Myth #37: We’re Just Here to Make Money

What is wrong with that you ask?  Your organization, unless you are a non-profit on purpose, needs to make money to stay in business.  Focus just on making money and your products and services will falter.  Squeezing out every little penny will be more important than delivering a great product and a great service.

Re-adjust focus.  Instead of focusing on making money, focus on taking care of the customers.  Brainstorm how that will make the organization more money because the customers are happy and want to invest their dollars!

What message are you sending to your troops?  What do your behaviors tell other people?  If they are focused on making money and they think the company vision is to make money, you need to take a look in the mirror.

How are you doing things now?

Are you as customer focused as you need to be?

When was the last time you had a brainstorming session on better ways to serve the customer?

When was the last time you got employee input on improving processes, techniques, rules, and regulations?

Are you spending a lot of money trying to increase morale?

Is it an effort to get people to work?

Is having a proactive team just a pipe dream?

These are all symptoms of a culture focused on making money and not on providing the best possible product or service to your customer.  What Symptoms are you experiencing?

So, you think you need a teambuilding class?

We’ve all had this thought at one point or another.  The truth is, you don’t need a teambuilding class.  No one does.  You need a team.

A team that works better together.

A team that is more productive.

A team that has more fun.

A team that makes fewer mistakes.

A team that supports one another better.

We need the benefits, the results of the training, but not the training itself.

Why the big deal about benefits versus training?  Too often we get caught up in the minutia, we get stuck in the weeds.  We let the small things become the big things.  We lose track of where we are going.

By staying focused on the results and benefits you desire, the outcome remains clear in your team’s mind.  They are able to pursue and achieve these targets.

When people go to a “teambuilding class,” it is a task.  Something they have to do.  They put on their “I am going to training” hat.  They sit and watch until the class is over then go back to work.  They do all of things that you were trying to get them to stop doing and not many of the things you were trying to get them to start doing.

When you focus on the benefits and desired results, you have a different approach.  You have a different mind set.  Mind set is 90% of the game.  Get your people in the right frame of mind and they will reach new heights you did not think possible!

Instead of going to a teambuilding class, you are going to create ways to improve productivity.  Focus on the desired result as opposed to the task.  Focus on the outcomes and benefits.  Get people focused on the same outcome and let them be creative in the solutions.  You will get greater buy-in, better solutions and a better team!

What small things are you focusing on?  Review the list of Symptoms today!

45 Seconds: Memoirs of an ER Doctor from May 22, 2011.

Here is an e-mail I received from a friend of mine, Amy, yesterday. Amy is a nurse and this is a real letter from one of the ER docs in Joplin.

45 Seconds: Memoirs of an ER Doctor from May 22, 2011.

My name is Dr. Kevin Kikta, and I was one of two emergency room doctors who were on duty at St. John’s Regional Medical Center in Joplin, MO on Sunday May 22,2011.

You never know that it will be the most important day of your life until the day is over. The day started like any other day for me: waking up, eating, going to the gym, showering, and going to my 400pm ER shift. As I drove to the hospital I mentally prepared for my shift as I always do, but nothing could ever have prepared me for what was going to happen on this shift. Things were normal for the first hour and half. At approximately 5:30 pm we received a warning that a tornado had been spotted. . Although I work in Joplin and went to medical school in Oklahoma, I live in New Jersey, and I have never seen or been in a tornado. I learned that a “code gray” was being called. We were to start bringing patients to safer spots within the ED and hospital.

At 5: 42pm a security guard yelled to everyone, “Take cover! We are about to get hit by a tornado!” I ran with a pregnant RN, Shilo Cook, while others scattered to various places, to the only place that I was familiar with in the hospital without windows, a small doctor’s office in the ED. Together, Shilo and I tremored and huddled under a desk. We heard a loud horrifying sound like a large locomotive ripping through the hospital. The whole hospital shook and vibrated as we heard glass shattering, light bulbs popping, walls collapsing, people screaming, the ceiling caving in above us, and water pipes breaking, showering water down on everything. We suffered this in complete darkness, unaware of anyone else’s status, worried, scared. We could feel a tight pressure in our heads as the tornado annihilated the hospital and the surrounding area. The whole process took about 45 seconds, but seemed like eternity. The hospital had just taken a direct hit from a category EF-4 tornado.

Then it was over. Just 45 seconds. 45 long seconds. We looked at each other, terrified, and thanked God that we were alive. We didn’t know, but hoped that it was safe enough to go back out to the ED, find the rest of the staff and patients, and assess our loses.

