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By Kristin Baird
A culture of accountability doesn’t just happen. It takes persistence well after you state your expectations. Parenting would be easy if you could tell your kids once, and only once, to do something and know for certain it would be done without checking. But that isn’t the case with parenting, nor is it the case in most leadership situations. You can’t just tell your team that you expect them to follow your service standards 100% of the time and know it will be done. “You can’t tell your team that you expect them to follow your service standards 100% of the time and know it will be done.” The staff knows which leaders will hold them accountable and which will not. When we do focus groups and ask staff about what is expected of them, we often hear, “It depends.” Drilling down further, we learn that follow through and accountability really depends on who leads the department. CREATING A MEMORABLE FOUNDATION FOR A CULTURE OF ACCOUNTABILITY I remember the first time I used the phrase, “It’s not what you EXPECT, but what you INSPECT that gets the RESPECT.” I was with a group of leaders and one of them said he felt it was a condescending phrase. I can see where it may be interpreted as condescending, or even militant. My intent in using this phrase is to establish a memorable foundation for a culture of accountability. You can tell the staff about service standards but if you don’t make regular rounds, observe, and give feedback, your stated expectations may not be taken seriously. So often, I have seen a leader who trains staff on a tactic, then doesn’t follow through to make sure that it’s consistently implemented. It could be on anything from scripting to hourly rounds or simply walking visitors to their destinations. The leader doesn’t ensure that it’s being done and then complains that the “program” or “model” doesn’t work. It’s not the tactic that didn’t work, it was the follow-through which is as important to the success as the initial training. Maybe more. Accountability can lead to greater profitability too. In a Forbes article, author John Hall states that accountability is good for the culture and bolsters the bottom line. When your team members know that you will hold them accountable, they know you are serious about quality, consistency, and maintaining a positive culture. In turn, they will show more respect for the work that is being done knowing that you care enough to follow-through. Planning your next event? Get in touch with us at the Capitol City Speakers Bureau today to schedule your ideal speaker and make your event a success!
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By Kenneth Kaufman
Every healthcare organization, large or small, depends on an internal gyroscope to assure its organizational stability and maintain its administrative and clinical navigation systems. That healthcare gyroscope is a delicate combination of management, governance, and medical attitudes and processes that keeps all complex healthcare organizations functioning in a way that serves the best interests of its patients and associated communities. The COVID pandemic has impacted every aspect of our society in ways that we immediately understand and in other ways that it may take years and years to comprehend. In this regard, no institution may have been more emotionally and managerially impacted by the pandemic than the American hospital. That healthcare gyroscope in many healthcare providers has likely been knocked on its side and is now uselessly spinning sending the organization off in haphazard directions. In the post-pandemic period healthcare leaders need to locate the most necessary set of strategic and operating plans which will most immediately re-establish that internal healthcare gyroscope. Here are a handful of suggested strategies that may prove most essential.
