Save the Date

Not only is November 11, 2011 Veteran's Day (thanks to all currently in uniform and to those who previously served our country as part of the military), but it is 11-11-11!  From my last post, you know how I get excited about calendar numbers, so I am inviting everyone in Communications & Marketing to save that date (it is a Friday) to have lunch on me.  More information will come as we near the date, but wanted you to get it on your calendars!
J

1-1-11

I couldn't believe I almost forgot to notice the date!  I love all things related to calendar number patterns, so the New Year's date was a doozy.  However, I was so busy having fun (not the work kind as in my last post, but the leisure kind that we all love) that I almost forgot to notice the pattern.  I mean I knew it was January 1st and that it was now 2011, but I had not taken the time to appreciate the numbers. 
Too often, we don't take time to appreciate the little things that can bring us joy.  We are often so focused on the big things of life -- making a living, taking care of kids, taking care of parents, studying if we are back in school, planning the next event, vacation, trip to the doctor's office, etc -- that it is easy to miss the little things.
I NEVER make resolutions -- mostly cuz I know I won't keep them, but if I did, I would encourage me to take more time to enjoy  life's little pleasures.  Like the fact that there is sunshine today (January 4); that all of the flights I took over the holidays took off and landed on time; that I got to use my free pass at Zumba last night (and it kicked my rear since I missed my normal routine over the holidays); and that we have welcomed a new staff member to help us with makemedicinebetter.  Okay, maybe the last one is not a little pleasure, but the fact that he, Kim and Sylvia just stopped by to say "Hi" is. 
Since I did not get a lot of e-mails or posts (save one from Jason -- thanks, Jason) on how to put fun into work, I am going to make the offer again.  I know that since we were approaching the holidays, there was much to be completed at work and likely much to be completed at home.  But, I really am interested in your thoughts on how to incorporate fun and little pleasures into the work day.
So while you contemplate that, in the twitter/facebook way of sharing mundane (and sometimes inane) data about what one is doing, I am going to take a walk over to the Center for Advanced Medicine to pick up a prescription and take time along the way to enjoy that it is in the mid-30s and sunny.  Truly a lovely little pleasure in the work day.
J

Beyond Wishing

If you could have anything you wanted during this holiday season, what would it be?  You don't have to answer, but I realize this is a much harder question than appears.  For example, should one be global and ask for world peace?  If not careful with the words, we could have world peace 'break out' now, only to have wars return in a week.  How about an end to poverty, unemployment, illness, racism, sexism, etc? Better education? Better airlines? Warmer weather? Cooler weather?  More fun at work? It becomes pretty obvious that what we might wish for has a lot to do with how we view things -- and sometimes that view is influenced by what is going on at the moment.   
More fun at work? This thought has consumed me for the past few weeks.  If I could have anything work-related, during this holiday season, it would be for more fun at work.  Why?  Because for me, the times that I view work as fun are the times when I truly feel I am clicking on all cylinders, making great progress, appropriately connecting with co-workers and getting things done!  When those attributes are a part of my day, work does not feel like work, but like fun.  It then does not matter how many evening meetings are part of the work day or how many times I have to reschedule a hair appointment to complete an assignment -- because it seems like fun.  It is when those attributes are missing that work seems like, well work.  And, even worse, it is when work feels like a chore.
Some have heard me say that I believe work needs to be enjoyable most of the time because it is where we spend the majority of our waking hours. When work is not enjoyable, other parts of your life can suffer.  Have you ever had a really bad day at work impact the really great concert you had been looking forward to attending for months?  While I am somewhat pollyanic, I do realize that not every working day can be sunshine and lollipops -- then it wouldn't be called work.  But I do believe that the really good days have to outweigh the really bad days in order to ensure we are all working at the right place at the right time. 
So, my work-related holiday wish, is that we can find the fun in work.  Sometimes that fun is formal (like our recent scavenger hunt).  However, for the fun to be sustainable and to be of benefit to our co-workers (and yes, they can tell when work is not fun for us) and our organization (so that we are doing our best work), that fun needs to be more ingrained in our regular work days.  Rather than just wish, I would love to have suggestions/recommendations on how this can be accomplished in the part of the organization that I lead.  I encourage you to share those suggestions either in this forum or by e-mailing me directly.  Can't wait to hear from you.
J

Developing New Teams

Recently, the members of our Communications, Marketing, Community Affairs, and Health Literacy teams took a journey to learn more about each other. While cloaked in disguise as a Scavenger Hunt, the real goal was to get to know team members that we don't work with on a day to day basis just a little better. It was one of the most oft-repeated goals from our last 1/2 day retreat and as we discussed how to make this happen in my Direct Report staff meetings, we decided that we could learn and have fun at the same time. And, judging by the photos (which are attached), there was definitely fun and by the comments I continue to receive there was definitely sharing and learning that took place within the teams and in the larger group as we gathered pre and post hunt.

