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Healthcare Edition
June 2003
Volume 2, Report 1
from
Twyman L. Towery, Ph.D., LFACHE
Rule 31 Listed Civil Mediator
Speaker * Author * Consultant * Facilitator
Website: http://www.twymantowery.com
Email: tt@twymantowery.com |
The topic of this issue of Towery Report is "The
Phenomenon of the Given."
Definition of given: (giv'n) 1. bestowed; presented
2. accustomed as from habit or inclination 3. taken as a premise; assumed;
granted 4. issued or executed on the specified date by the specified
person
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In This Report |
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"LISTEN UP." said
the coach, "IF WE DO THESE THREE THINGS WE CAN WIN THIS GAME -- #1
STOP THE RUN, #2 EXECUTE ON SPECIAL TEAMS, AND #3
NEUTRALIZE THEIR PASS RUSH."
Imagine this scenario: The players
all jump up excitedly, ecstatic that this is all they must do to win the
game. They only have to do what the coach just said and they can forget
about everything else: making tackles, completing passes, protecting their
kicker, remembering their plays, staying onside, sacking the quarterback
and literally thousands of other things that go into playing a competent
football game.
Ridiculous? Of course!
Will this approach work? Of course not!
Does this ever really happen in real life? Every day, almost everywhere!
Maybe even at your place!
It is the constant shifting of our focus, whether we really mean to or
not.
This phenomenon reminds me of Lucy explaining to Charlie Brown "Life
is a cruise ship, Charlie Brown. Some people sit in their deck chair facing
the stern of a ship so they can see where they have been. Others face
the bow to see where they are going." Lucy asks, "Which way
does your deck chair face, Charlie Brown?" He answers, "I
don't know, I've never been able to get my deck chair open."
WHICH WAY IS
YOUR "DECK CHAIR" FACING?
What's the point? All healthcare organizations expect a multitude
of tasks and goals to be accomplished by their members. Sometimes, the
more dramatic areas like E.R., O.R. or Laboratory take center stage, but
the other departments are still equally important. Certain ones will take
center stage at certain times, or, out of necessity, new ones may be introduced.
But the other "givens" are still there and it is ASSUMED they
will continue to be performed. People who don't understand what
is expected of them on a regular basis, or have not embraced those "given"
expectations" don't really have their "deck chairs"
open yet. They probably never will, unless you let them know what you
expect.
Niebuhrs's Law Of The Jungle: "Everybody out there is
someone else's lunch."
And when we neglect the GIVENS in our work or life, we are prime "lunch
material."
Stephen Jones, the CEO of Southwest Medical Center in Lafayette, Louisiana,
is the person who made me aware of the "Phenomenon of The Given,"
by using the analogy of the coach that tells his team the three things
they must do to win the game. Stephen made the point to his administrative
group that just because this month's emphasis may be on productivity
or Emergency Room response time or grounds beautification, that in no
way diminishes the continued need for community involvement, quality patient
care or accounts receivable control!
Just because the present emphasis is on the letters "J",
"S" and "V", doesn't mean that the rest
of the alphabet can be discarded, even for a moment. If so, our communication
would quickly become unintelligible.
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Legendary football coach,
Paul "Bear" Bryant once remarked, "It's the itsy-bitsy,
teeny-weeny things that beat you." |
AUTOMATICS:
Make sure your people (and you) know the "automatics" involved
in your organization - the things that must be done, whether they
are specifically emphasized or not. And when the basics are neglected,
we should expect "adjustments" to be made.
"A man who has no fear belongs in a mental institution -
or on special teams."
Walt Michaels, New York Jets Coach, 1982.
Remember this: Most great leaders I know have one particularly hard
and fast rule for those who report to them: DON'T EVER LET ME
BE SURPRISED. WHEN I ASK YOU TO DO SOMETHING, EITHER TELL ME YOU WILL
NOT DO IT, CANNOT DO IT, OR GIVE ME YOUR REASONS FOR THINKING WE SHOULD
DO SOMETHING ELSE INSTEAD AND WE WILL DECIDE TOGETHER ON OUR COURSE OF
ACTION - OR DO IT. IF I DON'T HEAR FROM YOU, THEN I ASSUME IT IS
DONE.
