teambuilding – ProCRNA

The Emperor’s New Clothes; Lessons for leaders

By Thomas Davis, DNAP, MAE, CRNA

Born in Denmark in the early 1800’s, Hans Christian Anderson was a prolific writer best known for his fairy tales. Among his famous fables, The Emperor’s New Clothes is a classic story that continues to be referenced two centuries later when the reality that we experience does not align with what we are told is “the truth”.

In the story, two con men implement a plan to cheat a prideful emperor by manipulating his ego. The men pretend to be weavers who have developed an amazing fabric that is invisible to those with a simple mind or unfit for their job. Eager to have the best clothes ever made, the king was captivated by the ruse and hired the men to weave the fabric and make the clothes. The men went to work pretending to weave fabric and make the clothing. At intervals the emperor would send staff members to check on the progress and, knowing that only simpletons unfit for their position could not see the fabric, they reported that it was the most beautiful material ever made. Finally, the tailors dressed the emperor in fake clothing and his staff marveled at the elegance of the new clothes. Wanting to show off, the emperor paraded through the streets where everyone applauded and admired the beauty of the clothes…until a child called out…” but the emperor has on no clothing at all”. Once the words were spoken, everyone, including the emperor, knew that they had been deceived and the embarrassed leader quickly returned home wearing only his underwear.

The most obvious takeaway from the story is that we must always trust what we see and experience rather than what we are told to believe by those who want to control the narrative. Entering an election year, we will have ample opportunity to compare the reality of our lives to the narrative of the politicians and determine for ourselves whether the emperor is wearing clothes.

Leadership lessons from the story

Legendary football coach Vince Lombardi once said, “Leaders aren’t born, they are made and just like anything else, they are made through hard work.” Becoming a respected leader takes effort and the story of the emperor’s new clothes contains a wealth of guidance for those who are leaders or aspire to leadership positions. Here are some takeaways from the story.

Pride comes before the fall. People aspire to leadership positions for a variety of reasons and, unfortunately, some seek power and position to boost their ego. Authoritarian leaders use a heavy hand to maintain dominance and control over a workgroup and quickly silence those who challenge or disagree with them. Workers learn very quickly to filter information and share only that which the leader wants to hear. When open and honest communication is stifled, the leader is blinded from vital information. Decision making without access to all the details ultimately results in failure.

Create the right environment. Regardless of the leadership style, creating an environment based on open and honest communication ensures that the collective wisdom of the group is combined to formulate the best answer to a challenge. Author Chris Voss notes that success is most likely when you enter a discussion with the mindset that you do not have all the information and that there is more to be learned. By being receptive and rewarding feedback, both positive and negative, colleagues openly share their knowledge and trust is built within the workgroup. When leaders value listening over telling, they are on the path to success.

Build the right team. As an Air Force officer moving up through the ranks, I made it a point to observe my leaders and question what made the good leaders good versus what made the bad leaders bad. Early in my career I observed that the worst leaders developed an inner circle of people who were most like themselves and shared the same view on most topics. In contrast, the strongest leaders knew their strengths and weaknesses and built a team of individuals who could best cover the weaknesses. Confident leaders delegate tasks and authority to those who are most skilled in that area. The best leaders created a diverse team and actively sought out contrasting opinions. A strong leader welcomes criticism and is willing to learn from mistakes.

Have realistic expectations. Grandiose ideas set the leader up for failure when they cannot deliver on promises. It takes more than imagination and good intentions to bring an idea to life. A solid plan backed by resources, both materials and human, and a realistic timeline are all required for success. In this story, the emperor foolishly believed that he could have whatever he imagined.

Learn from the Emperor

Whether you are a leader, worker or a citizen who desires to live in a just world, the lessons the emperor can be applied to your life. Exposing yourself to contrasting opinions and listening to understand rather than to rebut will reveal information that is essential for decision making. Avoid group thinking and once you have the facts, trust your instincts. Trust what you see and experience and have the courage to say it like it is.

