Just when I thought I had seen almost everything in 25+ years as a
leader...two months ago my VP/CNE asked he to consider Interim Co
Director Emergency Dept. Our ER sees 73,000 visits annually, 7th busiest
in Virginia. Here is some lessons I have learned
1) Is she crazy? (Kazie as my 4 year old grandson Jacob
says)....when asked to consider a new role..SLOW DOWN. Think about it
from many aspects as possible. I had 3 pages of follow up questions that
we discussed over the next 3 weeks. COUNT the COST Up FRONT! I was
HONEST our mission work in HBurg, SW Va, and Honduras was OFF LIMITS.
2) Keep pay out of the conversion-I refused the talk about money
until after we discussed the job for weeks. I did not want ANYTHING
other than "AM I the right person?" Can I improve the current situation?
etc to be the focus
3) Assure all needed resources-Make sure you will have resources
to do the job. It was a SHOW Stopper if I DID NOT have another Co
Interim Director. I will not neglect my RC/PFT team. I had a say in who
would be my fellow Co-Interim Director.
4) Seek WISE Council-Professionally -Thank you Brothers Ken Thigpen and Skip Bangley
5) Seek WISE Council-Personally my Bride knows me better than I
know myself. Her ONE WORD advice..."Obedience" You must be OBEDIENT to
God. WOW! now you know why I married her 32 years ago.
6) Honor the past (Director, and accomplishments)-Set this ground rule ...."Never throw others under the bus" remember if it starts you will most likely be there one day.
7) LISTEN, LISTEN, LISTEN .....hear the stories, the SAFETY
SUCCESS Stories, and needs. Fix easy win (needs) like equipment ....I
bought 4 mattress for beds, hooks for monitor cordsi x12 in the first
week.
8) TELL the SAFETY Success Stories-Daily at organizational Safety
Rounds we share,and Manage up ER Team. Without this only the negative
is told. It becomes the assumed TRUTH.
9) Get in the FIRE-Monday & Tuesdays are our busiest days. In
the first three weeks two of three Monday/Tuesdays we went on Divert
because we had too few ICU/PCU and total beds. Honestly my co director
and I forced the issue.
10) "Life is a classroom" I have passed John Maxwell's Leadership Level..."LEARNING What I DO NOT KNOW"
Enough for now..OOPS almost forgot Tammy (Co Director) and I have a new name ....StaMmy" ER Managers gave it to us ....we are spreading it around organization.