While there were some good-natured challenges to some of the clues and locations, I did find that all of the participants seemed to appreciate the opportunity to do something that was a bit off the beaten path. Sometimes when we are developing new teams (and new teams get developed all the time -- just think of when a long-time staffer leaves or a newbie joins -- voila you have a new team), it is important to keep in mind that we don't all respond to things in the same way. For instance, I am very much a "big-picture, go-with-the-flow-kinda gal"who tends to talk a little too fast and is generally rushing on to the next big thing. This is sometimes a challenge for those who are wired to "need-details-to-know-what-is-desired." This was evident with the Scavenger Hunt. Barbara got a number of calls asking for 'more information' and she counseled that all would be made clear in due time. After our pre-Scavenger Hunt lunch, I observed those who got the clues, gathered their team and headed up and out. I observed those who gathered their team, found a corner and then mapped out each and every step. I observed those who gathered their team, headed to their parking lot and then talked strategy in the car. Not one of these methods was all right or all wrong. But, they were fun to observe.

I am glad that it was an enjoyable afternoon and I do hope that you will take even more time to get to know some of your new team members. I believe it will only make our overall team stronger.

Wishing everyone a wonderful Thanksgiving.
J

To a Land Far Away

In September, I joined 171 others on an RCGA (St. Louis' Chamber of Commerce) sponsored trip to China. It was a place that I have always wanted to go, but have never wanted to try to figure out on my own and the cost was always prohibitive. Because the Chinese government wants to encourage tourism and business development, they offered the 9 day trip (with airfare from LA, all hotels, meals, exhibits and tours at the four cities we would visit in China) for the very reasonable price of $1990.00. So, I scheduled ETO, raided my savings and signed up. And, am I ever glad I did. From climbing the Great Wall to visiting the Forbidden City to standing in Tianamen Square, it was a once in a lifetime experience. At Olympic Village, I saw the Bird's Nest that was so much more impressive in person than on television. Shanghai is like 12 New Yorks -- skyscrapers and colorful lights abound. Went to the World Expo in Beijing and was taken with the imagination that was so evident in many of the buildings.
What probably stuck with me most is how China is such a collaboration of cultures -- the new and the old, the developed and the undeveloped, the modern and the traditional often sit side by side. It is a visible depiction of the ying and the yang that is so much a part of their lives. We (we traveled in groups of 25 to 30) were honored to have lunch in the home of a family and learned much about what is different and what is the same within our cultures. The one child rule, non-western toilets, and land ownership are very different. A fierce belief in the power of education, hopes and dreams for the future, and the power of positive thinking are similar.
I would be less than truthful if I said I did not think about work and our department while I was there (heck, with technology I was never totally disconnected). I thought of how to incorporate a bit of ying and yang which is really all about balance. How do I help our department better balance the ever increasing demands for our services (it happens when you are good) with our capacity to deliver those services in a satisfying way? What things can we stop doing to make room for new things or to allow us to breathe a little easier and incorporate some time for thinking? I had a work-related meeting with a BJC Medical Group doc a couple of weeks ago and he shared that most of us don't have the ability to really relax -- to really turn off the stimulation and just be in a quiet place. The doctor shared that turning off for just ten minutes a day would do wonders for our health and our work productivity. In China, that is incorporated into their daily activities and no one has ever questioned the productivity of the Chinese. My other favorite observation in China -- in early evening on many street corners and in many parks you find singles and couples engaged in impromptu dancing. For those of you who know me well, you can imagine how envious I was. Maybe that is something that can be imported here.

