In healthcare today, headlines often highlight workforce shortages, financial pressures, regulatory complexity, and the many stressors facing healthcare organizations—realities that are certainly present. When asked about the future of healthcare, my answer is: I’m optimistic. That optimism comes from spending time with the people who work in healthcare every day—physicians, nurses, administrators, and other vital people who dedicate their lives to serving others. It is easy to be hopeful when speaking with healthcare administration students,…

Valentine’s Day is almost here. (How can this year possibly be going by so quickly?!) As I was thinking about this column, it occurred to me that Valentine’s Day is a good reminder of something we don’t talk about in the workplace often enough: the longing people have to feel seen, understood, valued, and cared for. Loved, in other words. It also occurred to me that what makes one person feel loved doesn’t necessarily do…

She was a supervisor for a busy hospital unit. She came to my class not really wanting to be there. She sat up front, arms folded and scowling. I understood. I think it’s fair to say that as a nurse, she had sat through many training classes by “experts” who told her how to do some intricate part of her job. I hope I never forget the feeling this nurse expressed. I well remember feeling…

January is in full force, and some of us are still in resolution mode. I’m going to join a gym. I’m going to start cooking a healthy meal three days a week. I’m going to get that new certification. I’m going to introduce a new process for my department. Healthcare people are doers by nature, and that’s great. Doers make things happen. But the reality is, we all have limited hours and limited energy. We…