Tag: leader

Doing what needs to be done

5:30am*, apartment, Chandler, Arizona, Saturday morning, March 26, 2022. (This is the first time I am using the scheduled post option. Actual writing time is 6:30pm, Friday, March 25, 2022. If all goes well I should be on the road to Orange County by 5:30am tomorrow morning. But I wanted to schedule this post because I believe consistently delivering at a regular time, first thing in the morning, is beneficial to you, the reader. It sets clear expectations of when you will see a post from me and that creates more of a mutually beneficial connection between us. Or so I hope. Either way, you can definitely tell I went to sales training this week.) The sales manager came to my office yesterday afternoon to discuss our second quarter marketing plan. I blocked out one hour for the session, but it ended up lasting four. I didn’t want to spend that much time working on marketing but, there isn’t much choice anymore; revenue is down and financials must improve. So many people above and below us depend on this site to be successful. We can’t let them down. Personally, this represents a completely new level of understanding; prior to this, the only person I ever cared about was me. As a result, I repeatedly struggled as a leader, a husband and a parent. I never truly embraced any role with heightened responsibility because I was scared of failure. I shied away from commitment to avoid being rejected. I lived a life of constant upheaval, skipping out on dedication because of fear. Well, I am not scared any more. I accept the situation and will do what needs to be done to succeed.

Wednesday morning

5:39am What did I do? I use this blog to share how I felt. It is a journal then. But what did I do? Who did I interact with? Yesterday I got to work a little late. The two girls who work down the hall were laughing. I made a cup of coffee and went through my emails. There was no call in the morning because we had our bi-weekly meeting where the staff come in to go over patients. The meeting started at 9am and got over with around 10am. After the meeting I met with the nurses to go over new assignments and update on our hiring process. At 10:30am I got on a group call for the communities on the west side then had my call with the supervisor. The call went well. Afterwards we got two referrals. I felt better. Getting referrals and admitting patients is how we stay in business. Around ten pm last night the admitting nurse sent me a text saying she did not admit the patient. I am frustrated. We are not a good hospice. We are not helpful or easy to work with. We do not provide value. We are like the beggars on the freeway exit, asking for consideration out of pity. I talked with my lead clinical nurse. She is always apprehensive to admit patients. Our approach does not work and our business is failing. I am not proud that this site is a reflection of me as a leader.

Frustrated with team

5:47am after a good start to the week I had an anxiety attack yesterday afternoon. It wasn’t associated any event. I just went to work after lunch and was in a terrible mood. I don’t want to own negative energy. I am frustrated with the performance of my team. As a leader I need to improve their performance or replace them. I am not doing my job by allowing it to continue

First time

1:43am this is my first time truly leading a hospice operation. I have been around hospice for over 20 years. I have been a director before. I am know what it takes to be successful. What good care looks like. but this is the first time I am in control. When I was the chaplain or in sales I didn’t control clinical services. The first time I was a director I wasn’t engaged. The second time I didn’t have time to get settled. I am in control. I expect excellence from people who represent me. I do not give up.

Shift

1:29am I use positive language. Shift focus. True voice. Side note: staying in true voice means not talking in future tense “I need to do…” or “I have to change…” true voice also means not getting stuck in observations. “I always…” or “when ________ happens I ______.” There is a rough patch at work. Frustration with my teams performance. I am falling into familiar feelings. I am saying familiar things. And I am doing exactly what I said not too! (Future change and observation) I am shifting now…I am the captain. I am the coach. I hold people accountable. I improve performance. I raise expectations. I am a leader. I win.

New perspectives

5:42am Friday. There are many ways I looked at life events the past 14 years that have been negative. I could not appreciate what I had because I grieved other things that I had lost. Moving to Arizona has changed my perspective. I am more focused on work. I have an identity as a boss, leader, captain. I have a healthier understanding of relationships. I appreciate being a parent. I am in a happy place. I am blessed. I am thankful for personal growth. I am thankful for the release of emotional frustration.

Break past limitations

A good coach, boss, leader, trainer drill Sargent, etc is someone that pushes you to break past the limitations you believe exist. There is an alchemy that occurs when you are at the point of breaking but choose to go forward instead. You find a gear, a new expanse of existence. Like the example in a previous post, you start to see the circles.

And like the circles you don’t see them at first. Someone tells you to keep looking. You might not know they are there. Then they disappear. Then your mind starts to see them. Being objective focused is the circles. The squares are emotions, ego, politics, games, excuses, accepting and rationalizing not achieving the objective.