NOTE: This message was emailed to Ballad Health team members on Tuesday, Jan. 20.
Dear Colleague,
As team members, we value respect as an essential part of how we show up for one another. It shapes how we treat our teammates, how we care for our patients and how we support their families. Every interaction is a chance to show dignity, compassion and understanding.
As we near the end of the Better Begins With Us program, we reflect on how each skill and tip has been intentionally chosen to support and strengthen some of our core values – Honesty, Caring, Faith and Respect. Over the past weeks, you have worked through skills centered on Honesty, Caring and Faith. This week, we continue that journey by focusing on Respect and what it looks like in action as we learn how to be There for Each Other.
This week’s Better Begins With Us tips
- There for Each Other Tip #4: I Got You
“I Got You” focuses on recognizing when a teammate is struggling, and choosing to be there for them. Building a positive team culture starts with being mindful of those who may be having a hard time, asking how you can help, and doing something proactive to lighten their load. Support can be as simple as listening, covering a task or offering a small act of kindness that reminds someone they are not alone.
Call to action: This week, keep your eyes wide open for a teammate who might need to be uplifted. Ask them what you can do to help or look for a simple way to support them in their day. Practice signaling that you see your colleague and that you have their back.
- Cultivating a Culture of High Reliability: A Culture of Trusted Information Transfer
A culture of trusted information transfer is critical to safety, teamwork and reliability. This tip, from Ballad Health’s Dr. Amit Vashist, focuses on ensuring information is shared clearly and consistently by building psychological safety, practicing active listening by listening to understand, and creating regular opportunities for safety updates and discussion. When teams feel safe to speak up and know they will be heard, communication improves and so does care.
Call to action: This week, choose one huddle or meeting in which to incorporate a safety discussion. Consider adding it to an existing team huddle or meeting or having a one-on-one safety conversation with a colleague.
Being there for each other shows up in everyday choices to notice, listen, support and care. When we say, “I got you,” communicate openly and lift each other up, we strengthen our teams and our mission. Let’s keep choosing respect, compassion and connection, and continue showing our teammates, our patients, and their families what it means to be There for Each Other.
New B Excellent Podcast episode
In the first B Excellent Podcast episode of the new year, Josh and Aaron sit down with Niswonger Children’s Network CEO Chris Jett. Chris shares his career journey leading up to Ballad Health, why the Niswonger Children’s Network is vital to our region, updates on renovations to Niswonger Children’s Hospital, and leadership lessons he has learned. Find it on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and on the Practicing Excellence app.