“Like a bomb went off. ” That’s the only way that I can describe what we saw next. Patients were coming into the ED in droves. It was absolute, utter chaos. They were limping, bleeding, crying, terrified, with debris and glass sticking out of them, just thankful to be alive. The floor was covered with about 3 inches of water, there was no power, not even backup generators, rendering it completely dark and eerie in the ED. The frightening aroma of methane gas leaking from the broken gas lines permeated the air; we knew, but did not dare mention aloud, what that meant. I redoubled my pace.

We had to use flashlights to direct ourselves to the crying and wounded. Where did all the flashlights come from ? I’ll never know, but immediately, and thankfully, my years of training in emergency procedures kicked in. There was no power, but our mental generators, were up and running, and on high test adrenaline. We had no cell phone service in the first hour, so we were not even able to call for help and backup in the ED.

I remember a patient in his early 20’s gasping for breath, telling me that he was going to die. After a quick exam, I removed the large shard of glass from his back, made the clinical diagnosis of a pneumothorax (collapsed lung) and gathered supplies from wherever I could locate them to insert a thoracostomy tube in him. He was a trooper; I’ll never forget his courage. He allowed me to do this without any local anesthetic since none could be found. With his life threatening injuries I knew he was running out of time, and it had to be done. Quickly. Imagine my relief when I heard a big rush of air, and breath sounds again; fortunately, I was able to get him transported out. I immediately moved on to the next patient, .an asthmatic in status asthmaticus. We didn’t even have the option of trying a nebulizer treatment or steroids, but I was able to get him intubated using a flashlight that I held in my mouth. A small child of approximately 3-4 years of age was crying; he had a large avulsion of skin to his neck and spine. The gaping wound revealed his cervical spine and upper thoracic spine bones. I could actually count his vertebrae with my fingers. This was a child, his whole life ahead of him, suffering life threatening wounds in front of me, his eyes pleading me to help him.. We could not find any pediatric C collars in the darkness, and water from the shattered main pipes was once again showering down upon all of us. Fortunately, we were able to get him immobilized with towels, and start an IV with fluids and pain meds before shipping him out. We felt paralyzed and helpless ourselves. I didn’t even know a lot of the RN’s I was working with. They were from departments scattered all over the hospital. It didn’t matter. We worked as a team, determined to save lives. There were no specialists available– my orthopedist was trapped in the OR. We were it, and we knew we had to get patients out of the hospital as quickly as possible. As we were shuffling them out, the fire department showed up and helped us to evacuate. Together we worked furiously, motivated by the knowledge and fear that the methane leaks could cause the hospital could blow up at any minute.

Things were no better outside of the ED. I saw a man man crushed under a large SUV, still alive, begging for help; another one was dead, impaled by a street sign through his chest. Wounded people were walking, staggering, all over, dazed and shocked. All around us was chaos, reminding me of scenes in a war movie, or newsreels from bombings in Bagdad. Except this was right in front of me and it had happened in just 45 seconds . My own car was blown away. Gone. Seemingly evaporated. We searched within a half mile radius later that night, but never found the car, only the littered, crumpled remains of former cars. And a John Deere tractor that had blown in from miles away.

Tragedy has a way of revealing human goodness. As I worked , surrounded by devastation and suffering , I realized I was not alone. The people of the community of Joplin were absolutely incredible. Within minutes of the horrific event, local residents showed up in pickups and sport utility vehicles, all offering to help transport the wounded to other facilities, including Freeman, the trauma center literally across the street. Ironically, it had sustained only minimal damage and was functioning (although I’m sure overwhelmed). I carried on, grateful for the help of the community. At one point I had placed a conscious intubated patient in the back of a pickup truck with someone, a layman, for transport. The patient was self-ventilating himself, and I gave instructions to someone with absolutely no medical knowledge on how to bag the patient until they got to Freeman.

Within hours I estimated that over 100 EMS units showed up from various towns, counties and four different states. Considering the circumstances, their response time was miraculous. . Roads were blocked with downed utility lines, smashed up cars in piles, and they still made it through.

We continued to carry patients out of the hospital on anything that we could find: sheets, stretchers, broken doors, mattresses, wheelchairs—anything that could be used as a transport mechanism.

As I finished up what I could do at St John’s, I walked with two RN’s , Shilo Cook and Julie Vandorn, to a makeshift MASH center that was being set up miles away at Memorial Hall. We walked where flourishing neighborhoods once stood, astonished to see only the disastrous remains of flattened homes, body parts, and dead people everywhere. I saw a small dog just wimpering in circles over his master who was dead, unaware that his master would not ever play with him again. At one point we tended to a young woman who just stood crying over her dead mother who was crushed by her own home. The young woman covered her mother up with a blanket and then asked all of us, “What should I do?” We had no answer for her, but silence and tears.