Tom is an experienced leader, educator, author, and requested speaker. Click here for a video introduction to Tom’s talk topics.

Inclusion; The key ingredient for successful diversity

By Thomas Davis, DNAP, MAE, CRNA

Follow @procrnatom on twitter

Social media is abuzz with strong opinions about diversity, social justice, and equality for all. Facebook, twitter, and professional discussion boards such as AANA connect display hundreds of comments from passionate people who want their opinions to be heard. Overnight, diversity has become a hot topic for discussion throughout our society. While cultural diversity is important, it is the assurance of inclusion, both in society and in the workplace, that adds equality to the equation.

Diversity versus Inclusion; what’s the difference?

Diversity

Throughout its history, the United States has been referred to as a cultural melting pot. We are a nation of immigrants where most people found their way to our country seeking an opportunity for a better life while others were captured, enslaved, and brought to our shores against their wishes. Regardless of the circumstances for immigration, every individual currently in our society adds a unique perspective to the diversity of the nation.

Without question, we are a diverse nation; however, that does not ensure that all people are respected and treated equally. The decades of struggle by women and African Americans to obtain the right to vote highlights an instance of segments of a diverse population that were excluded from full citizenship and serves as an example of diversity without inclusion.

Inclusion

Inclusion is living one’s life with the belief that all people are important and deserving of respect. It is overtly manifested by behavior affirming that the best and most creative ideas arise from many ideas and mandates participation by each segment of our diverse population. Writing for Forbes.com, author Dan Schawbel stresses the importance of workplace inclusion by noting, “Inclusion is a call to action within the workforce that means actively involving every employee’s ideas, knowledge, perspectives, approaches and styles to maximize business success.”

On the job, behavior ensuring that every member of the team can participate fully and equally in creative thinking, problem solving, and the development of innovative practice protocols are examples of inclusion. In an inclusive environment, all voices are heard, and all opinions are thoughtfully considered.

Creating inclusion in the workplace produces positive consequences as noted by The Denver Foundation;

Higher job satisfaction
Lower job turnover
Higher employee morale
Improved problem solving
Increased creativity and innovation
Increased organizational flexibility
Improved quality of applicants for open positions
Decreased vulnerability to legal challenges

There is no downside to a culture of inclusion in the workplace.

Avoid subtle forms of exclusion

Overt exclusion involves behavior that is blatantly discriminatory and is illegal in most workplaces; However, covert forms of subtle discrimination are more difficult to identify and occur more frequently. Author Jane O’Reilly identifies behavior such as failure to respond to a greeting from a colleague or looking at the phone while talking to a person as being dismissive and are examples of social exclusion. Psychology today author Lynne Soraya adds to the list of workplace behavior that exclude team members and increases polarization of the workgroup. She identifies the following as killers of inclusion:

Publicly reprimanding of an employee
Selectively not inviting all stakeholders to a meeting
Using sarcasm / ridicule when speaking to another employee
Dismissing those who do not speak up quickly as having nothing to say
Judging a colleague as less than committed if he/she does not participate in off duty activities
Committing a colleague to travel or extra work without discussing it with them
Punishing an associate for speaking up truthfully when something is not right
Cutting off and dismissing a person if they have a complaint
Finishing a sentence or thought for another person if they speak slowly
Bullying in any form

Writing for Quill.com, author Lindsay Kramer adds isolation, minimizing, and ignoring to the list of subtle behaviors that exclude people from full participation on a work team; behavior that must be taboo in the workplace.

Build an inclusive workplace culture

Human Resources has done their job and staffed your workplace with a multi-cultural, multi-gender, and multi-generational team; they have created diversity. Now, it is up to you to add the magic ingredient of inclusion to capitalize on the ingenuity that each person adds to the group. Here are some behaviors that will promote inclusion and transform the culture of your workplace

Examine your assumptions and become aware of hidden bias that you may have. Ask yourself, “What if the opposite were true?” For example, instead of assuming that James is not capable of taking on a project, consider that he is fully capable but has never been encouraged or given the opportunity to show his talent.

