Infusion’s Café Blog
To Get in the Flow, Reinvent Transparency
What are your strengths in practicing transparency across your organization?
Knowing the answer is key to understanding who you are as a company and how sustainable performance can be achieved within the network of complex relationships that is redefining the nature of work.
With an abundance of information at their fingertips, consumers have more choice and control over their experiences than ever before, opening the door to many more products and services.
The ability of this wealth of information to increase “customer personalization” raises expectations from customers and employees alike. Your organization’s level of transparency can impact both the quality of a customer’s experience and your employees’ ability to contribute really great work.
Reinventing transparency is key for forward-leading organizations as the nature of work continually changes due to customer and global market shifts, innovation, and a sharper understanding of information and the paths along which it flows.
As a leader, what does reinventing transparency mean to you? What can you do differently in areas such as sharing financial information, strategies, and goals with your workforce? Is this sufficient for tomorrow’s needs? Are your people practices reinforcing openness and honesty, or are employees carrying the heavy burden that comes when secrets have room to breed?
The world of work is changing at an exponential pace. As leaders, we can no longer expect that a workplace culture defined by rigid rules, tight policies, and innovation limited to a single department will be an appropriate response to shifting circumstances.
Customers need just-in-time responses and follow-up. Middle managers need the ability to make data-driven decisions that empower the organization to do the right thing at the right time. Members of a multigenerational workforce expect change and want to be included in the process. Remote workers need to know they can count on their colleagues and management to support their need for information, and access to experts within the company to accomplish great work.
While opening up our workplace and leadership to transparency may sound logical, some pitfalls are common as companies begin to embrace higher levels of accountability. Building a thriving workplace requires a leadership culture that can continually reinvent transparency in a way that honors your organization’s mission, vision, values, and people.
Tomorrow’s leaders must encourage open dialogue that can make working together in an interconnected workplace community a benefit to the company and its customers.
What are your thoughts regarding workplace transparency? Please share your comments below.
To learn more about ways you can enhance transparency and advance your workplace strategies further, contact us today or click here.
©2012 All rights reserved. Judy White, SPHR, GPHR, HCS is the founder and president of The Infusion Group™. A trusted partner in creating new possibilities in talent management and workplace culture design to have a meaningful impact on people, businesses, and society. How may we help you?
Photo Credit iStockPhoto/joshblake
Choose to Lead into the Future
its people. Even more inspiring, perhaps, is the rare leader who at a high level lifts the entire organization by creating an environment that benefits everyone by committing to success, now and in the future.Whether it is clearly defined or not, workplace culture is always being developed. Southwest Airlines co-founder Herb Kelleher once said, “Leading an organization is as much about soul as it is about systems. Effective leadership finds its source in understanding.”
As your organization draws closer to understanding its soul, ask yourself this question: “Are our leaders willing to work themselves out of a job?” If the answer is no, then it may be time to face the reality that your leadership pipeline is at risk. If the environment has become one in which your leaders are working with the goal of holding on to their positions rather than investing in growth and developing the next generation of leaders, they may not be in a position to advance their capabilities and/or the company’s strategic priorities. Our willingness to outgrow our roles and assume greater responsibilities – or potentially lose our jobs for not developing a succession of capable leaders – is always a choice.
As leaders we must be willing to let go of what’s comfortable to help our organization rise to the next level. Climbing to a higher level (or laterally to assume increased risk or challenge) isn’t easy. It takes effort, and it will require making sacrifices.
There are many reasons why busy leaders fail to develop people. The primary reason is that it’s hard work. We’ve all heard stories of when investments in others didn’t turn out well. Maybe you yourself have invested heavily in someone only to see that individual leave and
use his skills at another organization. That’s a risk we choose to take toward the goal of cultivating a thriving workplace.
As leaders, do you want a productive environment or a growth-oriented workplace? Both can yield favorable outcomes. However, a productive work environment tends to stay just that, productive. People’s potential remains at a level that will simply produce results rather than attain higher levels of performance and generate outcomes that deliver customer “wow,” which stems from unique talents, motivations, and experiences that expand capabilities.
The choice your workplace makes will determine whether you tap talent in a powerful way. If you find yourself in the “productive environment” category, the good news is you can make a choice to invest differently by making improvements to increase your workplace potential.