By this time news crews and photographers were starting to swarm around, and we were able to get a ride to Memorial Hall from another RN. The chaos was slightly more controlled at Memorial Hall. I was relieved to see many of my colleagues, doctors from every specialty, helping out. It was amazing to be able to see life again. It was also amazing to see how fast workers mobilized to set up this MASH unit under the circumstances. Supplies, food, drink, generators, exam tables, all were there—except pharmaceutical pain meds. I sutured multiple lacerations, and splinted many fractures, including some open with bone exposed, and then intubated another patient with severe COPD, slightly better controlled conditions this time, but still less than optimal.

But we really needed pain meds. I managed to go back to the St John’s with another physician, pharmacist, and a sheriff’s officer. Luckily, security let us in to a highly guarded pharmacy to bring back a garbage bucket sized supply of pain meds.

At about midnight I walked around the parking lot of St. John’s with local law enforcement officers looking for anyone who might be alive or trapped in crushed cars. They spray painted “X”s on the fortunate vehicles that had been searched without finding anyone inside. The unfortunate vehicles wore “X’s” and sprayed-on numerals, indicating the number of dead inside, crushed in their cars, cars which now resembled flattened recycled aluminum cans the tornado had crumpled in her iron hands, an EF4 tornado, one of the worst in history, whipping through this quiet town with demonic strength. I continued back to Memorial hall into the early morning hours until my ER colleagues told me it was time for me to go home. I was completely exhausted. I had seen enough of my first tornado.

How can one describe these indescribable scenes of destruction? The next day I saw news coverage of this horrible, deadly tornado. It was excellent coverage, and Mike Bettes from the Weather Channel did a great job, but there is nothing that pictures and video can depict compared to seeing it in person. That video will play forever in my mind.

I would like to express my sincerest gratitude to everyone involved in helping during this nightmarish disaster. My fellow doctors, RN’s, techs, and all of the staff from St. John’s. I have worked at St John’s for approximately 2 years, and I have always been proud to say that I was a physician at St John’s in Joplin, MO. The smart, selfless and immediate response of the professionals and the community during this catastrophe proves to me that St John’s and the surrounding community are special,. I am beyond proud

To the members of this community, the health care workers from states away, and especially Freeman Medical Center, I commend everyone on unselfishly coming together and giving 110% the way that you all did, even in your own time of need. St John ‘s Medical Center is gone, but her spirit and goodness lives on in each of you.

EMS, you should be proud of yourselves. You were all excellent, and did a great job despite incredible difficulties and against all odds

For all of the injured who I treated, although I do not remember your names (nor would I expect you to remember mine) I will never forget your faces. I’m glad that I was able to make a difference and help in the best way that I knew how, and hopefully give some of you a chance at rebuilding your lives again. For those whom I was not able to get to or treat, I apologize whole heartedly.

Last, but not least, thank you, and God Bless you, Mercy/St John for providing incredible care in good times and even more so, in times of the unthinkable, and for all the training that enabled us to be a team and treat the people and save lives.

Sincerely,

Kevin J. Kikta, DO

Department of Emergency Medicine

Mercy/St Johns Regional Medical Center, Joplin, MO

Winning Your Customers Over…and Over…and Over

What is it your customers really want? Are you currently giving that to them?

When it comes to being customer centered, are you and your team reactive…. or proactive?

If you are not doing specific things that they want but don’t ask for…then chances are that you are reacting to your customers.

In the TV series M*A*S*H, there was a character named Radar O’Reilly. Radar had this knack of knowing what the Colonel wanted…before the Colonel asked. It was like a sixth sense, an intuition. So how can you have this same sixth sense?
Before we cover that, think about this scenario. You have a customer call you and proceed to ask you how you knew what they wanted…when they did not even know.

How do you create intuition?
It’s simple. Not always easy, but usually simple. Take an interest in them. Get to know them. Court them. Treat them like they are your soul mate and you want to develop a lasting relationship. What kinds of things would you do for that “special someone”?

Chances are you would go out of your way to find out what kind of flowers, or candy, or movies like, or interests that they had, and then you would go out and create a scenario that included what they wanted. You don’t wait for them to tell you to take you to their favorite restaurant, you take them before they ask.

It is this same concept. Anticipate what they need, want and desire. The only way you can do this is if you really know them. This months worksheet will help you to get to know them. It will give you some ideas of some of the things you need to know to “woo” them.

This applies for both internal and external customers. If you are not getting the productivity you ought to be getting from your internal customers, then you need to find out what it is that makes them tick…and then make sure they get it.

The goal this month is to get you thinking about your customers and how you can create win/win situations…continuously. If you like this worksheet, just think, we have many, many more worksheets, ideas and skill development workshops that will take your customer service to the next level!

