Doing good work...
Original Post Date: 6/8/08

We all have something around the house we need to get done. Painting, mowing, cleaning…it's always something. Even at work it seems like there is always something to do that contributed indirectly to the success of the business. Lately, my work project has been people. To be specific, facilitating the professional development of new employees.

Not long ago, we hired the folks I talked about last week and, through the orientation process, it became clear that some fundamental part of their education was, well…missing. Through little fault of their own, they lacked some very basic knowledge without which we could not reasonably allow them to practice.

Long story short, we chose to remediate them. It was a labor-intensive process for all of us that went very well and, after a few weeks, one of them looked at me with surprising candor and said "I've figured it out. I'm your project, aren't I?"

She had me. Cold.

I started to give her the company line about everybody being equally important to me, but it was a lie and she would know it. Instead, I said "Would you have a problem with that?" She said she wouldn't and we went on about our business, but it got me wondering if that is the best way to train people.

Projects, mentoring, nurturing…whatever. It's all about focusing disproportionate effort towards a smaller group of people. Is it right? Absolutely. It's necessary.

Like I said, some of the employees in any career will be missing parts of the skill set needed to do what they have to do. As an administrator, you can either throw those people away or you can accept that they will require more of your time than others. You can then decide whether or not you will ask the same of them. That's the other side of this coin…they have to want it. Fortunately my project did indeed want to get better, and has. The point is, by taking time to help someone improve themselves, everybody gets something. We keep our technician, they keep their job and the patients get good care. Win-win-win.

But what about when you're the project? This happened to me recently and I must say it felt strange to be on the other side of the desk. To be someone's project can be rather daunting if, for no other reason than finding yourself in the shadow of someone else's hope for you. Mentors not only teach; they advocate, usually with vigor. There is a tremendous responsibility for the student or new employee or whoever to excel and give their best because your biggest fan has gone to bat for you and assured someone that you would. It's not as much pressure as it is approval…the stamp that says "You promised and I delivered." Your mentor's job may not be at stake, but a piece of their credibility is certainly in your supposedly-capable hands.
So, when you find someone at work who is struggling and you decide to help, remember that they should be grateful.

So should you.

This week has been fantastic! It's been like my own little summer music festival. Monday was the Eagles, then the Moody Blues on Tuesday. Outstanding! They were part of the Grand Opening Celebration of Hard Rock Park in Myrtle Beach. If you were there, you know the park is great; the shows were incredible; even if the venue itself sucked just a little. Their amphitheater is far too small to hold the kind of acts they have in mind. I did not; however, allow their poor planning to detract from my enjoyment of the shows.

Then on Thursday, my lovely bride calls and asks the dumbest question since why did the chicken cross the road: "Do you want to go see Jimmy Buffett this weekend?"

Duh.

After assuring her the answer to that question is always "yes", she told me that she had lucked into some tickets for the sold out show this weekend. That is how I found myself on the lawn at Walnut Creek with 35,000 of my closest friends swaying back and forth to "Southern Cross" instead of cleaning house. My wife rocks!

On a sad note, news broke this morning of the third air medical crash in less than a month. This one was in Texas, and like the one in Wisconsin in early May, was fatal. As brothers and sisters in the business, keep the families and colleagues of these fallen protectors in your prayers as they sort through what remains after the ultimate sacrifice. But, as medical professionals, remember to use the utmost discretion and thought when using air medical resources. Like us all, they take supreme risks every day when called; so be judicious when asking them to take those risks for you.

You can view and sign the condolence book here.

Do good things with the week to come, learn something new and be safe.