Life is a Highway

Last week I was on spring break with my daughter, the teacher. We did a real Thelma and Louise kind of road trip to New Orleans. I had so many people ask why we were driving instead of flying. I defiantly thought about flying but there is something about a good old fashion road trip. In many ways, it would have been easier and a little faster, but I feel like we would have missed a lot by flying. If we had flown, we would have missed some of the best BBQ I have ever had just outside of Memphis. We would have missed the sweet attitude and smile of the waiter that served us. We would have missed the sun coming up and the mist in the trees the day we left, and we would have missed a flock of beautiful wild turkeys in a field as we passed. Most of all I would have missed one-on-one time in a car just the two of us for hours. It has been years since we have had that opportunity.

Time to Hit the Road

You may be wondering what this has to do with leadership. My question is, what do you miss if you lead from a higher altitude? I know that many of you are in the trenches meeting with patients, making sure that you talk to people from every department on a regular basis but many of you are not. It becomes comfortable to just come to the office and start working. I get it! There is so much that needs to be done. Who has time for a road trip through the hospital?

A recent article online from the Executive Support Journal posed the question, “What would you do if you were the CEO for the day?” A responder from Indianapolis, IN shared this, “I would get up from my big comfy chair, out from behind my big executive desk, and walk the floors of where the day-to-day associates are busy making the company successful! There would be nothing humbler than being the CEO and introducing myself to associates and engaging in conversation about them; personally and professionally! I would be the CEO who cares about everyone! The morale and productivity in the office would soar like a rocket.”

Where the Road Leads

I encourage you to conduct an experiment over the next week no matter what your position in the hospital. Find 10 minutes out of your day to talk to someone you normally would not engage in conversation with. It can be a patient, a caregiver, or a fellow staff member that you do not know that well. Be intentional, seek one person out every day that is out of your comfort zone, and see how it goes. This is not a huge assignment. Look at it like your own road trip to see and hear what you are missing. I would love to hear some of your stories of what you learn. A good road trip has adventure, makes you a little uncomfortable at times and has good snacks to share along the way. if you can’t think of a good opening line to get the conversation started, offer a bag of chips or a muffin and see where the conversation goes. That’s the view from where I sit. Have a great week.