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HELPING EMS & HEALTHCARE LEADERS REVIEW, REFOCUS AND RESET THEIR ORGANIZATIONS FOR SUCCESS. IN PERSPECTIVE
Volume 1 • APRIL 2019
IT’S TIME FOR SOME TOUGH LOVE Do You Want to Complain or Pivot?
when it comes to business development, contract fulfillment, client relations, and marketing, I know through my own self-assessment that these are the types of tasks I’m best at. They are the highest and best use of my time. If you want to reclaim your time and sanity, you have to ask yourself a couple hard questions about every task on your plate. 1. Am I the best person to do it? 2. Do I actually like doing it? 3. Can someone else do it faster, cheaper, or better than me? 4. Is doing the task the best use of my time? Your answers to these questions will help you hone in on what your strengths are, which tasks should be completed by you, and which ones should be delegated. In the end, no matter how frustrating certain aspects of your position might be and no matter how good it feels to vent about those frustrations, the choice to implement change is yours. If you decide that you would rather adapt than become irrelevant, you’ll need to start your own process of company spring-cleaning by making a list of your strengths. Could you benefit from some outside perspective? Do you need help pinning down your goals and tasks? Let’s talk at Holdsworth.com/contact.
A pril kicks off annual spring-cleaning. Whether you enjoy this time of year or absolutely despise it, at the very least, you can see it as an opportunity to get your life more organized. But before you start sweeping behind your fridge, taking apart your garage, and weeding all your garden beds, have you considered “spring-cleaning” your own mindset and perspective? My apologies everyone, but it’s time for some tough love. In every industry and workplace — even in your car on the way home when you’re all by yourself — there is a whole lot of whining and complaining going on and not much action being taken to deal with the reality. Whether it happens in your own mind, in a company meeting, or at home with your family, the practice of sitting back and bitching is easy. Misery loves company, right? It’s easy to dwell on the negatives. What’s hard is picking yourself up and taking the steps needed to make change. The two things we hate: the way things are … and change. So, what are your plans to grow your organization? What have you identified as the three most likely threats and opportunities for your organization right now? Who could you collaborate with to add value to either your current offerings or theirs for mutual gain?
Those of you who are complaining about changes in your industry — like having to find new marketing methods or actually having to change the way you provide services — you have a choice: Continue complaining and face the very real possibility of extinction and replacement by those who can pivot into new roles, or adapt to keep up with the industry’s frequent changes. If you choose the latter option — which you ABSOLUTELY should — then you likely already know that in order to pivot successfully, you need to know your strengths. Of course, this is easier said than done! For example, when I meet with a client, I give them a self- assessment tool to help them determine their leadership style. Knowing your underlying strengths and styles will help you understand yourself and the members of your leadership team so you can work with them better. My clients have seen firsthand that my position as an outsider helps me determine whether the right people are in the right jobs or if there are vital skills missing from the team as a whole. For example, in my own business, there are a few tasks I simply can’t stand doing — accounting work is one of them. I can do it, but it is not a good use of my time, so I delegate it. Same thing with HR issues. I can hire, fire, and process insurance forms, but again, it’s not a good use of my time, so I delegate. However,
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SHHHHHHH! It’s National Library Workers Day!
Whether you have a card or not, libraries are an important part of our community. They serve as meeting places, research stations, employment centers, and local historical archives. They help kids and adults alike explore vast literary worlds and immense databases of knowledge — all for free! Behind every library is a dedicated staff of librarians, catalogers, assistants, and administrators who keep the system running smoothly. While it may not be the most well-known holiday, April 9 is National Library Workers Day (NLWD). As part of National Library Week, NLWD recognizes and celebrates the vital work performed by library staff. Librarians and their team do far more than simply place books on the shelf and shush noisy teenagers, after all. Library science is a multidisciplinary field that takes years of study to master. Today’s librarians have the skills of managers, IT specialists, documentarians, archivists, and educators — equipping them to help anyone from elementary students to doctoral researchers. These professionals can be an invaluable resource
for anyone looking to delve into a particular topic, even if they don’t know where to begin. Just tell your
local library worker what subject you’re interested in, and they can help you track down books, databases, magazine articles, and more. How should you celebrate National Library Workers
Day? Some groups, such as the students at the University of Arizona, go above and beyond by delivering balloons and signs to library branches across Tucson. More commonly, however, library branches ask their community members to vote for a “star” staffer. If a library worker has made a difference in your life, you can submit their name to the American Library Association by visiting Ala-Apa.org and clicking “Submit A Star!” Lastly, you can show your appreciation by visiting your local library and thanking these professionals. These important community centers only work because they do!
Are You in Your Own Way? WHY PEOPLE RESIST CHANGE
All of us in the EMS industry know change is inevitable and necessary, but knowing that a change needs to be made and actually implementing said change are two completely different tasks. Sometimes your team members resist industry evolution, but in other cases, you may be the one standing in your own way. Familiarizing yourself with sources of resistance will help you address them before they slow momentum. Here are three of the most common pressure points that may cause your team to refuse change. LOSS OF CONTROL Team members can often feel a loss of control when changes are made to their workload or role without them being a part of the conversation. If you’re planning on making substantial changes, bring team members in on the planning early. Let them know why the plan is being considered/implemented and how it will impact them. That kind of approach will help them adapt more seamlessly.