Seek opinions and ideas from a broad range of people. Move beyond the comfort zone of your inner circle and ask for opinions from staff members who will most be affected by your decision. Have a small, diverse group of workers meet to discuss issues and go around the table to ensure that each person speaks. Listen attentively and if someone does not express an opinion the first time around the table, go back to that person and ask him/her to comment on a suggestion made by another person.

Focus, listen, and ask questions when you are speaking to others. Even the quietest people among the team have opinions and often they are quiet due to a history of being marginalized. Actively listening and asking questions to expand the person’s train of thought sends a clear message that they are valued and builds a sense of inclusion.

Defuse drama and have zero tolerance for gossip or bullying in your workplace. Drama focuses on a problem, creates a victim and is divisive to a team. Instead, focus on finding a solution and encourage mentoring and coaching. My previous article, 4 keys to eliminating disruptive behavior has additional tips for leaders who actively fight drama in the workplace.

Showcase the achievements of each team member and tie their individual accomplishments to the success of the team. Demonstrate your belief that all jobs are important and praise grassroots workers for their commitment to the job and the team. Post a Kudos Board in the break room and spotlight each team member several times per year and turn all birthdays into special days hailed by the entire team.

Promote cultural awareness by celebrating ethnic special days. Plan festive displays in the break room for Cinco de Mayo, Kwanzaa, St. Patrick’s Day, Ramadan, and other holidays that are celebrated by individual members of the team.

Encourage multigenerational collaboration among team members. The Boomers on your team were born and raised in a world without cell phones or computers whereas the youngsters cannot imagine a world without them. My previous article, Older workers strengthen the team,notes that combining the street sense of the elders with the tech savvy of Gen Y & Z is a great formula for success. In a highly productive workplace, mentoring is two way and trans-generational with each demographic learning valuable lessons from the other.

Build a gender-neutral environment where rewards and recognition are based on achievement. Harvard Business Review author Tara Sophia Mohr advises against listing qualifications for a job because women don’t apply unless they meet 100% of the items whereas men apply when they meet 60% of the qualifications. Rather, list the desired behavior and achievements expected from the new person and more women will apply. Writing in Forbes Magazine, author Peggy Yu advocates gender neutral language in all management policies to include pay and benefits. In addition, she notes that gender friendly bathrooms complete with pads and tampons promote an inclusive culture.

Diversity and Inclusion

Several centuries of American history have documented that diversity without inclusion marginalizes segments of the population and sets the stage for the protests that we are currently witnessing across the country. Politicians can pontificate and pundits can tell us what we ought to do, but meaningful change will only happen at the grassroots level. I cannot change the world, but I can change my world starting with my workplace and that mandates a culture of inclusion. It is time to stop talking and get to work.

Tom is an experienced leader, author, and requested speaker. Click here for a video introduction to Tom’s talk topics.

Celebrate the Fourth of July by Teambuilding

By Thomas Davis, DNAP, MAE, CRNA

Follow @procrnatom on twitter

Enhancing teamwork is an essential task for leaders who want to empower workers, promote their collaboration, and increase their commitment to the job. Writing in Forbes Magazine, author Brian Scudamore notes that group activities for the team “builds trust, mitigates conflict, encourages communication and increases collaboration.” In addition to bringing people together, teambuilding activities break the daily routine and adds pizazz to a special day. Author Eric Schad agrees that teambuilding is essential and notes that group activities promote socializing, friendly competition, and improves team performance. Planning and implementing events to challenge cooperative interaction requires time, energy, and resources on your part as the leader and the organization; however, the ROI is worth the effort.

The fourth of July is a mid-summer celebration that historically draws families to parks to eat hot dogs, sip on soda and watch fireworks. Similarly, the week leading up to Independence Day is often a festive time in many workplaces and a great opportunity to infuse a little fun and energy into your group with team building activities. Distancing restrictions are being eased, people are returning to the workplace and insightful leaders are leveraging their position by planning activities to re-unite the workgroup. Here are some tips for lighting a fuse that will unite and motivate your team.

