Organizational Wellness

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The only thing worse than not getting a job is getting one you are miserable in.

Learning how to assess an organization you think you would like to be a part of, is an important skill to have. Every organization has a culture and within that culture many small cultures.  Some cultures are healthy, many are not. Do your homework before you sign on the dotted line. Make sure your personal mission is aligned with the mission of the organization. Get to know the manager. Ask him/her what challenges they face on their unit. Ask many questions and talk to several people.  Look up reviews on the organization. Look for signs of Organizational Compassion Fatigue like:

 

High absenteeism and turnover rate

No clearly defined Mission, Vision, and Values

Lack of availability of management to staff

Constant bickering of co-workers

Staff breaking rules or excessively strict rules

Presence of Lateral Violence or Sexual Harassment

Inability of staff to finish tasks on time

Lack of co-workers helping each other (No team building)

Inability of staff to believe that change is possible

Negativism in conversation and towards management

Lack of a vision for the future            Compassion Fatigue Awareness Project  2009

 

Sometimes people leave a profession thinking it’s the profession that they don’t like, instead of the individual culture or job.  Don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater.  There are a thousand jobs for people with a healthcare background. You have worked hard to get where you are.  Don’t throw it all away.  Remember your purpose for your life and for choosing this career.  Write your purpose down somewhere and read it frequently. 

 

How do Leaders change an organizational culture?

 

First of all, organizations are known for “one and done” training activities.  If you are to change an unhealthy culture it takes time, effort, money, and consistency. The “one and done” programs will do nothing to improve the situation. If you are not committed on every level, you can’t make the necessary changes and provide the support that is needed.  If taking on the whole organization is a daunting task, consider working on a department at a time.  Start at the organization’s top with your efforts, but don’t let it end there.

 

A three year study of 3,000 executives by Daniel Goleman identified 6 different leadership styles.  They are:

 

Coercive or Commanding-demands immediate obedience

Pacesetting-expects excellence and self-direction

Authoritative-moves people towards a vision

Affiliative-values and creates emotional bonds and harmony

Democratic-builds consensus through participation

Coaching-develops people

 

Empaths are people that feel emotion and intuition on a different level than most people.  Empaths are drawn to jobs in the healthcare professions and other helping professions.  They are 12% to 20% in the general population but are up to 93% in healthcare professions. With Empaths all but the Coercive or Commanding leadership style will likely be effective.  Sensitivities are a Empaths superpower but as a group can be a challenge when trying to implement change. Take time to look at your management style.

 

A good place to start changing culture is by getting to know your team and how best to utilize them.  We recommend using the Myers-Briggs Type indicator (MBTI).  This is a personality preference tool.  This will tell you the gifts/talents each member of the group has to offer you.  It doesn’t measure intelligence or ability. It does help the team to feel appreciated and valued and will help you figure out what role they can effectively play.  The MBTI is an extremely well researched tool that can give you great insight into yourself and your team. The MBTI identifies personality preferences as Introvert (I), Extrovert (E), Senses (S), Intuition (N), Feeling (F), Thinking (T), Judging (J) and Perceiving (P).  An example of this is a an SJ, these people are great troubleshooters.  When implementing change they can be invaluable. If you are having a problem with staff, get an SFJ or NFJ to help you  They are very aware of how people feel.  They try to find practical solutions that are acceptable to the group.  NFJs are driven and goal oriented people.  They are good at assessing situations and can empathically find solutions. Empaths have an F in their profile.  All Empaths are prone to Compassion Fatigue and Burnout, but INFs and ENFJs seem to struggle the most.  Contact Resilient Professionals for more information on how you can get and use the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator in your organization.

 

In summary, culture change can be fun and rewarding for management and staff.  For many organizations it is the only way they can hope to attract and keep quality staff.  Changing culture will take time, a plan, ongoing effort, resources and financial support.  We recommend using the MBTI along with yearly off-site retreats (taking half the staff at a time).  Make sure you know what’s on the mind of your staff.  Establish a committee of thought leaders that meets monthly on the unit.  Include a team building section during monthly manger-led staff meetings.  Reward positive change individually and as a team. Keep upper management involved and visible. Develop a 3 to 5 year strategic plan to implement change.  Contact Resilient Professionals for questions or additional help.