Balancing Act

It is an exciting time in my trajectory here at Tampa General Hospital. We are in the process of finalizing our new five-year organizational strategic plan (more about that in a future post). After six months on the ground here at TGH and working with my team through the planning process, although I am still learning, I have gotten a good understanding of the organization—its strengths, its areas of opportunity and the places in which we can grow and do better.

My team and I have worked hard to set a vision for the future and define our organizational priorities moving forward. There is a lot of great work ahead—much of it exciting, all of it critical. But let’s face it, change is difficult and it can take a little time for people to get on board. As a result, I have been thinking a great deal about how to balance organizational priorities with winning the hearts and minds of team members. How do you find balance and acceptance with your team while still moving these important initiatives ahead?

I’ve thought about this question a lot throughout my current role, and believe there are three key elements critical to success in this arena:

Be transparent. At every opportunity, reiterate to fellow team members where you are going, what decisions are on the table and the potential impact of those decisions on them and the organization.  Team members want to feel like they have a clear picture on what is happening within the organization. It makes them feel more comfortable and confident in their own performance and willing to accept change and embrace new opportunities.

Communicate with clarity and consistency. It is important to let folks know the why and how of key decisions. When you walk them through your thought process you will show them that your decision wasn’t made in a vacuum and is absent of “political influence.”  You will also help to promote “buy in” and continue to build a trust that is critical in your ongoing relationship.

Encourage thoughts, feedback and diverse perspectives. Team members want and need to be heard. It’s important to find space to allow them to voice their thoughts and opinions. I’m not advocating holding a session where they can simply complain—that is completely unproductive. Instead, during each interaction, ask them to offer their perspective. Not only will this create buy in, it enables them to raise a concern or new idea.  And while it is important that they know the decision ultimately stops with you, allowing them to voice their thoughts and concerns and know that you are listening, will go a long way.

Organizational growth and change is both exciting and critical. But it can also be challenging and uncertain. For those in leadership positions, the best way to navigate and implement new ideas and realign priorities is with a clear and inclusive voice that generates excitement and buy in, while mitigating fear and negativity. It is a balancing act for sure. But when you can strike the right balance, you and your team can move forward with the good work ahead.

The Need for Speed

Like most health care leaders, I spend my days on the move.  Some days, it’s more like a bob and weave. Other days, it’s full speed ahead. For a team dedicated to innovation and the transformation of the way we deliver world-class health care, the pace at which we are able to drive change, integrate technology and roll out new services is paramount to our success.

As my team and I keep charging forward, I’m often asked, “How do you accelerate your team’s productivity without compromising quality or diluting outcomes?” For me, quality is the base line. It is where you start and where you end. You either deliver quality or you don’t. If you consistently provide quality service at (or above) the level your constituents expect, amplifying your productivity will not damage your product. In fact, it can help you not only work faster, but smarter and better.

Here are a few tips on how you can turn up the volume on your productivity and that of your team, while continuing to deliver the best possible product:

Get to the point. Know what you are looking for before you walk in the door. Whether it’s meeting with your team or key stakeholders, decide on the specific deliverables you need from each person around the table prior to getting together. You should start these meetings with, “I’m looking to solve this problem, or get this idea off the ground. Here’s how you can help me accomplish this goal.” 

Don’t worry. This approach does not stifle the opinions or ideas of others or limit the contributions made around the table. In fact, it does just the opposite. By assigning your colleagues a specific task or making them responsible for certain information, you provide them with a platform to be a subject expert and make a valuable contribution. It also helps ensure that folks are on task and focused and that meetings stay on topic, last an appropriate amount of time and don’t drag on and on. I know we can all agree that is the worst!

Hand it off. Let others do what they do best and what you don’t have time to handle. Delegation is a critical and often underutilized skill. While there are assignments, projects or duties for which you, and only you, can be responsible, there are many others, I’m sure, that you can assign to a team member with the bandwidth and expertise to tackle them. Take inventory of your action items and prioritize accordingly. This will not only free up your time to make the biggest return on investment and impact, but will empower team members to step up and deliver.

Bring others along. Keep moving and help your team members pick up the pace. If you’re running at a level five and your team is moving at, say, a two, figure out ways to increase their speed. The organization will run at the pace you set and the culture of the organization will reflect your tempo. If you want faster, lead by example and make it a point to emphasize productivity and action. This will inspire others to catch up and keep up.

By moving faster (and smarter), you and your team will successfully accomplish all you set to do. You will be able to drive innovation and expand your scope of work, as you will be quicker to forecast trends and identify and respond to problems. So, don’t be afraid to pick up the pace. There’s so much good stuff ahead. The quicker you move, the sooner you’ll get there.