HEFTIER WORKLOADS Change often means more work, and the people who are in charge of implementing or testing the change can get overwhelmed. Make sure you acknowledge the extra effort being put in by your dedicated team members by recognizing how hard they’ve been working, thanking them, and perhaps awarding them a small token of thanks. Gift cards, food, coffee, or even movie tickets for them and their families go a long way. TOO MANY SURPRISES Decisions imposed on people suddenly, with no time to get used to the idea or prepare for the consequences, are generally resisted. You should avoid the temptation to craft changes in secret and announce them all at once. It’s better to plant seeds — that is, to sprinkle hints of what might be coming and seek input. Bring your team in on the changes to avoid bad surprises. And, as always, if you need an extra hand or brain to aid you and your team as you navigate necessary changes, I am here to help you.
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Greg McKeown’s ‘Essentialism’ WILL HELP AS YOU ‘SPRING-CLEAN’ YOUR WORKLOAD
“If you don’t prioritize your life, someone else will,” writes Greg McKeown in “Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less.” When
to my purpose and being selective in what I take on results in a more meaningful, richer, and sweeter quality of life.” This metaphor can be applied to your work life as well. There aren’t enough hours in the day to accomplish every task. Instead, the true essentialist works to spend their time diligently by pursuing what’s important and cutting out meaningless busywork. Early in the book, McKeown uses famed Braun designer Dieter Rams as an example of an essentialist. He notes that Rams’ design philosophy can be characterized by three simple words: less but better. This, in essence, is what essentialists believe. Cutting out the unnecessary and doing your best work where it matters will allow you to better manage your time and increase your performance. As McKeown puts it, “It is
about making the wisest possible investment of your time and energy in order to operate at your highest point of contribution by doing only what is essential.” Instead of having their energy spread out in a million different directions, essentialists channel it into what is necessary. McKeown also advocates for defining your purpose or your “why” in order to accurately assess what’s essential and what isn’t. The more a task contributes to your “why,” the more vital it is. Many service chiefs and leaders struggle to let go of tasks that are best left to other team members. If you’ve ever found yourself struggling to manage a massive workload while resenting the fact that much of what you do is needless, then it’s time to pick up a copy of “Essentialism.”
he set out to write the book, McKeown wanted to know what keeps skilled, driven people from achieving as much as possible. What he found was that most people don’t suffer from laziness, but rather a failure to allocate their time effectively. It’s the impulse telling them to “do it all” that keeps folks from spending their time on the things that ACTUALLY matter. The book offers valuable insight on these findings and serves as a guide to cutting out the extraneous and focusing on the essential. “Life is not an all-you-can-eat buffet,” McKeown says. “It’s amazingly great food. Essentialism is about finding the right food. More and more is valueless. Staying true
EASY BACON AND SPINACH STIR-FRY
INGREDIENTS
• 3 slices bacon • 3 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped • 2 bunches spinach • 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper • Salt and black pepper, to taste
Where’s the Fun?
DIRECTIONS
1. Heat a large skillet to medium. 2. While skillet is warming, cut bacon into squares.
3. Cook bacon until fat is rendered and bacon is almost to your desired doneness. If desired, you can remove bacon fat from skillet and replace with 1 tablespoon oil. However, keeping the fat is recommended for flavor. 4. Add garlic and cook for 1–2 minutes. 5. Add spinach and crushed red pepper and stir-fry for 10 minutes. 6. Season with salt and pepper, and serve.
Inspired by OhSnapLetsEat.com
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INSIDE THIS ISSUE
1 2 2 3 3 4
It’s Time for Some Tough Love
Read Up on National Library Workers Day
Are You Resisting Change?
A Guide to Workplace ‘Essentialism’
Easy Bacon and Spinach Stir-Fry
Adventure Awaits (At Home)
BE A TOURIST IN YOUR HOMETOWN
No Place Like Home
GET A ROOM If you really want to experience your
APPRECIATE THE ARTS There are countless tiny museums and cultural attractions all over the place that most people overlook — especially those who have lived in an area for a while. Does your hometown have interesting art installations on Main Street? What about museums dedicated to strange and supernatural phenomena, parks, historical landmarks, or giant robotic farm animals? Check Yelp.com for lists of popular attractions near you, or ask your friends for suggestions. You might be surprised by what your hometown has to offer. You might be thinking, “This is would be great if I lived somewhere fun!” If you’ve ever thought your town was boring, that’s all the more reason to try being a tourist! Adventures can happen anywhere if you just take that first step out the door.
hometown through the eyes of a tourist, try waking up somewhere new. One night in a hotel room or bed-and-breakfast can really put you in the adventuring mindset. FIND LOCAL EVENTS Now’s the time to check out the farmers market you’ve been meaning to go to for ages! Then you can swing by that free concert in the park before going to a play at your community theater. Attending local events is a great way to visit places in town you’ve never been before. You might even find a historical tour that can teach you all about the wonders of your town. Download an app like Eventbrite, or go old-school and check for fun local events in the paper.
Do you dream of adventure? Do you want to see something new, discover someplace interesting, and make memories you’ll cherish forever? Do you still have to be at work on Monday? Finding adventure doesn’t have to mean packing up and trekking across the globe for six months. Being adventurous is all about changing your mindset and looking for the unexpected in the familiar. As you start planning summer vacations, instead of spending a lot of money to be a tourist somewhere else, why not try finding a little adventure at home?
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