preferred workplaces

Rejuvenate your team

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

My bicycle and I have been together for over a decade and many American and European miles have rolled under the wheels. This professional grade aluminum specialized workhorse is my source of daily transportation to and from work as well as my weekend recreation partner and we know each other very well. Over the past few months, the back wheel developed a wobble and the shifter lost its crispness; and finally, it would not shift into two of the gears. Our relationship was becoming strained and my specialized Wunderkind needed to be rejuvenated. A trip to the bike shop restored the function of my bicycle by replacing the shifter cables, giving it a good C&L (clean and lubricate) and mounting a newly trued back wheel, without the wobble. Two resources – time and effort – infused life into the bike and now it works like new.

Many leaders have a long-standing personal relationship with their team similar to the one I have with my bike; however, like my bike the team may be losing its crispness and failing to function as it once did. Investing a little time and effort to rejuvenate your team will restore your relationship, bring the wheels back into alignment, and improve the productivity of the group.

Writing in Psychology Today, author Robert Taibbi identifies three reasons that cause relationships to go stale over time; avoidance of conflict, work-centered relationships and work behavior that is based on routine. The combination of the three factors creates a safe, secure and boring place to work where expectations are met however creativity and self-motivation are not rewarded. Over time, workers resort to robotic performance of familiar tasks and lose the desire to excel; like my bike, the crispness is gone.

Shanking up the status quo and infusing energy into your team by re-defining your relationship with them starts with you. As the leader, you create the environment and establish the energy level of the workplace. Start your team renewal project by entering the workplace every day with pep in your step and a smile on your face and watch your team respond in kind by picking up the pace. Once you have established a higher energy level, the stage is set for a team tune-up. Continuing with his Psychology today article, Robert offers several suggestions for adding a spark to a relationship that is losing its luster. Although the article is about marriage relationships, the concepts that he presents can be used to re-ignite your relationship everybody around you, including your team.

Talk about the obvious

A new leader joins a team, makes observations, and asks, “Why do we do it that way?” In a few short months, the same leader looks at the same workflow and says, “That’s just the way we do it.” The first step toward rejuvenation of your team involves looking at the current level of performance and once again asking, “why do we do it that way?” Open a dialogue with your team and openly share your observations about areas where your team has become complacent. In an upbeat and positive manner, solicit feedback about the team’s reaction to your observations and welcome each person discuss areas where they feel the team could be performing better. Focus on team strengths and build a consensus regarding actions that the team will take in the future to address the areas where the status quo is not creating peak performance.

Find common interests

Being members of the same team creates a common interest however it does not inspire and motivate individuals to develop friendships or to increase collaboration in the workplace. Encourage team members to find common interests beyond the job and develop friendships that transcend the 7-3 work shift. Every member of your team, including you, are unique people and have personal stories to tell. Plan social time into your work day and value the time team members spend in the break room learning about special interests of their team mates. Plan a quarterly social hour and include a few events every year that include families and friends of the workers on your team. As team members take a personal interest in one another, collaboration and creativity increase producing a win/win for both the employer and the employee.

Create a vision

Teams are the happiest and most productive when they are working toward a common goal and sense that they are making progress. Take the time to create a vision and share it with your group. Alter your workflow to enable the achievement of the goal and then be liberal with compliments and thank you’s to show appreciation. A new vision shakes up the status quo and upsets the monotony of the daily work schedule. Working toward a new vision is much more stimulating and rewarding than just showing up and working.

Make relationships a priority

The Gallup Q12 employee engagement survey documents the importance of relationships in the workplace as evidenced by questions 4, 5, 7, 8, and 11 all of which explore workers connection to their boss as well as their co-workers. Leaders of the most highly engaged teams of workers have learned the importance of building relationships and exude the attitude that there are no unimportant jobs or people in the organization. Get to know your team members one on one and learn things about them that make them tick on a personal level and inspire them to achieve greater goals. The time you invest in relationships will pay huge dividends as your team experiences rejuvenation.

My bicycle was performing poorly which strained our relationship and detracted from the pleasure of my morning commute to work. Time, effort and some money corrected the problem and restored our relationship. If your team is not firing on all cylinders or not working at peak performance, it doesn’t mean that they need to be traded in for a new model; you don’t sell a car because it needs new tires and a battery, nor do you throw away a bicycle because cables are frayed. Make a commitment to rejuvenate your relationship with the team and guide them to emerge stronger than ever. Identify areas for improvement, challenge your team to leverage common interests and transform your workplace into a welcoming environment where people feel as if they are valued.

