Are you ready for massive change?

First, I want pay huge respect and great appreciation to all of the healthcare workers who every day, are working incredible hours and taking serious risks in their efforts to save lives. We typically think of doctors and nurses, but there are a whole bunch of support folks in provider operations and supply chains that are significant as well. My “hat is off” to all of you / them.

This crisis will subside at some point and then, it will be back to “business as usual” – working long hours to save lives. However, we will never return to normal as we knew it.

Think of the countless hospitals, nursing homes, physician practices, supply chain vendors, manufacturers, etc. who have been made painfully aware of failed and failing systems and managers that need to be revised, retrained or replaced with new ways of doing perhaps, most everything. The healthcare system has been front and center during this crisis, and under the most stress and strain of its systems and its people.

I had a great conversation with a long-time friend, now business associate, the other day who happens to be a Six Sigma Blackbelt AND a Lean expert at the KAIZEN Award level. He and I both have a long history in the healthcare industry and we discussed the huge impact this COVID-19 crisis is having on the healthcare industry not just today, but for years to come.

Six Sigma and Lean strategies and methodologies were (before COVID) slowly being adopted by the healthcare industry although lagging other industries by years. These proven processes for change in fact, work. Sometimes they are difficult to understand and implement, but it’s part of the process to help the entire organization understand not just the how, but the why.

I respect my smart KAIZEN friend, but also know that we need to simultaneously focus our efforts on the “soft side” which is equally important – leadership. Just like with the clinical folks, I’m sure healthcare organization’s leadership and management teams have had their worlds rocked as well, during this unprecedented time in our history / in our industry.

In John Maxwell’s recent book entitled LeaderShift, he points out that “you cannot be the same, think the same, and act the same if you hope to be successful in a world that does not remain the same.”

In the midst of crisis, its too late to build your team. Crisis reveals what values and abilities your team, and its members already have.  So, when this crisis inevitably subsides, it is time to quickly get ready for the next crisis or challenge by investing in proven change processes, and investing in developing your leadership teams – you will need to do both in order to succeed.

When the time is right for you, please let us know how we can help you change.

John.Gardner@TriadLeadershipGroup.com - - 818-292-7156

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