Tag: AANA

By Thomas Davis, CRNA, MAE, DNAP candidate

Follow @procrnatom on twitter

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Are you capable, competent, committed to the job and yet feel like your daily routine has you mired in a muddy rut?  You are not alone.   One thing that business, industry and healthcare have in common is that each has a cadre of talented people who feel imprisoned by the status quo and are ready to break the bonds of mediocracy.  Take control of your destiny, shake things up, and gain the recognition/promotion that you deserve.

Both those who are in leadership roles as well as those who are frontline workers must act to position themselves for advancement in the organization.    Cameron Chapman, staff writer at skillcraft, says that it is foolish to wait to be “discovered” at your workplace when there are things that you can do to revitalize your career and increase your value to the organization.   Chapman suggests that you start with self-evaluation and do an honest review of your capabilities compared to your actual work performance.  Begin to resuscitate your career by taking action to close the gap between your current performance and the maximum potential that you are capable of putting into the job.  Here are some simple ways to advance yourself in the pecking order of most valued employees:

Be more assertive.  Confident extroverts infuse energy into a group and are catalysts for productivity, whereas introverts blend in with the environment and go unnoticed.  Take the initiative to up your energy level and set a positive tone for your team.  Even those who are not natural extroverts can be more outgoing by giving every colleague a friendly greeting and engaging in conversation. Be brave, set ambitious, attainable goals and have high expectations for yourself and colleagues.  Positivity is contagious and as you increase your performance, your team will follow suit.

Learn new skills.  Instead of arriving every day with a flat attitude and stagnant skill set, enhance to advance.  Visualize the job that you desire, the skills required for that position, and then find a mentor or take the classes necessary to expand your capabilities.  Taking a course in accounting, personnel management or team development will enhance your existing position as a leader. Mastering the use of new equipment or learning to perform new clinical techniques will advance you as a healthcare provider.

Ask for responsibility.  Meet with your supervisor and ask about the most pressing needs in your workgroup or the organization.   Better yet, identify an existing situation where your team could improve safety or efficiency and offer to head a project to strengthen the team in that area.  For example, the patient handoff between the operating room and recovery room did not include all the basic information required for continuity of care.   Alice, a nurse anesthetist talked to the supervisor and proposed a project to team with a recovery nurse and revise the handoff procedure.  Completion of the project improved patient safety and having a defined format made the process more efficient.

Align yourself with the company culture.  What does your company stand for, why do they exist, and how does your behavior enhance or detract from the greater goal?  Read the mission, vision and values of the company and then assess/modify your behavior to ensure that your action supports the purpose of the organization.  Behavior that is observable by others and supports company values will ensure that you are noticed when people are being considered for promotion.

Increase your networking.   Progress, to include revitalizing your career, happens based on relationships at all levels.  Solidify your relationship with others on the team and then expand your horizon by getting to know the people outside your immediate workgroup.   Never miss an opportunity to extend your hand to meet new people regardless of their title or role in the organization.  As you take on projects, it will become increasingly helpful to know others who can support or mentor your activity.

Eliminate deal breakers for decision makers.   Attitude and physical attributes are components of the perception that you create for others to consider when they are selecting the next person for promotion.  Characteristics that are unwritten, not discussed but affect the final decision include personal hygiene and habits such as a wimpy handshake or a boring communication style.  Clean up your act, literally, interact with confidence and put yourself at the head of the line for the next promotion.

We are each known by our reputations, good or bad.  Breaking the bonds of the status quo, increasing your status in the organization, and positioning yourself for advancement are all tied to the reputation that you build for yourself.  Everything you say and creates a memory and it’s your job to make sure it is a positive picture.  Master new skills, align behavior with company values, and connect with decision-makers to ensure that your name is the first one that comes to mind when your boss is asked to name his/her top performer.

 

Tom is a clinical anesthetist, noted author and requested speaker.

7 Tips for giving Negative Feedback

 

By Thomas Davis, CRNA, MAE, DNAP candidate

Follow @procrnatom on twitter

 

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“She did what?” I said to the distraught person on the phone as he reported unacceptable behavior that just spewed from a self-assured subordinate whom I supervise.  I took a deep breath and organized my thoughts knowing that the conduct of the arrogant offender required immediate attention and possibly disciplinary action.  We were working in a major medical center with a significant population of international patients.  My irate employee had just been in the face of a non-English speaking patient, shouted ethnic insults, and told the person to learn English or seek care elsewhere…totally unacceptable behavior.

 

In contrast, the infraction of another employee took the form of passive omission.  Employee two was frequently 5-10 minutes late for work in the morning, took 30 minutes to get in sync and consistently extended lunch a few minutes beyond the allotted 30-minute break.  Both situations, one an egregious act of commission and the other a passive act of omission, required honest feedback.

 

Leadership is multi-dimensional and can be simultaneously rewarding and stressful.  When goals are met, and hard-working people exceed expectations, the leader is positioned to hand out recognition and reward to the high achievers.  The unfortunate reality is that not all behavior meets standards and not all goals re met.  Rather than being stressed, view lapses in employee behavior as an opportunity for you to grow as a leader and for the employee to learn valuable lessons about accountability.

 

Lisa Bodell, founder and CEO of FutureThink, writes in Forbes.com that more than 90% of employees would prefer their manager to address mistakes immediately rather than letting weak performance slide until presented in the annual performance review.   This conclusion is affirmed and expanded upon by Social psychologist, Heidi Grant, who further contends the value of immediate feedback and notes that workers who are on the learning curve want praise and positive feedback, whereas experienced employees who want to improve skills desire a more critical review of their performance.

 

The trend for ongoing feedback has prompted companies such as The Gap and Adobe to do away with annual performance reviews altogether and to replace them with mandates for leaders at all levels to provide real-time, ongoing feedback to employees.   The performance yard blogger, John Courtney, touts the benefits of providing negative feedback and recommends using a positive approach that is intended to change the behavior of the individual while preserving the integrity of the individual and the organization.

 

Negative feedback that is purposeful and thoughtful, ensures undesirable behavior is addressed and that offenders know the expected change in behavior.   By following the techniques used by business leaders when you deliver negative feedback to those you supervise, the task of holding team members accountable does not need to be a daunting or stressful experience.

 

Avoid emotional responses.  Both crisis-causing blow-ups and chronic poor performance can trigger an emotional response from the leader.  Whether the behavior of a team member is outrageous or simply disappointing, take a deep breath and collect your thoughts before responding.  Like Coach John Wooden role-modeled in his leadership, (ProSynEx blog, Feb 3, 2019) engage your thinking brain and imagine scenarios that caused the event along with several approaches that will bring resolution.  Avoid a knee-jerk emotional response that will only pour kerosene on the fire to ensure the best outcome.

Gather the facts.  The truth is seldom what appears on the surface.  Attempting to address an issue before the facts are known, may force you to walk your decision back later.  Expect only part of the truth from the person involved and verify what you are told as you get the rest of the story from other perspectives.  A second benefit of fact-finding is that it creates time for your emotions to settle and enables you to find a better solution than your initial knee-jerk response.

Focus on the job.   Don’t take or make the situation personal. Focus on your goals for the team and avoid making an attack on the individual.  Placing an individual on the defensive will obstruct the work that you are trying to accomplish and render him unreceptive to feedback.   Unless the event warrants an employee’s immediate dismissal, approach each situation with the intent of addressing and changing unacceptable behavior.

Be specific.   An overt act of aggression is obvious, however chronic poor performance can be insidious and more difficult to describe.  State your observation honestly and succinctly by giving examples so the individual clearly understands the issue.

Use questions.  The best results are obtained when the person has an ah-ha moment so she can identify ways to correct the problem herself.  Ask the person to explain how her behavior affects the team morale, outcome of the project, or how it affects the goals established by the team or the organization.   State your desired outcome and challenge the person to identify alternative behavior that would better support the goal.  An open dialogue with guided questions will lead to insight about action that will be more productive and achieve better results.

Develop a prevention plan. Feedback without a plan is just a discussion.  Build on your intervention by creating a written plan to outline the expected new behavior as well as a timeline for implementing the change.  A serious infraction may require an apology or formal discipline followed by ongoing monitoring, while other issues, like weak performance, may require mentoring and a renewed commitment to improve performance.

Follow-up.  Establish a timeline and check in frequently with updated honest feedback.  Give positive feedback when it is earned and reinforce boundaries if performance starts to slip.

 

The opportunity to provide negative feedback is a gift for all: Leader, employee and organization. Discussing deficient behavior and is intended to convert a negative into a positive and is most effective when viewed as an opportunity for both the leader and the worker.  On the highest performing teams, people not only know what is expected of them, but also receive feedback frequently in an ongoing manner.  Assume that most employees have a desire to meet your expectations and want to do the right thing; they desire your reaction to their performance, both positive and negative.  Providing timely and constructive feedback enhances your stature as a leader, opens lines of communication and builds the morale of the team.

 

Tom is a clinical anesthetist, noted author and requested speaker.

The Legendary Leadership of John Wooden

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Wooden Wisdom: 

3 lessons from a coaching legend

 

By Thomas Davis, CRNA, MAE, DNAP candidate

Follow @procrnatom on twitter

 

When asked to name the greatest college basketball coach of all time, many would argue that John Wooden has earned the honor.   While coaching the Bruins at UCLA (1948-1975), the team made it to the final four 12 times, winning the event an astounding ten times.  Even more impressive, he coached the Bruins to four undefeated seasons.

Without a doubt, John was able to recruit and coach talented players, but there was plenty of talent on competing teams.  It was The Wizard’s character and leadership that congealed his players into a unified team with a single purpose, setting his program apart from the competition.  Knowing that pushing good people to work harder would not deliver the desired results, the coach focused on developing individual talents and taught teamwork that capitalized on those innate abilities.

The legendary John Wooden had 3 rules for his team and they were enforced with integrity every day and in every situation.  The same rules that propelled UCLA to basketball fame apply equally in today’s workplace and following them will propel your team to a winning season.

 

The Wizard’s Wizdom

Rule 1: Never curse.  Cursing is an emotional response that results from feeling angry or threatened or when danger is perceived.  Wooden allowed only socially acceptable language within his team and taught the players to control their emotions in order to keep “the thinking brain” engaged in the game.  Research conducted by George & Dane (2018) affirms that anger undermines good decision-making and must be avoided in the workplace.  UCLA’s coach was ahead of the times when he focused on keeping the thinking brain in control.  Likewise, applying rules of civility and respect in the workplace eliminates knee-jerk emotional responses and promotes proactive, creative thinking.

Rule 2: Never criticize a team mate.  The coach’s  ban on criticizing a team mate built an attitude of interdependent collaboration. Nadidah Coveney, of the Forbes coaching council, agrees that collaborative relationships provide a spearhead to success.   Tolerating criticism encourages people to see one another as competitors rather than collaborators and, subsequently, to vie for dominance on the team.  The superb UCLA teams were expected to see themselves as a single unit in which criticizing a team mate equated with criticizing one’s self.  John focused to create teams on which individuals worked to strengthen one another, elevating the entire team.  Trust within the Bruins was earned by collaboration, honesty and actively helping one another. Applied in every workplace, a ban on criticizing team mates includes barring gossip and other acts of sabotage that undermine the morale or productivity of the team.

Rule 3: Never be late.  Coach Wooden viewed promptness as outward sign of respect for one another.  He insisted that practices start on time and, in turn, showed his respect for the group by ensuring that practice ended on time.  He believed that sticking with the schedule was evidence of honesty and integrity, both key elements of a trusting environment.  Corporate recruiter Chitra Reddy affirms this wisdom by noting that mutual respect enhances collaboration and overall productivity.  Team solidarity is created through acts of integrity where members follow through and deliver as promised.

Many work groups are staffed with talented individuals who are competent and capable of doing the assigned job and yet, as with college basketball teams, individual talent may not be enough to win the trophy.   Rather than winning with raw talent, the most successful teams win through collaborative team work.  Following John Wooden’s three rules of controlling emotions, working collectively, and building trust through respect will enable a slam dunk for success.  Now get out there and crash the boards!