The healthcare environment has never been static. But change has been incremental and to a great extent predictable. The COVID pandemic has brought new, unpredictable external forces to healthcare that have already begun to affect the nature of healthcare’s competitive dynamic and accelerate the pace of change. To weather this new environment, healthcare organizations need to achieve a new basis of stability. The above four strategies and their associated day-to-day tactics are just the beginning of the post-pandemic re-set for American healthcare providers. But together they can combine to set that organizational gyroscope spinning back toward governance, managerial, and clinical stability. Planning your next event? Get in touch with us at the Capitol City Speakers Bureau today to schedule your ideal speaker and make your event a success! By Steve Gilliland
When I was a young child, a woman lived in our peaceful, somewhat traditional town who decided to change her hair color. She and her husband owned a small variety store. They had two children who never got into trouble, did well in school, and considered college. The husband unexpectedly passed. Coping with grief takes many different attitudes and comes in numerous ways. Still, the woman, whom everyone liked, and who liked everyone, and helped everyone she met, one morning awakened and changed her hair color. She went from a brunette to platinum blond. Within days, she became the talk of the town. There were things said about her, behind her back, that were exceptionally mean. She lost customers, her oldest boy got into fights, and in-laws were convinced that she had always been a gold-digger. The truth? Her husband thought she was beautiful and called her Jayne after Jayne Mansfield (though she looked nothing like the model and actress). To honor his memory, she dyed her hair. That’s it. The woman could choose to keep her hair color and be a little unique or go back to sensible brown. She kept her hair color. It took several months, but most of her customers returned. She lost a few “friends,” to be sure, but they were negative gossip-mongers and not those who appreciated her soul. Conformity Why are we afraid to be unique? Why is the uncommon so difficult for some of us to accept? I’ve been thinking about those questions a great deal as of late. Hair color is no big deal now (there’s no limit to colors), nor are tattoos, for those who want them, nor plastic surgery, nor eccentric clothes. However, the surface stuff has given way to something else. Magazines such as Psychology Today spend a lot of time on such topics as uniqueness versus conformity. Psychologists tell us conformity denotes a wide-ranging phenomenon in which people shift their behavior or beliefs to fit in with a larger group. Groupthink refers to the practice of thinking or making decisions as a group in a way that discourages creativity or individual responsibility. There is a friction between conformity and uniqueness that is a continual source of resentment. We see examples of this daily. I am not talking about mild disagreements either, like Cubs versus White Sox or Mets versus Yankees, but strong opinions regarding politics, vaccinations, bigotry, and religion. Why has this happened, and why, when all of us so desperately need to come together on so many issues? I think it goes back to the wonderful woman with platinum hair. The shame of that incident from so many years ago was not hers, but when people learned the story of why she did it, they were ashamed. The key is information. So many people are afraid to think for themselves and rely too much on inconsistent information, things misheard, things misquoted, half-truths, statistics stated as research, distorted facts, and far-flung opinions. It is why the internet and news overload from one point of view or source is so dangerous. John F. Kennedy said, “Conformity is the jailer of freedom and the enemy of growth.” Now more than ever, it’s time to think for yourself, be yourself, and return to what is real. Don’t dare to be different. Dare to be yourself. Planning your next event? Get in touch with us at the Capitol City Speakers Bureau today to schedule your ideal speaker and make your 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.
At age 10, a painful experience revealed how broken, disabled, and imperfect I was. A conversation with my mother afterward, though, challenged me to never believe lies that cheapen the blessing of my life. We could all benefit from that lesson I learned 30 years ago. When I came home from the hospital after being burned, fitting in was a struggle. In the early days I was in a wheelchair. Bandages covered my entire body. Eventually, my bandages were removed and the wheelchair was no longer needed, but I was covered in scars from my neck to my toes. Throughout my life, I have had many experiences being stared at, pointed at and whispered about in public. The most searing experience was one in church. This church experience left a recently injured boy broken, until his mother stepped in with love and advice we all need to hear about confidence. During the service, there is a moment where we turn to others, extend our hands, shake theirs, and offer one another peace. As a kid, this was a much-needed chance to burn off a little energy that had been stifled for the previous 30 minutes trapped