Individuals play the game, but teams beat the odds.

~Seal Team

Virtual teambuilding

Americans are creative people and have found a way to continue to function within the parameters generated by the social distancing rules. The traditional company July Fourth picnic is likely taboo but that does not need to shut down the opportunity for group events. The internet offers a great platform for virtual events that are fun an interesting. Look over these activities to get started, then use your imagination to invent more.

Games People Play

Who-is-it competition Ask each person on the team to write something about themselves that others would not suspect. Post several each day leading up to the 4^th of July and have team members guess who it is. A variation of the game is to name the person and post 3 “facts” of which only one is true. Have the team consider the person and select the true statement.

Riddles The internet is “riddled” with them and some are quite complex. Find one, post it then challenge your team to solve the riddle together, as one. Slack and WhatsApp are two popular platforms that are user friendly for team chats that allow the group to work together to reach the solution.

Online games Chess, checkers, Yahtzee, and many other traditional games are online. In addition, Parade Magazine lists 25 online games to be enjoyed while social distancing. Set up a tournament and let team members go head to head until one champion is left standing.

Quizbreaker This is an online app that each team member can join. A question is posed to the group and each team member replies. This is a favorite for remote workers who want to remain connected with one another.

Build a story Start a story line and then challenge team members to add to the tale, one person at a time, until the last individual brings the story to a surprise ending. A group “reply all” email or one of the chat platforms listed above will facilitate this activity.

Picture contest Create categories and have people submit pictures. A variation is to have each person submit a picture of something in their home and have others guess who posted the pic.

Online happy hour With or without alcohol, gather on a zoom or skype platform to share music, stories, and a glass of whatever floats. A variation would be to have a bartender’s happy hour where each person shows the group how to mix their favorite drink. Danger: Active participants may not remember the last few recipes that were shared.

Getting good people is the easy part. Getting them to play together is the hard part

~Casey Stengel

Workplace teambuilding

Those of us who remained on the job over the last historic months have learned very quickly how to work around others while preventing the spread of the deadly disease. Even though masks are being worn and social distancing is enforced, most workplaces continue to have common areas where workers gather in small groups, take breaks and share stories. On the day before the holiday break, bring in extra people to help cover the workload and offer an extended lunch break for each worker. Allow the team to filter through the break area in small groups and have activities set up for them to enjoy.

Hot dogs and ice cream Hey, it is the 4^th of July and some traditions must be maintained. Give the workers a free lunch while they mingle among the activities.

Puzzles. Start a jigsaw puzzle on a table and encourage everybody to add a piece to the puzzle as they filter through the room.

Bean bag toss. This game comes in all sizes from tabletop to targets large enough for the park. Assess your space and start tossing.

Guessing games. Fill a jar with gourmet coffee beans or red, white, and blue Jelly Bellies and have each person write down their guess with the jar going to the closest guess.

Basketball hoop. OK, you are inside but a mini hoop with a nerf basketball is an open invitation for a free throw contest. Watch the hot shot secretary shame the high school letterman.

Foosball table. Space permitting, set up foosball for those who want to expend a little energy on head to head competition with a colleague.

Giveaways. Make it a day to remember by sending each person off with a gift. A R,W,& B facemask with your company logo demonstrates your commitment to safety and advertises your company to the local community.

Outdoor activities

With July 4^th falling on a Saturday and most state and city parks open again, plan a long social distance walk in the city park, a hike on the trails in a wonderfully wooded State Park or a group bike ride. Designate a central location where a variety of activities can begin and end, then coordinate a time for everybody to return for BYO recovery treats. Breaking into small groups and using multiple routes respects social distancing requirements while providing healthy outdoor activity.

It’s time to emerge from the COVID cave

The best and most productive workplaces know the value of teambuilding and actively seek mentally challenging and physically stimulating ways to bring the group together. Reuniting teams after the COVID separation is essential and the fourth of July is a holiday that naturally draws people together for active relaxation. Give your team a red, white, and blue experience to remember, and one that will unite them, augment relationships, and improve productivity.

