ve gotten older, I’ve expanded my collection to include other authors of fiction. The cool thing about novels is that the authors create engaging stories by painting vivid pictures in our minds. This allows us to tap into our own creativity. And as Lou Heckler reminded me, a novel can improve my own storytelling. Here are a few of my favorite novels: 11/22/63: A Novel by Stephen King To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee Atonement by Ian McEwan Biographies/True-Life Stories. Some of the most valuable lessons in life come from other people. We can be inspired by mountain climbers and olympic athletes as well as those who have experienced overwhelming adversity. I am particularly drawn to comedians and entertainers because so often, the way they see the world resonates with me. I enjoy seeing how people use both their strengths and weaknesses to get through life. Sometimes, their flaws are what make them stronger and other times, the flaws become their undoing. Either way, we can learn from their experiences and apply the information to our own lives. Here are a couple of my favorite true-life books: Into Thin Air by Jon Kraukauer Born Standing Up by Steve Martin Just Kids by Patti Smith I have come to understand that reading is fundamental. It not only forces our mind to work, rather than being transfixed by an electronic screen of some sort, but it gives us a window into someone else’s ideas and perspectives. Plus, when an author tells a great story through a beautiful command of the language, it helps us to use our own words more effectively. In my opinion, there is nothing better than having my mind entertained and expanded at the same time. That’s the essence of Do it Well. Make it Fun. which, by the way, is another a great book! Haha. So, what’s on your reading list? Looking for your next healthcare speaker? Get in touch with us at the Capitol City Speakers Bureau today to make your healthcare event a success! By John O'Leary. 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.
It’s that time of year. Everyone is posting their vacation pictures on social media or sharing them via text. Their toes are dug into the sand, their sunset is magical, their smiles are big and their skin is perfectly, freshly sun-kissed. It makes the room you’re staring at this Memorial Day (or on this typical Monday if you’re reading outside the U.S. today…) feel cold, dank and depressing. Or maybe it makes you feel lonely, because you are the ONLY person in the WORLD without someone to vacation with! Or, potentially the most devastating, long-term consequence, is that it causes you to begin planning your own too-extravagant vacation… even though the current state of your bank account begs you to cut expenses. My friend, the thief of joy is comparison. When we compare ourselves to the Instagrammed lives of others: What we have could never be enough; we will always feel the need for more. If we don’t stop comparing ourselves to the unrealistic “reality” others post on social media – it won’t matter how much we get or how far we come. It will never be enough. (Years ago, on a hiking trip, I experienced this truth about unmet expectations. I had a clear, epic picture in my mind of what I would see on this trip. I hiked and hiked and hiked…. and no vista could live up to the mighty expectation I’d set. Ultimately, I missed out on experiencing the glorious view that I did have, because I was distracted looking for the one I’d imagined. Get the full story on my Truth about False Summits blog here.) Rachel Cruze Helps Us Refocus on ALL We Have My friend, Rachel Cruze, who recently wrote Love Your Life, Not Theirs, is an expert at helping us to love the life we have by better managing our finances and ending the comparison game. During our time together on my podcast, Rachel shared that, “We need to see that the stuff we’re gathering up with credit cards is not making us happy.” Isn’t this so true? We see happier people, posting photos with bigger cars, boats, vacations, engagement rings, five-year-olds’ birthday parties… and it makes us feel like what we have isn’t enough. And as long as we continue comparing, the truth is, it never will be. Today, I challenge you to end the comparison game, remember what you have is enough and choose to love the life you lead. And remember that Today is your day. Live Inspired. Looking for your next healthcare speaker? Get in touch with us at the Capitol City Speakers Bureau today to make your healthcare event a success! By Karyn Buxman. This was originally published on Karyn's blog.
It was a dark and stormy night…(really) and I was waiting to board a flight along with around 200 fellow passengers. We were already delayed an hour and a half and the mood was as dark inside the terminal as it was outside. We were finally cleared to board, and folks—while anxious about the delay—were relieved to finally be moving out of the gate area and onto the plane. The flight attendant sprinted through her safety routine while I and others nervously calculated if there was any way we were going to make our connections. We rolled onto the tarmac and the pilot announced we were #17 in the lineup—seems there were a LOT of folks trying to get-the-heck-out-of-Dodge that night. Slowly we taxied closer to the runway. #15…#12…#8—the pilot periodically would announce our progress. But the next time we heard his voice, it was anything but progress. “Ladies and gentlemen, this is your Captain speaking. While we were waiting for clearance, another band of storms has moved into the area. There’s a high degree of lightning and we’re grounded until further notice. We can’t go back to the gate so we’ll have to sit it out here on the tarmac. We’ll be dimming the lights. Please remain in your seats. We’ll keep you posted.” A cacophony of curses and groans filled the plane. My stomach sank. My shoulders tightened. A stream of worst-case-scenarios flashed through my mind. Would I be stuck here overnight? Would I miss my speaking engagement tomorrow? Would the client be able to find another speaker? The more I thought about it, the sicker I felt. I pulled out my phone to review my itinerary. And then it occurred to me that I had downloaded an audio of one of my favorite funny authors onto my phone. I fumbled for my headphones and turned on “David Sedaris Live at Carnegie Hall.” I scrunched back in my seat (exit row, aisle: everybody follow me if the plane goes down!) and listened as Sedaris read hysterical yet poignant stories of his life. I began to smile. Then he got to one story that has become a traditional favorite in our house (Santa and The 6-8 Black Men—the story is so far from what you’re probably thinking). I began to laugh. As the story became more