Saturday, July 6, 2019

Uncharted Territorial Leadership


Many wait on others to lead the way, hoping they will develop pathways that are without risk. This is not leadership – it is merely running-with-the-pack. True change is only possible when you can accurately identify your core values (cultural DNA) and then develop pathways that will actually sustain your unique future (short and long-term). To do so, you need to be a leader, not follow! You need to seek new pathways that are original and uncharted: taking the necessary risk, knowing and understanding that you may fail, but realizing that without risk, change is impossible

Health Care today requires risk takers, but challenges faced today (risk) cannot be solved without a well-developed-partnership that can apply supplementary knowledge and skills to bridge-the-gap. It requires people willing to help you change, shift and grow your values, expectations, visions, attitudes, and behavioral norms (habits). Universal solutions will not offer you an authentic pathway. It requires transformational thinkers that can create pathways that go beyond territories that remain uncharted. Making hard and sustainable decisions will always remain difficult for some, but true explorers confront and embrace such conditions and still proceed off-road into the unknown. The world is weary of tried-and-true-solutions that simply don’t work. 

The definition of Institutional Isomorphism is: any organization that characteristically mimics the structure of another, thus accepting and executing the same concepts blindly without questioning the intelligibility offered within the suggested resolution. Star Trek puts it this way – “We are the Borg, you will be assimilated … resistance is futile.” To manage a facility you cannot be assimilated into the norm; if so you become the Borg. Best Practices and other suggested design solutions do not offer enough sustainable conditions that the future demands; thus you become a victim of the status quo, (i.e. we have always done it this way, so we will continue using the same pathway to manage our departmental functions). It is time to break out of the mode! True leadership begins when you travel down pathways that are uncharted and risky, but still remain open to seek out and obtain the necessary help to minimize those risks.

Don Quixote was a romantic dreamer; an aging gentleman who set out from his village of La Mancha, for the sole purpose of executing acts of chivalry. Riding throughout the countryside on his trusted steed named Rocinante, accompanied only with his faithful companion Sacho Panza, his lace and shield, his quest was to help others above his own self-interest. Dreamers come in countless shapes and forms; some even from the business world. Although labeled by many as crazy or simply an aging buffoon; such servant leaders turn blinds-eye to risk to empower others to change. Regrettably, those who bellow the loudest get heard, overpowering those having that still small voice of reasoning allowing change happen. We all need change makers; be a Don Quixo (as we are), who will make health care work to meet the demands yet on the horizon. Uncharted territory will always need those who are willing to step out. Call us so we may help you turn your visions into reality. Don’t become the status quo, thus sit on the sidelines.

Albert Einstein stated: “There are only two ways to live. One is as thought nothing is a miracle and the other is as if everything is.” When you do the common things is life, in an uncommon way, you will command the attention of the world. Begin a change maker.

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