For years (and years and years), physicians treated stomach ulcers by telling their patients to avoid spicy foods and stressful situations. The result? People with ulcers were transformed into people with bland diets, boring lives, and ulcers. It was later discovered that the conventional wisdom about the cause of ulcers was simply hogwash. Australian researchers… read more
According to Deloitte’s Human Capital Trends 2016, “A new organizational model is on the rise: a “network of teams” in which companies build and empower teams to work on specific business projects and challenges. These networks are aligned and coordinated with operations and information centers similar to command centers in the military.” The “military”? Are… read more
Even the best jobs can lead to burnout. The harder you work and the more motivated you are to succeed, the easier it is to get in over your head. The prevalence of burnout is increasing as technology further blurs the line between work and home. New research from the American Psychological Association and the… read more
For some people, the question of whether leaders are born or made is truly intellectual – fodder for a good classroom or dinner party debate. But for people in front-line positions to hire, promote, and fire, the question, “Who has the right stuff to lead?” definitely has more urgency. Getting the answer right can drive… read more
Healthcare, and especially long-term care, can be a rather difficult place to work these days. Leaders have been inundated with multiple changes and new regulations, including requirements for additional electronic connectivity and software, while at the same time dealing with declining reimbursement. In addition, goals and mandates exist for new transitional care and “partnerships” with… read more
When thinking about strategy, a leader needs to focus on value and differentiation — not being big and bold. n the midst of a strategic planning project or shortly after it’s concluded, it’s not unusual for me to get a phone call from a CEO with an important question. Over the past 30 years,… read more
People size you up in seconds, but what exactly are they evaluating? Harvard Business School professor Amy Cuddy has been studying first impressions alongside fellow psychologists Susan Fiske and Peter Glick for more than 15 years, and has discovered patterns in these interactions. In her new book, “Presence,” Cuddy says that people quickly answer two… read more
If you want to shake off one piece of brainwashing to start the new year, here is a good one to jettison. Pull yourself out of the delusion that going to work and doing your job every day constitutes managing your career. You know the truth in your heart. One has very little to do… read more
Most of us grew up drinking toxic lemonade. We were not taught to pay attention to our five senses, but now we are learning that we must! We were taught to respect authority more than our own bodies. The training started when we were tiny kids. We can look back now and see how many… read more
Over the last several years since I graduated from residency, I’ve worked in many different hospitals up and down the east coast. These have ranged from large urban medical centers to rural community outposts. In all of these places I’ve felt the inevitable conflict that exists between physicians and administrators — to varying degrees. It… read more