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

Fixer-Upper Leadership

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

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In the popular HGTV reality TV show Fixer upper, Chip and Joanna Gaines work with buyers to select a run-down and under-valued home and then using vision combined with hard work, turn it into a showplace. The Gaines walk the buyers through three potential homes, all in need of repair. Typically, the buyers are openly disappointed with the current state of the property whereas Chip and Jo look at the same mess focusing on the potential beauty that it could become. The remodeling experts ask the buyers about features that are most important to them and listen carefully to preferences that are stated during the walk-through. The show progresses with the buyers selecting a property, establishing a budget, reiterate the items that are most important to them, and then turning the project over to the experts for remodeling. Midway through the project, Jo meets with the buyers, updates them on the progress and ensures that everybody agrees with the final design. The show ends with the amazed buyers walking through the newly remodeled home in disbelief that it could be the same property that they selected weeks earlier.

In the reality of the work world, some teams are run-down, underproductive and in need of a leader who will transform the current workplace into an employment showplace. Like doing a fixer-upper on a home, transforming a low-achieving workplace into an environment where people want to spend the day involves listening, developing a shared vision, leveraging resources and motivating team members to work hard to implement change. Be a fixer upper leader and create a workplace where employees are stimulated, motivated and want to spend their day.

Establish your goal

Your team must share your vision as well as your commitment to make things better. Encourage your team to share your vision by openly discussing the status quo, including the things that currently drain team spirit from the group. Ask them to describe their ideal workplace and the behavioral changes needed to move the ball in that direction. As in the TV show, listen attentively to reveal the most important needs and make a list of behavior changes needed to improve the morale of the group. Next, tune in to the group’s order of preference. After identifying 1-3 items for immediate focus, develop a plan and hold team members accountable for its implementation.

Identify your resources

Once the Gaineses have a solid vision for repairing the property, they quickly assess the resources at hand and make plans to obtain additional supplies that are needed. Likewise, take the lead in the remodeling of your team and how they interact with one another. Ensure that it has the resources needed to make the desired changes. You may need to modify work schedules, implement a streamlined method for communication or even place an absolute ban on gossip in order to get the job done. Do everything within your control to activate the priorities identified by your team.

Demo day

Chip’s favorite day on any project is demo day. Everything that is not necessary for structural integrity is ripped out and carted off to make room for reconfiguring the house and to allow for a make-over. To make room for your new way of conducting business, old thoughts and habits will have to be “ripped out and carted off.” During demo, be prepared to rid the construction site of behavior and of things that prevent the group from achieving their collective goal. Ultimately, the leadership goal is to guide your team to the promised land while keeping it intact.

Rebuild

Once the old thoughts and habits have been removed, the vacant space is fertile ground for new and fresh ways to conduct business. Keep your hands on the wheel and make sure that the void you created draws in feelings of collaboration and commitment. Remind team members frequently about their consensus of creating a preferred workplace and encourage only positive thoughts and creative energy to exist among teammates while on the job. Implement a spirit of accountability in which shared responsibility creates positive outcome.

Give frequent updates

Keep your team members in the game by meeting with them frequently and openly sharing the overall progress. Discuss both the areas in which the team is doing well and areas that lack progress. Routinely review the original goals, tweak the plan, and motivate individuals by sharing your anticipation of success. Toward the end of the HGTV show, excitement grows as the project nears completion. The children deliver food in preparation of Joanna’s all-nighter to ensure that the property is perfect for the grand showing the next day. Likewise, as your preferred workplace becomes a reality, be inclusive and harness the excitement of team members by having them participate in the planning of a celebration in honor of the changes that have been made.

Celebrate success

HGTV Fixer Upper ends each show with a segment where the finished project is presented to the buyer. The new residents of the house high-five in near disbelief as they walk through a structure that only vaguely resembles the structure they selected to recreate. As part of your leadership, celebrate with your team when attitudes and behaviors have changed and your workplace has been upgraded to become a magnet for fully engaged workers. Carve out time for a team meeting complete with treats and high-fives for those on your team who most aggressively pushed colleagues to a new and better place.