How can your workplace step forward? Consider the following:
- Confront the truth. Increase your organizational understanding by taking a hard look at where your top talent is today. Does it sufficiently represent the diverse people, customers, and stakeholders that you serve now and into the future? If not, how would you like to improve it?
- Build discipline. Develop a comprehensive strategy for advancing your diverse talent and challenging leaders, even if it’s uncomfortable initially, and begin to address key areas of development. Hold everyone accountable for advancing performance in this regard.
- Grow intentionally and work through insecurities. If you want your workplace to start reaching for the next level, begin removing any barriers that prevent people from doing great work and developing their talents. You might encounter some discomfort in other leaders across the organization who may be unwilling or unable to see the need for development. For leaders who may be afraid of being replaced or looking unfavorable, offer resources to work through those issues, including professional counseling if necessary. Maintaining a long-term focus can help you do the hard work and go the distance.
Remember that if you invest in others, they will never be the same again. And neither will you. We have the choice to make each day of our leadership a masterpiece – today and into the future.
Question: What choices are you looking forward to?
We value your feedback and welcome you to share your comments below or by dropping us an email.
Photo Courtesy: iStockphoto/olaser
©2011 All rights reserved. Judy White, SPHR, GPHR, HCS is the founder and president of The Infusion Group™. A trusted partner in creating new possibilities in talent management and workplace culture design to have a meaningful impact on people, businesses, and society. The Infusion Group™ brings together a portfolio of workplace services to achieve personalized business strategies for clients in the new world of work. For more information on achieving greater workplace potential, click here.
Management’s Emerging Role in the New World of Work
Photo Credit: iStockphoto
Are you feeling overshadowed by the expanding technologies in the new workplace? Are you feeling as though elements of your management role are becoming less important or even irrelevant now? If you, like many managers, answered yes to those questions, be assured your feelings are normal. They flow with the transition that is under way in many workplaces all across America.
New technologies and collaborative platforms offer employees, customers, clients, candidates, and shareholders with increased access to information. As a result, there is less dependence on managers as information keepers and providers. With enhanced tools such as company intranets and internal career websites, information is readily accessible and employees, clients, and customers have more options at hand as they make business and work life decisions. So you might be asking yourself: “If I’m not the key information provider, what will my role become?”
To help you discover an answer, let’s consider what has evolved in the last 10 years. More routine task-oriented positions moved outside of the U.S., while new technologies and social sites like MySpace, Blogger, Flickr, and Facebook came to the forefront. People began to connect with others from around the globe, and children began to experience the creative tools for drawing, writing, and designing in digital formats while social learning began to accelerate. If you’re a parent, how did your role change with your children during this time period?
We found that our own son’s needs slowly shifted between the middle school years and now high school. Over time, we gradually began to discover and understand his needs. Today, he wants us to mentor him more while supporting him from behind the scenes as he learns to explore new solutions to real-life challenges. By understanding his need for information, we are able to help him make better decisions by coaching him to discern the credibility, context, and application of data.
Over recent meetings, I asked business leaders what value they felt they were contributing to their organizations in today’s workplace. These forward-looking leaders acknowledged the opportunities being presented as their management roles change. Much like parents of today’s connected teens they viewed themselves as trusted stewards, collaborators, and mentors based on their experience and not controllers or “bosses.”
As you move through the transition, how might you begin to add different value in your organization and for your team? It takes courage to acknowledge one’s emotions during changing circumstances, but consider the opportunities that are being presented. As the leaders I recently spoke with discovered, by losing some control and sharing more responsibility with their management teams and employees, they were able to breathe a level of confidence into the workplace and, as a result, are gaining a whole new level of respect from their teams.
Consider the following:
- What opportunities are you being presented with?
- What if you extended some focus this week to understanding what your employees really need from you to be successful now and in the new workplace?
Explore our expanding suite of resources to help you meet the challenge of building sustainable business in the new world of work, click here.
© 2011 All Rights Reserved. The Infusion Group LLC. Judy White, SPHR, GPHR, HCS is the President of The Infusion Group, LLC, a people management consulting and coaching firm located in Raleigh/Durham, North Carolina. Follow: @TheInfusionGrpLLC To request reprint permission, please contact the Infusion Group™.
