Leadership Thought #234 – Are You Spread Too Thin?
I’ve often heard the saying, “if you want something done give it to a busy person.” While I am an advocate of applying the 80/20 principle in most circumstances, I believe the ratio get even greater in organizations and communities when it comes to overall effort and impact – it is more like 90/10 or higher. Some people just seem to be hardwired to take on more responsibility. They just can’t help themselves and have a difficult time saying “no.” When they find a need they feel compelled to address it. Poor performance isn’t an option for them and they work hard even no one else is watching. While it’s great these people exist, I also worry that we expect too much from these individuals and in the end many of them end up suffering from burnout and/or too much stress.
The Frustrating Business of Healthcare From A Patient’s Perspective
At what point did healthcare become about the less about what’s best for the patient and more about the business of delivering care and maximizing revenues? It’s easy to blame the insurance companies (and they certainly deserve their share of criticism), but the profit motive is certainly alive and well with healthcare delivery professionals. Patients are overbooked and herded through waiting rooms. We get very little time with the actual doctor/dentist and it often feels like they are seeking the shortest/easiest route to a diagnosis.