By challenging your team to fixer upper restoration, you no longer need to lead a team that’s at at the low end of productivity. Choose a reconstruction plan and get consensus, develop a strategy that’s inclusive and hold one another accountable for implementation. You too can restore, repurpose and lead a team that delivers the best possible service to clients and the organization.

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

8 apps for High Tech Leaders

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

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Today’s hip leaders require instant access to information and real-time communication with the team members and chain of command. Churning the high-tech world to move even faster, young workers have thrown the communication books from the shelves while no one on the team has even heard of mimeographed memos. Quick-learning youth may have the advantage over older workers who have survived the techno transition, but workers of every generation have come to rely on technology and the advantages that it offers.

Tech is the way we conduct our business and live our lives; to do otherwise denies reality. You cannot survive as a leader without google and email; however, g and e are not enough to propel you and your team to all-star status. Creative software developers have fashioned hundreds of app-based programs to support management, enhance communication and promote collaborative teamwork. You can shine a light on your leadership and your team by using mobile device-based applications to conduct daily business. The learning curve is short and the return on investment is high.

Communication

Email and texting offer real-time exchange of information and are ingrained into our interactions with one another. Using email and texting as communication tools enables geographic freedom, removing the requirement to assemble a group to receive announcements. You can streamline the process of group communication by using apps specifically designed to organize user groups, instantly delivering messages to the right people in an encrypted format that ensures privacy and meets HIPAA standards.

The TigerConnect app is a cloud-based clinical communication and collaboration tool…that is HIPPA compliant. Enabling real time messaging among members of user groups, the app is expressly designed to be used in healthcare settings. The developer claims that the use of TigerConnect leads to shorter hospital stays, increased patient satisfaction, reduced readmission rates and improved team collaboration. You be the judge.

Whatsapp allows you to form user groups and share messages, documents and videos and to conduct group chats all in a format that bypasses SMS fees. Using this app, you can connect with up to 256 people at once.

Efficiency

Day to day management of your team involves more than sending messages to disseminate information, and savvy leaders use technology to grease the process of dealing with daily chores. Fortunately, cyber space has an abundance of programs to help you organize, remember and track vital information.

Google drive is available to every computer user with a google account. You can store documents on google drive and make them available to your team. By posting policies, procedures and work schedules on google drive, your team will have 24/7 access to anything you wish to share with them.

Inventory tracker is a handy app for those who have the job of ordering supplies and maintaining inventory levels. You may be the one putting in the supply order or you may have delegated the task to a team member, either way, treat yourself and your team by using this app.

2do is a task organizer designed for mobile devices. Just like the rest of us, you may still forget some task that “made the list.” The 2do app is a safety net that allows you to use your phone to create a list of tasks, indicate the day that they are to be completed and set up reminders.

Clear todos is also a task organizer. This app permits the creation of separate categories with each list having its own set of tasks. Reminders can also be programmed on this app to jog your memory.

Team identity

Team identity provides your group with a sense of belonging to something important and a feeling of inclusion. The internet provides a platform to unite your crew and a worldwide stage to showcase the talented people that you supervise.

Team websites are common, inexpensive and easy to create yourself. Companies abound offering URLs, platforms and tutoring that enable people with basic computer skills to design and launch a website in one evening. Click here for a link to a list of the top 10 website programs.

Youtube videos are another way to display your team in a positive way. After opening an account with youtube, you will be able to submit video clips and then post the link on your team web site. Instantly, members of your team have a visible presence in cyber-space and a platform to share their experiences with the public.

Our spinning, techno world offers possibilities that were not even imagined several decades ago. Capitalize on the opportunities offered at this digital smorgasbord by selecting the apps that best serve the needs of team members. Go all-in by implementing the technology that is expected by all of your workers, the young and the not-so-young, because no one is looking back.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed at figuring out how to meet the expectations of both your team and your employer, it’s useful to work with a leadership coach who has experienced challenges similar to yours. Feel free to contact me today to learn about the specifics of techniques to for developing a preferred workplace. Email me at tom@prosynex.com or click here to book your free introductory meeting.

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

Surviving Mistakes

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

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All men make mistakes, but only wise men learn from their mistakes.