This Is Your Moment in Time
No one quite understands what happens when desire, preparation and sheer tenacity come together. It creates momentum, builds hope and belief. In 1980, 20 young men came together against all odds to overcome one of the greatest teams in the world of hockey. This unproven U.S. Hockey Team won the 1980 Olympics not only for their county, but for their families and themselves and for anyone who has or will face a great challenge.
Before the game, Coach Herb Brooks inspired his team with these eternal words,
“THIS is your time.”
Take a look outside your office door and give close attention to your employees. Remember when you were one of them with your nose down to the grindstone and dreaming about advancing someday? It was those very dreams that fueled your purpose and motivation; unlocking inner qualities that you didn’t realize were there.
Maybe you have a few low performers out there, but overall you’ve got a wonderful group of people. Everyone contributes pretty good work, and a few others shine brightly while most get along and collaborate well throughout the organization. It would be natural to feel content with your team and your leadership.
But look again. Are they playing with everything in them? Are they tired at the end of the day because of the physical, mental and emotional energy extended toward achieving a higher level of greatness? Or are they leaving the office each evening doing good work but just giving enough to get by?
Does it leave you feeling irritated every time you catch the headlines and see another example of our country coming in under it’s real potential? Or do you aspire to achieve knowing that previous generations, like the Traditionalists, individuals and leaders gave 100% and sacrificed so much to end tyranny, win World War II and rebuild our country? There wasn’t time to sit back and say, “Everything will be okay”. Deep within their souls they knew that great moments could only be achieved by extraordinary effort.
The 1980 Olympic Hockey Team looked beyond the odds, believed and went on to achieve.
Do you believe?
Leaders, this is your (our) moment in time. A time to bring the dreams of your employees and colleagues back to a place of purposeful confidence even when the odds may feel stacked, and press beyond any self-imposed limitations and open the doors to the best that others have to offer and accomplish something worthy that nobody thought could be done.
Consider these three decisions:
1) How strong of an emotional tie are you willing to build with your employees? And
2) How much are you willing to challenge them to set new limits?
3) What are you willing to give up in order to achieve 1) and 2)?
© 2011 All Rights Reserved. The Infusion Group LLC. Judy White, SPHR, GPHR, HCS is the President of The Infusion Group, LLC, a people management consulting and coaching firm located in Raleigh/Durham, North Carolina. Creating new possibilities to help you achieve sustainable workplace success, www.theinfusiongroupllc.com Follow: @TheInfusionGrpLLC
Photo Credit: Values.com
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The New Workplace: Tomorrow’s Future
IFG is honored to be featured in this month’s issue of Women With Know How Magazine. Please see the full article below.
Several key trends in technology, globalization, workforce demographics and societal shifts have caused today’s workplace to undergo massive shifts in the midst of lingering fundamental reform and continued economic uncertainty.
For the first time in our nation’s history women represent nearly half of the U.S. workplace. According to the Center for American Progress, working mothers have become key breadwinners or co-breadwinners in nearly two-thirds of American families1. As CEOs and workplace leaders we must consider how these trends and other fundamental shifts will impact our companies going forward. Have you given thought to the following?
- How will we work and live in the future?
- What critical talent capabilities exist in your organization now?
- How compelling is your workplace in attracting, developing and retaining leading talent?
- What is the strength of your workplace brand?
- How agile is your workplace culture in redeploying talent to execute strategy effectively?
While each warrants our consideration we must not neglect the anticipated impact of other workforce trends; each adding another level of complexity while also presenting new opportunities to increase our respective organization’s future competitiveness.
When the Boom Hits
Your company may currently be benefiting from the explosion of mobile technologies and the expertise that the culmination of four diverse generations brings to your workplace. Yet according to the U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Department of Labor the domestic working age population is expected to see slower growth rates of 1% through 2015. The working age population in countries such as France, Russia, Italy, the Netherlands, South Korea and Spain continue to decline. According to the United Nations’ World Population Prospects database Japan and Germany are expected to drop by 14% and 7% respecitvely by 2025.
While some baby boomers are expected to delay retirement, an estimated skills gap shortfall in excess of 30 million U.S. workers will still exist. Competition for highly skilled talent is only going to increase. As CEOs and business leaders we need to adapt to the changing environment and have several scenarios in place. We need to plan ahead and design a talent management blueprint that infuses our business strategies while leveraging adaptable scenarios, all while prioritizing investments and exceeding customer needs. We need to re-evaluate how we define value, how we approach talent.
