By Kenneth Kaufman
Legacy healthcare organizations see innovation as a crucial path to staying relevant in a fast-changing world. Innovation has the promise to solve longstanding problems with the healthcare system, and to move legacy organizations into a digital world and help them discover new revenue channels as volumes and payments from traditional channels soften. Adding to the momentum for innovation is the rise of competitors—from start-ups to tech giants—that have innovation in their DNA. 72% of larger hospitals and health systems have built or are in the process of building innovation centers. Structurally, hospital innovation programs range from projects or departments housed within a hospital, to subsidiary companies, to partnerships with tech companies. Traditionally, hospital innovation programs have focused on developing internal ideas to be used within the hospital to improve issues like operational efficiency or utilization management. In the face of new competition and rapid change, these programs increasingly develop and fund start-up companies aimed at selling new products to new markets. As the need for innovation intensifies, so does the need for a new orientation toward innovation. The capabilities, culture, and mission that support ongoing operations of a legacy healthcare organization are not those that drive successful innovation. For innovation to generate ideas that become commercial successes, it must be backed by an entrepreneurial culture with characteristics that are different from—and even antithetical to—the characteristics of legacy organizations. 8 Characteristics of Entrepreneurial Leaders An innovation center cannot simply be an add-on to the ongoing operations of a legacy healthcare organization. It must be rooted in a culture of entrepreneurialism, led by individuals who demonstrate eight critical characteristics. 1. Have really good ideas. Breakthrough ideas are the foundation of a successful entrepreneur. Such ideas are transformational. They offer solutions to needs that may not even be previously recognized. They are the product of thinking differently about how important tasks can be done, and how important goals can be achieved. They open up new demand from the largest possible markets. 2. Work hard in a different way. Legacy healthcare organizations are full of hard workers, but entrepreneurial organizations need people who work hard in a different way. In legacy organizations, people work hard at doing their best within existing workflows. In entrepreneurial organizations, people work hard at disrupting those workflows in search of something better. They will be relentless in asking questions, conceptualizing solutions, and making them successful. 3. Tolerate risk. Healthcare organizations have a reputation for being averse to risk. They are not alone in this. All companies are subject to organizational forces and natural biases that make their leaders reluctant to take on risk. In contrast, innovation and entrepreneurialism are by definition about taking risks. They require leaders who can recognize these forces and biases, and move beyond them. 4. Persevere. In part because legacy healthcare organizations tend to avoid risk, they have little experience with meeting unexpected problems or confronting failure. Instead, they develop processes and protocols designed to avoid failure. Surgical procedures, for example, can’t go bad because a surgeon wants to go down an unknown path that may or may not produce a better outcome for the patient. Entrepreneurial organizations encounter obstacles and outright failures regularly. They need to develop perseverance as a business emotion that enables them to get over obstacles and failures and keep going. In 2014, when Amazon’s introduction of the Fire smartphone failed, Fortune magazine reported that the company “is now left scrambling, and it’s unclear whether it can recover from its flop.” Amazon persevered, recovered fully, and continues to grow. 5. Feel a sense of urgency. Because hospitals want to be careful, methodical, and tactical, they don’t want to rush. Entrepreneurial organizations face forces that push them in the opposite direction. These forces have grown only stronger in the internet economy. In a phenomenon that has been called “big-bang disruption,”innovation can now “come out of nowhere and instantly be everywhere.” Being first to market with a new idea is more important than ever. Adding to this pressure is the fact that entrepreneurial organizations typically make their run at innovation with limited funds. They have neither time nor money to waste. 