Tom is an experienced leader, author, and requested speaker. Click here for a video introduction to Tom’s talk topics.

Build a Bridge

The Team Is The Trestle

By Thomas Davis, CRNA, MAE, DNAP candidate

Great leaders know that even the most brilliant plans fail without the support of members of the team. Motivating workers to leap on board to work collaboratively toward a common goal is a challenging yet important part of being a leader. Don’t be daunted or intimidated by the collective roll of the eyes when you introduce the topic of teambuilding. Instead, appreciate the importance of inspiring team spirit by doing projects outside the scope of normal work. In addition to uniting team members, they will experience the reward of creative collaboration and the energy generated from the project will be carried back into the workplace.

On teambuilding.com, Samantha Mc Duffee identifies several essential benefits from teambuilding activities and puts improved communication/collaboration at the top of the list. When a group who works together daily is removed from the normal workplace and given an open-ended challenge to solve a problem, an amazing spirit of collaboration emerges. Take for example a teambuilding activity that was used with a group of nurse managers during a leadership course.

The large group of eager participants was divided into 5 groups of 5 people; each group was given 25 pieces of uncooked spaghetti, a string, a role of scotch tape and a pair of scissors; the individual groups were challenged to build the tallest tower in 15 minutes. The simple rules were to use only the materials provided and to work collaborative with a positive focus on what is possible with the available resources. During the first 5 minutes each group quickly constructed a tower and each tower collapsed; then each group spent the next 10 minutes collaborating to create a better design and re-build the tower. At the end of the allotted time, each group had a standing tower; however, two tables opted to combine resources, work as a larger group and constructed the tallest tower. Remember, they were told to work collaboratively and seek the best use of available resources and there was no rule about working across group lines.

Brian Scudamore, founder and CEO of O2E brands, took another avenue toward teambuilding by treating his team to a country music concert at a local dance hall. They enjoyed sharing the evening together with music, adult beverages and learning the two-step and taking advantage of the relaxed venue outside the workplace to appreciate each other as individuals. Brian encouraged the team to continue the networking within the workplace and to share personal interests with one another. From interaction developed during the two-step, a book club emerged. You might not be permitted to treat your workgroup to a night out; however, you may be able to arrange a group discount at the ballpark or reserve a park pavilion for a barbecue.

Community service is important to the image of a company and opens another opportunity for teambuilding. By serving the community outside the scope of normal business, a bond is created between the organization and the people it serves. Employees’ hidden talents are revealed and, as well, the community receives support for projects and events important to the local area. Here are two examples of teambuilding projects that solidified ties between the organization and the community.

Example 1 While on faculty at the University of Kansas Medical Center, I participated in the annual KU community service day. Over 100 energetic volunteers from the hospital assembled in a cold parking lot at 7am on a Saturday morning and were greeted with hot coffee and pastries. We were told ahead of time to wear work clothes and bring a few basic tools. The Medical Center had identified a two-block area within the city with run down homes that were inhabited by elderly indigent people and pre-arranged permission for us to do basic repairs on their homes. We went to the neighborhood, divided into teams and went to work. Some raked, some cleaned gardens and others did inside repairs. We re-attached cupboard doors, fixed locks, patched cracks and even fixed some plumbing leaks. At the end of the day the residents of the area were all smiles as were the UKMC volunteers. I spent my day working with one person from radiology and another from the lab and from that day forward had a point of contact in each area.

Example 2 A group of nurse anesthetists, at The Johns Hopkins was actively seeking a teambuilding activity that would serve the community and arranged to do a craft night at the local Ronald McDonald house. After scheduling the activity, the team set a goal of providing the most amazing “craft night” ever for the children and families staying at the facility. Planning sessions were held where creative ideas were shared and then supplies were assembled. On the big night, children cautiously entered the craft room and quickly became energetic as they engaged in the numerous projects provided. Parents and siblings jumped into the fun and none were ready to quit at the end of the evening. As with the experience at KU Med, when the evening was over it was difficult to tell whether the residents of the Ronald McDonald house or the volunteers were the happiest.