Understand and Strengthen
Rather than focusing on age gaps within our workforces, we need to think through the various strengths and capabilities that each generation has to offer. We must first seek to understand our people and design a workplace culture that encourages people from various generations to work and adapt together, each bringing a unique way of thinking and doing. The result will be fresh ideas and a greater appreciation for the knowledge and talent that each individual brings to the workplace community.
Changing with the Times
The information era has created new opportunities and forever changed the way in which we view and do work. The new workplace is less about a physical location, and more about the ability to connect with colleagues and leading experts around the globe from virtually anywhere. Face-to-face interaction is not going to fade away. However executives and front-line managers must effectively build and manage teams comprised of various cultures and even native languages.
Critical Talent Segments
Companies continue to rely on temporary workers and freelancers for flexibility in managing work volumes and efficiencies in an uncertain economic environment. The USA Today2 released data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics reporting that of the 593,000 jobs added by private employers between September and October 2010, 68% were filled by workers placed by temporary-staffing agencies; this constitutes an increase of 404,000 workers.
With these shifts, loyalty can become a serious concern among existing workers who may view their positions in jeopardy of being outsourced or eliminated. Leaders need to exercise caution and focus on existing workers as well as not to alienate critical staff members who may be keeping their options open with the anticipated improvement of the economy.
What Next?
We’ve read the statistics. We’ve seen and heard the market trends. What can we do as CEOs, as business leaders, to prepare our companies for the future?
Revisit Your Company Values & Make Any Necessary Adjustments
- Are the company values relevant to the future you envision?
- Do our leaders reflect these values in their behaviors, communication, and leadership?
- How does our workforce perceive these values?
Create an Integrated Talent Management Roadmap
- Create a strategic overview and design of your company’s people management discipline and workplace architecture.
Conduct a Strategic Talent Inventory and Workforce Plan
- Provide holistic insight into your actual capabilities through analysis of internal vs. external supply and demand, engagement, performance and needed skill mix to make the company adaptable for the future.
A flexible workplace culture that can enable performance potential to execute business objectives goes far beyond flex-arrangements, job sharing and telecommunicating.
- Pro-actively addressing the strategic and broader implications of these trends can secure a structural and communication pipeline of capabilities, fuel performance improvements, and attain desired results.
Every investment into your business matters. Treating talent and culture with the same rigor as other financial considerations can help you prioritize the necessary investments needed to achieve your business strategy now and in the future.
© 2011 All rights reserved. Judy White, SPHR, GPHR, HCS is the President of The Infusion Group ™ LLC, a next generation strategic people management consulting and executive coaching firm based in the Raleigh/Durham, NC area. Partnering with leaders and organizations in designing the new workplace to have meaningful impact on people, businesses and society. For reprint permissions, please contact The Infusion Group™ LLC.
Notes:
1Center For American Progress, The Shriver Report, A Woman’s Nation Changes Everything,
October 16, 2009.
2 The USA Today, Freelance Workers Reshape Companies Jobs, Paul Davidson,October 13, 2010.
Read Women With Know How August 2011 Issue
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Listening to the Future
In today’s changing environment, many leaders are questioning how they will steer their organizations, customers and teams into the future.
Take a quick scan of any of the major business papers and you’ll find a dozen headlines that all spell uncertainty. Dodd-Frank, IFRS and the Patient Protection and
Affordable Care Act (PPACA) are a few of the regulations that stand to fundamentally transform finance, health care and industry as we know it. Given the political landscape, however, some of these provisions continue to be fleshed out, requiring you to maintain a high level of involvement and integration across your company in order to manage new risks and ensure that expertise, processes, controls, capabilities and tools are infused in values that matter.
Finding Solid Ground
Regardless of your industry, regulation has become an increasing part of the operating environment and is sure to remain a dominant player in shaping future business plans. What does this mean to you as a transformational leader? We believe that managing risk requires the involvement and tone of committed leadership both within the C-suite and throughout the ranks that facilitates new levels of collaborative partnerships and agility.