6. Integrate disassociated ideas. Netflix did not invent the technology for streaming video. It realized that existing video compression technology could be deployed to deliver movies through lines that internet service providers had already run to consumers’ homes—and it continues to refine this strategy as it expands internationally across varying digital infrastructures. Uber combined existing geolocation, texting, and digital payment technologies to transform an untapped supply of independent drivers into a worldwide fleet that has disrupted the taxi business and threatens legacy automakers. An entrepreneur takes two ideas that are disassociated and puts them together, creating a new idea and a new product or service for sale. 7. Develop strategic intuition. Legacy healthcare organizations and entrepreneurs share a commitment to numbers and data. But entrepreneurs are dealing with the new. They can’t know in advance if their innovations will become game changers, so they must be willing to go beyond data and market research and trust their intuition. When Steve Jobs introduced the iPhone, predicting that it would be a “revolutionary product… that changes everything,” he was met with skepticism from many. Microsoft’s then-CEO Steve Ballmer said, “There’s no chance that the iPhone is going to get any significant market share.” Ultimately, it was an innovation that did indeed change the world. 8. Obsess over sales. Legacy hospitals are concerned with market share, but their focus is on referrals: How can we get clinicians to bring their cases to us? Entrepreneurs are starting with an idea that needs to be sold to bring in revenue that covers expenses and allows further growth. First, they need to convince people to try their idea, and then to pay money for it. Because innovations are new, consumers will not have heard of them, and may not even understand why they might need them. Entrepreneurial organizations need people who not only are excited by the innovation, but also obsessed with bringing it to the attention of others. Creating an Entrepreneurial Culture Because the characteristics of entrepreneurs and entrepreneurial organizations can differ so much from the characteristics of legacy hospitals and health systems, healthcare leaders who are thinking about adding an innovation vertical at their organizations face some challenges. First, they should be willing to make the work of the innovation center completely separate from the work of the legacy organization. Without this separation, the work of innovation will too easily be set aside in favor of work that sustains a current business model. Second, they should understand that even though innovations may seriously disrupt the legacy organization’s current business models, innovators need free rein to pursue disruption. If they don’t do it, there are others who will. Third, and most important, they must be sure that the capabilities of those who are given the task of pursuing innovation are compatible with the characteristics of entrepreneurial organizations. Some of these capabilities may be found within the legacy organization. More often, the legacy organization will need to look beyond its existing talent if it wants to create an entrepreneurial culture that will drive innovations from ideas to commercial success. 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!
0 Comments
By Laurie Guest
When it comes to a business environment, fun is a relative term. You might be part of a team where boisterous laughter or lots of teasing is appropriate while other industries may require a very serious environment. Some places might even fool you because they are so different than what you expected that the experience becomes memorable. A dear friend of mine had to go to chemotherapy and asked me to accompany her on several occasions. This environment was new to me. On the way in the door, I pictured a quiet place, with a kind of sadness hanging in the air, and certainly not a place where fun would be had. What a surprise when I found the complete opposite! I found upbeat chatter, smiles on the faces of every team member, and games. On the day we were there, we played bingo all afternoon. When you won, they wheeled over a cart filled with prizes to choose from. If a place can make chemo fun, then why can’t more organizations find small ways to create joy? After all when we’re making the experience fun for others, the staff is having fun too. Spice It Up Professionalism does not mean you have to be serious all the time. Consider ways to bring fun to work. 1. Let the customers know you’re a fun place by your actions. Southwest Airlines is a perfect example of this by using humor in their announcements and sometimes coordinating games. I recently saw a gate agent for Southwest conduct a paper airplane contest in the boarding area of a delayed flight. There were over 40 people playing and the winner received a $25 gift card. So much fun! 2. Create a tradition the staff enjoys. Several companies have Casual Friday where jeans are allowed, and once a month they have a birthday potluck for lunch. Everybody brings something to share as they recognize that month’s birthdays. 