Try a Few Incremental Improvements in 2013

I was meeting recently with the CEO of a large health system in the Mid-Atlantic area – asking some “big picture” questions about strategic employee engagement in healthcare.  The response to my final question got me thinking about our resistance to change at all levels and in all industries. Here’s the final question I asked…

“What else about strategic employee engagement would you like to share?”

In this case, the CEO said (and I paraphrase from my notes)…everyone benefits from a heightened awareness of our own behaviors. Even modifying behaviors 5-10% everyday can have a big impact. Each positive behavior change cascades through the organization and creates a different (aka better) culture.

He went on to talk about leveraging positive change into sweeping change through incremental steps. I like that idea. It doesn’t seem so BIG or overwhelming – especially since we all have so much on our plate these days.

So, as you begin 2013 with refreshed energy and enthusiasm (hopefully that’s how you are feeling), take a look at how you could make a 5-10% change to positively impact your work.

  • What you could do 5-10% more of, less of, better or differently?
  • How could you be 5-10% kinder, more respectful, accommodating?
  • In what ways could you make a 5-10% improvement in your communication – either talking or listening?
  •  How could you be 5-10% more flexible, understanding, or open-minded?

The next time you see a big change coming your way, break it down into chunks. Think about how an incremental change could drive a sweeping change over time and enjoy the process of adapting to our new world.

PS – If you are on LinkedIn – please reach out to connect to me and also be sure to join my newly formed group, Engagement, Every Step of the Way group for healthcare staff and leaders. It’s a private group so we can have productive discussions without the advertisements and job postings. I look forward to you joining in the discussion!

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