~Winston Churchill

Mistakes, we all make them. I have made them, so have you and so has everybody else. Paul, the barista at Starbucks, makes an offensive tasting non-fat chai latte, dumps it down the drain, starts over and voila, problem solved. Laurel, a candidate for congress, makes an offensive comment about immigrants, the media takes over and voila, her campaign spirals down the drain and drowns. Minor mistake are no big deal, easily corrected, but major mistakes have launched world wars. Most mistakes fall between the two extremes. Leaders at all levels are faced with making daily decisions based on the available information as well as their personal bias related to the issue. When the choice is spot on, high fives ensue, and the team celebrates success. But if the option misses the mark, damage will result and damage control by the leader must begin.

Making an error in judgment doesn’t have to be a career breaker as evidenced by the ability of high profile people to recover from bad decisions. The Ford Motor company launched a new line of cars and quickly the Edsel became the biggest flop in automotive history. Later, Ford went on to launch the highly successful Mustang. In 2012, Netflix CEO Reed Hastings perceived the trend for an increased demand for access to streaming videos and launched a plan to split the company into DVD and streaming divisions, each requiring membership and separate fees. The public quickly rejected the new structure, balked at joining and caused the CEO to walk back the decision and remain with a single membership to include both DVD and streaming access to entertainment.

Although your goofs and gaffes may not get worldwide media attention, they can affect those around you both at work and at home, and as with high-profile leaders, if you can learn from your mistakes, you can recover.

Own it

Looking good to your team and the chain of command is important and making a mistake can undermine your credibility as a leader; therefore, it is natural for you want the blame to fall elsewhere. Despite your desire to be blameless, others, review exactly what was said and done so they know who made the error, and if it’s your lapse, own it. Denying your responsibility will further erode the respect of those familiar with the situation. Put yourself back on the path to success by candidly recognizing your mistake and accepting responsibility. As most politicians have discovered, projecting an attitude of, “I did it but it really wasn’t my fault,” does not garner respect or support from those around you. “I made a mistake and it was my fault,” is a much better starting point when trying to recover from a bad decision.

Apologize

After owning it, the next step on the road to correcting the error is a sincere apology to those affected by your decision. Choose your words wisely and focus on apologizing for your action rather than the way others reacted to the blunder. Admit what was done was wrong and acknowledge the unintended consequences of the action, including any negative effect it had on the team. People who apologize because others were offended instead of admitting personal fault, aren’t really accepting blame and will quickly lose both respect and support from those affected.

Correct the damage

Very few decisions are absolute and final. In spite of the damage that has been done, with time, patience, and a good plan most damage can be repaired. There are times when we kick ourselves and wish for a do-over because, in retrospect, a better decision was obvious. In cases where the better decision was clear, walk it back, repair the damage and proceed with the correct choice. In other cases where the answer is less obvious, involve the team in a group-think process to produce a better solution than your original choice. If penalties are required, pay them and then move on/forward.

Learn from the experience

The harm caused by a bad decision creates an opportunity for personal growth that will position you as an expert who can help others who face similar challenges. Damage control looks back on a situation and tries to fix something that has already taken place. Instead, seek a type II solution that not only addresses your problem but also keeps others from making the same error. Think of preemptive measures to update or change the current system and prevent a recurrence. Again, involve the team in an open discussion, “What did we learn?” and, “How can we prevent this from happening again?” Involving others in producing a permanent solution shows good faith in your desire to correct your judgment error and to learn from it.

Rebuild trust

Trust is foundational to a positive working relationship with your team. You take the first step in re-building a trusting relationship by owning, apologizing and correcting the error. The final, and by far the hardest part, is convincing your team or institution that you’re sincere and solid, all is well.

DON’T compound the problem by making more mistakes.
DON’T revisit the circumstances or the behavior that caused the mistake except as a reminder of what not to do or say.
DON’T dwell on guilt and don’t allow yourself to feel shame or to be shamed. Get over it.
DO use honesty and transparency when correcting the problem.
DO encourage others to participate when selecting a new course of action.

Summary

Our world is composed of over seven billion people, each with independent thoughts and goals. What may seem logical or obvious to you and support your personal point of view may be perceived very differently by others. Leaders, followers and people in general all make mistakes in virtually every aspect of daily life and a few of those seven billion may occasionally take offense. When it happens, and it will, face it head-on, focus on immediate resolution and continue a lifelong commitment to building trust. And in your moments of reflection, always remember: Your blooper is your problem; others’ reaction to it is theirs.