Brain Fuel for Tuesday

Any man who can drive safely while kissing a pretty girl is simply not giving the kiss the attention it deserves.
Albert Einstein
What kiss are you not giving enough attention to today? Focus on doing fewer things better and you spend less time fixing things later.
More fuel for your brain.

The Image Dare

When it comes to your image, do you craft it like Michael Jordan, or do you just let the chips fall where they may?

This month is all about you my friends! You cannot be successful without the proper amount of self-confidence. The tougher the times, the more of it you need.

Two keys to success when thinking of yourself. First, what is your image? Take a test. This month’s activity is the Outerview. The Outerview (ask 5 people to tell you your 3 biggest strengths and your biggest weakness and where do they see you excelling in life) will help you to see how people perceive you right now. It is very helpful, and if done right, can bit enlightening and frightening! You will find out strengths that people perceive you to have, and weaknesses that will make you cringe! So get ready. You cannot fix what you don’t know is broken.

Second, the sticky note test. Grab a sticky note. Here is the exercise. You have one note to persuade someone that you are “the person” they need to get things done (what ever your things are). What do they need to know about you? You must fit your name and qualifications on the sticky note. Remember, someone else has to read it, so don’t write too small.

The Outerview will help you to get a handle on how others perceive you. The Sticky note test will help you to see how you sell yourself to others. What are the similarities in the two activities? What are the differences? When you step back and take a look at these, what does this tell you about yourself and your image? What is it you need to change?

This month, what is one thing you will start doing to better shape your image?
This month, what is one thing you will stop doing to better shape your image?

“Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don’t matter and those who matter don’t mind.” -Dr. Seuss

“Once you agree upon the price you and your family must pay for success, it enables you to ignore the minor hurts, the opponent’s pressure, and the temporary failures. “
-Vince Lombardi

Promise; What is your promise to your customers?

Promise
What is your promise to your customers?

This month we are looking at your RT – Relationship Targets.
Who are your customers? Who are your prospective customers? Are you building the right relationships to reach your IT?

Your customers are two-fold. Internal and External.
What are you promising to your Internal Customers? This probably has two answers for most organizations. First, what we think we are promising. This includes what we have in our marketing materials and what our salespeople are telling customers and prospects.
The second answer…is what your customers will tell you that you are actually delivering.

One of the biggest things you can do to get your business moving towards IT, is to make sure that your promises are in line with IT.

IC – Internal Customers. Colleen Barrett, former President of Southwest Airlines, said in an interview that their most important customers at Southwest were their employees (IC). That without them, they could not serve the external customers and would not have a business. So one of the things that makes Southwest successful, is they have built their culture around making their customers (IC and EC) happy.

What promises does your culture deliver? Does it deliver enthusiasm, harmony, inter-dependence and pro-activity? Or does it deliver animosity, distrust, and resentment?

EC – External Customers. How would you customers describe the experience of dealing with your organization on a regular basis? Delighted, depressed? Amazed, agog? Inspiring, perspiring? Are you making every customer contact a positively remarkable experience? Perhaps it’s time to ask them, thank them and make adjustments accordingly. These answers from your EC will also give you an insight as to what promise s your culture is making.

Refreshing!

Ah, nothing like fresh fallen snow to refresh and reinvigorate! It is so beautiful, fun to play in. Build snow men, snow women, snow bunnies, snow cows, or whatever snow creatures you like. Not only that, but you get a day off from work or school. A day to refresh your mind.
Why not do that everyday, when ever you need to refresh your attitude or your outlook. All day long, we have negative influences bombarding us from all directions. By taking a moment, 10-30 seconds, and having a “mental mint”, you can refresh your mind and reset your attitude!
Mental Mints are sayings that you have, write down several right now that you can say through out the day. Some of your favorite quotes, some statements of what you are really good at doing, some that remind you of the things you are grateful for. 5-25 words. Short sweet – refreshing!

What is 100%

My goal for the year is to be 100% in. That means to give maximum effort. So then I got to thinking, what is 100% effort? How do I know when I have given that? Can’t you always give “a little bit more”? As you go towards your goals this year, how will you know when you have given 100% to something? How will you measure it? Some people are super achievers, always doing something. Are they giving 100% or are they just hard working? What’s your 100%?

An On Purpose Life

It’s another new year, full of promise and excitement. How long does it last? For lots of people, it lasts until the first bump in the road, then they are thrown off track. Why? Because they don’t have IT. What is IT? Idealness Target. Your IT is what you are all about in a sentence or two. Something you can look at daily and it will remind you of who you are, why you are here and where you are headed. Keep your promises to yourself…on purpose!