Workgroups across the country routinely participate in community service teambuilding activities. Use the comments box below to share your project with other readers.

Successful teambuilding is evidenced by the momentum that is brought back into the workplace following the event. Whether joining in a social interaction event or a community volunteer enterprise, those who work collaboratively outside the workplace are more likely to work well together on projects serving the organization. Encouraging people to enjoy one another’s company and appreciate creative ideas carries innovative vitality forward and becomes contagious. A collaborative environment is the bridge to elevated productivity in a preferred workplace. A collaborative team is the trestle linking the organization to the community. Teambuilding activities strengthen both.

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

Pharm to Table: Direct Marketing Works

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

Follow @procrnatom on Twitter

“Tell your doctor to order Clearfast two hours before your surgery,” implored the radio messenger. The audience listened raptly to claims that this potent preop drink, “… speeds recovery and promotes a better outcome for consumers…” than their less fortunate peers who suffer from the traditional 8-hour fast enforced by many anesthesia providers. The narrator continued by telling listeners that downing the drink 2 hours before surgery would be calming, provide a feeling of being hydrated and nourished, reduce postoperative infection and promote a comfortable recovery. I was shocked to hear a manufacturer bypass the collective wisdom of anesthesia providers and speak directly with future patients and encourage them to buy a product that would enhance recovery after surgery. After all, isn’t it our job to do preop teaching?

As evidenced by the number of medications being marketed via TV, radio and social media, direct marketing works. Pharmaceutical companies spend millions of dollars every year on direct marketing campaigns for one and only one reason; selling directly to the consumer works. As healthcare providers, we must learn from the business community and use direct marketing techniques to promote our individual practice as well as the status of our profession. Writing in Becker’s Hospital review, author Nick Ragone notes the importance of direct marketing and the use of technology to connect directly with future patients as well as the use of mobile devices to make access to care convenient, accessible and personalized.

Regardless of whether you are marketing your personal skills, your profession, or the organization where you currently work, Laura Dyrda (Becker’s ASC Review) offers suggestions for direct marketing your healthcare services.

Direct mailing Snail mail may feel “so yesterday” but we still have postal service. A colorful, thoughtfully formatted postcard will catch the eye and advertise your group. A short newsletter outlining the ways in which consumers benefit from your services will attract a percentage of those in need.
Attractive and interactive web site By necessity, direct marketing is a brief encounter with a potential client that may leave questions unanswered. Marketing should link people to a web site that is visually appealing and functional in every area, Including quick links to frequently asked questions and an interactive area for questions and answers.
Social media It is not enough to have an award-winning web site; a presence on social media is needed to augment your direct marketing. Link your web site to social media and increase the number of potential clients that you capture.
Write an article for a local rag or mag Newspapers have a health column and trade magazines are always seeking human interest stories. Put on your creative cap to assess the needs of your community and write an article to address local hot topics.
Send a monthly newsletter Newsletters allow you to present your information in greater detail. Always keep the newsletter relatively short and very interesting to build a cadre of readers who look forward the next installment. Newsletters can be delivered via regular mail or via email with a link to a blog page on a web site.
Conduct a local charity event Your group is placed in the spotlight and you can develop trust with the local community when you successfully sponsor an event to benefit a local charity. Pick your cause, design an event to promote the charity and do the work to make it a success. In my local area, CRNAs recently promoted our profession by sponsoring a blood drive. Last year the group did a children’s book drive to benefit the pediatric area of the hospital.
Talk to civic groups Local groups such as Rotary, Lions, or VFW have monthly meetings and are always seeking local experts to enlighten the group on a variety of subjects. Select a healthcare-related issue and give a talk to a local civic group. When the group or an individual in attendance needs the services you provide, they will seek you.
Support community events Many events in your local area can only happen with the assistance of people who volunteer their time to provide support. Local running events need teams of people to man the water stations. Health fairs need booths of eager healthcare workers to assist in health assessment. Career day at the local high school is dependent upon local experts entice students to take an interest in their line of work. All donations of time, energy or money help make it happen.
Hang signs in waiting rooms Working long hours behind closed doors limits visibility and the opportunity for others to truly appreciate the valuable services provided by skilled advanced practice professionals. During CRNA week, rather than hanging signs in the lounge, hang them in patient waiting areas. “Wanted” posters picturing the CRNA or a healthcare worker of the month and his/her outstanding contribution can be simultaneously consciousness-raising and amusing while marketing the profession.

