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One Idea That Can Change Your Life
August 8, 2012
I frequently listen to a Blog Talk Radio show hosted by Bryn Johnson. It’s called the Business Café and through an informal chat session with interesting and relevant entrepreneurial guests, Bryn brings all kinds of helpful topics and ideas to her listeners. While listening to a recent session called “ How A Simple Act of Kindness Can Change Your Life” it occurred to me that there were some really good ideas in this show for Practice Managers.
This particular episode centered around a book written by Linda Cohen called 1000 Mitzvahs. Mitzvah is a Hebrew word that refers to acts of kindness. The book is filled with a journey of healing that Linda undertook after her father passed away. And, while an interesting journey, the idea that I really wanted to share with you is how small acts of kindness help you make stronger connections to other people. The ‘mitzvahs’ that Linda describes range from small to large and promote the idea that you don’t have to perform big acts of kindness to make a difference; small, consistent acts of kindness really add up.
Here are some examples of ‘mitzvahs’ you can easily incorporate into your week:
- Lend a hand to a teammate who’s struggling to keep up on a particularly busy day.
- Write a LinkedIn recommendation for a vendor or consultant who’s had an impact on your practice.
- Give recognition to a staff member who’s gone above and beyond.
- Promote an event from your community.
- Make connections between two people – introduce people who have something in common that would be beneficial to each of them.
- Speak to someone who looks uncomfortable at your next networking event.
- Share your special skills with local volunteer organizations.
Once you start looking around you with the ‘mitzvah’ mindset, you’ll see lots of opportunities to perform these acts of kindness. In fact, you probably already perform ‘mitzvahs’ every day. Relationships and networking are a two-way street; sometimes you’re the giver and sometimes you’re the receiver. The more you give, the more people want to return the favor.
I heard a really great idea for Practice Managers this past week. It came from Daniel Pendleton from All’s Well Healthcare Staffing (www.allswell.net). He calls it the ‘Wow Factor’. His idea is to get a basket and put it in a common area of the practice. Encourage your team to write down a ‘Wow’ when they see someone doing something in the office that is worthy of recognition. Then, at each staff meeting, pull the notes out of the basket and read them out loud. It costs nothing, but gives you a great way to recognize your team and encourage their positive actions. It creates unity in the team, promotes teamwork and creates a positive energy in the practice. All of which is beneficial to you – the Practice Manager.
I’d love to hear your thoughts on this topic and encourage you to share your ideas.
(If you’re interested in listening to Bryn’s Talk Radio segments, you can find them for free on iTunes or visit Bryn’s website at www.brynjohnson.com.)
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Topics: Staff Relations, Thought Processes | No Comments »