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

Emotionally Intelligent Leadership

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

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Emotional intelligence is the ability of a person to be aware of and control his/her own emotions, to sense to the emotions of others and to handle interpersonal relationships in a manner that preserves the integrity of both parties. Writing about emotional intelligence in Forbes.com, author Christine Comaford states that emotional intelligence accounts for 58% of your team’s performance regardless of the industry in which you work. Clearly, the most effective leaders control their own emotions while boosting the self-esteem of those they supervise. Conversely, leaders who lack emotional intelligence quickly undermine collaboration and demoralize individuals on the team.

A busy Gastroenterology center commonly schedules 12-18 cases per room per day and assigns patients an arrival time based on starting a new case every 20 minutes; productivity and efficiency are top priorities. Today the outpatient endoscopy center has an irate patient in the waiting area; MaryJane arrived at the designated time and has been waiting 2 hours for her procedure to begin. She demands to talk with George, the clinic manager and doesn’t hold back when unloading her anger about the excessive waiting time. When the scheduled cases are completed, the stressed clinic manager assembles his workers to pass on the patient complaint and puts the blame on them for the delay stating, “If you were competent and knew your job, this would never happen.” He went on to threaten the team with disciplinary action if things did not improve. Having no control over the speed at which the physicians can complete a case, the chastised team members felt demoralized.

Leaders who lack emotional intelligence may alienate either an entire team or selected individuals through thoughtless comments. In a similar event at the same center, a technician set up for the next scheduled case, however the patient brought into the room was out of sequence and was scheduled for a procedure that required special equipment. The doctor entered the room at the same time as the patient, found the wrong equipment in place and became irate demanding that the technician be replaced by, “someone who knows what he is doing.” The rejected technician left the room feeling completely devastated and defeated.

Your reaction to stress matters and affects the performance of your team. Emotionally intelligent leaders can challenge a team to correct a problem and have the group walk away feeling empowered and committed to resolving the issue. If the leader lacks emotional intelligence, teams feel demoralized and defeated when faced with similar challenges. Here are some tips for infusing emotional intelligence into your leadership style:

Tune into yourself

As the gatekeeper of your emotions, be aware of the moment the gate starts to open and react quickly. If something is not quite right and causes a little twinge of anxiety, trust that something is driving your gut feeling and don’t dismiss the emotion that you perceive.

What to do: Take a moment to identify your sentiment and put a label on it; “I’m feeling nervous,” “I’m feeling defensive,” “I’m sensing that I’m being unfairly blamed,” or “my GERD is acting up.” Putting a label on what you feel requires you to shift from an emotional response to one that is intellectual and diminishes the likelihood of a knee-jerk reaction that will add fuel to a smoldering fire.

Slow your reaction

The emotional area of the brain, called the amygdala, kicks in when you are stressed and triggers a fight, flight or freeze reaction. Unfortunately, when the emotional brain takes charge, the thinking brain shuts down and you may respond in ways that you later regret.

What to do: Take control by pausing when you first perceive that your emotions are being challenged; take a deep breath, count to ten and ask yourself, “What is my desired outcome?” or “What do I want?” Continue the intellectual activity by clarifying facts asking questions to gain insight into the other person’s point of view. This process quickly quiets your emotions by stimulating problem solving areas of your brain and saves you the embarrassment of saying or doing something that will require an apology.

Assess and leverage your resources

Leaders of collaborative teams never need to face a problem alone. When challenges emerge, take a moment to assess your resources and utilize those that will help you resolve the problem. Two of your most powerful yet frequently overlooked assets are your team and your positive attitude.

What to do: Approach a stressful situation with confidence and avoid dictating a quick fix or assigning blame until facts are known. Explain your desired outcome to your team and solicit their ideas for resolution. Use your emotional intelligence to be inclusive and harness the creative power of your team rather than shutting them down.

Focus on the desired outcome

Focus on the desired outcome in a positive and proactive manner that looks beyond the immediate problem at hand. A type I solution fixes your immediate problem whereas a type II solution ensures that the problem will not recur for you are anybody else on the team. In the case of the GI center, the goal was more than appeasing today’s irate patient; the type II solution involved realistic scheduling that reflected the reality of the patient flow.