Pharm to table marketing works. When it’s implemented judiciously and in the right spirit, you are rewarded with a positive return on the resources invested. In a connected and mobile society, patients are not geographically tied to a specific area or provider; they are free to shop for services and select the provider who best serves their needs. Direct marketing has taught patients to request preoperative hydration as a means of improving outcome and direct marketing has the potential to build a population of patients who request Nurse Anesthesia to accompany their drink.

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

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.

Meeting Expectations

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

Follow @procrnatom on twitter

“Every system is perfectly designed to get the results it gets.”

~W. Edward Deming

The face of the American workplace is changing as baby boomers exchange steel toed boots for sandals and millennials lace their shoes to enter the race. Whether seeking a lifetime of work on the assembly line or in a windowless OR, younger workers are seeking employment in an environment where they feel valued, are fully engaged, and where they can showcase their talent. Far from being lazy, they want to give full effort and prefer to do it where they are equally challenged and stimulated, a requisite that benefits both the employee and the organization. Writing in Chron, author Judy Brunot notes that fully engaged workers are 20% more productive and 90% more likely to stay with the organization.

Preferred workplaces are created to attract and keep the most talented workers. An insightful leader knows the benefit of having motivated workers and takes well-planned steps toward the goal of building a workplace of choice. Nationally known for their ability to assess employee engagement, the Gallup organization has identified knowing what is expected at work as a key element in a preferred workplace. Having, knowing and enforcing expectations sets boundaries that provide structure to employees while creating stability for the organization.

Leadership matters and those in leadership positions who are committed to build a preferred workplace must take advantage of every opportunity to set and communicate desired outcomes with their team. Here are three situations where the stage is set for you to describe your goals and clarify the requirements of the job.

Recruiting/hiring Those in the construction industry know the raw material that you use must be appropriate for structure the that is being built. Building your preferred workplace is like building an office building; you need a blueprint, the right material and the right people to put it together. Recruiting/hiring is your chance to get the right material for your team. In your recruiting ad, use the job description to define the workplace that you are building and state it as an obligation that the applicant will support your effort. At the interview, discuss your goals for the team as well as the organization’s mission, vision and values. Ask the applicant to describe his/her ideal workplace to determine if the applicant is a fit for your workplace of the future.

Onboarding/orientation Design a plan for bringing a new person into your organization that includes clear communication of the requirements for inclusion on your team. View yourself as a teaching partner and use a benevolent authoritarian style to plainly establish the work that is to be accomplished and the way team members are expected to work together to achieve goals. Newly hired people are open and receptive to instructions and strict mentoring during orientation will produce lasting results. You get one chance to get it right the first time and it is your job to ensure that the new person clearly knows your expectations by the time orientation is completed.

Ongoing team interaction. Existing members of your team need and deserve to know the what and the why if the standards for the team have changed. Workers who have been on the team for many years, or even decades, are working in an environment that didn’t exist when they were hired. As the workplace and the nature of the job evolves, so do desired outcomes. Use your team meetings to review mission, vision, values and goals and stimulate your team to discuss the action needed to achieve them. Active involvement and open discussion allows team members to establish behavior norms which positions people to hold one another accountable.

There are many components of a preferred workplace and skilled leaders are the master craftsmen capable of putting them together. Establish and communicate expectations, hire the right raw material, and challenge existing team members to help in the building process. Team engagement and productivity will ascend and exceed expectations.

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.