Week 3 – Lessons Learned

“Never tell people how to do things. Tell them what to do and they will surprise you with their ingenuity.”

−General George Patton

Week Three and we are just trucking along on our quest and uncovering the potential pitfalls regarding creating an innovative environment. During Week Three of this semester, we were tasked with interviewing people in our organization regarding current processes that encourages others to foster or participate in the innovation process. What I found was that unfortunately, most of my counterparts felt that the healthcare environment generally does not allow for a great deal of freedoms in how we perform our clinical functions or daily operations throughout our facility (Torres, 2015).

However, one of the many ways we can introduce a culture of innovation is by “…hiring talented people…” which can be seen as the “…first step in cultivating an innovative and creative environment” (Forbes.com, 2012). Many of us have heard before that our greatest asset is our people. So why is it that we think the only way to positively impact our bottom line is directly through cost saving efforts or reducing headcount when the going gets tough?

As I identified in my research paper this week, leaders are tasked with the responsibility for creating a “…workplace…in which innovation can flourish and thrive” and can do so by finding “…the right combination of people, processes and focus” by purposely seeking out “…diverse candidates who are aligned with a common mission…” (Fallon, 2014).

But not the entire future of the company can solely rest upon just middle management; some research has shown that innovative organizations maintain diligent focus on key areas such as“...deliberately managing the innovation process; engaging in leadership practices that…involve a diverse collection of skills, styles, and talents; and intentionally working to establish appropriate conditions to encourage and sustain creative efforts” (Isaksen, Aerts, & Isaken, 2009). As one of our classmates pointed out in our discussions this week, “The best ideas come at the right time, in the right place, and in the hands of the right people.” (Gaudiomonte, 2015).

There were a few standouts, that I can continue to work towards to promote and to “…create the most desirable work setting…” without compromising the framework required for essential operational functions and patient safety (Marquez, 2015). Additionally, I can continue to work hard at the “…removal of confining barriers that tend to exist due to strict compliance regulations…” without retracting from the employee’s motivation to work and the patient experience while at our facility (Marquez, 2015). After speaking with Maria, Rana and Marlene, I think the three largest areas of focus for my particular business unit need to focus around building a safer environment for employees to share their ideas, not just with me behind closed doors, but also with others. I am completely on board if everyone does not see eye-to-eye on a subject, but I want to make sure that my team can respectfully disagree and present conflicting points of view, no matter how crazy they may be, without the worry of judgment or punishment. From a management perspective, I need to do a better job to identify people that are wanting and needing more−and specifically discuss their needs within their current roles. I want to figure out what makes my team tick so they can feel better about what they do and how they contribute to our overall goals, of course. But I am finding myself wanting to create a place that comforts, invites, and rewards their unique efforts and ideas…creating the byproduct of a great place to want to come in and work hard each and every day!

As we learned from Delta Airlines, I posted that if we can identify the culture we are surrounded in, maximize the eclectic mix of the “right” employees, and foster “…new ways of thinking about our organizational structure and operations…” to harness our efforts and focus to surround an organic environment that promotes innovation, we may have the opportunity “…to get employees invested…” as a “…deliberate process…” to complement our goals and initiatives as leaders (Anderson, 2014). I truly learned how much I want to invest more time in my employees, even though I don’t have it, what a great gift I can give each of them to show I am invested in them, as much as their future with our team. Just like Delta found that because of their unique corporate culture, they attracted unique talent and strategies that work due to their “…determination to apply innovative thinking throughout the organization” (Anderson, 2014). I want to learn how to attract the same kind of talent that will breed new tricks into my old dogs! This investment of time in my employees will hopefully do the same as Delta found…created a culture where the employees become invested in what they do, whom they do it with, with a vision geared towards innovation that provides meaning and purpose in what they do.

Until we blog again!

References

Anderson, R. (2014, December). Delta’s CEO on Using Innovative Thinking to Revive a Bankrupt Airline. Retrieved from Harvard Business Review: https://hbr.org/2014/12/deltas-ceo-on-using-innovative-thinking-to-revive-a-bankrupt-airline

Fallon, N. (2014, June 04). Innovation in the Workplace: How to Harness It. Retrieved from Business News Daily: http://www.businessnewsdaily.com/6535-workplace-innovation.html

Forbes.com. (2012, December 31). 6 Ideas To Promote Innovation In Your Workplace This Year. Retrieved from Forbes.com: http://www.forbes.com/sites/theyec/2012/12/31/6-ideas-to-promote-innovation-in-your-workplace-this-year/

Gaudiomonte, P. (2015, April 10). A642.3.2.DQ - Making new ideas useful.

Isaksen, S., Aerts, W., & Isaken, E. (2009). CREATING MORE INNOVATIVE WORKPLACES: LINKING PROBLEM-SOLVING STYLE AND ORGANIZATIONAL CLIMATE. Creativity Research Unit.

Marquez, M. (2015, April 09). Director of Patient Access. (S. Cassano, Interviewer)

Torres, M. (2015, April 7). Administrative Director of Nursing. (S. Cassano, Interviewer)