Getting Nurses to “Buy In”

Why is it so hard for hospital administration to get buy in when they purchase new products for their clinical staff?  Maybe it is because the buy in should have come before the purchase. Even if it will save them time in the long run, nurses are so busy these days that a new piece of equipment is the last thing they want to think about.   I would like to see more hospitals take a step back and prepare first. Especially, if it has to do with changing the way things have been done for a long time.  Changing the culture is hard for everyone involved.  The busy and burned out are not interested in anything that will take time and energy.  How to do it?

1.  Awareness…Make everyone aware of the change that is coming down.  This will promote buy in.  When the staff is prepared for a change they will feel part of it.  Nurses want to work for a hospital that cares enough to purchase equipment that makes the staff’s job easier or aids in the healing of their patients.  Just let the staff know before the new product arrives.  Better yet, let a select group help make the decision on which equipment to buy.

2.  Desire…Measure the desire of the nurses for the buy in.  If you can’t create desire, you shouldn’t move forward.  Knowing the advantages of the product and what problems or issues it will solve is critical in creating desire.  Talk it up.  Find a product champion to help build the desire needed.   Get everyone excited about the anticipation of the new product arrival.

These two steps will make the process of changing a product or the culture in your hospital so much easier.  Life is easier when you have the buy in.  Awareness and desire are the keys.

Big Is Not Always Better

Why do large companies that purchase smaller companies have a hard time keeping the customers?  Doesn’t this defeat the purpose of buying market share?  I sold my company 2 ½ years ago and since then I have seen the revenue my company enjoyed dwindle to a fraction of what it was.  Large companies tend to spend a great deal of time on the bottom line and very little time on where the revenue comes from?  The new owners should immediately begin developing relationships with their new customers. 

Customer loyalty is earned.  It cannot be taken for granted.  There are so many people fighting for the same business.  You can’t lighten up.  You will lose your edge.  I think that customer service should be accelerated during this time.

Make it seamless.  The customer doesn’t care that you are trying to iron out the loose ends.  They want everything to be the same.  No new rules.  No new people.  No new issues.  When I say seamless, I mean it.  A new name at the top of the invoice should be the only visible change.

Caring goes a long way.  Show the customer you care.  Let them know you are interested in their business and profitability.  Partner with them to grow both of your businesses.  If the business grows, they will not look to the competitor.  They will be grateful for the help.

I think business relationships are often lost as businesses are sold or rapidly grow.  This does not have to happen.  Keeping the small company warmth and appeal will produce more dollars than policing the bottom will ever produce.

Knowledge Is Power

I am struggling with how there are people that do not understand that great professional opportunities are a luxury these days.  It is so important that we fine tune our skills.  There are so many talented people for each position out there.    Knowledge is power in business these days.  There is no place for overconfidence.   To stand out in business today we must do 3 things.

Know your stuff…Polish what you already know.  Be better than your peers.    Don’t make mistakes.  Read, research and learn everything pertinent to your job. Stay on a path of lifelong learning.   An arsenal of knowledge can be your advantage.

 Be a step ahead… Be the first one to show up and the last to leave.  Make the most of what you are doing.  Let your efforts be known.  If you don’t know the answer, ask someone.  Don’t guess.   Be sincere about what you want to accomplish.  Create the vision and make it happen.

Walk the talk…Work by an ethical standard that is above the rest.  So many people tell you what you want to hear.  I can usually read through the lack of sincerity.   And, how do people that use this philosophy keep it all straight.  Your customers want to be able to believe what you say.

Remember…work to be the best at what you do.

Desire

Desire is a critical step in making a successful change in a business plan.  How do we create the desire in our employees to make the changes needed?   You should determine the motivating factors in support of your change. Think about why someone would oppose the changes that need to be made. I think that resistance needs to be identified and dealt with early in the process. This is when you need a communications plan.  In the Prosci change management model the process includes:

1)    Identify the audiences.

2)    Identify key messages and timing

3)   Determine the content packaging and delivery method.

4)     Prepare and present the communication plan to your team.

Communication should come early and often.  The appropriate message is so important to building the desire needed to be successful.  The message should be that this change is necessary.  The desire will come from knowing the who, what, when and why.   Employees want to be on a strong team that will create something meaningful.   Desire is imminent if you follow the steps.

Awareness is the First Step in Change

Why is it so hard for people to change?  We all get settled into the way we do things and then someone comes up with something bigger and better.  That is when the majorityof us freak out!  I think change is exciting.  Learning new things and ways of doing them is exciting to me but I am a risk taker.  People that are risk adverse do not feel quite as comfortable with change.  I have a few ideas about how to help these employees be more comfortable.  

Awareness is the first step.  Not only do people need know but they need to understand why the change is important.  People support what they help create.  If awareness of how your team is about to create something exceptional is communicated, the reception will be quicker and more positive. 

Communicating the need, reason and plan is important to setting the stage for a successful transition.  Employees want to know why things are done.  I interviewed some employees of a client to learn more about how they do a particular segment of their jobs.   They had very few nice things to say about the way things were being done.  After more research, I found out it was because they have no idea why the processes are done the way they are.  Explaining the policies and procedures and why things are done a certain way, helped them understand the business decision behind the policy.   BINGO!!  It was a simple fix to a big problem.

Making employees aware can ease the pain for everyone involved.  For every change, event, policy or procedure; a communication plan needs to be in place.  It doesn’t have to be complicated but it needs to be formal.  Gossip can be lethal.  Awareness of the REAL story will make everyone’s life better.  Think of awareness first before implementing any change project.