Tom is a noted author, speaker and avid advocate

for healthcare leaders.

Scout out a promotion

By Thomas Davis, CRNA, MAE, DNAP candidate

Follow @procrnatom on twitter

 

 

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Promotions play an essential role in the success of an employee and his organization.   Workers who are recognized and rewarded for their job performance and work ethic tend to develop loyalty to the organization and work even harder to prove that they merit promotion.  As a result, organizations benefit because morale and creativity will be high and employee turnover will be low; both of which are improved when deserving people receive earned promotions.

Employers collectively spend millions of dollars on research and consultants intended to improve the morale and production of the company workforce.  Behavior and neuro sciences help the employer’s managers build superior teams by collaborating with psychologists to gain insight into the profile of the perfect worker.  Author Emily Smykal (2016) identifies work ethic, positive attitude, dependability, and effective, team-oriented communication as skills possessed by the perfect team member.   In a companion article, Smykal describes behavior geared to get high achievers promoted as collaboration, reliability, honesty, ownership, effort, creativity and hard work.

Save your research money and go back to your roots to find the secret of earning a promotion.  In his book, All I really need to know I learned in Kindergarten, author, Robert Fulghum, lists 15 lessons learned in kindergarten that enable you to live a balanced and successful life both at home and at work.  Tips such as, “clean up your mess,” and “don’t hit anyone,” are on the list of desired behaviors.

Based on my experience as a Chief nurse anesthetist, I am convinced that we make earning a promotion much more difficult than it needs to be.  My 7-year old grandson learned socialization skills in kindergarten and is now a proud cub scout who is all in trying to learn and follow the scout law.  In reviewing the 12 points of his new code for life, I am struck that his code of conduct describes my ideal employee and the person whom I would select for promotion.  Tailoring your work behavior to follow the 12-point scout law will make you an ideal employee and first in line for a promotion.

The Scout Law

Be Trustworthy   Trust is a foundational building block of a highly effective workplace and it requires that everyone on the team can be trusted.  Show your trustworthiness by arriving on time, completing your assigned tasks and showing sincerity in saying what you mean and following through.  Create an environment of trust by being scrupulously honest.

Be Loyal   Show loyalty to your colleagues by sticking with them through good and bad times.  Show loyalty to your superior and the company by doing your job well and taking pride in your work.

Be Helpful    Those who are helpful freely give assistance to colleagues who are having difficulty with an assignment.  Helpers assist and coach others without crossing the line and playing rescuer.

Be Friendly   Being friendly and upbeat is something that we all understand and can be as simple as putting on a smile and a positive disposition.  Take a sincere interest in colleagues as an act of friendship.  Keep confidences.  Friends don’t gossip.

Be Courteous   Show respect for others by listening attentively when they speak and keep people informed when plans change.  Never embarrass a co-worker and always respect their personal needs.

Be Kind   Opportunities for acts of kindness exist with every interaction that you have with another person.  Give sincere compliments, thank others promptly as appropriate and do small things for the team.  As unremarkable as it may seem, making a new pot of coffee may be appreciated as an act of kindness.

Be Obedient   Policies and procedures exist in the workplace for a reason and they set the boundaries for expected behavior.  Follow the rules and guidelines, and never intentionally put your supervisor in a position where she/he must defend you or explain your behavior.

Be Cheerful   Happy, pleasant workers elevate the mood of an entire team.  A smile and a friendly greeting is contagious and prompts others to reply in kind. An upbeat attitude is energizing for both you and those around you.

Be Thrifty   Overhead expenses exist with any job and the thrifty employee ensures that the department and the organization get value for the money.  Eliminate wasting both time and resources by giving a full day’s effort every day.  Never take-home supplies from the workplace.

Be Brave    Demonstrating bravery in the workplace is not a matter of placing yourself in the path of physical harm.  Rather, brave workers have the courage of their convictions, they are forthright and will not compromise personal values.  Bravely stand up for what you know is right and never compromise your integrity.

Be Clean    Cleanliness is all encompassing and includes your body, mind and workplace.  Maintain your personal hygiene and the orderliness of your workspace.  Think or verbalize clean thoughts regarding colleagues, clients, your employer and the bad referee call during Sunday’s big game.

Be Reverent   A pervasive, deep feeling of respect arising from trust and loyalty unites a group of individuals into a cohesive team.  View your job as a special place and feel privileged to work with colleagues who are also following the scout law.

 

Behavior scientists and business gurus have saturated the blogs with tips for those seeking promotion at work; however, none have offered advice that will position you better than following the scout law.  At your next performance review, when you’re asked why you deserve a promotion, go through the 12 points of the scout law and give examples your behavior supporting each element.  Consciously living the law will make it who you are and engrain it into your personality. Start as a cub, live the law, and fly like an eagle.

 

Tom is a respected leader, speaker and clinical anesthetist.  Contact tom@procrna.com for a list of topics and availability to speak at your next meeting.

CRNA week 2019

 

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By Thomas Davis, CRNA, MAE, DNAP candidate

Follow @procrnatom on twitter

The AANA national headquarters in Park Ridge, Illinois is the nerve center of the organization and a hub for activity designed to enhance the practice of every CRNA and to bring credit to the profession.  The team of full time professionals at the home office work diligently to provide a broad spectrum of services for the members.

 

January 20-26, 2019 marks national nurse anesthesia week (CRNA week), a time to raise the flag in reflection and an opportunity for nurse anesthetists to celebrate and promote their profession.  In addition to giving recognition to CRNAs for the valuable service that they provide in the medical community, this special week also spotlights the importance of the professional organization in providing a foundation to support its members.

American Association of Nurse Anesthetists (AANA) is the professional organization representing over 50,000 CRNAs and SRNAs (students) the US.  This active, Chicago-based organization plays a vital part in uniting members, creating positive energy, establishing practice standards and ensuring the right of each qualified CRNA to work to the full extent of his/her capability.

Since it’s founding in 1931, the AANA has fulfilled a vital service to the members through its focus on uniting CRNAs, keeping them informed, and providing opportunities for each individual to experience a lifetime of personal growth.

  • Professional development. The professional practice division of the AANA is a repository of valuable information related to every aspect of the clinical practice of anesthesia.  The division publishes a professional practice manual and has sample policy/procedure suggestions for many of the common areas of practice.  In addition, the division sponsors workshops to address specific practice skills such as the use of ultrasound in the placement of nerve blocks.  Ewa Greenier, director of professional practice, welcomes queries from members and provides answers to common questions related to the practice of anesthesia.
  • Publications. An AANA journal is published and available both by mail and online to active members of the organization.  The magazine contains a wealth of evidence-based research including a journal course that provides continuing education credit.  The AANA Newsbulletin, is the printed platform for the AANA President and Board of Directors to update all of the members with timely information.
  • Annual Congress. Yielding still another opportunity for professional growth, the annual AANA congress provides the stage to personally hear from and talk with leaders in every area of practice, learning from the best.  Networking opportunities abound at the national meeting and post meeting follow-up extends the relationship throughout the year.
  • Professional support. The professional organization supports not only the clinical practice of the members, but the business aspect of practice through insurance and legal advice.  The AANA sponsors workshops designed to inform members about the business of anesthesia.
  • Research. An important aspect of being in a homogeneous consortium is the expectation that it will add to the body of knowledge related to their field of expertise.   The AANA Foundation plays a crucial role by sponsoring independent research related to the practice of anesthesia.  Foundation dollars have sponsored large-scale professional research to document the safety and cost effectiveness of CRNA practice and has also funded studies done by students.
  • Mentoring. Opportunities abound for experienced members to share their knowledge with neophytes via the AANA.  Adopting students at the Annual congress, sponsoring students at State meetings and connecting online are all opportunities for connecting and developing mentoring relationships.  Online webinars open the door for members at all levels of experience to learn from content experts related to every aspect of practice.
  • Jobs. Professional organizations are in a unique position to unite applicants with potential employers.  Job boards abound on State association web sites and meetings are fertile ground for those seeking employment to connect with the next boss.

 

Here’s what CRNAs are doing to celebrate CRNA week

The public relations department at the AANA and state CRNA associations work full time to promote the practice of nurse anesthesia and showcase the important talents that members provide to the patient population that they serve.   The PR department offers promotional material for CRNA week and offer suggestions to help local workgroups and state organizations promote themselves.   Below is a sample of projects designed to honor CRNAs during their special week.

Radio interview.   CRNAs from Mississippi and Alabama have been interviewed by local radio stations.  The on-air discussions highlighted the education and skills of CRNAs as well as the vital role that they play, especially in rural communities.

Video promotion.   The Michigan association of Nurse Anesthetists and the US Military are two organizations that have released videos to promote the profession year around.  Click on the names and view the videos.

Official proclamations by the Governor.   State associations from Illinois, Louisiana, Michigan and Mississippi have all received official proclamations signed by the Governors of their respective states.  By the time CRNA week arrives, the list will be much larger.

Legislator visit to the OR.   Members of the Texas association of Nurse Anesthetists arranged for local legislators to visit them at Northwest Hospital in Amarillo, TX. and learn about the important role CRNA play in rural healthcare.

Community service projects.  CRNAs tend to be generous with a desire to make their local communities a better place.  Community service projects ranging from local food kitchens and the Ronald McDonald house to high school career day, and wounded warier events are some of the activities done by CRNAs that build positive relationships with the community and give recognition to the profession.

Team building “extraclinical” activities.   During CRNA week, workgroups around the country gather for team building activities as well as happy hours, lounge celebrations, attendance at local entertainment events or participation in group walks.

These examples only scratch the surface of the projects done by nurse anesthetists to promote CRNA week.  Share your CRNA week activities with colleagues by using the comments box at the end of this article to describe your project.

CRNA week is a time for recognition of the valuable work done by nurse anesthetists.  In addition to receiving recognition for their work, it is also a time for CRNAs to reflect and appreciate the value of their professional community.  CRNA week puts nurse anesthetists in the spotlight and gives them a platform for connecting with their medical institution and their community.  The symbiotic relationship of each individual nurse anesthetist with the patient population and the professional organization is in focus annually during the third week of January – CRNA week.

Tom is a clinical anesthetist, author and speaker committed to promoting nurse anesthetists as leaders in the healthcare industry.

Make it a no go

no go

By Thomas Davis, CRNA, MAE, DNAP candidate

Follow @procrnatom on Twitter

 

The end of the year is a time to reflect on the good, the bad and the ugly.  For some, reflection on recent work experience produces the conclusion; “I gotta get a better job.”  They may be people who struggle in toxic environments in which the work they do is valued but, despite their contribution, they are not appreciated, recognized or rewarded for their efforts.  Those stranded in an onerous workplace may benefit from a new job and can truly justify leaving.  More frequently, however, people are motivated to seek a new position because they’re in a professional rut and no longer feel challenged or empowered by their ho-hum job.  In a nutshell, they are bored.

According to Alison Doyle, author for The Balance Careers, studies indicate that 51% of workers in America are planning to leave their current job and 47% of American workers who feel that they are in a good job would leave if an ideal job were available.  Millennials tend to not see themselves working at one job for the duration of their careers with 44% expecting to change jobs in the next 2 years.

 

Why People Leave

Business journalist, author, and CNBC business consultant, Suzie Welch, affirms the current unrest in the workforce and offers three reasons to explain why people seek new jobs.

  • They are no longer fully engaged in their work. People spend the early days of a job mastering the skills needed to be successful.  Over time, work becomes routine leaving the person feeling like a spoke on the wheel.
  • They have been at the same company too long. As years turn to decades, people settle into niches and robotically do their assigned task.  Not only is their spot on the pecking order assured, they are may have become embedded into the position with little opportunity to move either up or down the chain of command.
  • They are no longer challenged in their role. “You get good at what you do” remains true today and the risk of having acquired competent comfort is the onset of boredom. When a job no longer offers the stimulation of professional development, it loses importance beyond money earned, money paid.

