Move Over Obama Girl - Makes me smile

I must have needed the smile, because it's made me smile.

Establish a Winning Culture

Thursday was the University of Utah Hospital's LDI2 - Leadership Development Institute. It's a wonderful program that trains the leaders of the institution on ways to be better leaders. It's held quarterly for all supervisors. It was decided some time ago to include the trainers due to our interaction with various departments. I usually feel trepidation all the way into the building (it's held at the Rice Eccles Stadium), but once we get started, I enjoy the experience.

One of the speakers, I was thrilled to discover, was Coach Boylen - coach of the University of Utah men's basketball team. I know little about him but was immediately impressed by his demeanor. We're told that his speach will be posted on YouTube. I vigorously took notes of his speach.

I should preface this by saying that there is a lot of change happening at the University Hospital - more than just construction. As with all business (and life in general) there's always talk of budgets - and we are making a lot of big changes at the University (due to changes in how Medicaid reimburses - which is not worth the explanation right now). So - here's what I noted from his speach:

Changes in culture happens when people or things have failed. When changes are made to any team or business, we need to take ownership of the changes.

His personal philosophy on successful leadership is Six-fold:
1. State of Mind Change
-accountability - we say, "don't coach me, coach that guy" - we resist seeing where WE need improvment. Take personal responsibility.
2. Passion
-have passion for your job. Make it yours, own it. If you're bitching all the time, MOVE ON. Be proud of what you do - no matter what it is.
3. Relationships
-make sure you have a relationship with those you work with. Confront them when things are wrong AND RIGHT
-Texting and e-mails are NOT relationship builders. Talk face to face - have the guts to have the tough conversations.
Do what's right for the team, take your ego out.

*We all want to be in our own comfort zones - it's a losing situation - without exception. We learn on the edge of our comfort zone*

4. Toughness
-mental
-physical
-Be tough enough to handle it when you are wrong - and when you're told you are wrong
-Stay late - come in early. Be tough enough to complete your tasks.
-Be on time to work, meetings, etc.
5. Teamwork
-Team is 1st
-Every one thinks they have entitlement. Entitlement is a dead end. Pride can't make changes and won't help the betterment of anything.
6. Gratitude
Be Grateful & appreciative
Be proud of what is built and be grateful for the chance to do it, be a part of it.
Build it, then take yourself out of it.

*Push people where they can't push themselves*

"Leading by example" is a cop out - SAY IT, DO IT, help people, BUILD IT. Leading by example is passive and a 30's mentality. If you believe in it, say it. Communicate.

Change is not easy - but put petty stuff aside and move forward. Tough days happen and refine who your are. They mean you are going the right way. Tough days are a sign of growth.

The moonlanding: 90% of the time they were off course. Nasa was making constant adjustment in the course - Life is that way. It's okay to lose - there's no shame in losing. Shame is in the lack of willingness to make changes.

Careers - Which way do I go?

