30 DAY FINISH: Winning the Leadership Olympics

We’ve learned so much in our Leadership Quest and taken on new tools and communication frameworks to be sure we can lead well. We’ve also worked to lean into servant leadership and our ServiceFIRST principles to ensure we’re fully supporting our teams and bringing the best out of our employees.

This time of major transition and change could be one of the biggest leadership challenges we’ll face in our career with so many new and unexpected surprises to navigate. Even with all of the excitement ahead, our teams may be feeling worn down, worn out, and tensions and miscommunications are sure to happen as everyone is pushing their hardest to the peak.

Though we may sometimes feel like all of our training and tools are simply not enough, we do have what it takes to lead our team to the top. This time of transition is our ultimate training ground for strengthening our skills and building our confidence in our capacity as leaders. We’ll be stretched and challenged and need to keep digging deep to be great in our roles, to communicate more clearly, and to inspire our teams to keep pushing.

There’s a saying that “You’re not truly meditating if you can only do it in a quiet room” that encourages meditators to hone their skills until they can maintain a meditative state even in a busy and chaotic environment. Once they can keep that peace and that focus even in the craziest of circumstances, they’ve truly mastered their craft.

This season of system-wide change is our moment to master our craft as leaders. This is our time to hone our skills in the fire and come out stronger than ever. Think of this time as the ultimate test, our Leadership Olympics. We’ve got so many more opportunities every day to put our skills to work, challenge ourselves to maintain a clear focus, and bring our best practices to bear, even when it’d be easy to give in to the chaos and abandon everything we’ve worked so hard to build.

Don’t miss this great opportunity to keep testing your abilities and really applying everything we’ve learned. Stay focused on the ultimate goal and remember our Why as an organization and your personal Why as a leader.

Here are eight simple practices to help you deepen your leadership skills and shine as a servant leader during this season: 

1. Listen Actively: Practice active listening by seeking out feedback, ideas, and concerns from your team. Listen without interrupting, paraphrase what you heard, and follow up on what was discussed.

2. Empower Your Team: Encourage your team to take ownership of their roles during the move. Provide them with the tools and resources they need to succeed, and trust them to make decisions
and take action.

3. Serve as a Coach and Mentor: Be a coach and mentor to your team members. Provide guidance, support, and feedback to help them develop their skills and reach their goals.

4. Lead by Example: Demonstrate the behaviors you want to see in your team. Show humility, respect, and empathy in your interactions with others.

5. Put Others First: Put the needs and well-being of your team members first. Consider their perspectives, and work to support and advocate for them.

6. Foster Collaboration: Encourage collaboration and teamwork among your team members. Facilitate communication to build relationships among team members and help them work together effectively.

7. Focus on the Greater Good: Keep the big picture in mind and focus on the overall success of the move. Remember that you are all working toward a common goal, and strive to make decisions that benefit everyone.

8. Give Yourself (and Your Team) Grace: Recognize that this is a challenging time for everyone and that mistakes may happen. Be kind to yourself and give yourself grace if things don’t go as planned. Learn from mistakes and use them as an opportunity to grow and improve.

10% SECRET TRIAGE: Planning During Crunch Time

As you’re sprinting toward the finish line, your regular monthly planning and review time may be one of the first things to fall to the wayside. Even though you’re extra busy this month sprinting ahead, try to still grab even 10 minutes to do a super high-level planning session to be sure you’re covering all your bases and ready for the big month ahead. 

Try grabbing 10 minutes to do this planning session with your team. With everyone gathered for your regular check-in or department meeting, you can easily communicate everything that’s most important, effectively delegate to the right team member and get their immediate buy-in, and celebrate your wins as a group to ensure you keep your fire and momentum alive. 

Grab your FY2023 planner and scribble your notes for what’s ahead, allowing you to clear your mind and get a solid plan for this next month: 
 

1. Prioritize, Prioritize, Prioritize: Identify the most critical tasks and projects that need to be accomplished during the transition. Prioritize them based on urgency and impact and save additional tasks on your to-do list for when your capacity opens back up after the move. 

2. Focus on Short-term Goals: Instead of setting long-term goals, focus on short-term goals that are achievable within a week or two. This can help your team stay focused and motivated during the transition and keep momentum rolling. Check-in often to be sure you’re tracking for success. 

3. Keep it Simple and Visible: Use a simple tracker or to-do list and post it where all of your team can see it to stay on top of tasks and deadlines. You’ll keep everyone on the same page and help keep your team focused and calm as they tackle what’s next. 

4. Delegate tasks: Delegate tasks to team members based on their strengths and availability. You’ll empower your team to develop their skills, help distribute the workload, and ensure that tasks are completed on time. 

5. Communicate clearly: Communicate clearly with your team about expectations, deadlines, and priorities. Ensure that everyone is on the same page and understands their roles and responsibilities and address any tensions or troubles as they arise. The increased communication – even when it’s tough – will help your team bond through this experience and come out stronger and more united than ever. 

6. Be flexible: Be prepared to adapt and adjust your plans as needed. Expect the unexpected and be ready to pivot if necessary. 

7. Celebrate small victories: Recognize and celebrate small victories and accomplishments along the way. This can help keep your team motivated and energized during the transition. Write your wins in your Accomplishments page of your Planner (page 88) and post them on your team boards or in a group text chain to maximize their effect.

TRIANNUAL PLAYLIST: Pumping Your Up as You Press Toward the Peak

Make sure you’re letting yourself have FUN during this transition too! This time of change is exciting and the new campus and all of the improvements to patient care and a better employee experience will be so worth it in the end. 

Pump yourself up on the way to work with the Triannual Playlist and put yourself back into the right frame of mind to succeed as a leader and excel as a team.