I have seen it happen often enough that I should not be surprised but I always am. Do a lean kaizen event or a strategy mapping workshop and front line staff become intensely engaged in the process and the outcome. Yesterday we were working with a regional hospital district and developing a leadership model that will guide leadership development, on-boarding, training, and performance expectations. In the process, the COO mentioned that she had just seen 4 front line staff, standing in the hallway where the strategy map we had created several weeks ago, is displayed. We enlisted the help of their graphic designer in its development and I must say, it is visually – stunning. The staff were studying and discussing it, along with the performance data that goes with it. Just how awesome is this?
We feel that when anyone goes to work in the morning, there is a deep seated desire to know that our work is important, that it counts, that it matters, and that we long to work for an organization that exhibits excellence. We also feel that front line staff want to know where they fit in the larger execution of mission and vision. This is where strategy maps, lean kaizen events and incorporating Baldrige Quality Criteria into organizational performance can provide enormous value. They empower! They communicate to the rank and file where they fit in the broader misison of their employer. What a shame so many never help their staff connect the dots. It’s a simple thing really, but what happens when we understand our place in fulfilling the sacred missions of our public, nonprofit, and healthcare organizations? The COO of this very fine healthcare organization may have said it best. “When our people come to work, they give us their hands and their brains. But if we treat them with respect they will give us their hearts as well”. The great thing is, when staff give their hearts as well, there is no additional cost.