Bonnie Clipper DNP, MA, MBA, RN, CENP, FACHE
Chief Clinical Officer at Wambi

Leaders: how many times have we all heard the old cliché, “the only thing that is constant is change”?  The last six months have been the most turbulent, ambiguous, and ever-changing timesever in our lifetime.  From school, to how we work, how we buy our groceries, and even how we socialize with our family and friends —everything that we once did without question is now a calculated risk.  As we continue to find that many things are now out of our control, learning to lead and thrive during challenging times requires a tweak in our thinking. Two ways to provide leadership insight during COVID-19 is to give space and use grace. 

To “have” space or to “give” space has taken on a whole new meaning during COVID-19.  Since many of us are now living and working from our homes, we are spending much more time with our families in what feels like a more confined space.  

The importance of giving space, or allowing a bit of distance, is important so we don’t all drive each other crazy.  This can be remedied by following the proper precautions and going for a drive or a walk just to get out, get some fresh air, or even experience some needed time alone.   

Giving space can also mean that we provide our work teams the “safe” space necessary to share and talk as we work through the issues associated with the pandemic together.  

Providing the safety of space for our team is incredibly important because it allows for the sharing of thoughts, concerns, and even ideas as we are all coping differently with the current situation. 

As a leader, are you aware of how each person on your team is doing – really doing?

• How are they and their family faring through the current situation?
• Do you know how they are handling school arrangements? 
• Do you know what is important to them?

If you answered ‘no’ to the following questions – it’s time to ask them.  Be authentic, be real, and you might be surprised at what you learn.  Consider sharing a meal virtually to check in and talk as you both eat breakfast, lunch, or even happy hour to share space and build bonds to work through this challenging time together. 

Finding ways to be kind to yourself and others is incredibly important, especially in this stressful and dynamic time that we are living through.  Utilize this time as an opportunity to use grace for others as well as yourself.  

There has never been a more important time to show grace in our interactions. As I cautiously venture out for necessary trips, I find it hard to read faces or pick up on gestures that infer kindness or grace.  It is equally hard to demonstrate grace through my own facial expressions and gestures.  Kindness, courtesy, and assuming good intent go a long way in interactions – especially now since we are so polarized and super-charged about our own thoughts and positions, whether it is around mask-wearing, vaccines, or schools opening.  

If we could each demonstrate a bit more grace toward ourselves, we too could benefit from some self-generosity and kindness. How can you give grace to yourself?

• Cut yourself, and those around you, some slack.  
• Try not to jump to conclusions or make assumptions. 

By giving space and using grace, you will create room to be more grateful and appreciate the little things.  And it goes without saying that any opportunity to provide leadership support during COVID-19 should include being grateful for your team and their contributions. Want to start giving space and use grace? Here’s how:

• Check in on your team 
• Provide space for thinking, sharing, and reflection during team breaks or even leading a team guided meditation (see below)
• Always assume good intent
• Give validation when people express concerns

Here’s a free guided meditation from our Wambi Wellness Series. If you want more of these meditation resources, click here.

Listen in as Dr. Bonnie Clipper and Dr. Michael Peterson, health equity lead for Accenture, spotlight the need for healthcare professionals to take care of themselves first.

To learn more about Dr. Michael Petersen:

• Follow @mpetersen_md on Twitter
• Connect with Dr. Michael Petersen on LinkedIn

There’s more to explore in Wambi world! Click here to subscribe and keep your pulse on what we’re doing in the healthcare engagement space with thought leaders and the inspiring realm of employee recognition and gratitude.

Tria Deibert, VP of Culture at Hackensack Meridian Health, is a warrior for organizational culture. As a culture leader herself, she understands it takes a team, not a person, to build company culture. In today’s episode, you’ll hear Tria talk about the challenge of merging two organizations and the lessons she learned from that experience.

1. Spend time making the vision, mission, and values real and livable.
   Supporting Quote:
   Tria Deibert: [6:54]“Your mission, vision, and beliefs, can’t just be a beautifully written statement. It needs to be real and livable. Finding the balance of that, what’s real and livable as you’re bringing organizations together, is really where the magic is.
2. Create core beliefs and reiterate them constantly.
   Supporting Quote:
   Tria Deibert: [13:22] “When we did our research, we learned what the team valued, and that informed the development of our core beliefs. And what we heard thematically was teamwork, human experience, quality,  being highly reliable, and innovation. So, those are all great things to value, especially in healthcare, and they certainly speak to the mind, but when I looked at them, they didn’t speak to my heart, and I didn’t know that they would speak to our team members’ hearts. So we crafted our core beliefs. As I mentioned before, they’re affectionately known as the four CS kind of with this knowledge in mind. And so, you know, born out of that discussion was creative, courageous, collaborative, and compassionate. And so innovation became creative. I will do my part to make things better. Quality and HRO became courageous. I will do the right thing. Teamwork became collaborative. I embraced teamwork, and the human experience became compassionate. I am the human experience.
3. Equip employees to be good storytellers of your brand and your culture.
   Supporting Quote:
   Tria Deibert: [12:24] ”The culture has to be really reflective of who you are and who you aspire to be. And the only way to get there is to listen, to and involve your team members, understand what they hold dear, and really work with them to create the future they want to see.”
4. Be clear on the “why,” then give a really clear path letting them know the “how”.
   Supporting Quote:
   Tria Deibert: [16:01] “I worked with our culture champions to equip them with the key messages
   and materials. So I was very clear on the why, but they owned the, how. And really what made
   this successful was we gave them a structure. We gave them materials, but they were selected
   for a reason, and we really gave them the power and the ability to bring these messages and
   these ideas forward in different events that were specific to where they were.”

The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein – Buy Here.

In collaboration with Wambi, the Gut + Science Podcast Healthcare Series hosted by Nikki Lewellen, Director of Partnerships at Wambi, highlights accomplished, people-first healthcare CEOs (and executives) that share their powerful mindsets, experiences and tools that have helped them succeed. The show encompasses all areas of human capital at work and the successful best practices that breed healthy, engaged organizations.

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