NOTE: This message was emailed to Ballad Health team members on Tuesday, March 3. Dear Colleague,  As we transition into our next B Excellent program, this week is a great time to prepare for what’s coming and make sure you’re fully caught up. While the new programs officially launch the week of March 9, beginning this Friday, March 6, your new program will be available in your Practicing Excellence mobile app or desktop interface. Non-leader team members will be assigned B Excellent Advanced Team Collaboration, while leaders will see the B Excellent 2026 Leading to Engage program, which also includes the content from Advanced Team Collaboration. These programs build on the collaboration skills you’ve already developed and continue strengthening how we communicate, support one another and work together to deliver safe, reliable care. Our High Reliability Organization (HRO) journey will remain front and center in these skills, reinforcing behaviors that support teamwork, accountability and speaking up….

Dear Colleague,  As we wrap up the Better Begins With Us program, we’re excited to share what’s coming next in our Practicing Excellence journey. Beginning the week of March 9, team members will start the new Advanced Team Collaboration program. This program builds on the foundation established in last year’s Team Collaboration work and continues strengthening the skills needed to foster a highly collaborative, engaged team environment. Advanced Team Collaboration focuses on six key skills that directly support stronger teamwork: Activating a Growth Mindset helps teams stay open to learning, adapt to change and view challenges as opportunities rather than obstacles. How Teams Communicate strengthens clarity, trust and shared understanding so information flows effectively across roles and settings. Respecting Each Other reinforces the importance of valuing different perspectives and experiences to create a culture of inclusion and support. Everyone Leading Safety empowers all team members to take ownership of safe practices and speak up when something doesn’t seem right. Team & Personal Reliability emphasizes accountability…

NOTE: This message was emailed to Ballad Health team members on Tuesday, Feb. 17. Dear Colleague,  As we’ve explored through the Better Begins With Us journey, excellence isn’t a destination… it’s something we build through daily habits, shared values and a commitment to growth. The same mindset that fuels B Excellent also lives in the many professional development opportunities available to you across Ballad Health. These programs are designed to help you grow your skills, expand your impact, and continue delivering the exceptional care and service that defines our culture.  Over several team member engagement surveys, you told us you wanted more opportunities to learn and grow within Ballad Health, no matter where you are in your career journey, these resources are here to support your growth and future opportunities – because achieving excellence in our work begins with investing in ourselves. Tuition reimbursement and scholarship opportunities One of the most impactful ways to grow…

NOTE: This message was emailed to Ballad Health team members on Tuesday, Feb. 10. Dear Colleague,  One of the most encouraging things to see since we’ve embarked on our B Excellent journey has been the incredible level of engagement from our Ballad Health team members. Across Practicing Excellence’s entire client base, Ballad Health team members leave more comments in the tip video comment sections than any other organization. Even more impressive than the volume is the quality of those comments. Many are thoughtful, reflective and rich with examples of how individuals and teams are applying what they are learning in meaningful ways. Here are just a few examples: Travis Stacy, nuclear medicine at JMH, shared: “This topic is a great reminder that respect starts with empathy. Taking time to envision the experiences of others helps us better understand where teammates are coming from – their challenges, motivations, and perspectives. When we actively listen and try…

NOTE: The following message was emailed to Ballad Health team members on Tuesday, Feb. 3. Dear Colleague,  Over the past several months, the Better Begins With Us program has focused on bringing four of our six core values – Honesty, Caring, Faith, and Respect – to life through practical skills designed to be learned, tried and shared. Each skill in this program was intentionally selected to support personal growth, strengthen teamwork and reinforce the culture we strive to create for our teammates, our patients and their families. The program began with The Empathy Effect, which aligned with Honesty. This skill encouraged team members to listen with intent, seek to understand different perspectives and communicate openly and authentically. By practicing empathy, teams strengthen trust and create space for honest conversations that lead to better collaboration and connection. The focus then shifted to Gratitude, which aligned with Caring. This skill reinforced the importance of recognizing and appreciating the…

