Instead of pointing a finger, hold out your hand. This statement combines two familiar “hand” metaphors. The first is that when we have one finger pointing…
When operating margins get tight, excellent emergency department performance becomes an organizational imperative. The ED influences patient volume, hospital admissions, community reputation, patient loyalty,…
Every day, healthcare organizations promote some of their best people. Charge nurses become managers. Clinicians become department heads. Physicians step into administrative roles. These…
Instead of pointing a finger, hold out your hand. This statement combines two familiar “hand” metaphors. The first is that when we have one finger pointing…
Leaders often underestimate how loudly their silence speaks. Even when you think you’re holding it together, your team is reading every micro-shift in your…
Healthcare doesn’t need a fresh start—it needs a thoughtful rewire. Rewiring Healthcare: Foundation to Future brings together senior leaders to step back…
Instead of pointing a finger, hold out your hand. This statement combines two familiar “hand” metaphors. The first is that when we have one finger pointing out at someone else, three others are pointing back at us. The second is a reference to reaching out to another person to be of help. It is usually better to open the hand. It is easy to point a finger at what is wrong, who is at fault, what could…
When operating margins get tight, excellent emergency department performance becomes an organizational imperative. The ED influences patient volume, hospital admissions, community reputation, patient loyalty, workforce engagement, and the financial health of the entire organization. Yet improving its performance cannot rest on the ED alone. The emergency department is often called the hospital’s front door. That’s a good descriptor, but it is also much more than that. The ED is the hospital’s hub, a place where…
A zinger can be described as a quick, clever, and sharp remark that often carries a humorous insult. Yet “humorous” can be in the eye of the beholder. While the person delivering the zinger may get laughs, what about the person being zinged? The same is true of sarcasm. Years ago, I delivered what I thought was a funny line. Afterwards, a kind person asked me if I knew what “sarcasm” meant. He then said…
Every day, healthcare organizations promote some of their best people. Charge nurses become managers. Clinicians become department heads. Physicians step into administrative roles. These are people who’ve already proven they’re talented, trusted, and committed to the mission. But here’s the question: are they as equipped to lead people as they are to deliver care? The reality is, clinical and technical competency and leadership competency are entirely different skill sets. Organizations that recognize the difference, and…
I write more on personal and professional development than any other topic. In my book The Busy Leader’s Handbook: How to Lead People and Places That Thrive, the first chapter sets the foundation for a person’s development. The two main components are self-awareness and coachability. Willingness is key to both: willingness to hold up the mirror to oneself and willingness to seek out coaches and coaching. Please think of the coach’s work in its broadest sense. A coach…
Instead of pointing a finger, hold out your hand. This statement combines two familiar “hand” metaphors. The first is that when we have one finger pointing out at someone else, three others are pointing back at us. The second is a reference to reaching out to another person to be of help. It is usually better to open the hand. It is easy to point a finger at what is wrong, who is at fault, what could…
I was fortunate to be with leaders from Sarah Bush Lincoln Health Center in Mattoon, IL. I presented on Park Ranger Leadership. The fable centers on a person who gets lost hiking in the woods. He immediately starts working hard to get back on track. He tries to retrace his steps, look at the location of the sun, searches for moss on the side of a tree, etc. After 30 minutes or so, a park…
If you want to understand why a nurse, tech, or frontline clinician stays, struggles, or walks out the door, don’t look at the org chart. Look at their direct supervisor. And in healthcare right now, that relationship matters more than ever. Gallup’s research shows that roughly 70 percent of the variance in team engagement traces back to the manager. Persistent staffing shortages and burnout mean we can’t afford to lose people an organization has already…
Anxiety is a normal human condition. We feel it in the form of worry, nervousness, or discomfort about a situation that may involve uncertainty, danger, or an anticipated future event. At times, anxiety in moderation is helpful. It can improve performance, motivate us to act, spur us on to solve problems, and alert us to potential threats. When anxiety stops being occasional and becomes constant, it stops helping and starts working against us. That’s where…
Leaders often underestimate how loudly their silence speaks. Even when you think you’re holding it together, your team is reading every micro-shift in your face, posture, and tone. They feel your stress long before you ever name it, and their performance responds accordingly. The Problem Most leaders believe they can “power through” frustration, pressure, or anger without anyone noticing. You tell yourself you’re being professional, staying quiet, and keeping the train on the tracks. Yet…