What are we becoming?

Over the years, I had the opportunity to work with many distressed entities. It sort of became ‘my thing’. I started with under-performing locations, worked up to regions and then to companies. I learned a ton during these ‘opportunities’.

The best lessons were from the mistakes I made along the way. Hopefully, I didn’t repeat the same mistakes too many times, but rather learned from them.

Eventually, I utilized a consistent ‘game plan’ for each turnaround: I would spend the first three months analyzing the situation and meeting with every employee in every location. (This would provide me with a good view of the issues and would show the team that I truly cared about them and that we shared common beliefs). I would also look for some immediate wins. I would call them ‘grabbing some low-hanging fruit’.

I would spend the next three months fortifying our two core values: treating every patient like a loved family member and always doing the right thing. And I would make some personnel changes. Some people were simply on the wrong seat of the bus. Unfortunately, a few were on the wrong bus. We also started to change some processes, develop metrics, hold ourselves accountable and celebrate some wins.

Once all of the changes were completed, values established, people in the right seats, it was then time to let the ‘stew cook’. We then became better and better at hitting our goals and making it a better place to work.

One of the most important lessons that we tried to emphasize was that this was, and we are all, a process. I would constantly question; “What are we becoming?” We didn’t expect perfection day one, or day 180. We just were looking to ‘move the ball down the field’ towards excellence. It started with me but each and every associate needed to look inside and strive to be better and to work towards a common goal. We needed to forget the past and focus on ‘becoming’.

There is a great short story I remember reading that focused on change and making a difference:

“When I was a young man, I wanted to change the world.

I found it was difficult to change the world, so I tried to change my nation.

When I found I couldn't change the nation, I began to focus on my town. I couldn't change the town and as an older man, I tried to change my family.

Now, as an old man, I realize the only thing I can change is myself, and suddenly I realize that if long ago I had changed myself, I could have made an impact on my family. My family and I could have made an impact on our town. Their impact could have changed the nation and I could indeed have changed the world.”

From the time we are born to the time we die, we should always keep learning and focusing on ‘becoming’. We are a work in progress. I don’t believe we should expect perfection, but rather I think we should simply strive to be a better version of ourselves each and every day. As the story reads, when we change ourselves, we change the world.

Thanks for reading this and have a great weekend.

With a goal to “help the next guy in line”, Glen Cavallo, a 30+ year healthcare executive has chosen to share the many lessons he has learned with others. Glen does this by serving as a coach/advisor to leaders at all levels of organizations, as a board member and as he presents inspirational speeches at regional, national, annual and awards meetings.