3. Develop staff recognition programs. People thrive on being recognized. Our company had a fun activity we did for several years: staff could nominate others for a “smiley award.” The name of the program sounds a little weird, but we had small yellow tickets printed up, and the staff could give those to each other for actions that deserved applause. For example, scraping a patient’s windshield in the winter or going the extra mile for a co-worker earned a smiley award. The names of the nominee and the nominator were written on these awards. At our quarterly staff meeting all the smiley slips were placed in a fish bowl. Three tickets were drawn. Nominees won gift certificates to a local restaurant or store, while nominators won lottery tickets. What was especially great about this praise was management had nothing to do with it. Nominees were peer recognized and prizes were given by the luck of the draw. In reality, everyone won. We celebrated the praiseworthy things people were doing that could easily be overlooked. Creating fun in the workplace takes a bit of effort, but chances are you can find ways to add a bit of joy to the day no matter your industry. 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
I have the utmost respect for leaders who deal with toxic behavior head on. Many healthcare leaders still look past the gossips and groaners because they have good technical skills. Some leaders feel they have to tolerate the moaners and complainers because they need a person to fill a slot in the schedule. The problem is, there will be another slot next week and the week after. And what happens to the rest of the team while you keep filling shifts with toxic people? The culture erodes and so does your reputation. A few months ago, I was coaching a leader who was having difficulty taking the final step in terminating a toxic individual. Her biggest challenge was that “Toxic Tilly” was a technical wizard. Unfortunately, she demanded perfectionism in all things from her teammates. Nothing was ever good enough, and Tilly was always there to point that out to everyone. After giving Tilly both written and verbal warnings, “Carol” called me and said, “It’s decision-making day.” In her organization, that means it is the turning point of termination. She described the precipitating event (which was the final straw) in deciding to terminate. She had had enough. Carol managed the termination like a true professional. It is never easy having to terminate someone, but Carol managed with dignity and respect. Once the dust had settled, I asked Carol what she had learned from the experience. She answered the same way dozens of other leaders have in similar situations. She said, “My only regret is that I wish I had done it much sooner. I hadn’t realized the strain it was placing on me and the rest of the team.” Coaching is always the first step. But when you know that a toxic team member isn’t changing and is bringing others down, you must take action. You owe it to your high performers and the people you serve. 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 Christine Cashen
My husband and I attended Kevin Hart’s comedy show. Upon entering the American Airlines Center, we were greeted with a note that read “Cell Phones are prohibited before and during the show.” Seriously? How’s this going to work? The announcer mentioned it more than 30 times (I kid you NOT!) and the giant overhead marquee kept flashing the same ominous message: NO PHONES. It was intriguing. Could people really be in the moment rather than capturing the moment? Straight away, the gaggle of women behind me started talking about how they couldn’t handle it. I told my husband I’d take a video! What if my daughter runs out of gas? How are we going to make people jealous if we can’t take a selfie? At that moment, an usher took a lighted glow stick from around her neck and began swinging it over her head. Then three burly men bustled down to the front section. The back of their shirts gave away their job description — “Cell Phone Patrol.” I watched as they tapped people on the shoulders and escorted them OUT (Seriously…these people paid for tickets and were literally ushered OUT!). The gaggle behind me got silent. Power off. How hard is it? How addicted are you? Based on high-level intel (the emcee), we learned that 183 people were ejected from the show the night before. Who knows how many were escorted out during our night. I know we witnessed about 25 people getting the boot. I’ve written many blogs about phone addiction, but we still need help. Here are some suggestions to help you be in the moment. 7 Ideas to End Your Cell Phone Addiction
Looking for your next healthcare speaker? Get in touch with us today to make your healthcare event a success! By Courtney Clark
After a long (maybe too long?) summer break, it’s time to get your kids back to school. Hallelujah! But the first month of school is prime time for stress around your house, as everyone tries to shake their lazy summer habits and jump right back into the busy-ness of the school year. If your family is stressed and high-strung the first several weeks of school, here are some chaos-management techniques to help your family actually ENJOY the transition of the new school year: Use the Plus-20 Rule Everything takes longer than you think it does. And when you’re talking about getting back to your rigid schoolyear schedule, that goes double. Build an extra 20 minutes into every single commute, mealtime, and bedtime. I’ve found that when I’m getting into a new routine, 15 minutes