Congratulations to Sandy for the fabulous job offer! I'm very excited for you and your new endeavor. While I celebrate your new found path, I've been wondering about my own.
For several months I've wondered about what to be when I grow up. Do you remember the dreams? I've been thinking back to what it is I always wanted to be. I wanted to be a mom - I thought it was a given that you get married and then have kids and have been sadly disproven of that.
I remember thinking teaching was where it was at, which ultimately wasn't what I wanted and didn't persue. Now that I'm a trainer teaching (adults of various ages) the computer system for billing at the University Hospital - I find that teaching is not what I would want for myself (not that it was ever in question - but now I'm sure). At least in this, people are here to get paid. It sometimes (many times) feels like I'm a high school teacher (parent teacher conference consists of speaking with supervisors and managers; report cards are monthly reports). I actually really like my job - but that's just it. It's a job. I don't refer to it as a career.
For the last several years, I was in school for my associates degree and to complete my nursing prerequisits. Nursing seemed ideal because you can find a job ANYWHERE, ANY TIME and get paid handsomely. I am still wanting to consider this option, but I have been thinking about why I am doing it. Why? It's not because my mom's a nurse. A lot of people make that inaccurate presumption. If anything, my observations of my mom in her nursing career have made me think twice about that path for myself.
In my 12 years working in a healthcare environment, I've rarely seen a nurse who is happy. Genuinely happy. Most of my observations have been that nurses give everything they are to their patients; all of their emotions, energy, compassion, etc. When work is done, they find themselves drained of it and there's none left to give to the people who matter most: family, children, pets, friends.
Now, I don't want to suggest that this isn't possible in other career paths OR that it's all nurses, but I think it's something to consider. I most certainly don't want to say that my Mom doesn't love me or my siblings, BUT (and this is where it's at for me) she put too much into a career that never replenished it for her - in any way. As a nurse, what can you get from the patients? They are in need of services - and therefore they make withdrawals - not deposits. This is what I'VE observed - and this is what's causing such hesitation on my part to continue down a path to nursing.
With these thoughts weighing on me, I've been wondering what it is I WOULD like. I love being creative. I'm good at it. I have found a true love in photography, sewing, drawing. I find myself thinking (in my spare thoughts) about the next time I take pictures or what I would like to set up for the next shot. It's strange how preoccupied I've been - and am saving up for a bigger and better camera.
I am probably going to stick with Nursing but also persue my photography and other loves (my husband and family). I figure I still want to do ER nursing - a higher paced environment and I can walk away - and even do clinic stuff.
I'll think of something, I'm sure.

What a week!

It's been an odd week. We had one of the worst storms - or at least the effects were some of the worst. Happy Valley was hit hardest on Wednesday - It was a regular winter storm, until the January-like winds kicked it up. We (Eric and I) went to dinner with his brother and when we got home I turned on the news. It was the 10:00 o'clock news, right? And they are covering I-15 between Sandy and Provo - mostly Point of the Mountain area - people had been stuck in traffic since 5:00 p.m. - FIVE hours! OUTRAGEOUS! How dare Mother Nature keep the Happy Valley folks from getting home!

No but, really, some 90 kids had to got back to school and stay the night (kudos to the teachers-become-babysitters) for keeping it together! People were running out of gas and traffic was completely at a standstill at News time! Can you imagine!?

Thursday, at work, I watched the wind kick up again, and the snow became a haze that engulfed the view of the mountains. It lasted for a short time and then all was clear again. Crazy!

Valentine's Day was nice. Eric and I went out to eat - lack of planning meant that most places had 60-70 minute waits, so we found ourselves at the local IHOP. Okay, so it's not the most romantic Valentine's Day dinner, but what do you do? For a gal like me who generally boycotted Valentine's Day through my 20's, I'm okay with this dining experience.

Since we got cable installed at our house (HD for the big screen was a must that has paid off many times over again) meant we have discovered some shows that have sucked me in and now count me among the addicted. Specifially: The Girls Next Door. I know, I'm sorry to Elida, who works for Hustler, but I love watching the show. It's so cool to see that these gorgeous women are cute, clever, smart, funny, etc. So after, dinner, Eric and I watched a few episodes from Season 1 - My coworker is equally adicted and let me borrow her Season 1 DVD. LOVE IT!

As for today, I felt like work was most overwhelming. I was left holding the bag on a project I was brought into only last week. It's a big project and next week my whole week will be spent at the hospital training the program and rolling it out on the floors. I ended up having to make a lot of decisions that I needed support from my manager on, but she was in meetings so I made the calls alone. When she and I had talked earlier in the day, I didn't feel her buy in on the project. In fact, she gave me the impression that she felt I had already dropped the ball by not looping her in on the fact I would be out all next week doing this training - but I only found this out YESTERDAY! Anyway, I felt most frazzled when the day was done. With all that's going on with my parents and past issues and the stress flying freely about us, this was more than I was prepared to take on. I'm sure that once I start this roll out next week, I'll be happy I was involved - after all, it's a resume building experience to be involved in something like it, right?

So that's the week. I have other thoughts fumbeling their way around my brain regarding my parents, my dad, his secret life and the lies, the family Eric and I are fighting for - the cost of living! All will be tackled in the days to come.