 

Why People Stay

Are you ready to throw in the towel?  Not so fast!  Before you start a job search, consider some factors that make the current job a little more attractive.

  • Geographic ties The longer a person is in a community, the more engrained the person and their family become.  Friendships have been formed, and trusted resources have been located.  Leaving a community may require selling a home, packing and moving with the blind faith that the new community will be as good as the new job.
  • Interests of partner/spouse/family Those in a two-income family must consider both incomes before pulling up stakes and moving. Children have friends and school activities that would be disrupted by relocating. If your partner own/runs a business, moving may not be an option at all.
  • Current pay/benefits are good   Among the many reasons a person works, paying the bills is always on the list.  If the pay/benefits of the current job are good, it may be unwise at this point in your affairs to trade security for the stimulation of a new workplace.
  • Fear of the job hunt process  Searching for a job, interviewing, credentialing and onboarding are stressful and time-consuming. In addition, applying for a position opens you to unwanted scrutiny or potential rejection.
  • Prospect of changing the current workplace culture A great reason to stay in the existing job is the realization that your dissatisfaction with the present position can be alleviated by taking the lead in shaking things up and infusing energy into the present job.

 

The grass isn’t always greener on the other side of the fence so before you sell the farm, step back and look at your job objectively.   If the status quo is truly toxic or oppressive, and you’re able to move on, move on.  However, if the root cause of your unrest is plain old stuck-in-the-rut, you’re almost always better served by running toward the problem rather than running away from it.

 

When You Stay

For those who are committed to staying in the current job and want to feel fulfilled with a sense of purpose and enjoyment, try these ideas.

  • Develop a friendship. A friend at work gives you a trusted ear for sharing personal thoughts and someone whose company you enjoy.  Having someone in the workplace who you look forward to seeing each day increases loyalty to the organization and increases the likelihood that you will remain in the same job.
  • Just say no to negative talk. Negative talk and gossip are draining.  Refuse to say anything unfavorable about your job, a colleague or the organization.  When lounge talk deteriorates, change the subject or simply leave.
  • Leave it at work. Taking disagreeable thoughts home to share with a partner continues your discontent into your personal time.  Going home and assuming the role of a victim garners sympathy and reinforces your dissatisfaction with the job.  The emotions tied to victimhood will diminish your ability to make an intelligent decision about the potential benefits tied to the current job.
  • Take a break. Some people seek to make a job better by working longer and harder.  Doing too much for too long puts you at risk for burnout and even minor irritants at work become major issues.  Take a break, relax and return refreshed.
  • Acknowledge your own value. The importance that is tied to your good work may not get the recognition that it deserves.  End each day by reflecting on your positive contributions and your importance to the team.
  • Be proactive. Don’t expect the world to be placed at your feet; go after it.  When you have ideas for improving workflow or making the workplace a better place, take the initiative to make it happen.  Even little things can make you feel empowered and create a big difference for you and your colleagues.

 

In just a few days the new year will arrive, and you can quit the old job.   Start the new year with a new job by re-defining your position at your current workplace.  All that is required is renewed self-confidence and a shift in focus from, “I gotta get a better job,” to, “I can and will make this a better job.”  Don’t allow yourself to become a victim who enjoys wallowing in the mud of negative thought.  Instead, accept responsibility for making your job more satisfying by approaching the challenge with proactive, optimistic enthusiasm.  Expand your friendships, leverage group dynamics and consistently reflect on the positive.  When you think it’s time to go, reconsider and make it a no-go.

 

“Grass is greener at other people’s feet because they watered it. You need not to let your environment control you; you have what it takes to make it look beautiful!” 
~Israelmore Ayivor,

 

Tom is a respected anesthesia clinician, author, speaker and leadership coach.  Forward this article to friends and help expand the network of healthcare leaders.

There’s no harm in charm

By Thomas Davis, CRNA, MAE, DNAP candidate

Follow @procrnatom on twitter

Charisma

 

 

What do Winston Churchill, Nelson Mandela, and John Kennedy have in common?  They are all recorded in the history books as being charismatic leaders.  To some, the stereotype of a magnetic personality carries the negative connotation of an all-show predator who is constantly on the look-out for a sucker who will fall prey to a con scheme.  However, a closer look at charisma reveals a more positive view of the importance of an alluring personality in dynamic leadership. Some of the most memorable people in history and in our personal lives are those who use personal appeal constructively, and when you think back over the span of your career, it is likely that your favorite boss was a person with appeal beyond the actual job.

Engaging leaders use powerful communication skills to connect verbally, non-verbally and emotionally with all whom they encounter.  Larger than life leaders are able to articulate a compelling vision and are masters at motivating individuals to embrace their cause by inspiring people to give effort that transcends what is required.  In the words of Robert House, professor at the Wharton School, “Charismatic leaders cause followers to become highly committed to the leader’s mission, to make significant personal sacrifices, and to perform above and beyond the call of duty.”  Charisma can be learned and all it takes is the desire and the commitment to add dynamic magnetism to your list of positive traits.

Writing a guest article in recruitloop.com, author Hannah Lewis, UK-based educationist, recommends infusing charismatic energy by keeping the workplace light while displaying self-confidence and making every person you encounter feel as if they have your full attention.  Maintaining personal integrity while role modeling behavior consistent with your vision adds to your credibility and creates a desire in others to be loyal supporters of your vision and plan.

Captivating charm is not an inborn leadership trait, but rather a skill that is learned.  Writing in Business Insider, Author Vivian Giang affirms that anybody can learn to be more charismatic and offers advice for improving personal appeal.

  • Focus on others. Make everyone you interact with feel as if they are the most important person in the room.  Eye contact, listening and follow-up questions all give a sense of importance to the person talking to you.
  • Be present. Give every interaction your full attention even if only for a short period of time.  Checking mobile devices or having side bar conversations are taboo.
  • Relax and smile. Think of something pleasant…your body will respond and change your facial appearance.
  • Don’t be physically dominant. Put yourself at a similar height.  Stand as if you are sitting and don’t tower over others when you stand.
  • Give a warm greeting. Use a friendly facial expression and a firm but not overwhelming hand shake.
  • Value the other person. Listen, pause and ask questions.  Always seek a deeper level of understanding.
  • Leverage your physical position. Sit next to or 90 degrees from the other person…never across. Sitting across puts a physical barrier between people and increases the likelihood of disagreement/argument.
  • Avoid name dropping or gossip. Don’t compare yourself to others or talk about people who are not present.
  • Demonstrate moral integrity. Show inner strength through the way you conduct your business.  Yes means yes, no means no, and commitments are honored when brought to completion.
  • Be confident both verbally and non-verbally. Don’t be distracted with self-doubt.  Use positive language and confident posture.
  • Seek personal growth. Put yourself into uncomfortable situations so that you can practice your skills.

In today’s workplace a charismatic leader at any level of the chain of command is bound to elevate the team and add to the organization.  Winston Churchill proved that you don’t have to be physically attractive to be magnetic; all that is required is the ability to connect, communicate, motivate and inspire every individual you encounter.   Great Britain might not have survived WWII, Apartheid might never have ended, and Russian nuclear missils might be in Cuba if not for the charismatic leadership of Churchill, Mandella and Kennedy.  These three dynamic and captivating people used their ability to connect, inspire and motivate others to change the course of history.  You can do the same in your workplace by infusing genuine, dynamic charm into your leadership style.

 

Tom is a respected author, speaker, leadership coach and clinical anesthetist

Patient satisfaction is transforming healthcare

By Thomas Davis, CRNA, MAE, DNAP candidate

 

Satisfaction, 2018

One hundred years ago, American culture was in a time of rapid change with an influx of new technology changing the way people lived their lives.  Being phased out, the horse and buggy, kerosene lamps and outdoor privy were quickly replaced by autos, electric lights and flush toilets.  In the hundred years that followed, the shift in healthcare delivery has affected our lives to the same extent as the technology changes of a century ago.  In the 1960s, healthcare was physician-centric with little concern for the needs or desires of the patient.  It was a time in which “the doctor knows best” governed healthcare and patients were lucky that the doctor agreed to provide treatment.  Moving forward another fifty years to the 21st century we find a system in which patients manage their own health records and have mobility to seek care wherever they desire.  Role reversal has put the patient in the driver’s seat leaving doctors and healthcare organizations to compete for the patient’s business.  In today’s medical marketplace, patients select doctors and hospitals based on both the quality of care delivered and their memory of how they were treated.  Healthcare providers who survive are those who are sensitive to patient satisfaction while providing state of the art treatment.

 

Patient satisfaction is the person’s perception of their overall experience with you and your organization.  A patient’s perception is his/her reality so the impression that you make is the memory that they will share with others, sometimes for years after receiving treatment.  Toma Kulbytė, content marketing specialist at SuperOffice, says “If they like you and continue to like you, they are going to do business with you and recommend you ….”  Does satisfaction count in a patient’s assessment?  According to Kulbytė, a positive customer experience creates a 42% increase in loyalty (likelihood for repeat business) and a 33% increase in satisfaction scores.

 

 Loyalty is earned

Regardless of whether the need is for a car, computer or colonoscopy, today’s consumer demands a quality product at a fair price, delivered by people who understand their specific need and treat them with respect and dignity.  To build a loyal base of satisfied customers, three factors are foundational:  People, product and presentation.

 

People

It can be argued that the most important person in a healthcare facility is the first person a patient encounters at the point of entry desk.  The congeniality with which a person is greeted, and the expertise shown by the attendant when entering the patient into the system create a lasting impression.  Ciotti, blog author and marketing strategist, confirms the importance of customer service skills and recommends that those delivering health care, master this list.

 

Patience Attentiveness Clear communication skills
Clinical competence Positive attitude/language Acting skills
Calming presence Ability to sense patient’s mood Tenacity
Persuasion skills Empathy Willingness to learn

 

Patients moving through the healthcare system encounter many people along the way and feel reassured by being introduced to the next person by name and their role in the treatment process.  With the patient’s wellbeing as your top priority, always use a positive language and an undistracted, welcoming attitude when providing care

 

“Nobody cares how much you know until they know how much you care.” 

~Theodore Roosevelt

 

Product

People expect those delivering a service are competent, capable and committed to excellence.  It doesn’t matter if you’re delivering a double cheese pizza, or an anesthetic, in order to earn your customer’s satisfaction, you must be skilled at your job and create expectations that are realistic.   In the healthcare arena, connect with your patients pre-operatively, clearly describe what can and can not be done, and then deliver on the service as described.  The bottom line is that your patients want you to be good at what you do, and they expect to receive the product and experience the outcome that they have been promised.

 

Presentation

Healthcare delivery is a competitive business and people are free to seek treatment wherever they desire.  Marketing analysis by Keona Health reveals that 77% of patients use online reviews to find and select a physician. The physician compare area of the CMS web site makes rating healthcare providers quick and easy.  Likewise, when a physician uses more than one hospital, patients rely on online reviews when requesting their hospital of choice.  Once a provider has been selected, patients use mobile devices to schedule appointments and judge the organization by the degree of user-friendliness of their web site.  When online sites are difficult to navigate, patients move on to another provider with a more user-friendly online presence.

 

Indiana University Orthopedic surgeon, James Rickett, links patient satisfaction to outcome by documenting that reduced hospital stay, reduced readmission rates, and overall better quality of care all correlate to high patient satisfaction scores.  Dr. Rickett’s observation underscores the importance of delivering healthcare services in a manner that ensures patient satisfaction. The physician driven hierarchy for patient treatment that existed several decades ago no longer applies in our web-based, patient-centric world.  The healthcare marketplace is becoming more and more competitive and patient satisfaction may be the key factor separating those who lead the industry from those who are forced to close the doors and turn off the lights.   Patient satisfaction does matter.

 

Thomas is a respected author, speaker and clinical anesthetist.