NOTE: This message was emailed to Ballad Health team members on Tuesday, Jan. 27. Dear Colleague, This week marks the conclusion of Better Begins With Us, a B Excellent program built around strengthening our core values of Honesty, Caring, Faith and Respect. Throughout this program, team members have explored practical skills that reinforce what it means to support one another, care for our patients and their families, and contribute to a culture rooted in trust and connection. The engagement, reflections and thoughtful comments shared along the way highlight the importance of these skills and the impact they have across our organization. Although today’s tip is the final release in the Better Begins With Us program, team members will have 30 days to complete all remaining tips and skills associated with the program. All of the Better Begins With Us skills and tips must be completed by Friday, Feb. 27, to be considered for timely completion on…

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…

NOTE: This message was emailed to Ballad Health team members on Tuesday, Jan. 13.  Dear Colleague,  Respect is at the heart of who we are as an organization. It guides how we treat one another and, just as importantly, how we care for our patients and support their families. Every interaction, whether with a teammate, a patient or a loved one, is an opportunity to show dignity, compassion and understanding. This month’s B Excellent skill, There for Each Other, is grounded in that same idea: when we choose respect, we create space for trust, connection and support to grow. This week’s Better Begins With Us tip There for Each Other Tip #2: Envisioning the Experiences of Others To truly be there for one another, we must be willing to “walk in each other’s shoes.” Envisioning the experiences of others is the foundation of compassion and understanding. It means taking time to learn about your teammates’…

NOTE: This message was emailed to Ballad Health team members on Tuesday, Jan. 6. Dear Colleague,  As we turn the page on the calendar year, we also begin January’s skill – the final skill in the Better Begins With Us program: There For Each Other. This skill aligns closely with our core value of Respect, because respect is ultimately about how we show up for one another. Being there for each other means recognizing the worth, ideas and contributions of every team member, and choosing behaviors that foster trust, collaboration and shared success. When respect is lived out consistently, it strengthens relationships and creates an environment where people feel valued and supported. This week’s Better Begins With Us Tip There for Each Other Tip #1: Committing to Personal Ownership While we can’t control every situation we encounter, we can control ourselves – our behavior, our communication and our mindset. Personal ownership asks us to shift our…

NOTE: This message was emailed to Ballad Health team members on Tuesday, Dec. 30. Dear Colleague,  As we turn the page on 2025, we’re also wrapping up December’s Better Begins With Us skill, What Does It Mean to S.E.R.V.E.? This time of year invites reflection, renewal and purpose, making it a fitting moment to focus on service. At Ballad Health, service is a clear expression of our value of Faith, whether that faith is rooted in belief in a higher power, one another, in our mission or in the meaningful work we do every day to care for our communities. Service reminds us why we show up and how our actions, big and small, make a difference. This week’s Better Begins With Us tip What Does It Mean To S.E.R.V.E.: The E in S.E.R.V.E. – Embody the Values Our values are more than words on a page; they guide decisions, shape behaviors and influence how others…

NOTE: This message was emailed to Ballad Health team members on Tuesday, Dec. 23. Dear colleague,  During the holiday season, moments of service often feel more visible and meaningful. It’s a time when faith and trust in one another – and in the purpose of our work – naturally comes to the forefront. In healthcare, that sense of trust is built through generosity, open communication and a genuine commitment to support those around us. This week’s tips invite us to lean into those moments, strengthening our relationships while continuing to deliver the care and reliability our teams depend on. This week’s Better Begins With Us tips What Does it Mean to S.E.R.V.E. #5: The V in S.E.R.V.E. – Value Results and Relationships This tip explores how meaningful service requires attention to both what we accomplish and how we treat one another along the way. It highlights ways to balance results and relationships by approaching work…

This message was emailed to Ballad Health team members on Tuesday, Dec. 16. Dear Colleague,  As we move deeper into the holiday season, the idea of service becomes even more meaningful. December’s B Excellent skill, What Does it Mean to S.E.R.V.E.?, invites us to reflect on what it truly looks like to serve others with intention, compassion and reliability. This theme aligns naturally with the spirit of the season, a time when generosity, gratitude and caring are at the forefront of our minds. It also reflects who we strive to be as a healthcare organization: people who step forward to support one another, uplift our teams and create a safe, healing environment for those we serve. This week’s Better Begins With Us tips 1, What Does it Mean to S.E.R.V.E. #4: The R in S.E.R.V.E. – Reliable Collaboration This week’s first tip focuses on what it means to reliably collaborate with others – a skill…