Leadership is Key to Successful Change in LTC

I am working on a presentation for a national healthcare conference in March.  The focus is how and why the leadership model in long term care facilities must change when the institutional model is changed to the household model.  I believe that a certain process must take place prior to initiating a successful leadership model such as “self directed work teams”.  The process I like to use is the Prosci change management process.  With this model you will know up front if you have the right people in place to carry out your plan.  The Prosci model includes 5 steps:

The 1^st step to enable a change is to create awareness of the need for change.  Team members need to be aware of and understand the nature of the change.  Awareness of the weakness in the old ways of the institutional nursing home model and the strength of the new house hold model is essential to building the platform for what is to come.

Desire is the second step.  Desire represents the motivation and support of the need to change.  This step will quickly help you determine who you want on your team.  Building awareness does not automatically create desire.  Understanding the underlying factors that influence a desire to change is an important step.  Desire to support and participate in change is many times determined by what is in it for the individual and the expectation of the success of the change.

Knowledge is the how.  Knowledge must include: training and education, detailed information and the understanding of the new roles.  Understanding how to change can be a simple process or a total transformation in thinking.  Change can’t be successful without the capacity, resources and access to the information needed to create the leadership model desired.

Next is ability.  A demonstrated capability to implement change and achieve the desired performance level is critical.  Some employees may never develop the required abilities.  When this step is achieved the change is visible in action. When transforming a nursing home into the model of the future, we must have qualified staff capable of performing a variety of jobs.  Building a home that is comfortable and safe takes a special ability.

Finally, reinforcement is essential for continued results.  Recognition and rewards are great reinforcement tools.  Most people know when they have succeeded but recognition lets them know that what they have done is important.       

The future of long term care is resident directed care.  When these steps are achieved I believe that the self-directed work team model will be easy to implement.   A staff that is involved and accountable makes a healthier and friendlier environment.

What do your customers say about you?

What do you want your customers to say about you?  What is said about you defines the strength of the relationships you have developed.  Honesty, integrity, valued vendor and good friend are all words we want to hear spoken about us from our customers.   

In order to achieve this you must do 3 things.

1)     Create a belief system in your customer that they need you.  How do you do that?  Be valuable.  Give them a stream of factual and valuable information. 

2)    Create a connection with your customers.  Don’t be pushy.  Don’t try to sell them something every time you see them.  Be easy to be around.

3)    Communicate congruency in all you say.  “Walk the talk” as they say.  Don’t tell someone you will do something if you can’t.  Under promise and over perform.

Do these things for 6 months and then ask a colleague to ask someone their opinion.   You will quickly find out if your true authentic ways are being received.   If the answer is not what you expected, tweak your plan and start again.  This is a journey to getting the most out of your business relationships.  Let me know how it goes.

Why won’t people invest in their careers?

This week I made a presentation for the exhibitors at a healthcare convention.  The subject was “Building Business Relationships that Last”.  The presentation was a value add for the vendors.   It was lite, funny and packed with secrets to securing business in a market that I have been very successful in.

I was very disappointed in the turn out.  Out of hundreds of sales and marketing people in attendance, I only had a handful of people show for my talk.  I don’t get it.  Do people not want to invest in their careers?  Do they believe they know it all?   Do they want to be the ones standing in the booths at trade shows or the ones having drinks with the CEOs? 

Continuing Education:  As a life-long learner, I never turn down an opportunity to pick up some tips on making my business process easier and more successful.   When I am in the presence of people who I know have closed the big sale or have strong relationships with those I don’t.  I ask questions.  I want to know how they got there.  Obviously, they know something I don’t.  I promise you…I will find out.

Time Management:  I asked a couple of people why they didn’t come to my presentation.  Their response was, “I had to finish getting ready for the exhibit hall to open”.  OK, I understand that.  BUT, why didn’t they manage their time to allow for 45 minutes of insight on how to get more out of the next 2 hours with the potential customers that are coming through the exhibit hall?   Either they didn’t spend their time wisely or they don’t care. 

Focus:  I bring up focus because it continues to be something I have to work on.  The main focus when at a trade show should be on building a new relationship with a potential customer.  The first step should be who you want that person to be.  In my presentation I told the group if they need introductions I will be happy to do so.  And I did.  A few of the participants acted on my offer.  Now they are a step closer to the goal of the show.  Secure a new customer.  Focusing on a goal of who you want to meet is crucial to being successful. At a trade shows.

Even though I was disappointed in the turn out for my presentation, I will say the convention was very successful for Match Healthcare Consulting.  We picked up 2 new clients.  Neither of the companies attended my talk.  The good thing for me is I get to bill them for something they could have gotten for free.

Positive Thinking

This morning I woke up in a little bit of a “funk”.  Ok, it’s January 15th and I am already stressed.  What is up with that?  Then I remembered, it’s always like  this  in January because  it is one of the busiest months of the year for me.  While drinking my coffee I picked up a blog I had printed but not read.  The name of it was “7 Little Habits That Can Change Your Life“.  The first habit was to develop positive thinking.  Wow, did the article talk to me!  I immediately started reflecting on positive images and words.  Voila!  The funk was gone.  Now all I have to do is make this a habit – “Men’s natures are alike;  it is their habits that separate them” -Confucius

I may keep this article beside my coffee pot.

New Year…New Project

I have always loved getting back to work in a new year.  Starting fresh in a new year makes me feel like the slate is clean and there are endless posibilities.  I usually make a few resolutions that include some kind of business development projects.  This year it going to be to complete the business relationship development model that I started in November.  I think the 2010 project is going to be my best ever.  Building relationships that weather the test of time are what people will be looking for as our business climate continues to change.  Credibility and authenticity are the basis of my model.   Business  people are looking for simplicity and transparency.