Robert Greenleaf; The first serving leader

 

By Thomas Davis, CRNA, MAE, DNAP candidate

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“Where there is not community; trust, respect, and ethical behavior are difficult for the young to learn and for the old to maintain.”
― Robert K. Greenleaf,

 Greenleaf

 

Health care delivery in the United States and around the world is in a state of transition as traditional physician-driven hierarchies are being replaced with collaborative teamwork.  At the root of this drive is a hope for improving employee engagement, productivity and loyalty to the organization. More than at any point in history, empowering leadership at all levels is being viewed as the key to building powerful teams and the serving leadership style is being promoted as the panacea for workplace woes.

 

Robert Greenleaf was born in Terre Haute, IN, in 1904, the son of a machinist and community steward.   Robert attended Rose Polytechtic and Carlton College earning a degree in engineering.  He took a position with AT&T where he worked as a loyal employee for 38 years and became known for his theories about empowering leadership.  During that time, Robert headed a division for management training and created the first center for corporate assessment in America.  One of the first to promote women and blacks into non-menial positions within the AT&T organization, Greenleaf became well known as a pioneer in leadership by seeking ways to utilize each person to his/her fullest capability.

 

Following retirement from AT&T at age 60, Robert worked as a consultant to businesses that had an interest in leadership development and taught them to implement his core belief that effective leadership is a partnership wherein “the organization exists as much for the person as the person exists for the organization.”  In 1970, Greenleaf published his essay, The Servant Leader which coined the term and introduced the notion that the best leaders are servants first.  The style of leadership that he espoused proved to be effective and requests for his leadership coaching grew into creation of the Greenleaf Center for Servant Leadership.  The center states as its mission: “to advance the awareness, understanding and practice of servant leadership by individuals and organizations.”  Long after the death of Robert Greenleaf, the center remains a strong advocate for servant leadership and continues to offer training through the Greenleaf academy.

 

Writing in EmergingRNLeader, nurse and author Rose Sherman identifies the leadership style described in The Servant Leader as an essential component of a highly effective healthcare workplace.  Crediting the work of Robert Greenleaf, the following were described by Sherman as essential characteristics of the Greenleaf serving leadership style.

  • Listening
  • Empathy
  • Healing
  • Awareness
  • Persuasion
  • Conceptualization
  • Foresight
  • Stewardship
  • Commitment to professional development of staff
  • Building community

Click here for an explanation of the 10 principles listed above.

 

Robert Greenleaf had an unshakable belief that through collaboration and the creation of a work environment that empowers people to work at their highest capability, people will be happy, engaged and highly productive.  History records that Robert was never driven by a quest for fame or fortune, but by a belief that the potential within each person that could be released, can be released, through servant leadership.  Etched in his grave stone are the following words, “Potentially a good plumber; Ruined by sophisticated education.”

 

In the decades following the publication of his famous essay, Robert’s principles of servant leadership have become the foundation for many versions of leadership development in America and worldwide.  Books, videos, and workshops may put a new spin on Greenleaf’s original work; however, when all is said and done, the beliefs of Robert Greenleaf are still alive and evident in leadership development worldwide.

 

 “A better society, one that is more just and more loving, one that provides greater creative opportunity for its people.”

~Robert Greenleaf

Tom is a noted author and popular speaker at State Association meetings.

Make it Safe; Essential Resources for Patient Safety

Thomas Davis, CRNA, MAE, DNAP candidate

Follow @procrnatom on twitter for leadership updates

Safety

In 1999 the Institute of Medicine rocked the healthcare world with the scathing report that every year up to 98,000 people in the United States die due to medical errors.  Despite nearly 20 years of safety initiatives being introduced in hospitals nationwide, medical errors continue to be the third leading cause of death in the United States; a situation that can best be corrected by healthcare providers on the frontline of patient care.

It is easy to get the consensus of doctors, nurses and support staff to commit to patient safety; however, changing the workplace culture and making patient safety a priority can be a daunting task.  Fortunately, organizations have emerged to assist frontline workers who are committed to making healthcare safe and reliable for the patients they serve.

 

If you are committed to ensuring patient safety, you are not alone.  Here are resources to help you achieve the goal of eliminating ALL preventable medical errors.

 

Anesthesia patient safety foundation (APSF)  The APSF was founded in 1985 with the defined goal of improving patient safety related to anesthesia.  The board of directors is a group representing a wide variety of stakeholders including anesthesiologists, nurse anesthetists, nurses, manufacturers of equipment and drugs, regulators, risk managers, attorneys, insurers, and engineers.  The APSF newsletter is published in 5 languages and provides a wealth of information related to patient safety that supports the organization’s mission: “The APSF’s mission is to improve the quality of care for patients during anesthesia and surgery by encouraging and conducting patient safety research and education as well as related programs and campaigns.”  The AANA is an active partner with the APSF in promoting patient safety.

Patient safety movement  The patient safety movement has a stated goal of zero preventable medical errors by the year 2020.  The organization approaches patient safety by identifying risks to patients, challenging technology to assist by creating solutions, ensuring that providers follow established policy, and directly providing education to patients and their families regarding risks.  The patient safety movement bypasses the medical establishment by directly providing information to patients and their families to alert them to the risks of hospitalization.  The organization now offers the patient aider app that  alerts family members regarding risks to their loved ones and provides questions to ask those who are providing care.

AHRQ (Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality)   The AHRQ has the organizational mission; “…to produce evidence to make healthcare safer, higher quality, more accessible, equitable and affordable, and to work with HHS and other partners to make sure that evidence is understood and used.”   The AHRQ website has a section titled “evidence now” that outlines evidence-based information designed to help healthcare providers with clinical decision making.  The AHRQ site is a valuable resource for those who constantly update their practice based on the available best practice statistics.

Armstrong institute for patient safety and quality (The Johns Hopkins)   The Armstrong institute for patient safety is housed at The Johns Hopkins Hospital and is committed to making healthcare safe for every patient, everywhere.  The organization is dedicated to their mission:  We partner with patients, their loved ones and all interested parties to end preventable harm, to continuously improve patient outcomes and experience, and to eliminate waste in health care.  To ensure that providers at the grassroots level have the tools necessary for safe practice, the Armstrong institute provides patient safety courses for healthcare workers.  Individuals can earn CME by attending courses in Baltimore or their employer can arrange for the Armstrong institute to travel to their location and present safety workshops.

Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI)   The IHI has a global interest in improving the overall health of the world population through initiatives aimed at public health as well as education of healthcare providers in developing countries.  In the US, the IHI focuses on system improvement, whereas in developing areas of the world, issues such as vaccination and water purification are priorities.  As self-described on their web site, “We are an institute without walls, and together, we work as a cohesive unit with, common knowledge, common systems and unconditional teamwork. In all we do, we adhere to the principle of “all teach, all learn.”

AANA   The AANA has a commitment to patient safety and their web site has numerous articles intended to improve patient safety.  Topics such as opioids, radiation and OR distractions are just a few of those available on the AANA web site.  The Professional practice division has published evidence-based practice resources to aid clinical decision making.

AORN   CRNAs are not the only people in the OR who are committed to patient safety.  The AORN “is committed to promoting patient safety by advancing the profession through scholarly inquiry to identify, verify, and expand the body of perioperative nursing knowledge.”  The organization has published a patient safety position statement to guide the activity of nursing staff in the OR.

Center for Medicare/Medicaid services (CMS)   CMS is a major payor for healthcare services in the US and has a vested interest in patient safety.  The organization establishes standards  and updates them annually to create criteria that must be followed in order to receive reimbursement for services.   CMS seeks to improve patient safety by making healthcare providers accountable for the quality of care that is provided.

The Joint Commission (TJC)   The Joint Commission accredits healthcare organizations throughout the United States and certifies that they meet or exceed established standards, including standards for patient safety.  TJC has released the National Patient Safety Goals for 2019.  Currently, safety priorities are patient identification, syringe labeling and blood administration.  Areas of emphasis are updated to reflect perceived threats to patient safety.

Center for patient safety   Established in 2005, the Center for patient safety is an independent, non-profit organization dedicated to promoting safe and quality healthcare.  The organization is a resource for healthcare providers and offers information via blog, safety alerts and legal updates.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)   The CDC is a government agency with the mission “to protect America from health, safety and security threats, both foreign and in the U.S. Whether diseases start at home or abroad, are chronic or acute, curable or preventable, human error or deliberate attack, CDC fights disease and supports communities and citizens to do the same.”  The CDC national healthcare safety network tracks medical errors, issues statistical reports and issues alerts related to patient safety.

Patient safety company  The patient safety company is an important bridge between safety initiatives and digital technology.  The company offers software to support safety initiatives including incident management, patient satisfaction, workplace culture assessment, information security and peer support.  They will also develop custom software for unique safety projects.

Patient safety is everybody’s business and making a commitment to ensuring a safe environment for your patient is easy on an intellectual level.   Reviewing the resources listed above provides information and support for your effort; however, knowledge is useless until it is put into action.  Making the transition from good intention to good practice requires a plan.  The Kotter model for implementing change is a useful way to initiate a safety initiative in the healthcare environment.  My previous blog, Kotter, for a change (Oct. 21, 2018), describes the model and how it can be used to make patient safety a priority in your workplace.

This article introduces the vast resources available to those who are committed to improving patient safety and provides a model for implementing change.  It is up to each individual reader to convert patient safety from a theoretical “we ought to” to the reality of a workplace where safety is job one.

“Safety is not an intellectual exercise to keep us in work. It is a matter of life and death.  It is the sum of our contributions to safety management that determines whether the people we work with live or die” ~Sir Brian Appleton

Tom is a noted author, speaker and mentor.  Contact tom@procrna.com for information about the 4-part values-based leadership webinar series.

Team strength through diversity

By Thomas Davis, CRNA, MAE

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“Diversity: the art of thinking independently together.”

~ Malcolm Forbes

 

Diversity

The combination of digital technology and the availability of dependable travel has linked people in distant areas of the globe and opened the door to blending cultures through unusual partnerships.  With the click of a mouse, executives in the United States can have a video conference with just about anyone, anywhere in the world.  People who were previously separated by geographical boundaries can now interact freely with one another thus creating the opportunity for diversity of thought within their organization.

 

In addition to connectedness created by technology, immigrants fleeing terrorism or seeking opportunities for employment are flooding across borders both in Europe and America, changing the ethnic makeup of the population, and contributing to diversity in host countries.  Clearly, demographics are changing in many areas of the world and organizations on the cutting edge of their industry welcome and capitalize on opportunities that accompany diversity.  Cultural diversity in the workplace is promoted when employers actively seek to hire employees from every religious and ethnic background and then capitalize on the variety of experiences that they bring to the workplace.  Building a diverse team strengthens the organization and here is why.

 

A member of the Q6 customer service team in Perth, Australia, R. Heryati documents the following advantages that arise from a diverse workgroup:

  • Increased productivity
  • Improved creativity
  • Increased profits
  • Improved employee engagement
  • Reduced employee turnover
  • Improved company reputation

 

Writing for Entrapraneur.com, author Kim Abreu adds to the list of advantages to having diversity on a team by noting that diversity correlates with improving innovation and recruiting.  From blogs to books, authors evaluating the relationship between diversity and productivity affirm the importance of having a diverse team when seeking creative answers to workplace challenges.

 

Two types of diversity are commonly found in the modern healthcare workplace; cultural and interprofessional.  

Cultural diversity refers to a person’s family heritage. Do people at your workplace have different skin color, facial features and hair color? Do they speak a second language?  What religious holidays do they celebrate?  The greater the variation between individual workers, the more diverse the workplace.

Interprofessional diversity arises from the mix of professions that must work collaboratively to render evidenced-based care to the patient.  Doctors, nurses, technicians and support staff are only a few of the professions that combine their efforts in a busy hospital environment.  Each sub-group has a different purpose, has received different specialty training and brings a different perspective to the table when discussing issues and developing plans.  In an ideal situation, every sub-group will have equal say and be given equal respect when interprofessional teams are formed to address issues or create policies.  The term abrasive collaboration is used to describe diverse professional groups working collaboratively to find a mutual solution while, at the same time, ensuring that their individual professional needs are met.