in a pew. On one occasion I remember joyfully shaking hands with my siblings and parents. Then, with the family we knew in front of us. Afterward, turning around and extending my hand to the gentleman behind us. He extended his, looked down at mine, and realized he was about to shake hands with a little boy with no fingers and scarred arms. The gentleman withdrew his hand, crossed his arms and looked away. Dejected, I pulled my hand back and turned around. I put my head down, tucked both scarred, fingerless hands deep into my pockets and tried to disappear. It may seem relatively insignificant, but as a child with profound physical differences, already struggling to fit in, lacking confidence, and longing to be normal, this was a painful reminder of how obviously different and unwanted I was. Hours later, through the power of a mother’s intuition, Mom could tell something was wrong. My typically joyful demeanor was absent. After denying anything was wrong several times, I finally, tearfully admitted what happened. She knelt in front of me, took my hands in hers and asked if I fully knew how remarkable I was? I nodded my head and told her I did. It was a lie. Mom looked into my eyes and said in the tone that only a convicted, impassioned mother could muster: “John, listen to me. You are a remarkable gift; a walking miracle. And, you are perfect exactly as you are. Absolutely perfect. Never, ever, let your value be defined by someone who doesn’t realize that. Do you understand me?” Your painful experiences are preparing you for something more beautiful than you can imagine. She then talked about the agony we’d already survived. She celebrated the bravery that we’d revealed and shared how these painful experiences were preparing me for something more beautiful than we could imagine. She discussed how real peace, acceptance and joy will never come from someone else’s opinion of me, but by choosing to love myself. And she challenged me that, from now on when I met someone, I not extend my hand hoping they take it. Instead, I should extend both, take theirs and pull them toward me with love – showing them that I am confident in who I am. Those I’ve had the honor of meeting after speaking engagements know that I do practice this way of shaking hands. It now usually ends with a big hug. And no, it wasn’t something I figured out as a man, successful speaker or published author. I was challenged to do it during a time when I lacked confidence, didn’t believe in the power of my story and was unaware of the miracle of my life. Over time this practice freed me to not only embrace the blessings of my own imperfections, but realize that everyone feels they, too, have scars that make them imperfect or unlovable. In authentically meeting others where they are and loving them as they are, they depart a bit more confident and joyful than they had previously felt. Do this to find real acceptance, joy and love in your life. We live in a marketplace that feels so isolated, stressed and divided. I invite you – like my mom invited me – to view your painful experiences as a gift preparing you for something bigger. You will not find peace, acceptance or joy in someone else’s opinion of you, but by choosing to love yourself. And finally my friend, today, approach friends, acquaintances and strangers with confidence, love and an open embrace. Accepting this challenge is certain to elevate the way we feel about our own lives. It will also liberate us to extend our hands and hearts to those still desperately seeking acceptance in theirs. Today is your day. Live Inspired. Planning your next event? Get in touch with us at the Capitol City Speakers Bureau today to schedule your ideal speaker and make your event a success! By Chip Bell
It was raining hard. I was in the edge of a small town near where I live in a long line of “stop and go” traffic all slowed by the single traffic light in the center of town. A car from a side street was waiting to get in the line. I left a space between my car and the one in front of me to enable him to pull out in front. I have done it a hundred times. But something special happened. As he righted his car in the line in front of me, he rolled his window down and vigorously waved his gratitude. Did I mention it was pouring rain? It made me want to be generous to the next car. It made me grateful for my random act of kindness. It caused me to feel like a part of a “neighbor helping neighbor” community. Your customers are waving you in front of them every day. They enter your enterprise when they could go elsewhere. They peruse your offerings, tolerate your less-than-perfect systems, give you their hard-earned cash and “in short supply” time. Like giving up a preferred place in line, they defer to you. So, your organization is like the car that got a privileged spot in a long line. How do you respond? Do you take it for granted and respond with indifference? Do you express your gratitude even though doing so has “pouring down rain” inconvenience? Show your customers they are valued. Treat them like a valued neighbor and they will bring their friends and family to your doorsteps. Planning your next event? Get in touch with us at the Capitol City Speakers Bureau today to schedule your ideal speaker and make your event a success! By Marilyn Tam
