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In this episode, Sue Tetzlaff discusses the importance of trust in senior leadership, particularly in the healthcare sector. She outlines two main categories of trust-building activities: everyday actions and responses during challenging times. She provides real life examples and practical takeaways for leaders related to strengthening trust and teamwork, even in the face of uncertainty and fear.

• There are two categories of trust-building activities in leadership: our everyday actions and our responses to episodic crises.
• Our day-to-day trust-building activities should not be neglected during times of crises.
• Trust can be diminished - or strengthened - during challenging times.
• Fear is a major contributor to silo creation, working against our heightened need for teamwork and collaboration.
• Leaders must anchor their teams during uncertainty by remaining calm and connected.
• Acknowledging threats while reinforcing stability is crucial for maintaining trust.
• Visibility and accessibility of leaders are essential during challenging times.
• Reminding teams of their past resilience can strengthen trust and teamwork.

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In this episode of Culture Change, Sue Tetzlaff emphasizes that efforts to elevate both competency and consistency are crucial for effective culture change and improvement. Competency relates to the quality and standards of practice, while consistency pertains to the frequency and application of those practices. The conversation explores how there are differences in how improvement teams and/or leaders approach increasing competency versus how they approach gaining more consistency. Ultimately, by focusing on both competency and consistency, an organization is aiming for a culture of continuous improvements that can be both measured and felt.

• Culture is how we do things around here which implies both competency and consistency in those “chosen things.”
• Competency relates to the quality of practice.
• Consistency is about the frequency of practice.
• A starting point is defining what it means to be both competent (how) and consistent (how often) in each required practice or standard.
• Understanding the 'why' behind practices enhances efforts to achieve both competency and consistency.
• Training, mentoring, and coaching are key to elevating competency.
• Accountability tactics are key to gaining and maintaining consistency.
• The long game in culture change requires sustained efforts focused on both competency and consistency of “how we do things around here.”

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In this episode of Culture Change RX, Sue Tetzlaff discusses the importance of initiating movements within healthcare organizations to create lasting and impactful change. She emphasizes that true revolutions require more than incremental improvements; they demand a collective effort around a shared purpose. Tetzlaff shares insights on how to mobilize people, the significance of leadership, and the necessity of data in driving change. She also highlights successful examples of movements and the importance of celebrating the “first followers” as the movement builds momentum.

• A movement is more than incremental change; it is impactful and lasting.
• Starting a movement often begins with one person or a small group.
• Hope is not a strategy; movements require intentionality and leadership.
• Celebrating first followers is crucial for building momentum.
• Data is essential for guiding and measuring the impact of a movement.
• Expect resistance and noise; persistence through this is key in the infinite game of change.
• Communication cadence is vital for keeping the movement alive.
• Creating a volunteer army can empower employees to drive change.
• Leaders play a critical role in activating and sustaining movements.

Need help improving the culture, performance, and results of your healthcare organization? If so, let’s talk: https://www.capstoneleadership.net/contact-us

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In this fourth of a series of planned quarterly episodes on Culture Change RX, host Sue engages with Ben Davis, President and CEO of Glencoe Regional Health, to discuss the ongoing transformational initiatives within his rural healthcare organization. As they mark the completion of the first year of Glencoe’s “Experience Initiative,” they explore the concept of the 'whirlwind' in daily operations, the necessity of grit and perseverance in navigating change, and the significance of investing long term in people to foster a culture of growth and excellence in patient care.

• Investing in people is crucial for organizational success and quality patient care.
• Data tracking is important to measure progress and motivate change.
• Leadership development is one of the key focuses and a recent on-site leadership training achieved a high satisfaction rating by the leaders attending.
• The 'whirlwind' refers to the daily operational challenges that take time and energy and may distract from pro-active improvement and growth activities.
• Grit and perseverance are essential for successful change management.
• Adoption of new practices may take time, and at the one-year mark it is estimated that maybe only 10-15% of staff are currently engaged in these new initiatives which is right on target as to what could be expected at this point in the transformation.
• The journey of transformation is ongoing, requiring continuous effort and commitment.