4 ways to promote diversity in your workplace

Educate yourself.  Connect one on one with people on your team and learn about their family’s country of origin and family traditions that carry over to today.  If members of your team have different religious beliefs, learn about their traditions.  Adjust your work schedule to enable team members to attend important religious or cultural activities.

Solicit different perspectives.   In personal conversations and at team meetings openly encourage each person to voice their point of view.  Seeking a variety of opinions is especially effective with reference to interprofessional groups.  To be effective, the hierarchical “doctor knows best” attitude must be replaced by a commitment to collaboration where each person has an equal say.

Develop diversity activities.   Include dates on the team calendar that recognize the culture or religion of your team members.  Encourage people to share their traditions with the group and schedule ethnic food days to celebrate the various cultures represented on your team.  When team members celebrate one another’s heritage, they respect for the contributions that each person makes to the team and become more receptive to their ideas.

Be the leader.  You are the leader and set the tone for the workplace.  If you are dismissive of diverse thoughts, your team will follow your example.  Conversely, if you welcome and openly solicit diversity, your team will follow your lead.  Openly welcome both cultural and interprofessional diversity in your workplace.

The best ideas arise from many ideas combining ideas from people with different cultural and professional background strengthens the team.   First, assemble the right group and then be inclusive of their ideas when making decisions.  Doing so will position you and your team for success.

“When we listen and celebrate what is both common and different, we become a wiser, more inclusive, and better organization.” ~Pat Wadors, Head of HR at LinkedIn

“If you hire only those people you understand, the company will never get people better than you are. Always remember that you often find outstanding people among those you don’t particularly like.”

~Soichiro Honda, founder of Honda

 

Tom is a noted author, speaker and mentor.  Contact tom@procrna.com for information about the 4-part values-based leadership webinar series.

Legend in Leadership: John C. Maxwell

By Thomas Davis CRNA, MAE, Lt. Col (ret)

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“Leadership is not about titles, positions or flowcharts.

It is about one life influencing another.”

~John C. Maxwell

 

Maxwell

 

John C. Maxwell has bestowed a lasting gift to those in leadership positions throughout the world by his commitment to developing leaders at all levels of the chain of command.  Born in 1946, John Maxwell is the son of a minister who followed his father’s call to the cloth, earning a bachelor’s degree at Ohio Christian University and a master’s degree from Azusa Pacific University.  While working as a pastor, he found that his greatest gift to society lay in leading others to discover their true talents.

 

John and his brother Larry are the co-founders of EQUIP, a non-profit organization that is founded on the premise “We believe that every person is born with the potential to influence others.”  The organization is based on Christian values and has taught over 5 million people in 126 countries techniques to motivate and empower one another.  Maxwell’s style of leadership coaching is based connectedness and the development of interpersonal relationships which create a synergy and makes everyone a better person.

 

John’s success with his approach to leadership coaching has grown into a multi-million-dollar organization that offers books, articles, seminars, and keynote speaking to audiences worldwide.  With sales topping $18 million for copies of his 12 books and having written countless articles, John Maxwell has established himself as a legend in leadership development.

 

Reviewing the lifelong work of John Maxwell reveals that his highly successful approach to leadership is built upon five essential elements – Vision, Values, Relationships, Attitude and Communication.

 

Vision    “Great leaders always seem to embody two seemingly disparate qualities. They are both highly visionary and highly practical.” ~Maxwell.    Effective leaders can visualize what their workplace would look like if collaborative teamwork opened the door to peak performance. Leading a team starts with being able to see the end point and relentlessly working to get there.

 

Values    “The respect that leadership must have requires that one’s ethics be without question. A leader not only stays above the line between right and wrong, he stays well clear of the ‘gray areas.'” ~Maxwell.  Values provide an essential navigation tool for guiding a team.  Aligning personal and organizational values will establish the standard for behavior that is acceptable in the workplace and forms a basis for decision-making.

 

Relationships   “The bottom line in leadership isn’t how far we advance ourselves but how far we advance others.” ~Maxwell.  Productivity moves at the speed of relationships and in John’s own words, “interaction fuels action.”  Maxwell describes 5 levels of leadership and at level 2 the leader connects one on one with each team member.  Those who make the effort to connect with others open the door to two-way relationships that produce unexpected rewards.   “The rewards leaders give are counterbalanced by the results that their people give in return.” ~Maxwell

 

Attitude   “The leader’s Attitude is like a thermostat for the place she works. If her attitude is good, the atmosphere is pleasant, and the environment is easy to work in. But if her attitude is bad, the temperature is insufferable.” ~Maxwell.  Attitude is contagious and how you show up each day is quickly perceived and copied by members of your team.  Per John Maxwell, “people hear your words, but they feel your attitude.”  Be a leader and set the tone for your workgroup.  Leverage your position and exude the attitude that will elevate your team.

 

Communication   “If you really want to be an uncommon leader, you’re going to have to find a way to get much of your vision seen, implemented, and added to by others.” ~Maxwell.  The key to communication is delivering information in an open and transparent manner and then listening to feedback that it generates.  In his book, Everyone communicates, few connect, Maxwell reinforces the importance of listening to understand the other person as a way of broadening diversity of thought.  “As a leader, you will never get ahead until your people are behind you.” ~Maxwell

 

Now in his 70’s, Maxwell’s lifelong commitment to leadership development has earned him the status of being a legend in leadership.  His books, seminars and leadership coaching has directly touched the lives of millions of leaders and indirectly touched the lives of those they supervise.  In the words of John Maxwell, “leaders stretch with challenges, followers struggle with challenges and losers shrink from challenges.”  Follow Maxwell’s five essential elements for effective leadership and become a legend in your own workplace.

Tom is a noted author, speaker and mentor.  Contact tom@procrna.com for information about the 4-part values-based leadership webinar series.

Negotiate like a Pro

Negotiation is a process by which two parties resolve a conflict or come to an agreement on a plan of action.   Headlines feature stories of negotiations between nations and between corporations; however, headlines rarely mention the negotiations that each of us do daily.  On the job, we negotiate everything from work schedules to the price we pay for the supplies that we use.  At home, we negotiate the household budget, the location of our next vacation and curfew hours for teenagers.   Everything is negotiable.  Regardless of your status, here are some tips for effective negotiation.

 

Think big  

All too often we sell ourselves short by framing our position based on what we think that the other party will accept.  Afraid to ask for too much, we fail to ask for what we really want.  Before you enter the negotiation process, take time to clarify your desired outcome within your own mind.  You may not get everything, but you won’t even come close if you don’t know your objective.

 

Have and welcome options  

After clarifying your objectives, it is common to formulate a quick and easy pathway to achieve it.  Expand your chance for success by having several options that add flexibility and open the door to other avenues for achieving your objective.  As you negotiate, open your mind to options that may be proposed by your opponent.  Remember, your objective is to achieve your goal and if a mutual plan gets you there, embrace reasonable suggestions from the other side.

 

Prepare, Prepare, Prepare  

 Know your opponent, their resources and their needs.   Know the history of your relationship with the opponent as well as the way he/she prefers to conduct business.  In the recent negotiation with North Korea, the US team was aware that Kim Jong Un is drawn to high tech devices and loves movies.  The US team presented their position in the form of a movie trailer, loaded it on an iPad and gave it to the North Korean President for his viewing.  The opponent was eagerly drawn to this unique method for presenting the US expectations, eagerly viewed the movie clip and was more accepting the US position.

 

Listen 

There are several levels of listening.  Effective negotiators listen to understand the opponent’s position and to perceive the emotions that drive their decisions.  In contrast, ineffective negotiators listen in order to prepare a rebuttal.  Acute listening also reveals what is or is not possible based on current resources and allows you to modify your position as the opponent’s needs are clarified.

 

Use “no” effectively 

A plethora of advice has been written promoting the theme of “getting to yes.”  Your goal may be to have the deal close in your favor; however, coveting a “yes” response may weaken your position and set you up for failure.  Receiving a “no” response does not close the door.   It re-frames the context for moving forward.  You are in a better position when the opponent gives an honest negative than you are when you receive a false positive.  Remember, you also have the option of responding with “no” and sometimes walking from a bad deal positions you to re-negotiate a good deal.

 

Follow through and deliver as promised   

Never offer something that you can’t deliver and if you win the negotiation, follow through quickly.  Winning and dependably delivering the goods builds your reputation not only in this negotiation group, but also in your community.  Conversely, failure to deliver on a promise will kill any chances for landing the next deal.

 

Negotiation is a part of everyday life at home, at work, and in the world at large, yet many competent and capable people dread the thought of going after what they want.  Whether negotiating the price of a new car, the holiday work schedule or a curfew time for a teenager, be a successful negotiator and embrace every opportunity to create your desired outcome.  By clarifying your position and preparing for the meeting, you will gain self-confidence that will become evident both in your words and your body language.  Enter every meeting believing that you are more competent and capable than your opponent.  You may be no smarter or powerful than the other person, but your preparation and clarity of purpose supports an image of being an authority on the issue being negotiated and supports your credibility.  Position yourself for success both at home and at work by using the tips above to negotiate like a pro.

 

Thomas Davis is a noted leader, educator, speaker and clinical anesthetist. 

Build a preferred workplace.  Join Tom and a group of healthcare leaders for the values-based leadership webinar.  Click here for information.

Teaming with Trust

By Thomas Davis, CRNA, MAE, Lt. Col (ret)

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Preferred workplaces are interesting, welcoming, stimulating venues where employees enjoy spending their time along with a feeling of personal satisfaction as they head out at the end of the day.   Trust is an essential element that must be present for a preferred workplace to exist; however, in many workplaces trust is low, and instead of enjoying their work, employees spend each day feeling anxious and wondering when, where and why the next assault will take place.   Rather than focusing on team goals, worried employees revert to a defensive position and focus on avoiding making mistakes.  Both morale and productivity suffer in a low-trust environment.

 

Writing in his personal blog, The Workplace Therapist, Brandon Smith offers a list of characteristics of a  low-trust environment, including the following:

  • Food is routinely stolen from the break room.
  • You worry about what others say about you when you turn you back.
  • No one praises each other, ever.
  • No one helps if someone is struggling. It’s “everyone for his / herself” combat at work.
  • You are encouraged to compete and beat your co-workers at all costs.
  • Your boss plays favorites.

Changing the culture of your team requires effective communication, commitment and consistency; with effective leadership, it can be done.   Leaders can build a trusting environment by making expectations known and creating boundaries for the behavior of team members.   Increase trust and move toward becoming a preferred workplace by enacting these recommendations.

 Share information   Absolute honestly is essential in building trust because no one trusts a liar.  Disseminate information openly and transparently to let those around you know that you have nothing to hide, nor do you have hidden agendas.  Have frequent team meetings on which you share information freely, solicit feedback, and listen attentively.  Ask your team to describe their views of a trusting environment; take notes and make some suggested changes.

Promote professional development   People who know that you have a benevolent interest in their personal development will trust your intentions and will reciprocate by behaving in a manner that earns your trust.  Elevating the skills of every member on your team establishes a spirit of collaboration and reduces dog eat dog competition that is found on low trust teams.  As you focus on mentoring and developing those you supervise, they will take an interest in helping one another with a “pay it forward” attitude.

Give praise   Recognizing and thanking those around you is a quick and effortless way to build trust.  Not only will workers feel valued, praising them reduces the fear that you will take credit for their work.  Never let a day pass without recognizing and thanking at least one person on your team for a job well done.

Stop gossip    Gossip is a trust killer…always.   When someone tells you something negative about someone else, you can be assured that they will also talk about you behind your back.  Do not participate in or listen to gossip…stop it in it’s tracks.  For example, one day in the lunch room where I work a person joined our table and quickly started to say negative things about another person on the team who was not present to defend himself.  Rather than participating or allowing the gossip to continue, a second person at the table replied, “I’m sure he would be disappointed to know that you feel that way.”  Quickly and effortlessly, she brought the gossip to a halt and the conversation moved to another topic.

Take the first step toward establishing a preferred workplace by building a secure environment where pats on the back replace the knives that were previously placed there.  Meet with your team and openly discuss the desired behavior needed to increase trust and then lead by example.  By communicating with clarity while promoting the skills and interest of every person on your team, morale and productivity will increase and you will gain a reputation for being a highly desired and enjoyable place to work.

