Clarity is not about saying more. It is about removing everything that is not necessary. This came home to me last year when I attended a talk based on the book Smart Brevity: The Power of Saying More with Less, by Jim VandeHei, Mike Allen, and Roy Schwartz. Holding up my mirror of self-reflection, it was apparent to me that my weekly columns were too long. My columns used to run 750 to 800 words…

“It is not my job.” Many of us have heard this said or at least implied by employees. While it’s true that people have specific jobs and job descriptions, great cultures are filled with individuals who do what needs to be done. This includes people in leadership roles. For example, a leader sees an employee parking in an area that is meant for customers only. The person does not report to them. What does the…

Is it doable? It’s an important question. One of the kindest introductions I receive is being called “the master of doability.” Doability means that what is recommended can be done. A lesson that has stuck with me for years is the connection between the number of new or adjusted actions and the success rate of their implementation. Most people want to do well. They feel an urgency to achieve better outcomes. It can be human nature to assume…

Every year as National Nurses Week approaches, I hear the same question from leaders across the country: “How do we show appreciation in a way that actually means something?” It’s a good question, and one worth sitting with before you order another round of branded mugs. I’ve spent more than four decades in healthcare as a nurse, a leader, and a consultant, and I’ve seen a lot of Nurses Weeks come and go. Some were…

I am blessed with the opportunity to write a column. When it started, the focus was 100 percent on helping small and midsize businesses and other types of organizations. Over time, the columns began to cover personal and community topics. Why? Creating great places to work creates better families and communities. A number of conversations created learning this week. The first occurred when a person shared a situation she was going through. Upon hearing it,…

Are you working in your business or on your business? This question is in the book The E-Myth Revisited by Michael E. Gerber. For most people, the answer is “in the business.” This is the day-to-day work leaders do. What is meant by working on your business? It is taking time to step back and look at such items as the standard operating procedures, processes that can be improved, skills that can be improved in yourself and others, etc. When I worked at…

Last week we talked about how inexperience impacts your organization. The next question becomes just as important: What are you doing to help those new employees stay long enough to become experienced? The research is clear and has been for decades: When looking at employee departures, the first year is when about 30 percent take place—especially in work areas in which the new hire works with different people. This is very true in healthcare and hospitality.…

Today, due to Baby Boomer retirements and more workplace options, the number of new workers has risen. Inexperienced employees have a huge impact on an organization. This lack of experience can show up in a number of places: from customer service to processes that need to be followed to mistakes and other outcomes. It is the nature of newer people. Even with great onboarding, a person needs time to adjust to working in a different environment. Yes,…

My friend Marv is near the end of his life on earth. By the time this is published and posted, he may have already ascended to heaven. I met Marv 44 years ago when I entered the rooms of recovery. Marv must have known how scared I was for he quickly embraced me. I have never had a day in recovery in which Marv was not a part of my life. He loves unconditionally. As…

Repetition can be a good thing. If you follow my work, hardwiring is a word you are likely familiar with. It’s how I describe systems and behaviors that are in place to create consistency. Hardwiring is a good thing. Yet, it doesn’t mean that what we hardwire stays in place forever. Dan Collard and I wrote the book Rewiring Excellence: Hardwired to Rewired on this subject. When we rewire, we don’t change what is working. We take a fresh…