What to do: Create a group-think environment, assume that your team shares your goal and use emotional intelligence to validate and implement their creative ideas. Those who work on the front line have personal knowledge of problems as well as solutions. Tap into your team’s fountain of knowledge

Take control of your emotions and gain a sensitivity for the feelings of those around you. This does not mean that you should ignore problems for fear of hurting feelings; instead, address every problem in a forthright manner that preserves the emotional integrity of the person you are correcting. George could have brought the team together to discuss the patient flow problem, gain a better understanding of causes and create a solution that offered a feasible chance for success. Had he talked to the team, George would have learned that the average time per case was 32 minutes and scheduling a new case every 20 minutes was a receipt for failure. The first step toward staying on the timeline was to develop a realistic schedule that allotted enough time for each case. Rather than working harder or more efficiently, the solution rested in creating a schedule that reflected reality. Similarly, had the doctor in the second example been sensitive to the fact that the technician had set up correctly for the scheduled patient, he would not have launched into a personal attack on a competent worker.

Emotionally intelligent leaders know and control their own feelings while tuning into and uplifting those around them. Elevate the productivity of your team by being sensitive the emotions that drive behavior.

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

Five Essential Questions

Five Essential Questions

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

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Preferred workplaces are built by insightful leaders who actively work to create a community of colleagues who treat one another with mutual respect and work together collaboratively. Hiring and recruiting new team members offers an excellent opportunity for you to build your dream team, and identifying well-matched applicants is an important first step. These Essential Five interview questions will put you on the right track.

When you prepared for this interview, what did you learn about our organization? This question opens the door for insight about how the applicant organizes time, thoughts and the value that he or she places on preparation.

Positive response: The applicant will show evidence that he/she has been to the employer’s web site and has seen the mission, vision and values of the organization. They will also be able to comment on something specific about the group that they are hoping to join.

Negative response: The applicant will flatter the institution speaking in vague terms about its wonderful reputation but saying nothing specific about its mission and values.

Describe your ideal employer/ job. This moves the ball beyond working for a pay check, plants the thought that not all employers are the same and opens the door to considering whether this job is a good fit for both the applicant and the employer.

Positive response: The applicant will describe a job that offers professional growth, builds a network of colleagues and presents an opportunity to join a team doing important work.

Negative response: The person will focus on pay and benefits with a work schedule built around personal needs.

What is your greatest achievement outside of work? People are who they are on and off the job. There is no right or wrong answer to this question, but it is a significant opportunity to gain insight into the applicant’s basic personality and the way they approach life in general.

Positive response: The applicant will talk about other specific team experiences noting his contributions and some of the improvements that were made he helped to achieve. He may potentially reveal the positive effects that participation had on his own self-esteem.

Negative response: The applicant will list his organizations and the titles he held or earned, tainting his good works by creating a feeling of, “Look what I did!” Applicants whose greatest achievements outside of work are wrapped around self-promotion will bring that same attitude to your team.

If you join our team and you have a successful first year, what would it look like? This question encourages the applicant to visualize being a member of your team. Not only does it create buy-in regarding team membership, it plants the seed that you expect the person to be successful.

Positive response: The person will describe learning new skills, feeling valued, working as a member of a collaborative team and making a difference in the overall outcome of the group.

Negative response: The person will make empty statements about settling into a work routine, providing quality patient care and being able to balance work with personal pleasure.

Do you have any questions? This is a very important question that loops back to question one and provides further indications about preparation for the interview.

Positive response: An applicant who is seeking to join a collaborative team that does meaningful work will ask about work ethics, relationships, team goals and opportunities for growth and excellence.

Negative response: The applicant who wants a strictly transactional, quid pro quo job will ask about pay and benefits and ways to leverage time off to meet personal needs. Or, he may not ask any questions at all.

Looking back on my experience as a hiring manager at two large healthcare institutions, I recall one of the most informative applicant interviews of my career. Following a useful discussion about the applicant’s preparation for the interview, his preferred workplace, his activities outside work and his view of a successful first year, the interviewee was asked the essential fifth, “Do you have any questions?” “Yes,” he replied. The candidate opened a folder and pulled out a sheet of 64 type-written questions that he and his wife had prepared. Our committee addressed each question one by one and by the end of the interview, he knew the minute details of the job he was seeking, and we gained valuable insight regarding his personal interests and expectations. We hired him, and he was exceptional.

The interview of applicants is a necessary step in the process of building a team to establish your institution as a workplace of choice. Using the Essential Five gives you a window through which you can gather both broad and specific information about the qualities of each applicant. A thorough interview will help you hire the perfect fit for your work community, and the one you serve.

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

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

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