Healthcare, regardless of what the "suits" try to say,
is different than other businesses.
You know better than anyone else what it will take for organizational
success. So, be clear in your expectations, for YOUR survival may depend
upon it.
Two men were arguing the merits of a book and one of them, himself
an author, said to the other: "You just can't appreciate it
John. You've never even written a book yourself."
"No," retorted John, "and I never laid an egg, but I'm
a better judge of an omelet than any hen in the state."
So, don't forget that you are also the best judge of your "omelet."
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Planning a corporate retreat? Need a keynote speaker? Workshop
facilitator?
Twyman will tailor his presentation to fit the needs of your organization.
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A
PERSONAL ASIDE: I ran into my friend, Len Rossi at a community
park near where I live and we fell in stride together and completed our
walk, discussing mutual personal concerns. Len is a well-known ex-wrestler
in the Southeast who has helped thousands of people throughout the years
from his natural food and herb store. His knowledge and great concern
for people is evident in everything he does. His son, Joe, also an ex-wrestler,
is battling serious cancer right now, so Len has his plate full. As we
parted Len called behind me, "Twyman thanks for being my friend."
I was touched and barely managed the reply, "Thanks to you!"
It was such a thoughtful and kind thing for someone under a lot of stress
to say. Maybe we should all remember to let our friends know that we appreciate
them, rather than take them for granted. We never know when we will no
longer have the opportunity.
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SPEAKER
TIP: When I facilitate sessions or retreats on "Presentation
Skills", I am often asked what to do when your throat suddenly becomes
dry or squeaky and you must give a speech. There is a product called "Entertainers
Secret" that many of us, who are professional speakers, would never
be without. It works! You can buy it at many Walgreen's and other
pharmacies or contact the manufacturer - KLI Corp. in Carmel, IN
- 800-308-7452.
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Dr. Towery's
best selling books have been used all across the globe, for a host of
purposes. From the federal government to large corporations, from national
and state associations to middle school science classes The Wisdom of
Wolves: Nature's Way to Organizational Success and The Power of Eagles:
Nature's Way to Individual Accomplishment can help you and your organization
or group.
Visit Twyman's website (http://www.twymantowery.com)
to learn about his two best-selling books.
"The Wisdom of Wolves - Nature's way to
Organizational Success" explains some of the crucial elements
of any successful business or organization, such as teamwork, communication,
perseverance and attitude.
Excerpt - "Teamwork
is like the weather - everyone talks about it, but often nobody
does anything about it. It is seldom achieved by intellectualizing; rather,
it is the practical application of attitude, common goals, and experience
working together. It is a learned art."
"The Power of Eagles - Nature's Way to Individual
Accomplishment" is packed with stories, anecdotes, quotes,
and provocative questions that will illuminate timeless principles - Symbolism,
Courage, Loyalty, Vision, Native American Cultures, Celebration, Foundation,
Mentoring, Teamwork and Biblical values.
Excerpt - "The eaglet's
preliminary exercise and training illustrates how important it is for
each of us to be sure that we are prepared, both mentally and physically,
before we leap out of our 'nest'. It also reminds us of the
important lesson that we can often achieve things together that aren't
possible when we work alone."
Available for $19.95, plus shipping/handling. E-mail
for more information: tt@twymantowery.com
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Twyman Towery has over 30 years experience as a hospital CEO
and corporate executive, plus 16 years experience as a speaker, consultant
and author. To view a partial list of Twyman's previous clients:
http://www.twymantowery.com/speaker.htm
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Is it time to start planning your next management retreat? Be sure
to include Twyman Towery on your agenda. You'll be glad you did
(and so will your management team).
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Please feel free to forward The Towery Report to anyone who
might enjoy it.
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let us know if your e-mail address changes. If you change companies or
have moved, please send us your new information, so we can update our
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