 

Thomas Davis is a noted leader, educator, speaker and clinical anesthetist. 

Build a preferred workplace.  Join Tom and a group of healthcare leaders for the values-based leadership webinar.  Click here for information.

Encore, Hilton Head

Meeting review by Christina

Meeting Date: 2018

Meeting location:  Hilton Head

Meeting sponsor: Encore Symposiums

Strengths of the meeting:

I am writing to thank you for putting together a great conference. All four lecturers were fantastic with such relevant and fascinating topics.

In particular I really enjoyed Mark Welliver and Matthew Zinder. Mark is a fantastic teacher, and I felt like I really refreshed my pharmacology and got a lot of my next-level questions answered.

Matt very generously discussed very difficult topics. It was clear that the issues he spoke with are very personal and important to him, and I could tell that he really hoped that his lectures might help someone either currently or someday. That meant a lot!

I would really like to extend a thank you to both of them in particular.

Value for the money:  Great value for the money.  Excellent speakers, great location and an amazing breakfast every day.

Managing Change

By Thomas Davis, CRNA, MAE, Lt. Col (ret)

Follow @procrnatom on Twitter

“The only constant is change.” “If you’re not on the change bus, you will end up under it.”   “Let’s not get trapped in the past.”  The clichés are copious, but when you move from glib rhetoric to reality, altering the status quo can be intimidating to those who have mastered their current jobs.  Any threat to the comfort zone can make knees knock and tempers flare.  Changing to keep ahead of the competition is inevitable and it’s one of the the keys to company survival and, ultimately, job security.  Insightful leaders will facilitate necessary change by welcoming fresh ideas and using their administrative positions to guide their teams smoothly through the transition process.

Changes that occur in the workplace frequently have two important components that provide opportunities for leaders to showcase their skills.  First, the technical aspects must be established in terms of written policy and procedure while assuring that necessary resources are in place.  Developing new policy involves gathering insight from all stakeholders and anticipating unintended consequences related to the modification.  Second, and equally important, the human factors related to implementing the transformation must be considered in order to ensure buy-in from the group.  Anxiety and resistance to change are two common reactions that must be acknowledged and addressed before the team can move forward.  Whereas technical aspects are often developed by committees, it is the job of leaders at all levels of the organization to address the (human factors) necessary for successful implementation.

Guiding a team to a future state begins with clarifying the desired outcome.  Schedule a time to talk with your supervisor and others in leadership positions to ensure that everybody visualizes the future state from the same perspective and is moving toward the same goal.  Next, develop a plan for transition to the new workflow that is in alignment with the culture of your organization. Linking the proposed modifications to the mission, vision and values of the organization sends the message that the new plan is not designed to be a nuisance, but rather a necessary modification for long-term success.  Holding out for a perfect plan can stifle progress.  Create a good plan and be willing to modify it as additional information emerges.  Establish markers to indicate progress and create a timeline for implementation of the plan.   Know your plan well enough to discuss it openly without notes.

Communication isn’t just the responsibility of leadership.  Communication must be two-way and ongoing.   Workers at the grassroots level are most affected by the change and know the implications as well as ways to facilitate implementation better than anyone else.  More importantly, encouraging feedback from all levels validates the workers and capitalizes on their unique perspective.  Based on the flow of information from the bottom up, modifications to the plan can be made to address glitches and unexpected consequences.

After the plan is developed and communicated, the actual rollout will be influenced by your attitude as well as the attitude of key people on your staff.  Every group has opinion leaders – those who co-workers seek out when they have questions or concerns.  Identifying and bringing go-to people on board before rollout will increase the probability for success.

As a leader, change is an opportunity to keep your organization on the cutting edge of the industry, and, in the process, create job security for the people you lead.   Keeping a positive attitude while bringing workers together who have a shared purpose becomes an opportunity for meaningful team-building.  The organization’s current status quo is not a destination; it is a leg in the journey to an ever-evolving future state.     You will remove apprehension and gain the support of your team by planning, communicating and implementing change in a confident and inclusive manner.

Thomas Davis is a noted leader, educator, speaker and clinical anesthetist. 

Build a preferred workplace.  Join Tom and a group of healthcare leaders for the values-based leadership webinar.  Click here for information.

Leveraging Boomers

By Thomas Davis, CRNA, MAE, Lt. Col (ret)

Follow @procrnatom on twitter

According to the Pew Research Center, Gen X and Millennials combined make up around 34 percent of the workforce.  Many Gen X workers, born 1965-1984, have already earned leadership positions and the super-stars in the advanced guard of millennials, born 1981-1987 aren’t far behind.  At the other end of the workforce age spectrum are the baby boomers, born 1946-1964.   Even though the elder boomers are retiring in droves however, many boomers now in their 50’s and 60’s continue to play a key role in the workplace of today.   As younger workers take charge, it is common for entry level millennial leaders to supervise baby boomers.  To a neophyte, it may be daunting to supervise workers who are the same age as their parents; However, the maturity that boomers add to your team creates an opportunity for you to leverage their experience.  Enhance your position and by capitalizing on the many positive things that elder workers bring to your team.

  • Dependability Children of the late 40’s and early 50’s were raised by parents who worked their entire career for one employer and retired after forty-plus years at the same job.  Their parents were survivors of the Great Depression who taught their children to value work ethic.  Boomers hate to let you down and will do everything within their power to accommodate work schedules and complete projects.

    Leverage their commitment by developing work schedules compatible with their advanced age and including them when maturity will enhance the outcome of a special project.

  • Loyalty Older workers who are still in the workforce have a loyalty to the employer and if you are their supervisor, they are loyal to you.   They may have seniority on your team, however, those working for you do not want your job.  They do want to be part of a highly productive team and that means they will support your every effort in achieving the mission, vision and values of the organization.

   Leverage their loyalty by putting them in charge of projects where a steady hand is needed to guide a group of younger workers through new challenges.  Smaller projects can be completely turned over to boomers with a high likelihood that they will be completed correctly.  You will be amazed at the effort they invest into bringing the project to completion.

  • Experience  Baby boomers often have 20-40 years of history working in their career fields.  Writing in Forbes.com, author Craig Malloy notes, “Boomers need to feel their experience in the workforce counts for something in the organization. These employees are, in part, motivated by mentoring team members, who may just be starting off on their career paths.”

   Leverage the wealth of knowledge that the boomers possess by soliciting their opinions.  Develop learning partnerships between elder and younger workers.

  • Interpersonal skills Boomers were born into homes wired for land-line telephones and television sets that received only 3 channels.  They communicated by talking to one another as opposed to email and texting.  Those born before 1964 have flourished due to their ability to effectively communicate face to face with others.

   Leverage their verbal skills by allowing them to mentor you when developing strategies to present your position to the team or to those in your chain of command. In addition, boomers went to school at a time when learning correct grammar and punctuation was required for graduation.  They are amazing editors for the written material that you intend to send up the chain of command.

  • Networking People who have been in the workforce for 30-50 years have a vast network of professional and personal acquaintances.  It is likely that they know someone who has experience in just about anything that you want to accomplish.

   Leverage the connections of your most experienced workers by asking them for references and connecting you with sources.

  • Stability  Boomers have been there and done that.  It is difficult to ruffle their feathers and their depth of experience can bring a sense of calm to the chaotic modern workplace.  Over the years, these hardy workers have survived crisis after crisis and have learned that when the dust settles, a viable answer usually emerges.

   Leverage their real-life experience by allowing them to tutor you when you perceive an impending crisis.

  • Adaptability Older workers may be perceived as being set in their ways, however, this older generation has lived a life of adaptability.  They were born before computers or space travel and our current world is a totally different planet than the one on which they were born.  Yet, as their workplace has evolved from paper to digital, they are still on the job.

   Leverage their adaptability by including them in technology updates; After all, clearly, they aren’t too old to learn.

  • Rebels Boomers were born in homes listening to 40’s big band, grew up with rock and roll and now enjoy modern music.   They were also born in a segregated America and were the driving force for social justice and civil liberty.  Boomers were rebels who saw the status quo as something that could be improved and jumped right in to make the changes.  Maturity has not altered the rebel spirit that makes them want to shake up the status quo and build a better world.

   Leverage their rebel spirit by establishing a team goal to build a preferred workplace and include boomers as leaders in the movement.

Generation X and Millennials who are being promoted to leadership positions do not need to be intimidated by the age or experience of older workers on the team.  Take advantage of the diversity of thought and experience that older workers bring to the team and ensure your own success by learning from them.   Once you realize that older workers want you to be successful and are more interested in visiting their grandchildren than stealing your job, you are free to open lines of communication and build on the wealth of experience that they possess.

Thomas Davis is a noted leader, educator, speaker and clinical anesthetist. 

Build a preferred workplace.  Join Tom and a group of healthcare leaders for the values-based leadership webinar.  Click here for information.

Busy or Productive?

Busy or Productive?

By Thomas Davis, CRNA, MAE, Lt. Col (ret)

Follow @procrnatom on twitter

               

    “Establish your professional reputation based on what you’ve accomplished.”

 

This high-tech 21st century requires that we move faster and process information more rapidly than during any other historic period.    The price of stock at Plated, Uber or Amazon attests to the speed read race pace at which we move.  Lets’ agree that we’re all hard working; however, at the end of the day, what do we have to show for it?  All or many of us may grimly discover that we’ve spent the day as busy as a pile of fire ants and as productive as a heap of sawdust.  Busy may appear beautiful, but Productive is Queen Bee for a day.

 

Are you busy or productive?

Busy people …

  • Say they have a mission
  • Appear to focus on action
  • Say yes a lot
  • Are easily distracted

Productive people…

  • Have a written mission and a defined goal
  • Develop a plan and put it into action
  • Say yes as much as possible and always follow through
  • Limit the distractions and commit to achieving results.

Here’s how to make the shift from busy to productive.

 

Written mission, defined goal   First, commit to it.  After agreeing to a proposal, identify and clarify the intended outcome.   For either a long or short-term goal, focus on the published department mission while defining the outcome of the project.  No matter what leadership style you opt to use, if you know where you’re headed, and if you keep an eye on the ball, at the end of the day you should have brought all your small tasks to closure and made the projected progress on your long-range projects.

 

Plan, action  Whether you’re organizing a one-hour meeting or restructuring an entire department, all tasks require a strategic plan with a timeline.  Use markers to indicate progress, and then follow your plan.  Build clock blocks with specific times for different activities and allow some empty time periods for inserting priority projects.  Don’t forget to create time for a needed stretch break, taking a quick jog up the back staircase, eating a healthful power lunch.  Start the day by doing a last-minute “block check.”  End the day by reviewing the results.

 

Say yes, follow through   It’s easy to say yes.  In fact, very often it’s easier.  “Yes!” means that you have the time and the resources to complete the task or project, or that you can and will get them.  To begin an assignment, declutter.  Start with a clean desk and an empty waste can.  Clear your schedule and the schedules of those you wish to utilize.  Be certain that you, or you and the team, are up to the task and if you say yes, mean it.  To be fair and honest, if you cannot say yes and follow through, just say no, “…but thank you for asking!”

 

Limit distractions, get results    In other words, focus.  Having the personnel, the tangible resources, scheduled daily clock blocks, and a decluttered mind and work area sets stage for focusing on high production.  Now, do one more thing.  Put your phone away.  Take care of your texts and emails prior to starting the first clock block then turn it off.  Turn off the ring-tone.  Turn off the alerts. Turn away all the would-be hijackers and tune in to your timeline.  Position yourself to see planned results.

Earn and establish your professional reputation based on what you’ve accomplish, not on how busy you managed to be.   To avoid being a top that stays upright by spinning in one place or a whirling dervish that dashes and darts through the day creating more problems than resolutions, design a focused work environment with a plan for action on every project.  Thoughtfully use your integrity and talent to follow through so you can finish the day with planned results and a sigh of satisfaction.