Successful leaders now are more coaches and mentors than business whizzes or domain experts. Surveys and research are showing that the top leadership skills for the future are the abilities to coach, support their employees and to foster teamwork. Are you prepared? The past year has graphically shown us that sudden disruptive change can happen without warning. What worked in the past is not going to resolve the issues of the present and future. The previously familiar command and control style of leadership is ineffective in managing the challenges we face now. Harvard Business review’s article by Herminia Ibarra & Anne Scoular illustrated how successful leaders today coach and mentor their teams to achieve optimal results. Yet most leaders overestimate their abilities in developing and motivating their teams. In research by Joe Folkman & Jack Zenger published in HBR, the majority of 2,761 leaders studied overestimated their coaching and mentoring skills. 24 percent were significantly off the mark on how effective they were in fostering their employees’ abilities to achieving their best, individually and as a team. Yelling and reprimanding employees, especially in a meeting, is a poor way of coaching and motivating others.My first corporate boss after college yelled constantly instead of speaking in normal tones. He shouted at everyone he worked with, in person and on the phone. He didn’t listen and barked out orders whenever he needed anything. Yet he thought he was a great leader, telling (shouting at) anyone around that he’s the best trainer of new executive trainees, including for yours truly. No one dared to contradict him — for fear of more screaming. It’s a wonder that he lasted as long as he did even back then when the hard knocks way of developing employees was more accepted. Today when talent can be accessed globally to work remotely, leaders have to establish a culture that fosters engagement, growth and collaboration to attract the best. The competition for quality workers is strong and they have great flexibility in their choice for employment. A high development environment is attractive and good for the employees and also fosters productivity, innovation, morale, recruitment and retention for the company. In 2020, Gallup research showed that organizations with a coaching and talent development centered culture have employees who are motivated by more than a paycheck. They are aligned with the company’s goals and know that their own personal career goals are intertwined with the success of the organization. These workers are more engaged, productive, innovative and stay longer at the company. How do you develop the skills to become a better leader in today’s abrupt and constantly unsettling environment? A manager’s role now is to support, guide and encourage employees to learn and adapt to continuously changing environments so that fresh energy, innovation, and commitment become the norm. The boss is not anymore the person who knows the most or has the most experience. The successful leader is the one who can manage and lead the team with vision, integrity and understanding. A coach/mentor who can bring out the best in the team, facilitate collaboration and guide progress towards the organization’s mission and goals. Leading a team remotely requires different skills. A manager has to coach and mentor to bring out the best in each person.Here are four points to help up level your leadership skills for now and the future: 1. Clarify your organization’s mission and goals and explain how they align with the work each person is doing. When employees understand the alignment between their goals and the company’s, they will know how to approach the changing circumstances appropriately with the resources available. Equally important, they will feel that they are working in tandem with the company’s mission and are actively committed to achieving it. 2. Connect with each direct report to establish their personal goals and benchmarks and maintain regularly scheduled follow up sessions. At each meeting, ask open ended questions, truly listen and respond honestly with the intention to foster personal and professional development. Conclude each meeting with actionable and measurable items to be discussed during the next session. 3. Treat each person as you would like to be treated. Guide them in fulfilling their goals even when their ideas seem grandiose. With active communication and support, your employee will either find a way to achieve their goals or learn to modify them so that they can be attained. Your job as a mentor/coach is to help them explore and grow. You gain new perspectives, and the organization is energized from the possibilities that you may not have considered. All parties learn and grow from the interactions. 4. The coaching sessions will also reveal case(s) where the employee’s goals and talents are not suited to your division/organization. Help them transition to another division or company. By doing so you open their position(s) to a more suitable person and also strengthen the reputation that you and the organization genuinely care about the employees’ wellbeing. Morale will increase, retention and recruitment will be enhanced. As you can tell the benefits of being a coach/mentor for your employees has multiple benefits. The old saying, “it's not personal, it is only business” can be retired for good. Welcome to a more humane world. What happened to my first boss who yelled all the time? He was let go less than a year after I was promoted. The last I heard he moved back to New York and was doing similar work in a small company there. I wonder if it would have been a different story if he had a good coach and mentor. As for me, I learned from him how not to be. I learned the value of coaching and mentoring and how everyone and the organization gain when we collaborate, support each other and work towards the same goals. Thank you, S.C., my “anti-mentor”. Planning your next event? Get in touch with us at the Capitol City Speakers Bureau today to schedule your ideal speaker and make your event a success! By Shep Hyken
