Greetings from the LHH! If there was ever a time for leadership, it is now. With a political crisis laid on top of a public health crisis, there are so many challenges we must meet as local and national communities. I was talking with a leader of one of our larger regional hospitals yesterday and I could hear how exhausted she was, even as she talked about how exhausted her staff were. The unprecedented political conflict has me holding my breath. I am deeply concerned about the steps that have been taken so far that have led to the conflict and the steps that will be taken to resolve it, and what new precedents they create for the future of our republic. There is a light at the end of the tunnel, but it seems that there is a lot of darkness to be passed through between here and there. I pray our politicians will find some self-restraint and our healthcare leaders will persevere.
I write this newsletter piece-meal through the week as I find interesting things to share with you. It seems none of it is particularly important in light of all that is going on. But I think if there is one lesson I have learned in my life it is to continue putting one foot in front of the other when things seem particularly dark. It is the only way to get to the end of the tunnel.
As President Bush said, “Our country is more important than the politics of the moment. Let the officials elected by the people fulfill their duties and represent our voices in peace and safety. May God continue to bless the United States of America.”
Stay well and stay safe!
(pic above is a little sketch I did as part of my new commitment to continue to work on my art skills this year - see “Beginners” podcast below)
Read
What: Vox, SoulCycle changed fitness. Its culture and toxic work environment made growth impossible.
https://www.vox.com/the-goods/22195549/soulcycle-decline-reopening-bullying-bike-explained
Why: I’m not sure the problem was culture, as the title tells it, but the inherent challenge of growing a business with haute couture market into a fast fashion level of distribution (here’s my cheating guide for fashion terminology - I know next to nothing about fashion). How do you charge $35 per class, and expect people to take 20 classes a week, and expand your market past the top 0.1%? It’s a network good that works on exclusivity. By being a member, it proves you are a member of the 0.1%. You’re willing to pay for that distinction. But when there are overweight, or worse, not rich people working out at your gym, suddenly it’s not worth the excessive price. The pandemic didn’t help, but it seems to me the pace of growth was the problem for this brand, not the culture. This is a business built on the power of malignant envy.
**
What: STAT, We need long-term solutions for older Americans' long-term care
https://www.statnews.com/2020/12/28/long-term-care-older-americans-needs-long-term-solutions/
Why: From the article: “The median cost of living in a semi-private room in a nursing home for one year is $93,000. Hiring a home health aide for 40 hours a week costs $55,000. Assisted living costs $52,000.”
This very short piece makes a good point - we don’t have a system, either private or public - that realistically deals with long term care financing. Mostly it gets paid by Medicaid after spend down, which can be ruinous for a surviving spouse.
Most people don’t have enough money saved for retirement, never mind an extended stay in a long term care facility.
(HT to MHM-F)
**
Watch
What: Connor Neill, Mentorship 101: 3 Types of Mentor and 5 Conversations with Mentors
Why: This is the second video I am sharing from Connor Neill. I am really impressed with his clear thinking about leadership topics. He has two lists in this video about mentorship. I’m going to paste them in here so you don’t feel like you have to copy them down. I think they will also entice you to listen to the video.
Three types of mentor:
Sponsor – lends you her/his reputation
Guide - able to give advice because s/he has gone before
Coach – asks clarifying questions, listen deeply
5 things mentors do:
Companion – positively supports in a caring way
Planter of seeds – sees in you possibilities and opportunities
Catalyst – someone who pushes, prods, puts you in contact -
Demonstrator – can talk about how they have overcome your challenges
Mirror – mirrors back what they are hearing from you
**
Listen
What: Experience 50 - The Podcast for Midlife, Beginners with best-selling author, Tom Vanderbilt
https://www.experience50.com/podcast/beginners/
Why: Learning something new, particularly a new skill, is good for the mind, body, and soul. There’s lots of evidence for this. Vanderbilt has written a book about how he tried to learn a number of new skills - surfing, chess, juggling, etc. - and the benefits that came from becoming a beginner. I came across an essay by Vanderbilt based on this book in the WSJ last week and was really excited to see this book was coming out (see the article here - may be behind a paywall). I then found this interview with him and thought I would share it. The idea that you should always be pushing yourself to learn something is core to my personal life philosophy. I won’t argue that I am the most open person (using the Big 5 definition), but I do try to have various projects going that are outside my work. I sincerely believe it has been important for my own well-being that I’ve had these side projects. For example, I started teaching myself photography during my PhD program. I’d always been a reader to relax, but I just didn’t have head space for any more words. Getting into photography allowed me to shut down the verbal side of my brain and focus completely on the visual side. I’m pretty sure taking up that hobby when I did kept me sane (or a little less crazy). I just downloaded Vanderbilt’s book and look forward to reading it. At a minimum, check out the WSJ article if you can, also this podcast is good. I’ll let you know what I think of the book. But I think this is really important life advice.
**
What: Ad Age Marketer's Brief, From marketer to CEO
http://marketersbrief.adage.libsynpro.com/from-marketer-to-ceo-0
Why: This interview is with Cheryl Bachelder, formerly the CEO of the parent company Popeye’s Chicken for 10 years. She was responsible for turning around the business and making growth explode. She talks about leadership and what she did to create success at Popeye’s, and she speaks frankly about her failure as President of KFC, where she was fired after 2 years. I like her discussion of resilience and learning from failure in addition to her discussion of her successes, which are extensive. She has a servant leader approach that is impressive. They talk about her role as a board member and mentor, as well as her experiences with mentors. She was one of the early women to lead a national organization successfully, and talks about being a trailblazer. Some great leadership lessons in this interview.
Thanks for reading and see you next week! If you come across any interesting stories, won't you send them my way? I'd love to hear what you think of these suggestions, and I'd love to get suggestions from you. Feel free to drop me a line at mark.bonica@unh.edu , or you can tweet to me at @mbonica .
If you’re looking for a searchable archive, you can see my draft folder here: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1jwGLdjsb1WKtgH_2C-_3VvrYCtqLplFO?usp=sharing
Finally, if you find these links interesting, won’t you tell a friend? They can subscribe here: https://markbonica.substack.com/welcome
See you next Friday!
Mark
Mark J. Bonica, Ph.D., MBA, MS
Assistant Professor
Department of Health Management and Policy
University of New Hampshire
(603) 862-0598
mark.bonica@unh.edu
Health Leader Forge Podcast: http://healthleaderforge.org
'It is the small things, everyday deeds of ordinary folk, that keep the darkness at bay. Simple acts of kindness and love.' - Gandalf (The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey)