So what needs to happen to bring everyone together as a team to deliver outstanding health care services? While there are many things that could help, here are five I would hope everyone involved would at least consider.

1. Celebrate together. While everyone probably has mixed feelings about what was won and what was lost, there is one thing everyone can be happy about. The two parties reached an agreement and avoided a strike. Nobody wins in a strike, and it seemed like a foregone conclusion that one was going to occur. Because of the willingness of both sides to compromise, everybody’s going to remain on the job.
2. Make amends. In the heat of negotiations, both sides probably did and said things collectively and individually that were neither fair nor respectful. All should take time to examine their behaviors over the last months, think about who they’ve wronged and apologize.
3. Forgive. While it’s unfortunate that bad things occur, that’s just what happens in disputes. People aren’t on their best behavior. If someone seeks your forgiveness, grant it. Better yet, release any anger you have towards employees, employers, co-workers, administrators, the media, the public, the union, replacements, and anyone else that made your blood boil. While it’s easy to dwell on what they did, one needs to ask how it helps to hold on to the anger. It will only make you and others around you miserable.
4. Change the focus. If everyone is to move forward together, there needs to be a positive and compelling vision. There currently seems to be a lot of energy around the idea of providing excellent patient care. Clarify that vision and put people to work on figuring out how to make that happen. Both sides agreed to do so through the committee process. Crank up those teams and and start making positive changes.
5. Patience. Finally, give it some time. All will need time to work through their emotions and what they want moving forward. Some will quickly process this. Others will need much more time. Just let the wounds heal naturally.

The easiest thing to do would be to go back to business as usual and pretend none of this ever happened. The problem is that it did. And in the course of trying to resolve the dispute, some damage was done. Ignoring problems rarely makes things better. Each person needs to do what he or she can to repair what got broken.

Previous articles on hospital/nurse dispute.

• Keep the Negotiations Healthy
• Hospital Employees
• Us and Them is Bad for Teamwork
• Common Ground
• The Atmosphere after an Agreement is Reached

After a recent three night stay at a hotel in Madison, WI; I’m left pondering three questions?

1. Why do more times than not hotel bathtubs drain slowly?
2. What processes do hotels have in place to clean drains once they don’t drain at all?
3. What percentage of hotel customers hate standing in water when showering?

My visit to this hotel would have been perfect, except for the whole plugged tub problem. Whenever this happens on a one night stay, I usually let the staff know on my way out so they can correct the problem for the next guest. Although I have no way of knowing whether they do or not, I assume that they didn’t know it was running slowly and I provide them with what I believe to be useful information.

On this visit, since it was three nights, I left a note on the tub after the first night, thinking problem would be solved for the next two nights. Nope, drain still clogged on night two and three. There goes the theory about they just didn’t know.

Like I said, I really liked this hotel. Staff was helpful, breakfast was tasty, room was clean and quiet. Is a slow-running drain a deal-breaker for where I go next time? No, especially because every hotel chain I’ve tried seems to have this same problem.

Maybe the staff cleans drains on a schedule, and it wasn’t time yet. Maybe they wait until it’s completely plugged and notice it when trying to clean a tub that’s full of water. In either case my conclusion was that they knew about the problem and chose to do nothing.

My note read “Hi, tub is draining slowly. Thanks.” I suppose a person might have interpreted my intent as “No biggie, but when you get around to it, you might want to check this tub drain.” Unfortunately that would not have been the correct interpretation. A closer one would have been, “I can’t stand the sound of shower water hitting standing water in the bottom of a tub and want this thing cleaned out so that I can enjoy my next two showers.”

If it is small stuff, don’t sweat it. Just make sure you know what is and what isn’t. And when you are in the customer service business, you aren’t the one who gets to decide. If the customer mentions it, the problem matters. Do something about it.

Figuring out what the organization should focus on is never easy, but always important.  Our approach helps you create a plan that’s meaningful, actionable, and achievable.

We will customize an approach that takes into account your organization’s unique requirements.  The components of that plan will likely include many of the following activities:

• Interview senior leaders to understand expectations for the planning process and gain their candid perspective about the issues the organization faces.
• Meet with senior team to build consensus on high-level goals for the planning process.  In other words, get everyone supporting the work that’s about to take place.
• Conduct a planning session for the purpose of understanding the organization’s current situation.
• Conduct a planning session for the purpose of talking about people’s hopes and dreams for the planning period.
• Meet with employees, customers, and other stakeholder groups to gain their perspectives about the organization’s situation and where it ought to focus its energy.
• Gather data to respond to early questions that arise during the process.
• Develop a draft of the organization’s goals.
• Gather reactions.
• Refine the goals and begin developing action plans to support the goals.
• Involve the organization in developing operational plans to ensure alignment.
• Develop a plan for measurement and monitoring plan.

Watching a skilled leader in action is always instructive. It’s particularly interesting when the leader doesn’t have any formal authority to accomplish the task at hand.

Leading without authority is a tough job.  It requires skill, courage, patience, and often a little luck.  While there are no sure-fire tricks to make it easy, there are things you can do to get better results.  Here are three I would consider first.

• Build commitment. Why should people be excited about this project?  Why should they care?  If you are unable to answer these questions, this is the place to begin.  One way to do this is to ask your team members why they wanted to be part of the project.  If it was assigned to them, then ask how they can make the best of it.  In other words, what would make this project worth their time?
• Address resource constraints. Organizations are notorious for assigning people to projects without relieving them of other responsibilities.  Not surprisingly, people become overloaded and are forced to prioritize.  When the resource crunch results in a decision between something the boss wants and something a project team leader wants, most people choose the boss.  Help the people on your team establish boundaries with their bosses so that they can commit to the project.
• Expect follow-through.  You might not have formal authority, but this does not mean you have to lower your expectations.  When someone says they will do something, expect that it will be done.  If it does not get completed, find out why.  Raise this issue with the team or individual.  Do not overlook it or accept it.  Doing so simply makes bad behavior acceptable within the team.  Expect more and you are likely to get more.

A while ago, I was talking to a friend about his neighborhood. He told me that he and his wife built their dream home. It is large, beautifully furnished, and filled with toys. The house is perfect.

The problem is that he doesn’t feel connected to anyone in his neighborhood. Everybody stays inside. Nobody chats over the back fence. It feels cold and uncaring.

He remembers the old neighborhood where they raised their children. When they moved in, people reached out to he and his wife. Neighbors did home improvement projects together. They spent time in garages shooting the breeze and drinking beer. They took turns hosting card parties.

In his voice I could hear his desire to find a new neighborhood like the one he left many years ago. I could also hear his concern that the place he’s seeking may no longer exist.

His story made me think about my own neighborhood. Two questions came to mind. “What kind of neighborhood do I want?” and “What am I doing to create it?”

Thinking more about it, I realized that these are great questions in all areas of our lives.

Want to live a healthier lifestyle? What are you doing about it?

Wish you had a stronger relationship with someone significant in your life? What are you doing about it?

Think you have better ideas than your elected officials? What are you doing about it?

It is easy to want something different. It is hard to work for the change we want to see. Perhaps taking action will be easier if we add one more question to the list, “If I don’t do it, who will?”

Photo by ItzaFineDay

It’s interesting to see how many organizations want to be “leading the world” or “providing the best” products or services that money can buy. These goals are often highlighted in a company’s vision or mission statement.

Suppose that your company’s ability to set the service standard depended on you first setting the standard as an individual. What would you do? You might begin by identifying the standard setter. This is the person who does your job better than anyone else in any other company.

Discovering the standard in sports is usually pretty easy. A person like Tiger Woods comes to mind. What about business? Who are the superstars of customer service, accounting, or computer programming? If you found them, how would you compare?

To help your organization reach its goals, think about how you can improve your own personal standard. One small adjustment this week might be just the move that takes you and your organization to new heights.

Last week my car was hit in the Q. Cumbers restaurant parking lot, and the driver took off. I called the restaurant just after closing time on the off-chance that someone saw or heard something that would help me identify the driver. Imagine my surprise when Erin, the manager, was ready to tell me the whole story.

Erin said she had just stepped outside a minute when she heard the bang of a big old Buick hitting my Civic as it tried to get into a parking place. Erin talked to the driver and asked for her name and number so that she could help make the connection. The woman refused to give it but said she would leave her name and number on my car. The note must have blown off because I never got it.

Erin sounded genuinely upset that I was going to be stuck picking up the repair costs, and then suggested a plan. While she didn’t have the woman’s name or license plate for me, she recognized the person the woman met at the restaurant for dinner. He was a regular customer, well-known to all the staff members in the restaurant. The plan was to wait for the man to come back and then get the information from him.

Erin called me two days in a row to tell me that the guy hadn’t come back yet, but she made sure her whole team was on the look out. She was coming up on two days off and reminded the other staff members to remember to look for this guy when she was gone.

Five nights later, I got a call from the woman who hit my car. Erin and her team had successfully chased this thing down for me. An hour later I heard these happy words from her insurance company, “We accept full responsibility for the accident.”

When I am doing workshops and seminars on customer service skills I stress the importance of identifying and meeting customer expectations. What I rarely suggest is blowing customers away by going above and beyond their wildest expectations. This is what Erin did. Her actions have given me a new story to tell as I help work teams take their customer service to the next level.

My problem wasn’t her problem. The most I expected from talking to someone at Q. Cumbers was a little sympathy and best wishes on my search for the other driver. Instead they sprang into action to help. They seemed tenacious in their quest to find the person, and ultimately were successful.

Erin even called one last time just to make sure the other driver followed through and contacted me as promised. And in case it hadn’t happened, she said she had the man’s license plate, so I’d have something to chase if necessary.

I’ve been eating at Q. Cumbers for years with no particular connection to the place, but after Erin’s efforts on my behalf, I have a whole new feeling and sense of loyalty about this restaurant.

Last night I was watching part 1 of the PBS series The National Parks: America’s Best Idea. For me our national parks (and state parks too) have always been about beauty, nature, and relaxation. When I buy an annual pass and use it a couple times, I’m always struck at what a good deal it is.

It wasn’t until watching the program, however, that I began to think of parks as an incredibly powerful idea. The video below explains that idea and features some fantastic scenery captured on film.  After watching it, one can’t help but wonder what other cool ideas like this one are just waiting to emerge from our collective will as a nation, a community, or even within our work team.

Photo by Marie LaForce

Should your organization create a strategic plan?  Maybe. Should your organization plan for the future?  Absolutely.

What’s the difference?  The first is about producing a product.  Think binders and PowerPoint presentations.  The second is about a process.

My personal bias is that the first is best used in two situations.  When you have a brand new organization that needs to chart a course for moving forward is the first.  The second is when an organization finds itself in major trouble and needs to completely reinvent itself because business as usual is no longer an option.  Imagine being in the newspaper business these days.  Both of these situations call for a clear direction on which to make your major investments.

If the two conditions described above are not present, then I think a better use of strategic planning time is having a process that helps us answer the following questions:

1.  Does our overall direction still seem like the best option available to us?

2.  Are we on track with our current goals and objectives?

3.  What major barriers do we need to deal with?

4.  What interesting opportunities should we put some energy into pursuing?

A process that answers these kinds of questions doesn’t need to take months to complete.  Rather it is an ongoing activity built into our management system.

If you’re thinking about doing a strategic plan and you are intrigued by the idea of doing something different.  Drop me a noteThis e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it , and we can talk through the possibilities.

Not that you need any more to do, but I’m going to suggest something anyway. Analyze your to-do list. The analysis is a simple one.

Start by prioritizing each item on your list. If yours is already prioritized, you’re one third complete. For everyone else, use any system you want. Rating each item as high, medium, or low should do the trick.

Now for step 2. Look at each item on the list and place it into one of the following two categories:

1. Goals/actions I will personally accomplish. Examples include:  Develop presentation, generate report, complete expense reports, hire new employee, etc.
2. Things I can do to help my employees complete a specific goal or action. Examples include:  Provide feedback, discuss project hurdles, set goals, deal with conflict on the team, etc.

Ready for the last step? Determine which list has more items and the higher ranked items. You’ll probably be able to eye-ball it, but if not, convert your rating system to numbers and do the math.

What’s your result? More importantly, what’s your result mean?

My sense is that most managers put the stuff they are personally on the hook for at the top of the list. Items from the second category often don’t make the list and if they do, they are usually low  priority. The problem with this is that a manager’s leverage is maximized through the efforts of the people he/she supervises. Focusing on your own actions completely misses this opportunity.

If your job is to increase the productivity of others, then your to-do list should reflect this.  Does yours?

Photo by gfesdmin