 

Thomas Davis is a noted leader, educator, speaker and clinical anesthetist. 

Build a preferred workplace.  Join Tom and a group of healthcare leaders for the values-based leadership webinar.  Click here for information.

Buy Leader Reader 1, Authentic Lessons in leadership on Amazon books.

Leader Reader

Be a Master Teacher

Be a Master Teacher

By Thomas Davis, CRNA, MAE, Lt. Col, Ret

Follow @procrnatom on twitter

Central to developing a preferred working culture is hiring the right people and then instilling them with your goals and values.  Having a Master Teacher on your team to impart skills and establish expectations will ensure that your new hire becomes a valued member in your workplace.

I provide anesthesia in an outpatient center in which workers are happy and their competence is highly regarded.   At the heart of our success as a team is the talent of our benevolent authoritarian and Master Teacher, Lali.

As an authoritarian teacher, she takes confident control and demands that each learner acquire detailed knowledge of the job.  As a benevolent mentor, she bases her approach on goodwill, kindness and a genuine desire to help others.  In our organization, Lali is the person who successfully combines benevolence with strict attention to detail and offers an orientation wherein each new person is taught to follow policy and procedure without deviation; and she does so in a gentle, supportive manner that affirms the self-esteem of the learner.

During the orientation process, Lali exemplifies the basic characteristics appropriate for a Master Teacher in the outpatient setting.  She connects and relates to each new hire as a first priority; she is an excellent communicator; she has a thorough understanding of the expectations of the job and the goals of the organization; and, she makes the successful orientation of each new person an expectation and a reality.  New people are not released to independent duty until they receive Lali’s stamp of approval.

 

Select a Master Teacher who…

…knows the job.   It is essential for your master teacher to know the specific components of the job as well as being current on all policies and procedures that must be followed.  The person you select as your master teacher must be able to set the standard for new hires to follow in their interactions with one another.  Utilizing a qualified master teacher has the additional benefit of affirming both the teacher’s knowledge and her ability to connect to her peers.

… knows the team’s and organization’s values.   During the orientation process, the master teacher isn’t just showing the new person how to accomplish the tasks related to the job; she or he is establishing a code of conduct for team interaction within the preferred workplace by role modeling the behavior.    When orienting a new person, the MT gets one chance to do it right the first time.  At the completion of orientation, the newly trained person must know how to do the job as well as how to interact.

… is a benevolent authoritarian.   Successfully integrating a new member into your group involves their ability to do the job to exact specs and do it in such a way that it supports the mission, vision and values of the organization.  To be in a workplace of choice, the person being orientated must perceive that he or she is competent, capable and valued.  Using the benevolent authoritarian approach ticks off two big boxes.  It creates a learning partnership in which the mentor gives the learner the security of knowing that failure is not an option, and it teaches work skills in an exact manner that affirms the new person as an important member of the team.

Having a benevolent authoritarian mentor on your team will pay huge dividends long into the future.  Not only will your new team members become quickly fully functional, each will have formed lasting relationships and have a secure support system in place.  To develop a preferred working culture and strengthen your entire organization, cultivate a benevolent authoritarian Master Teacher.

Thomas Davis is a noted leader, educator, speaker and clinical anesthetist. 

Build a preferred workplace.  Join Tom and a group of healthcare leaders for the values-based leadership webinar.  Click here for information.

Buy now on Amazon Books

Leader Reader

Hidden Jewels

Hidden Jewels

By Thomas Davis, CRNA, MAE, Lt. Col. (ret)

Follow @procrnatom on Twitter

 

“I start with the premise that the function of leadership is to produce more leaders, not more followers.”

~Ralph Nader

 

Wouldn’t it be great if every person you hired already possessed 100% of the skills that are needed to be successful on your team?  Perfect candidates do exist; however, searching for those hidden jewels is costly both in terms of time and money.  A better option is to look within the existing team and develop their many concealed talents.  Here are some reasons to make professional development a priority in your workplace.

  • Increased Performance.  Your work environment is constantly changing as are the demands of the job.  Delivering state of the art service requires ongoing education to keep up with advances in technology as well as the knowledge base.   Just as your lawn mower blade needs sharpening every spring, peak performance of your staff is dependent upon constantly sharpening professional skills.
  • Increased engagement. In a preferred workplace there is someone who cares about your professional development.   Ensuring that every person on your team has a plan to grow professionally infuses energy and loyalty while increasing engagement of the individual.
  • Increased retention. You can’t afford NOT to value professional development because it is linked to employee retention.  Staff turnover carries an excessive cost both in money and morale.   When expenses related to recruiting, hiring, credentialing and onboarding are considered, it may cost 1-2 times the annual salary to replace a licensed healthcare provider.  In addition, team morale sags when a respected person departs, and the team is tasked with picking up the extra workload.

 

Discussing professional development with your employee at the annual performance review builds the expectation of opportunities for personal growth.  Without follow-through, the discussion becomes a forum for hypotheticals and promises, and the disappointment that follows erodes morale.  Professional development must be more than empty words at a once-a-year discussion; it must become a way of life that yields results for your team.   Here are some ideas for infusing individual growth into your team members.

  • Professional meetings National and State meetings of professional groups are an excellent way to learn about innovative technology and to get updates on current research and best practice protocols.  In addition, the gathering of professional peers creates a rich environment for networking.   As the schedule permits, encourage your team members to attend.
  • Online meetings and courses Computer-based learning is an inexpensive alternative to attending meetings in person.  Live, interactive webinars allow you to meet online with a group of peers, receive instruction and then have a live two-way discussion with the group.  In contrast, pre-recorded webinars are accessible 24/7 but lack the opportunity for interaction.  Many Universities offer coursed online that will lead to an advanced degree.  For those geographically tied or too busy to travel, computer learning is a viable option.   Be proactive and ensure that your team members can opt to use continuing education money to take advantage of online courses.
  • Mentoring Teaming up with an experienced person who has expertise in a specific area of interest is a practical way to expand skills.   Whether your team member desires to update technical skills, practice public speaking, or improve professional writing, there is a qualified person in your organization who will help.  Use your network of colleagues to find the right mentor for your team member.
  • Change jobs for a day A fun and straightforward way to add tools to a workbench is to spend a day working in a different area within the organization.  Affirm your team members by helping them expand their professional network by facilitating a job swap for a day.
  • Professional social hour  Set up a social hour for others who share your professional credentials and include people from other organizations.  An informal gathering provides the opportunity to exchange information and increase your contacts.  Continue by hosting other social events at intervals throughout the year.
  • Create an individual plan Don’t wait for your boss or your organization to put your future on a platter and serve it to you.  Develop your own plan to increase your knowledge, skills and connectedness with others in your profession.

 

Increasing the skills and knowledge base of your team members is an expenditure of time and money, and a venture into professional development that will yield a high ROI.  Professional development is economical and teaching new skills to existing team members pays for itself by providing an increase in productivity and savings from reduced staff turnover.  Your organization includes many people with talents yet to be uncovered and cultivated.  Among them is a hidden jewel who already exists on your team, ready and willing to be discovered.

 

Special thanks to my wife and editor, Liz Sanner Davis.

Thomas Davis is a noted leader, educator, speaker and clinical anesthetist. 

Build a preferred workplace.  Join Tom and a group of healthcare leaders for the values-based leadership webinar.  Click here for information.

Leader Reader

Connection

Make the connection

By Thomas Davis, CRNA, MAE, Lt.Col (ret)

follow @procrnatom on twitter

In 2013, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid services released a scathing report stating that 6 in 10 patients felt that they were not respected or heard by their healthcare providers.   Even though most patients reported having received competent medical care, the majority felt a disconnect between themselves and the healthcare system.  Similarly, one characteristic of an undesirable workplace is that workers sense that their opinions do not count and feel separate from the chain of command.  Whether you are a patient or a worker, feeling part of the whole is essential for a successful relationship.  Here are some principles for connecting with others that can be useful in both your personal and professional life.

 

Ask questions.  There is something exceptional about every person you meet, and you will seldom discover their hidden interests unless you ask questions.  As healthcare providers, we are trained to ask about symptoms that will guide the treatment we offer; however, we are less skilled at discovering the individuality of the person presenting with the problem.   By asking patients about both symptoms and concerns, we open the door to connecting with their personal life and the implications of how their disease will affect relationships in the family and at work.  Showing equal interest in the person and the medical condition is the first step to forming a meaningful relationship that will validate your patient as a unique individual.

 

Be a great listener.  Asking questions is meaningless unless you unless you are focused to hear the answer.  When listening, hear the words and try to understand the emotional meaning.  A patient may describe an ache or pain while the real concern is that he may not be able to continue in a job or recreational activity.  After actively listening, restate the perceived anxiety by saying, “I sense that you are concerned about…”    When people feel that you understand on an emotional level, a common bond forms that validates the person as an individual and gives them a sense that you care.

 

Develop a Starbucks mentality.  In old movies based in small town America, a local enters the store and the storekeeper knows the person by name as well as the details of his family.  The customer feels welcome to be there and the attendant has a “customer is right” mentality with a desire to satisfy the customer.   At Bux they welcome you as you enter the door by saying, “Welcome to Starbucks, what can I get started for you?”  At Sams they refer to customers as “guests.” It’s part of customer service training at Bux and Sam’s to connect immediately through a warm welcome.  Though healthcare is far from being a country store, interacting with a friendly, down-home attitude creates a personal link with patient and employee alike.

 

Discover areas of commonality.   Finding and discussing common interests with another person is a wonderful way to establish unity.  As you ask questions and concentrate on answers, you will discover similarities with the other person.  Acknowledging shared values and areas of interest exposes you as a real person beyond your position as a healthcare provider.  Be careful NOT to one-up the person by making your experience more important than theirs.

 

Acknowledge anxiety.  Patients seek healthcare either to address a specific concern or to maintain their current health.  Both scenarios carry anxiety; those with a problem fear the implications and those who are currently healthy fear the discovery of an unknown health problem.   Assume that all patients are anxious and listen with empathy.  Let the person know you are willing and ready to discuss both their medical condition and their concern about the consequences.

 

Be a friend.  In a professional relationship, you do not need to become a BFF but it is important that the person views you as being genuinely friendly with an honest interest in their wellbeing.  Establish a specialized relationship by encouraging the individual to tell you something that interests them on a personal level.  A favorite question that I often ask is, “Tell me something about yourself that is not on your medical record.”  Suddenly, the person fees as if he is more than someone in need of medical treatment, he is a real human being with a life of his own.   Make it a goal to know the patient well enough to introduce her to a co-worker without reference to the medical condition.  “This is Mary and when she is not with us, she cares for her grandchildren and loves to tend her garden.”  By asking my favorite question I learned that my 63-year-old female patient was a pool shark.  Another former patient was top 10 in table tennis in the State of New York.  Each person, whether patient or colleague is unique and interesting.

Regardless of your position in healthcare or elsewhere, connecting with clients and colleagues is the key to success.  Unlike finding a cure for cancer – a monumental task requiring years of research and a huge investment of resources – the perception of patients not being respected, as identified by CMS, can be cured today by healthcare providers who are focused on connecting with everyone they encounter.  In fact, connection IS the cure.

Special thanks to my wife and editor, Liz Sanner Davis.

Thomas Davis is a noted leader, educator, speaker and clinical anesthetist. 

Build a preferred workplace.  Join Tom and a group of healthcare leaders for the values-based leadership webinar.  Click here for information.

Receive in Kind

By Thomas Davis, CRNA, MAE, Lt. Col (ret)

Follow @procrnatom on twitter

 

“No kind action ever stops with itself. One kind action leads to another…A single act of kindness throws out roots in all directions, and the roots spring up and make new trees.”

~ Amelia Earhart

Kindness can change the entire culture of your workplace.  The essential elements of a preferred workplace, including civility, mutual respect, and collaboration, are interwoven with the thread of kindness. The same level of thoughtfulness in the delivery of care to patients increases patient satisfaction. Kindness is contagious in the interactions of cohesive workgroups and can be the difference between staff retention and resignation.   Take your team to the next level by doing catching acts of kindness that will quickly spread throughout your workplace and increase the effectiveness of your group.