Here’s a true story shared by a friend and speaking colleague. The short version is that there is a doctor, who is probably a good doctor. But he’s a terrible boss. When a patient – as in: his customer – complains about something, he listens and then goes back to his employees, and in a knee-jerk reaction, he berates and punishes them by taking away their incentives. You can only imagine what that does to the morale of the team. And what happens next? The employees quit, which is understandable. There are plenty of employee surveys that point to the number one reason people quit their jobs. Many people think it’s money, but it is actually due to a lack of appreciation from their boss. It’s okay for a boss to be hard to work for. But the boss who has high expectations can still show appreciation and support employees. Receiving a complaint from a customer doesn’t mean it’s time to turn on your employees. On the contrary, it’s time to sit down and find out why it happened. And here’s the interesting part. It’s usually not the employee’s fault. And it’s not the customer’s fault either. Most often, it’s the process or business system. Here’s a simple example: Let’s make the assumption that the doctor has hired employees who are friendly and competent. The doc is running behind and patients in the reception area are becoming impatient. One of them becomes angry and complains. This doctor doesn’t understand the real reason behind the delays, which are due to overbooking. Instead, he thinks the delays are due to poor management by the front desk personnel. Yet it is the doctor who insists they book – actually overbook – patients back-to-back. When there is a problem, even if it appears to be the employee’s fault, you need to understand why it happened. If it’s related to an employee’s attitude, that is a coachable moment. Managed the right way you’ll get the employee back on track or you’ll quickly learn he or she needs to go to a different position – or another job in another company. If it’s because the employee didn’t know what to do, then it’s simply a function of training, which is tied to your business system or process. If employees aren’t properly onboarded and trained for their jobs, you can’t expect them to perform at their best. Or maybe it’s just a bad process or system that needs to be fixed. This is something that needs to be discussed, managed and corrected. And here’s the interesting part of all of this. The late Dr. W. Edwards Deming, renowned professor, statistician and author, stated that 94% of problems are the fault of the system. People can’t perform better than the system allows. So, in most cases, it’s not the people. It’s the system or process. If you work together with your people, you can focus your efforts on fixing what’s broken. Planning your next event? Get in touch with us at the Capitol City Speakers Bureau today to schedule your ideal speaker and make your event a success! By LeAnn Thieman. This was originally published on LeAnn's blog.
I am a big believer in the power of positive thinking. I laughed when I read that October has a “Cranky Co-worker Day.” Yet I know it’s no laughing matter. My mama used to say, “One bad apple can spoil the whole bunch.” That’s what a cranky coworker does, isn’t it? So what do you do about “bad apples” who “spoil” the morale of your workplaces? One tactic is to confront them, kindly, to address what you perceive as a negative attitude, then ask what they see as the cause. Sometimes there is a stress or pain in their lives that you are unaware of and you can offer help, or at least listen. Other times, people are simply into “stinkin’ thinkin,” for no apparent good reason! And there seems to be nothing you can do to change it. That’s when it’s a challenge to maintain you own positive attitude. One way to do so is by incorporating positive thinking and visualization, and humor, into your daily life to affect your health and happiness, at home and in the workplace. You can’t change them, but you can change you. By doing so, you set an example (there’s that role modeling again) and that can create a shift in attitude for the entire workplace. We need to help each other to stay positive. Don’t let “stinkin’ thinkin’” be contagious. We have the power—yes it is a power—to influence the attitude of our coworkers. Don’t let a “rotten” attitude “spoil” your workplace. Positive thinking is contagious too. Let’s visualize—and create—a place where there are no “Cranky Co-worker Days.” 🙂 Planning your next event? Get in touch with us at the Capitol City Speakers Bureau today to schedule your ideal speaker and make your event a success! |
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