By Karen Waninger
I am not an avid poker player like some others in this profession, but I have played a few hands from time to time. I do appreciate the concept of the game, where there is a requirement for the combination of knowledge, skill and strategy, and a little luck is always beneficial. I am especially intrigued with Dealer’s Choice, where there is an opportunity to get a bit creative with the rules. The dealer decides what the game will be for one hand, or for one full round, then it is up to the next dealer to do the same. For people who are uncomfortable with change, this may not represent their definition of fun, but I have always enjoyed it. It never gets boring, I just tend to run out of money and have to stop playing and go look for a less costly way to spend my time.
In some ways, that same concept applies in our work environment. With every new change in leadership, the expectations may change. Think about the many different levels of leaders that can impact the rules in health care environments. If we start by looking at the top, especially with the current events in the political contests across the country, there is no indication that we should expect stability in health care any time soon. From there, zoom in a little bit to look at the roles within the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), and the impact we have seen from their understanding (or lack of) regarding healthcare technology. Keep drilling down to take a look at state licensure rules, and there are even more variations.
Under all of that, each hospital, technology manufacturer, service organization, supplier, or other health care related business will have its own leaders making the decisions as to how the game will be played, for as long as it is their turn to make the rules. Simultaneously, they are all looking for ways to improve their respective outcomes. They may change processes, products, or people. With disruption among any of those, adaptations are required by the people who are directly affected, triggering the need for adjustments among anyone else who may be influenced by their actions, or even by a change in their attitudes.
Considering the amount of external influence we are subjected to, yet have no control over, it is important to focus our energy on making a positive difference where we can. In other words, when it is our turn to deal the cards and make the rules, we need to be aware of how the game we define may affect the other players. For example, if you decide there are going to be wild cards, it is critical that everyone else understands what they are and how they can be played. If there is any perception of making exceptions for one player, the same exception must then apply to all the other players. Additionally, be aware that you may be setting a precedent for making exceptions, which will become an expectation of being a standard process as play continues. In the work environment, there will always be unforeseen circumstances that may require a rule clarification. As a leader for your team, whatever team that is, you are also responsible for passing along any changes in the rules that may affect others.
As the dealer in the card game, another thing to consider is whether all the players are equally familiar with the game and the basics of how to play it, and whether individuals will catch on quickly enough to apply more complex strategies. There is always a struggle to find balance between keeping the game simple enough to be fun, and yet challenging enough to keep people interested. If we fail at either of those, people will wander off to find a game that is more to their liking.
As the leader in any work environment, you should be aware that you have a choice in how you build your processes, and how those processes will drive behaviors and satisfaction levels of your specific employees. Typically, we establish processes with an expectation of certain minimum levels of knowledge and competence. If we focus our efforts on assuring that everyone progresses quickly to more advanced stages of understanding, we do not have to build in as many redundant check steps and layers of oversight. Alternatively, we could design our processes with an assumption that no one should have to actually think and make good decisions on their own. If you have elected to hire individuals with a drive to learn, and a desire to excel, then your processes need to fuel that energy instead of draining it. Any highly intelligent, motivated and engaged group of employees will thrive in an environment where they are given autonomy and the ability to make decisions while feeling supported by leadership. That same group of employees, however, will quickly become frustrated if they are required to follow processes which do not fit the workflow of their daily activities, or if too many layers of redundancy are required before something is able to be completed. Although they may figure out how to function, and may even find ways to excel once again, the experience will leave them feeling like micromanaged monkeys, disgruntled to the point that more bananas will not settle them down. They will no longer be enjoying the game, and may intentionally lose the hand or the round in favor of seeking out a different game to play.
Whatever your role in the HTM profession, you will find yourself with the dealer’s button in front of you at some point. In this profession, some aspects of the game are always leader’s choice. Do your best to make the game fun, fair, and rewarding for those who are playing alongside you. Show respect for their intelligence and skill, and treat them as individuals with the potential to win. If they thrive in that environment, then you will be successful in preparing them for their turn as the dealer. At the same time, keep in mind that the rules beyond your control may change. Don’t forget to zoom back out, to once again see the many external parameters affecting health care, and be prepared to adjust when necessary.
Maybe it’s time to just forget all this and go to the beach, since I really don’t like poker that well.