The seismic shifts that are occurring involve collective action and practical management thinking. Are you experiencing some of these shifts in your workplace already? Are you finding that the organizational structures that once served your company well have become shaky? Rather than generating intended efficiencies, are the old structures and traditional career ladders creating obstacles and holding back innovation?
Moving toward a flatter, more adaptable organization is a step that many forward-leading organizations began taking years ago in order to prepare for the future. These companies were listening. By validating their assumptions and acting on their priorities, they continue to take the necessary steps to build a workplace culture that better enables the delivery of sustainable outcomes for the long term.
As a leader, when you press the pause button on your busy life and listen to the future, what do you hear?
While there are many key trends shouting for our attention, one of the more pressing in terms of strategic change is demographics. As the U.S. prepares for generational shifts and the impact of a shrinking workforce population around the globe, savvy leaders need to determine how these demographics, generational factors, consumer demographic and buying power shifts will impact their business objectives, culture and workplace design over the short and long term. For example,
- Women now control $12 trillion of the overall $18.4 trillion in global consumer spending1
- 75.1% of women identify themselves as the primary household consumer purchaser2
Given these unprecedented trends, there remains a lot to flesh out. We invite you to journey with us here as we explore fresh approaches to your diverse workplace and new choices to enhance your ways of leading, collaborating and building a sustainable business in a constantly changing environment.
To request reprint permission, please contact the Infusion Group™
© 2011 All Rights Reserved. The Infusion Group LLC. Judy White, SPHR, GPHR, HCS is the President of The Infusion Group, LLC, a people management consulting and coaching firm located in Raleigh/Durham, North Carolina. Learn more about optimizing your workplace for the future by www.theinfusiongroupllc.com Follow: @TheInfusionGrpLLC
1 Boston Consulting Group Press Release (September 8, 2009)
2 Mediamark Research & Intelligence, “Despite Decades of Gains in the Workforce, Women Still the Predominant Household
Shoppers” (November 12, 2009)
On The Edge of Potential
Standing on the edge of a boat along Japan’s Pacific Coast, pearl divers begin scouting the sea and identify where they will make the day’s dive into freezing waters to find their treasures. Often searching underwater up to a minute at a time with no breathing apparatus, these highly trained pearl divers know the depths of the finest oyster beds lying on the ocean floor. Workers and tourists, like my husband, who took in this captivating sight while visiting family in Japan, wait eagerly for the divers to reappear with their harvest.
Mikimoto, seller of the world’s finest-quality cultured pearls, works with a delicate blend of science and artistry to discover each pearl’s potential. To an untrained eye, many of the pearls 
found would appear to be of little value. But founder Kokichi Mikimoto, known for his passion for excellence, perfected the process of identifying and refining these natural wonders.
Even for the best-trained divers, the risks of their work can be great. One family, whose ancestors were pearl divers, experienced the dangers firsthand when their eldest son found an unusually rich oyster bed and stayed down too long and died soon afterward. He had brought up with him an oyster containing the perfect pearl. It was the most valuable anyone, including his family, had ever seen.
When World War II broke out, the pearl was hidden. Later, the family was approached by many buyers, but they explained that the pearl was beyond price; it was held in memory of their son’s death.
When your workplace begins scouting new waters and leaps toward new opportunities in hopes of discovering innovations, where will your organization turn? Where will your talent potential be standing? How quickly will you be able to swim back up if business takes another hit? The answers lie in something already on board; talent, where real potential is standing on the edge.
Mikimoto said: “Pearls are like fingerprints in that each one is unique.”
They are treasures that we hold onto, but a pearl’s real beauty and significance is discovered when its potential is released and shared.How unique is the talent within your workplace? Is it time to unleash it?
We always enjoy hearing from you. Please drop us a line or call us to explore your workplace potential further.
For reprints permission, please contact The Infusion Group™.
© 2011 All rights reserved. Judy White, SPHR, GPHR, HCS is the President of The Infusion Group ™ LLC, a next generation people management consulting and executive coaching firm based in the Raleigh/Durham, NC area. Follow: @InfusionGrpLLC
Photo Credit: Creative Commons Anan, Tokushima, Japan
The Changing World of Work
The world of work is multi-faceted, with complexities not easily seen at first glance. As transformational leaders, consider your respective industry, markets now and those waiting for you to enter in the following scenario*:
Arriving to work on Monday you join a company meeting of 200 colleagues. While many are physically present, many more are attending virtually. The purpose for the gathering is to design a new product or service solution to improve the transportation, education and water conditions in Guyana that are impeding it’s economic growth and stability. Guyana serves as a key supply chain partner to one of your biggest customers. However the issue is further compounded by the determination of your SWOT scanning that identified a significant environmental issue. Illness has begun to spread throughout the region negatively impacting the families, many of whom you employ, and their crops.