Acts of Kindness.  I recently worked in a busy suite of operating rooms where anesthesia providers pushed patients on carts or hospital beds from the pre-op area to the OR and then again from the OR to the recovery area.  Many carts had defective steering devices and hospital beds were always heavy.   Staff would make room for the struggling patient pusher to pass, then stand back and watch. Two newly hired people who noticed the difficulty of transporting patients, started helping direct carts around corners and through doors and within two weeks several others joined the practice.  Within two months, with the simple act of assisting instead of watching, the culture of the entire work area changed.  Not only did people continue to help one another transport patients, they started aiding in other areas as well.

Several Jewish CRNA friends in the mid-Atlantic region always volunteer for call on Christmas and Easter to enable their Christian colleagues the opportunity to be with family.

A nurse manager in the Midwest always greets patients and their families in the hallway and provides directions when needed.  Despite being confined to a wheelchair secondary to an auto accident, she holds the door for people of all ages and gender, not just seniors…and does it with a smile.

My CRNA friend Sal and his wife Carol travel to Honduras to work as anesthesia provider and nurse one week every year.  Augustine is a CRNA and friend who solicits other CRNAs to join him on mission trips.

James, a Chief CRNA in the Midwest, takes his office manager and one staff CRNA to lunch quarterly to reward each for their work, and to build a bond between the office staff and the frontline providers.

Michelle arrives early each morning, sets up her room and then goes room to room asking her colleagues if they need help.

Another chief CRNA, who began this practice long before the advent of Facebook, emails a personal Happy Birthday well-wish to each of his staff, and copies the group.

Kindness is contagious.  An article in the highly respected APA peer reviewed journal, Emotion, describes a study done in a workplace where employees were placed in 1 of 3 groups.  Those in the first group were assigned to perform designated acts of kindness for specific people in group 2.  The third group acted as the control group for the study, neither offering nor receiving acts of kindness.  The study revealed that those on the receiving end in group 2 were more likely to react by offering kindness to others.  In the spirit of pay it forward, the thoughtfulness of a few spread rapidly and changed the culture of the work environment.

Kindness elevates patient satisfaction.  Kindness affects the overall experience of our patients and their families as reported by www.winnipegfreepress.com with feedback from a Canadian patient by the name of Z. Soloman.  Ms. Soloman’s experience is exactly the one all healthcare wish to provide.  “Kudos to Victoria General Hospital for recruiting and retaining staff who treat patients with (such) respect and kindness.  I rate my stay as 10 out of 10.”  Ms. Soloman’s experience elevated her satisfaction and raised the hospital’s scores.

Give gladly and receive in kind!  You can be a catalyst in changing your healthcare workplace to a culture defined by kindness just by being more attentive to the needs of others. Pay it forward by offering assistance when appropriate, or challenge yourself to perform several unsolicited kindnesses daily and watch the culture change.  It starts with you.

“The greatest work that kindness does to others is that it makes them kind themselves.”   ~ Amelia Earhart

 

Special thanks to my wife and editor, Liz Sanner Davis for contributing to this article.

Thomas Davis is a noted leader, educator, speaker and clinical anesthetist. 

Join Tom and a group of leaders for the values-based leadership webinar.  Click here for information.

Stop It!

Stop It!

By Thomas Davis, CRNA, MAE, Lt. Col (ret)

Follow @procrnatom on Twitter

 

 

Al Franken to resign… New York times

Moore says it (abuse) didn’t happen…  The Daily News

Matt Lauer…axed   New York Post

 

Over the past few months the headlines in the news have been filled with stories of abuse of power related to sexual harassment in the workplace.  Victims sense that now is the right time and the support structure is finally in place for them to step forward and tell their stories and be believed.  Many high profile perpetrators have been held accountable and the culture of the workplace is starting to change.

Bullying is a less sensational form of harassment that plagues the American workplace and it can have equally devastating effects on workers.  In some cases, the designated leader is the bully with a heavy hand that is used to micromanage, complete with stiff consequences for offenders.  In other cases, the weak leader turns a blind eye while the dominant team member abuses co-workers.  Regardless of who is doing the bullying, a culture where abuse exists is toxic and will ruin the morale and productivity of the entire group.

Every system is perfectly designed to produce the results it gets.

We think of a bully as the tough guy who controls the playground by punching the little guys in the nose.  The same schoolyard abuse in the workplace is more expansive and includes any activity in which one person asserts his/her dominance in a manner that is harmful or demeaning to another person.  With bullying, there is repeated, abusive behavior which usually involves threatening, humiliating or intimidating.   Here are some examples.

  • Spreading rumors, gossip and innuendo
  • Making personal threats
  • Sabotaging work
  • Withholding necessary information
  • Removing responsibility without cause
  • Making pointed jokes about the person or their family
  • Belittling the person’s work or opinion
  • Constantly criticizing
  • Establishing impossible guidelines to ensure failure
  • Tampering with personal property
  • Direct verbal attacks or unverifiable accusations

 

In addition to creating potentially devastating psychological tension, the monetary cost of bullying can be immense.  When bullying is allowed, productivity drops not only by the victim but for other team members who fear being the next victim of the bully.  Now there are multiple victims, many of who will find another employer as soon as they are able, creating a staff shortage which in turn, requires the organization to spend time and money recruiting and training replacements.  Equally costly is keeping an unfortunate victim in place who is not financially able to leave and continues to show up every day like a zombie with little productivity to show at the end of the day.  As a master bully gains power, he/she will form a team of gangstas that taint the reputation of the workplace making it increasingly difficult to attract qualified applicants for the increasing number of openings. Without adequate personnel, per diem and locum employees must be hired at huge expense.  Permitting a pervasively oppressive work culture is downright costly.

 

Behaviors that are repeated will become habits and habits define who we are.

 

The onset of bullying is often insidious and the first negative behaviors may be barely noticeable.    However, aggression builds on aggression and as the bully gets away with demeaning behavior he/she will push the limits of civility until reigned in.   The first and most crucial step for eliminating bullying is for the designated leader to establish a zero tolerance for any and all harassment in your workplace.   Here are some ways to convert your environment into a bully-free zone.

  1. Stop Enabling. Turning a blind eye or rationalizing that the bully is just having a dreadful day ensures that the problem not only continues, but grows.  When bullying is present, do a quick self-assessment and determine ways in which you or others on the team have enabled the situation.  Frequently, enabling takes the form of remaining silent and not getting involved.  You don’t have to be a terminator to stop an intimidator. You just need the courage to address what everyone sees.
  2. Commit to accountability. When bullying is seen or reported, it must be addressed ASAP.    The need to dominate has an emotional component and bullying may be a manifestation of the person’s fear and insecurity.   As soon as possible have a private discussion with the offender and focus on engaging the thinking brain rather than pouring kerosene on the already smoldering emotional brain.  Review the observed/reported behavior with the person and make them think by asking the following questions:
    1. What was your desired outcome?
    2. How did your behavior advance your goal?
    3. How did your behavior affect the team?
    4. How else could you have approached the situation?
    5. How does your behavior support our goal to be a workplace of choice?

The person may acknowledge the behavior and agree to stop it or he/she may deny it.   Either way, he/she knows that you know and that you are expecting specific changes in behavior.

  1. Build civility. Team meetings and retreats are perfect venues for discussing common values and generating enthusiasm for the development of a preferred workplace.   Freely discuss the core values of the organization and guide a discussion that links them to collaborative teamwork.  Openly call it what it is – abuse, intimidation, harassment, bullying – and challenge the team to adhere to zero tolerance for incivility of any sort.

 

As with other forms of abuse of power in the workplace, the time is right to stop bullying your fellow teammate.  Just stop it!  Heighten your awareness, confront offenders quickly and engage your team in building a community of collaboration.   Civility is one key component of a preferred workplace.  Demand civil behavior from yourself, your teammate and your leader because behavior that is repeated becomes a habit and habits define who you are.

 

Special thanks to Liz Sanner Davis for editing and collaboration.

 

Thomas Davis is a noted leader, educator, speaker and clinical anesthetist. 

Join Tom and a group of leaders for the values-based leadership webinar.  Click here for information.

Step It Up

step it up, Jan 2018

By Thomas Davis, CRNA, MAE, Lt. Col (ret)

Follow @procrnatom on Twitter

 

Regardless of whether you call them resolutions or goals, many people start the new year seeking self-improvement in both their professional and personal lives.  Leaders hope to find ways to do a better job guiding and motivating their team and team members hope for professional development that will earn them respect and recognition for their work.

 

“Hope rarely enters into it. ‘Tis action moves the world.”

From:  The Winter Sea by Susanna Kearsley

 

Whether your official role be leader or team member, here are some ways to convert hope into action.

 

Ask   I recently worked at a clinic where OR personnel wore a color-coded paper hat – blue for staff, red for vendors and pink for students.   A popular anesthesiologist with 30 years of experience who commonly served as clinical coordinator frequently opted to wear a pink student’s hat.   When I asked him why, he replied, “I am a student and learn every day.”  His commitment to self-improvement was contagious, setting the stage for everyone to learn.   When working with him, there were no dumb questions so the entire team was able to benefit from his commitment to sharing knowledge.   As a part of your personal professional development plan, learn from everyone you encounter during the day and freely share your knowledge so that others can learn from you.  You will be amazed at the things they know about their jobs and a free exchange of information enhances collaboration.  Over the years, I have learned things by listening to my anesthesia colleagues, anesthesia techs, OR nurses, and from housekeeping.  Create a pink-hat environment in which all are free to exchange information without the fear of being belittled for asking the wrong question.

 

Listen to understand    In the high stress healthcare environment people don’t want to make mistakes or be blamed for an undesired outcome.   When issues arise, it is easy to default into the it’s-not-my-fault mode and build a wall that stops communication.  Open your mind by assuming the other person has a valid point and then listen carefully to understand his concern.

Tactical Empathy is the ability to share someone else’s feelings while executing a plan to achieve a goal.  In his book Never Split the Difference: Negotiating as if your Life Depended on it, Author Chris Voss uses the term tactical empathy to describe a preferred approach to listening.  According to Voss, listening is more inclusive that just hearing words; tactical empathy includes listening to the emotion behind the words.  After attentively listening, state the emotion that you sense and allow the other person to agree or clarify.  For example, say, “I sense that you value teamwork and have concerns about our team.”  Then be quiet and let the person respond.  It is likely that the person will validate the emotion that you sense and shift their concern/anger from the problem at hand to a discussion of the underlying problem.  If you are wrong with your assessment, the person has your attention and can provide additional information.  Another way to show tactical empathy is saying, “I sense that you have a deep commitment to patient safety and fear that someone will be injured.”   As before, listen to the response and open the door for additional information.  The key is to detect to the emotion that is driving the words, state the emotion, then listen.  You will add depth to your understanding by having the person describe the desired behavior they would expect if things were going well.  When done, you will have a new perspective on the issue and the person will feel as if his/her opinion was valued and understood.

 

Be positive   We are social creatures and our attitudes affect those around us. Develop the habit of approaching issues from a positive point of view.  Instead of reacting to a situation, be proactive and view a problem as something that is temporary and correctable.  Keep the desired outcome in mind, identify resources, and tap into the collective wisdom of your team.  A We Can Do It Together attitude quickly spreads throughout a team and stimulates creative solutions.

 

You’ve already stepped up to the plate by being a leader, now step up your game.  The New Year is here and it’s a great time to convert good intentions and high hopes to tangible action by changing your status quo.  In a recent interview, investment advisor, Tony Robbins, suggested, “Leaders anticipate; losers react.” It’s impossible to know the details of the challenges that will arise in the upcoming year, but one thing is sure, you can’t anticipate all of them, and being a lifetime learner, effective listener and optimistic problem solver will position you for success.

 

Tom is a noted anesthetist, leader, educator and speaker.   Join Tom and a group of frontline healthcare leaders in the Values-based leadership webinar series.