outrageous, I began to laugh harder. Then he came to the climax of the story and I began to guffaw—now totally unaware of the people and circumstances that surrounded me. I laughed so hard tears ran down my cheeks. As the flight attendant walked down the dimly lit aisle, she misconstrued my belly laughter for uncontrollable sobbing. She knelt beside me and tried to console me. When I realized what she was doing, the absurdity of the situation combined with the cleansing release of laughter created the ultimate catharsis—and I lost it. I laughed so hard, tears ran down my leg. Did the distraction of the funny audio change my situation? No. But it did distract me from focusing on circumstances that were beyond my control. It provided a brief respite in the midst of a stressful trip. I could sit in my seat and worry about what might happen, or I could sit in my seat and be amused. It would be the same amount of time either way. I keep a number of humorous distractions within reach at all times. I suggest you do the same. You’ll enjoy the journey a lot more. You have a choice. Choose humor. Looking for your next healthcare speaker? Get in touch with us at the Capitol City Speakers Bureau today to make your healthcare event a success! By Kristin Baird
In our coaching work, we often team up with managers who need support in becoming better leaders. They often have mastered managing, but need support learning how to lead. Managers vs. Leaders A very simplified version of the distinction is that leaders have followers and managers have people who work for them. I think that one other key distinction is that managers are task-oriented. Managers do things like: Set and manage the budget, schedule people and resources, and directs activity. Leaders on the other hand coach, inspire, challenge and create transformation. It’s not unusual to have to help managers to make the distinction between managing and leading. At the same time, it’s important that they recognize there is a need for both. The budget needs to get balanced, schedules must be created, and payroll documents submitted. The two don’t have to be mutually exclusive. Managing vs. Leading – Rounding One example of managing vs leading happens when managers thrust a tactic at subordinates without first engaging them. They see it as a task and present it as a task. Let’s take hourly rounding for example. I’ve seen managers announce that nurses will be required to do hourly rounding because it is now the hospital standard. Nurses are given rounding logs or software on ipads. and instructed how to check the boxes to document the task. Boxes are checked and the task is managed by both the nurses and managers. That is task management. A leader engages the team and discusses the “why” behind hourly rounding. She gets input on the tools and meaningful data collection. They discusses how rounding will benefit both the nurses and the patients and gives data to support the benefit claim. She spends time demonstrating meaningful rounding and offers shadow/coaching to support individual learning. They share outcomes and gives positive reinforcement while holding everyone accountable. She focuses on teamwork. And, while all that is happening, the nurses are engaged, the boxes are being checked and they are eager to see the impact of their efforts. A good leader creates owners. Are you managing or leading? Looking for your Nurses Week healthcare speaker? Get in touch with us at the Capitol City Speakers Bureau today to make your healthcare event a success! By Laurie Guest
If you are a member of a team, working with your team is essential. Team building is one of the most frequently requested topics in my work with organizations. I always ask the client to first reflect on what teamwork means in his or her environment. Does it mean that the staff get along and are mostly tension free? Does it mean everyone knows his or her position and how it fits into the big picture? What kind of work environment are you looking to create? Knowing where you currently stand and where you aspire to be is the critical first step. Start the conversation with your team’s definition of teamwork. Teamwork means two or more people committed to working together to achieve a common goal. That sounds like a simple definition, but when we break it down a bit, it’s obvious that it’s harder than it seems. First: a team consists of two or more people. I always say wherever two or more are gathered, there’s trouble. Think about it. Different personality styles and different ways of communicating. What about the listening issue? I may think I’m being very clear with my words, but you hear something totally different. I think we can all agree that getting along with other people can be tough sometimes. The solution is to be understanding, forgiving, and nonjudgmental with your co-workers. Though I wasn’t very good at this in the early years of my career, I learned to be more tolerant by not making everything about me. Just because a co-worker doesn’t offer an enthusiastic “good morning” with a smile, doesn’t mean they’re mad at me. Odds are good it has nothing to do with me. Next: a team commits to working together. When I’m invited to an organization to help with teamwork issues, the first thing I do is try to figure out what things all parties agree about. For example, do we all agree that we want to be known as the premier place to buy our product? Do we agree that we can provide better service if we work together for a seamless delivery and stop airing our dirty laundry to customers? Yes? Okay, then what do we have to do to make these answers a reality? If we cannot agree to commit our efforts for the good of the guest, the company, or our co-workers, then cohesive teamwork is impossible to achieve. We will have to start at the foundation and work up to strength. Finally: a team strives to achieve a common goal. This is where we can dive in and make progress when we’re trying to improve comradery. Do we have attainable goals as an organization? Are the goals written down and reviewed on a regular basis? Does everyone understand his or her role in helping us achieve these goals? Is there a reward for all of us in achieving the goal? In other words, what’s my incentive? If you can’t answer yes to all these questions, then examining goal setting and incentives will be an important first step in getting everyone to work on the same page. A team consisting of two or more people working together to achieve a common goal is essential in a successful organization. Looking for your next healthcare speaker? Get in touch with us at the Capitol City Speakers Bureau today to make your healthcare event a success! |
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