Participants in the meeting include managers, employees, educators, government and non-
government organizations, health officials, supply chain partners, customers and potential customers.
The task is a formidable one. During the next three days everyone works in small groups; physically and virtually. The goal is two-fold; to design core solutions that will generate both profit which is agreed by everyone, and create a sustainable environment that will
improve the quality of life in the Guyanan communities and surrounding areas. A solution is attained and you feel both exhilarated and exhausted at the conclusion of the meetings. You
return to your new office area, but before you settle into your cubicle to catch up on
your regular work from the last three days, you debrief in the collaborative common area. It is an area designed to recharge one’s senses in a sunny and quiet open space.
Once you feel somewhat caught up at the office, you head to the gym for a quick workout. Soon you are off to your car where you listen to retrieved mail via video while driving home for an
evening with your family.
Given the depth of challenges that exist in the U.S. are companies really going to be concerned with the environmental and societal issues? Will they be at the forefront?
The answer is a confident, yes. Leading organizations are already integrating key environmental objectives into their corporate responsibility initiatives. The ability to foresee and proactively address issues prior to their becoming a crisis is standard procedure for companies like Whole Foods Market, Stonyfield Farms, Novartis, PepsiCo, and Proctor & Gamble.
Given the rate and complexity of global change, forward thinking organizations do not seek competitive advantage in individual areas like innovation, cost effectiveness and execution. They create value by excelling in multiple areas of business performance such as design, innovation, change execution, social responsibility and sustainability. Why? Their organizational existence and long-term growth depend on it.
What’s different in the new world of work than historical leadership models? It now requires multiple organizational structures and a number of management practices to create an environment that is poised with optimal performance capabilities.
How have you begun to experience a shift in your leadership role?
© 2011 All rights reserved. The Infusion Group™ LLC Judy White, SPHR, GPHR, HCS is the President of Raleigh/Durham, North Carolina based The Infusion Group ™ LLC, a next generation people management consulting and executive coaching firm. For reprint permission, please email: contact@theinfusiongroupllc.com Follow @theinfuisongrpllc
*For Illustrative Purposes Only
Photo credit: iStockPhoto
Answering the Call
Florence Nightingale was the daughter of a well connected British Family. Her parents William and Frances Edward Nightingale lived near the Porta Roman in Florence, Italy and named their beloved daughter after the city they called home.
In February of 1837 Ms. Nightingale was inspired by a call from God to join the profession of
nursing. Well educated, she left behind the comforts of an upper class home and responded to her 
new calling.
Sacrifice and Compassion
Serving in the Crimean War of 1850 with a staff of 38 volunteer nurses, she embraced her duties with compassion, caring and an unwavering commitment to the wounded and dying soldiers. In the face of horrific war time conditions she earned the nickname “The Lady with the Lamp” as she tirelessly made her rounds to the wounded through the darkness of night.
Excellence
Earlier experiences and travels led Ms. Nightingale to pioneer advancements in healthcare by addressing sanitation, hygiene and mass infections common during that time. Her efforts were not in vain for countless peoples’ lives were saved through the implementation of her health care advancements. She founded the first educational training program for nurses, The Nightingale School of Nursing of Great Britain, and it continues to provide education today at the University of Southampton. Accepting her call to lead others and deliver compassion to the sick, Ms. Nightingale continues to be an inspiration to nurses and healthcare professionals around the world. Ms. Nightingale’s historic contributions are honored every year through the dedication of a week long celebration; a celebration to the commitment and mission that thousands of healthcare workers and nurses in the United States and abroad demonstrate every day. Nurses/Healthcare Professionals week recognizes the calling and lifetime commitment of those in the healthcare industry who act with humility and deliver high quality care to those in need. These dedicated individuals strive to propel meaningful healthcare advancements forward.
