In any business environment, an idea isn’t worth much - unless you do something with it. This “do something” is all about how we choose to put an idea into practice (how we execute). It involves the moving from the abstract to the real. It’s a difficult journey. It's filled with ambiguity and uncertainty. It requires an extraordinarily rare leadership trait - and it’s called GRIT.
Read MoreI think most people who have not dealt with direct loss of a child tend to believe that the overwhelming emotion tied to grief is sadness. I can confirm that I only wish that grief could be defined so simply. Grief is a powerful cocktail of emotions that - at times - become all consuming.
Read MoreOne of the more important strategies of business communication is the finely honed sense of when not to talk. Especially as a executive, I can tell you (humbly, even) that the greatest business lessons I’ve learned have occurred during the times that my own mouth was shut.
Read MoreAs leaders, we have all been asked the question “Where do you see yourself in five years?” In each case, the expected answer is a job title, some type of work experience, a career achievement, or even leading a company.
Read MoreWhen it comes to healthcare, Nashville is a city like no other. Not only is healthcare our largest industry - but key industry thought leaders live and work here. I was reminded of that again this past week when I had the pleasure of leading a panel of healthcare executives in a discussion about the Future of Healthcare in Nashville.
Read MoreAsk any leader if he or she is open-minded, and most--if not all--will say they are. But often our actions confirm we are so interested in being proven “right” - we forego a better option.
Read MoreThe question of what the healthcare of tomorrow will look like is always a key strategic issue for those leading healthcare organizations. In my view, the answer is really clear - care support and primary care delivery is moving back into the patient’s home.
Read MoreA person’s ZIP code is often a bigger indication of life expectancy than their genetic code. Ignoring that reality results in sub-optimized healthcare management.
Read MoreThere are 141 million visits to the emergency room each year, and nearly all of them have a charge for something called a facility fee. This is the price of walking through the door and seeking service. It does not include any care provided.
Read MoreLaunching the Venture has been a springboard for several successful businesses, so it stands to reason that, after teaching the course for many years while launching prominent ventures of his own, Dr. Burcham would have a good sense of the qualities that define a successful venture team.
Read MorePrivilege is an especially insidious lens. It causes us to see others through a filter that discounts them or assumes their plight is of their own doing - a set of bad choices or the lack of trying.
Read MoreWork is the biggest team sport in which any of us get to participate. And as a team sport, business cannot be just about the numbers. Great teams have a great culture driven by great leadership. Relationships are meaningful and teammates are connected. The collective attitude is very positive and everyone on the team works hard to accomplish their mission.
Read MoreOne of life's greatest revelations happens the moment we finally realize the prison bars we’ve been banging our cup on - the feelings that we are flawed or don’t quite measure up - are actually spaced far enough apart to walk through.
Read Moren a competitive labor market, employers are looking for new cost containment strategies beyond shifting more costs to employees. They are pursuing new contract arrangements with providers, offering care coordination to their employees, and considering narrow networks to help them tackle healthcare prices.
Read MoreI would characterize 2017 as the year of “watch and wait for Congress” within many health plans. I expect 2018 to be the year of “do something big or become irrelevant.”
Read MoreWe are at a moment in time where the fusion of people, process and a technology can re-define the patient experience, improve patient access points, and manage total costs. Such innovation will likely be found as traditional players collaborate with new entrants and form non-traditional partnerships along the healthcare value chain.
Read MoreThere are so many people looking for real connection. They want someone who takes the time to see them as a person - to help them through a difficult journey. Be that someone for a friend or neighbor. Find a way to let past differences go with family and build a connection. Tell stories, share, be present. We have this season and these holidays and this moment to be present with those we treasure; to make memories; to create traditions and appreciate the beauty of life.
Read MoreGrief is the price of deeply loving someone. Grief’s presence is a testament to the endless love I felt for my son - and that love has to have somewhere to go - it didn’t end when his life ended. The fact that I am feeling such a deficit in grief’s presence is a celebration of how blessed I’ve been, to have someone for whom I grieve so fully. The love for a lost son pouring out of my soul with nowhere to go - so it materializes in tears.
Read MoreEmployers that are serious about reducing total health care costs — and improving the health and well-being of their employees — should take a serious look at how innovation through smart use of people, process and technology can streamline all three of these cost areas. And there are many more areas of opportunity for consideration. Most of these innovations will be found in younger companies looking to disrupt the status quo.
Read MoreIt's not your personal integrity that will build trust. Having personal integrity is an expected norm in most workplaces, and awards you no added trust points as a leader or coworker. In order to build trust you must demonstrate your behavioral integrity. It's essential for creating and operating with trust currency at work.
Read More