A Special Trip

Some of you are aware that I just returned from China last week. While that was a great experience, it is not the special trip that is the subject of this post. Instead, the title refers to my trip to the Barnes-Jewish Hospital pharmacy late Saturday morning to pick up a prescription for Flint (my first and only husband). I was dressed in my usual Saturday morning attire of a baseball cap and walking duds since I had just completed my walking trek of the Forest Park bike trail (funny, how I still call it that even though there is a dedicated path for walkers/runners) and was looking none too wonderful. I planned to just rush in, get the prescription and rush back out -- hoping I would not run into anyone I knew. As I walked through the revolving doors I was met by the most awesome of sounds which I realized was the singing of warm-up scales. I continued walking and saw approximately 30 people (their backs to me and dressed almost as fancy as I was) singing in the lobby of the Center for Advanced Medicine. I walked a little slower because the beautiful sound (again, this was just scales) compelled me to listen. The sound wafted up to the third floor and everyone I passed had a hint of a smile on their faces. The staff working behind the pharmacy counter also seemed a bit more joyful (don't get me wrong, they are always helpful and professional, but there seemed to be something extra there on Saturday). I learned from one of the nurses who had accompanied a patient from outside of St. Louis to the pharmacy, that the group rehearsing was the St. Louis Symphony Chorus and they were going to perform on Sunday for patients and their families. The out-of-town patient shared how special he thought it was that the hospital would be so thoughtful as to have such an amazing group come in and entertain. Said he had heard Barnes-Jewish was special, but this was more than he expected.
I applaud the person or persons who came up with the idea of having the chorus come to sing and am so glad I was running an errand at just the right time. It was so neat to see patients, families and staff peering over the balcony to get a glimpse of those who were making such beautiful music -- even just in rehearsal. And, as I relunctantly left the building on Saturday, the words of "more than expected" uttered by the out of town patient echoed as music to my ears. "More than expected" is an apt reflection of what occurs when you take the world's best medicine and make it better.

Input

How many ways are there to find out what people are really thinking, feeling, hoping, wanting? Especially when it comes to work -- the place where we spend most of our waking hours, the promise of a door being always open, welcoming calls or e-mails, and/or encouraging input is often shared easily, but not always as easy to execute. This week I was in Orlando speaking at a conference and had some downtime to think about the things I set out to do this year with respect to work and getting more input and acting on that input. Am pleased that we were able to have our All Employee Meeting earlier in the year and that we are acting on some of the input received -- though not as quickly as hoped for in all cases. However, I also had an epiphany while I was gone, that I have been thinking of input too narrowly and much too one way. So, I want to share some input with the teams that make up our department.
To the newest members of the department I offer the following. I marvel at the passion and energy displayed by the School Outreach and Development team in sharing their knowledge and expertise with students and educators. The mission driven Community Health team continues to meet the needs of internal and external clients helping to bring meaning to BJC's commitment to wellness. The OASIS team has reached more and more senior adults with innovative programs that not only engage, but that also allows these seasoned citizens to give back. From recognizing employees as health heroes to developing and executing healthy food choice pilots in our cafeterias to defining health literacy, the Health Literacy team has lead the way and those inside and outside of BJC have taken notice. I am so pleased to have welcomed these divisions into the family.
Expanding BJC's reach to underserved communities with welcomed and value-added services such as the thriving Healthy Mind Body Spirit initiative and the mobile health partnership with the Urban League, the Community Affairs teams continues to help bring our community benefit mission to life. And speaking of Community Benefit, the one-woman team (with a lot of collaborative help) responsible for collecting and verifying BJC's community benefit data does a great job of finding the numbers that has allowed us to annually report higher numbers.
When demand for your services grows and grows, it means you must be doing something right and this is what has occurred for the Creative Services team. They have produced outstanding design and graphic work for clients across BJC. Tackling the migration of all of BJC's websites to an outside vendor, while assisting clients with their web service needs has kept the Interactive Services team busy this year and they have met the challenges with professionalism and grace under pressure. Providing strategic guidance and outstanding support to clients has kept the Marketing team busy and like others, demand for their services has continued to grow. The Media Services team approaches their assignments with a client-centered approach that is appreciated and yields a product that is valued by the primary, secondary and tertiary clients. Twice a month, the BJC Today team delivers the one product (other than our paychecks) that unites all of us as BJC employees. The newspaper does a great job reflecting what is going on across our organization and is a 'good read.' And to the Communications team members who provide stratetic guidance, oversight and ideas on how we can all be better, I marvel at your talent and dedication.
I hope you all know that the work you do each and every day is appreciated and valued. It is through you that so much of the story of BJC gets told. So please accept this input as my heartfelt thanks. I also encourage you to get to know more about the work done by your colleagues. You will be as impressed as I am.