isn’t *quite* enough of a buffer, but 30 is too long. Try making room for 20 extra minutes per activity in your schedule, and you’ll be pleasantly surprised when you get there on time. (You can also adapt this rule for projects and test studying, too! Give yourself an extra day per major assignment. Everything takes longer than you expect when you’re getting back into the swing of it.) Hire the Professionals (0r the Semi-Pros) When I was teaching my son to drive, I had a realization. I should NOT be teaching my son to drive. Somebody else should! If you have high-stress, conflict-inducing activities in your household, like math homework, parents shouldn’t be the ones to oversee that activity. Hire a professional math tutor, get a college kid to come oversee homework two nights a week, or maybe staff the job out to a math-whiz friend who owes you a favor. If you and your kids get into the habit of arguing now, this early in the school year, that’s a tough habit to break as the months wear on. Your kids are bound to be more respectful to anyone who isn’t you. So hire someone else to help with whatever the worst stuff is at your house, and enjoy the peace that follows. Institute Work Hours When I was growing up, we had “homework time” – it reached up to 2-3 hours a night once I was in high school. Depending on the age of your child, designate Work Hours time that’s just for work. If they say “I don’t have homework tonight,” great! They don’t have to do school homework, but they have to work on something. It can be a book, a project, or just a general interest. Anything but TV, phone, or video games. Adjust the age upwards as they grow. And EVERYONE in the family participates in Work Hours, not just kids. This way, you’re modeling the diligent behavior you want to see, and you’re giving your kids less of an excuse to zip through their homework and grab the remote control. 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 almost impossible to make it as an actor in the highly competitive movie industry. The most well-connected actors, from the finest schools, with incredible drive and abilities repeatedly find themselves on the outskirts, incapable of getting the break, unable to achieve the dream. This is what makes the success of Stephanie Szostak – and her unlikely conversation with Kevin Bacon – even more remarkable. Let me explain. Stephanie was raised in the suburbs of Paris, France. She first came to the United States at 19 when she studied marketing at The College of William & Mary. While there she fell in love, graduated, moved to New York, and started her life. She worked in marketing at Chanel, got married, had children and led a normal life. Then, at age 28, with absolutely no experience, no training and no track record, she decided to become an actor. Although well-intentioned friends told her she was crazy and would never succeed, with her husband’s encouragement, her belief in herself, and some neighborhood acting classes, Stephanie started the journey. She took some short roles, got on a few sets, learned the craft, built a bit of a resume, and caught a huge break when she was called back to be in a major movie titled, The Devil Wears Prada. The unassuming, but talented actress then received significant roles in both Dinner for Schmucks and Iron Man 3, before landing the leading lady role in R.I.P.D. The filming took place in Boston and during her first day on set Stephanie looked around the room in absolute awe of the other actors. Finding herself on the same set as Ryan Reynolds, Jeff Bridges (The Dude, himself), and Kevin Bacon, her anxiety was high as she wondered if she truly belonged. Kevin Bacon Reminds Stephanie Szostak We’re All the Same On that first morning, Kevin and Stephanie had a few minutes before shooting to get to know one another. They talked about the movie, about other movies they had participated in (Kevin had a bit more to discuss!), and about their families. Eventually, though, Kevin wiped his eyes, apologized and explained he was simply exhausted because he hadn’t slept at all the previous night. When Stephanie asked why, he replied that he never sleeps before the first day of shooting; just too much anxiety. Stephanie, shocked, yelled back, “What? You get nervous? I figured I was the only one!” Kevin shared that anxiety simply meant he cared. He felt intense anxiety in his first major role (Animal House), has experienced it in every role over the four decades since, and felt that when he doesn’t feel it anymore he’ll know he’s not taking it serious enough and it’s time to quit. Those Nervous Butterflies Mean You Care My friends, I think we all experience anxiety as we prepare for the big meeting, the first date, an important sales call, a new opportunity. But the important lesson to learn from this dialogue between two Hollywood actors (hey, they really are like us!) is that we shouldn’t stop nervously anticipating as we get older and more seasoned. Instead, we should hope for butterflies before the second meeting, the second date, the next sales call and opportunity. And the third. Because those nerves are a reminder that you care. And butterflies should always be present when we do anything of importance. Our job isn’t to wish them away, but to get them to fly in formation. As you enter into your week, welcome the butterflies. Act and anticipate and plan as if the work you do, the relationships you touch and the life you live actually matters. Because it all does. And what better place to begin this practice then the most important roles you play: the ones at home. This 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 Colette Carlson
