I’ve been reading The Chaos Imperative: How Chance and Disruption Increase Innovation, Effectiveness and Success by Ori Brafman and Judah Pollack, and find myself indirectly discussing many of the concepts raised in this book with colleagues and healthcare leaders. The notion that chaos can create “organized serendipity” made me think about my work with Language of Caring clients. Chaos seems to be around us in abundant quantities. The idea that new, exciting and creative ideas can come from chaos is a stretch for most of us who like some sense of order in our lives and in our organizations.
“Our employees are our most valuable asset” is often overheard in organizations, and thriving organizations supply plenty of evidence to prove it. These days, smart leaders embrace going beyond the rhetoric and commit to taking strategic steps to inspire, strengthen and appreciate employee engagement. For years, I have helped myself and other leaders remember the foundation and guidelines for creating an environment of engagement in an easily remembered acronym—C.A.R.I.N.G.
Over the years, I have heard many people say, “We are passionate about wanting to make this change, but it’s not the right time because we have interim leadership. We need to wait for our permanent CEO…our permanent CNO…” and the like. While I certainly understand how people want to make sure they have leaders who will see initiatives through, it strikes me as an illusion that there is such a thing as a “permanent leader” coming.
Having been engaged in healthcare for more than 30 years, I have seen “permanent leaders” come and go, just as I have seen “interim leaders” stay for years.
Being a patient experience leader is an exciting and daunting role. You are expected to address concerns and satisfy patients and family members while at the same time effectively collaborating with staff of every variety and position, including senior leaders—all the while creating the often elusive “culture of caring”. Undeniably, this role, in its many shapes and forms, is one of the most important in healthcare, since it impacts not only the patient and family experience but also financial health, clinical outcomes, patient and staff safety, risk reduction, employee engagement, and the overall culture of the organization.