Missed earlier episodes in this series?
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👉 Listen to Part 2

👉 Listen to Part 3

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In this episode of Culture Change RX, Sue Tetzlaff explores the concept of being 'in the red' culturally within healthcare organizations, drawing parallels to financial health. She discusses key indicators of cultural health, the impact of employee disengagement, and the necessary components of a cultural turnaround. Emphasizing the importance of strong leadership and long-term commitment, Tetzlaff encourages organizations to assess their cultural status and take action to foster a thriving workplace environment.

• Data is essential for understanding cultural health and guiding improvements.
• Key indicators of cultural health include turnover rates and employee engagement scores.
• Active disengagement costs the U.S. economy significantly.
• Culturally in the red feels like negativity and disconnection.
• Cultural recoveries require strong leadership and clear diagnosis.
• Organizations should assess their cultural status regularly.
• A healthy culture attracts talent and improves patient care.

Need help improving the culture, performance, and results of your healthcare organization? If so, let’s talk: https://www.capstoneleadership.net/contact-us

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In this episode of Culture Change RX, Sue Tetzlaff explores the long-term nature of culture change within organizations, particularly in healthcare. Using analogies of soup and dye in water, she goes on to emphasize the importance of commitment, competency, and consistency in fostering a positive culture. Tetzlaff outlines four key elements necessary for effective culture change and warns against the pitfalls of short-term initiatives and always-changing directions that fail to create the desired positive and lasting impacts.

• A vibrant culture is distinctly different from a lukewarm one.
• Organizations often switch strategies too frequently, resulting in “starting over” again and again.
• Long-term commitment yields lasting culture change.
• The cumulative impact of every individual's contribution, competency, consistency, and long term commitment create the culture.

Need help improving the culture, performance, and results of your healthcare organization? If so, let’s talk: https://www.capstoneleadership.net/contact-us

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In this episode of Culture Change RX, Sue Tetzlaff explores the critical relationship between culture and strategy execution in healthcare organizations. She introduces a strategy execution matrix that categorizes organizations based on their planning and execution capabilities. The discussion emphasizes the importance of aligning culture with execution to achieve organizational growth and success. Sue shares insights on how organizations can avoid stagnation and recklessness in their execution efforts, highlighting the significance of disciplined planning and follow-through. The episode concludes with success stories and a call to action for organizations to assess their execution strategies.

• Planning + Execution is required to build momentum for future-focused improvement and growth.
• Great planning efforts combined with effective execution systems helps organizations build momentum and achieve long term growth and improvement.
• Overplanning without execution keeps organizations stuck or stagnant.
• Without effective planning and execution systems, organizations are highly consumed with maintaining the status quo of the current day-to-day operations.
• Taking action without strategic direction can waste resources and time, and lessen the likelihood of a long term return on investment.
• Consider the Strategy Execution Matrix in light of your organization’s planning and execution efforts.

Need help improving the culture, performance, and results of your healthcare organization? If so, let’s talk: https://www.capstoneleadership.net/contact-us

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In this solo episode of Culture Change RX, Sue Tetzlaff discusses the importance of effective leadership in healthcare organizations. She emphasizes the need for leaders to focus on proactive leadership activities. By categorizing their time into three buckets—whirlwind, management, and leadership—leaders can better allocate their efforts to achieve meaningful results. The episode concludes with a call to narrow focus and leverage time for greater impact in leadership roles. Healthcare leaders often feel overwhelmed by the day-to-day chaos.

• Categorizing activities into “the three buckets” helps prioritize focus.
• Proactive leadership leads to better outcomes.
• Less is more when it comes to goals and improvement priorities.
• Narrowing focus can lead to greater organizational success.
• The chaos of work and any perceptions of underachieving affects personal life and well-being.

Need help improving the culture, performance, and results of your healthcare organization? If so, let’s talk: https://www.capstoneleadership.net/contact-us

Are we connected yet on LinkedIn? https://www.linkedin.com/in/suetetzlaff/

Reach us at CapstoneLeadership.net or info@capstoneleadership.net