Honor
During the week of May 6th – May 12th, the Infusion Group™ invites you to join thousands of business leaders around the U.S. in recognizing the 14.3 million healthcare professionals during National Nurses Week. Giving thanks and honor to nurses, doctors, medics, and all who serve in an industry comprised of more than 
780,000 hospitals, physician offices, emergency care units, nursing homes and social service providers.
These dedicated professionals continue to maintain high standards of compassionate care in a climate of shifting health care reform. Hospitals and healthcare systems are finding themselves in a new landscape, one that is fundamentally transforming business as they know it. Amidst the creation of new regulations that impact everything from financial considerations to administrative responsibilities, healthcare workers and nurses must continue to answer the call and provide unwavering quality and compassionate care.
On behalf of The Infusion Group™, we extend our appreciation to America’s healthcare professionals this week and always for their ongoing commitment and dedication to the profession of serving people with dignity, respect, compassion and competence.
How will your workplace honor our healthcare heroes?
For reprint permissions, please contact the Infusion Group™,
© 2011 The Infusion Group LLC. Judy White, SPHR, GPHR, HCS is the President of The Infusion Group, LLC, a people management consulting and coaching firm located in Raleigh/Durham, North Carolina. Helping leaders and organizations design the new workplace for future growth.
Recommended Reading:
The Florence Prescription, Joe Tye, Author
What Drives You?
Imagine being at the pinnacle of your career. You have transformed an international organization into a $71 billion conglomerate and now, at the young age of 74 are looking forward to retirement. Suddenly the option of retirement is postponed as you are faced with one of the most difficult challenges of your career. The business environment has not only become increasingly hostile, but the very government under which you operate your businesses is facing allegations of corruption. This is the all too present reality for Ratan Tata, Chairman of the Tata Group; one of the world’s best known Indian companies boasting brands such as Jaguar, Land Rover, the Pierre Hotel in New York, and Tetley Tea. The daunting task for Ratan Tata is to enable his global operations in over 40 countries, employing approximately 3,000 employees, to remain focused on sustaining key objectives and navigating the new political waters.
The heart of the Chairman and his employees has always remained focused on one purpose; to be a high performing organization and positively impact India’s poor by giving back. Their passion and commitment permeate every business division proving that a devoted culture and people can affect performance and positive change in the lives of others through selflessly serving. While maintaining a value driven organizational culture, Mr. Tata and his highly dedicated workforce are striving to expand a domestic growth strategy in the midst of governmental dysfunction. Together Mr. Tata and his key investors and employees, along with many fellow business leaders, are working in unison with a deep resolve to protect a heritage built on leadership, trust, growth, and caring for India’s poor communities. Mr. Tata and those committed to the task at hand know what corporate responsibility and community are. They are living it out and taking a stand for what they believe to be right. How would people describe your culture, your community?
It’s a New World
Becoming one at work requires CEOs, and senior executive teams to place top priority on the organizational principles that will lead their businesses into the future. Perhaps we need to take down the values we have hanging on our office walls and analyze their applicability for what’s ahead. Thriving organizational cultures lead. They do not replicate nor are they duplicates, because at the end of the day, organizations are about people propelling toward the future. People who are working together as a community; a community that will leave a lasting footprint upon the world. What will that footprint be? What will it communicate to the world? Will it say that our diverse workforce of individuals each brought something special that contributed to the good of the organization; to the good of the world? Were individual’s unique talents, strengths and potential embraced?
- What collective values will you and your workforce determine as best for the organization?
- How does living out these values become the first principle in leading a healthy workplace community?
When might you consider changes in workplace culture necessary? The following situations signal that change should be a high priority.
- Desire to lead your respective industry.
- A new business strategy responding to global expansion or loss in industry market share.
- Financial performance is weak and/or declining.
- Surveys and leading vital signs, or indicators, identify disturbing workforce trends; and/or customer satisfaction indexes are low.
- Unable to attract leading talent from outside of your organization.
Does any of this sound all too familiar? Let us help you explore key ways toward becoming one in your workplace and optimizing business performance. Move your strategic advantage forward.
© 2011 All rights reserved. The Infusion Group™ LLC Judy White, SPHR, GPHR, HCS is the President of The Infusion Group ™ LLC, a next generation people management consulting and executive coaching firm based in the Raleigh/Durham, NC area.
Photo credit: Flickr