Leaders encourage new team members to ask clarifying questions surrounding a project, protocol or procedure. Connected leaders take it one step further and reassure individuals to reach out for support or help when needed. Yet, too many individuals still hesitate asking for what they need to succeed demanding that leaders change their approach. According to an article in Harvard Business Review, a call center experiment may hold clues to creating a safe and supportive “asking” environment. The Challenge: The company’s rapid call center growth (tripling in size over a five-year period) left insufficient time for training to support their financial advisor clients. Wanting to look good in their supervisor’s eyes, new hires hesitated asking for help or saying, “I don’t know. Let me find out.” This increased call volume as clients chose to call back until two out of three answers received were alike. The leaders gave their teams a clear vision: Change whatever it takes to prevent clients from living by the three-call rule. The Experiment: First off, management made it safe to experiment by keeping, but not compensating, call center service agents on metrics for four weeks. To show they were serious, white lab coats were distributed and input solicited. The first experiment resulted in a “Bat Signal” agents could press when needing informational support, but they still hesitated as the device clearly signaled they needed assistance. In addition, everyone assumed someone else would jump in to help, leaving the requestor helpless. Even after someone was assigned as Bat Manager, other demands often meant they weren’t at their desk to receive the signal. The experiment shifted to a private “Bat Chat” channel where new hires could directly connect with specialized departments, but that also failed. However, when the “Bat Chat” channel was launched to the entire call center, everything changed. Although management anticipated that new hires would be connecting and asking for support from each another, that wasn’t the case. Turns out, only when seasoned team members modeled the behavior and asked each other for additional support, did new hires follow suit. As the article’s author Joe Brown noted, “When they were just another voice in a crowded room, they felt safe to ask questions. So, the key wasn’t in giving newbies special treatment, it was making them feel normal in saying, 'I don’t know.' And a nice added benefit of the Bat chat? Those long transcripts became a searchable library of answers for future service agents.” My Takeaway: Leaders must get their own ASK in gear if they expect others to feel safe enough to follow suit. Put your pride on the side, show your vulnerability and ask for support when necessary. Not only will you be doing yourself a favor, but you’ll be leading the way for others to do the same. 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
When I teach Medical Improv, what I’m really teaching are ‘soft’ skills! The improv is basically an effective strategy for teaching them. Sometimes I get asked, “What are they?" It is a great question! Emotional intelligence, interactive, people, relationship, and social skills all come under the umbrella of ‘soft skills’. Some of these factors involve skills, like listening and assertiveness, yet many involve human awareness, feelings and behaviors. And when we start getting into these areas, things get a little more tricky, right? They are inter-related, vary among us, and are influenced by almost infinite variables i.e. the weather, being tired, other people’s behavior, and the cultures we work in. Anything that impacts how we feel and behave, individually and organizationally is likely to influence our ‘soft’ skills. This is why they are challenging to teach. It is also why Medical Improv is such an exciting teaching tool. Different people learn different things at the same time playing the same activity! In the activity Same Time Story, for example, one person is practicing speaking up while the other is practicing listening. And it is no small thing that they are having fun and building their relationship too. What are some examples of ‘Soft’ Skills? Here is a list that I’ve developed over the years and am often updating with input from participants:
What would you add to this list now that you get the general idea? Are there any ‘soft’ skills you are working on? Do you have any thoughts on how these skills are related to patient safety, patient experience, or workforce health? 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! |
Archives
June 2024
Categories
All
|