RWL Newsletter #58
Greetings from the University of New Hampshire where today is freshman move-in day! I live just around the corner from campus, so when I drove down to the gym this morning, I got to see the RAs lined up outside the dorms helping freshmen and their families unloading their cars to start the move-in process. For me, summer is officially ends today. I am looking forward to seeing my students - I teach the juniors in my program and it was their inspiration that caused me to start this newsletter. I was their faculty adviser freshman and sophomore years, so during the summer I was sending them these links to keep their heads in the game. It was only later that I decided to open it up to the public. Starting Monday, I will finally have all of them in my class, which will be fun. Except I need about two more weeks to finish everything I set out to do this summer. Sigh. There is never enough time to do everything you want to accomplish.
(The above pic is from behind Hewitt Hall, where my office is.)
Read
What: from SHRM, 5 Common Questions About Tricky Progressive Discipline Issues, by Paul Falcone
https://www.shrm.org/resourcesandtools/hr-topics/behavioral-competencies/communication/pages/part-1-common-questions-about-tricky-progressive-discipline-issues-.aspx
Why: Discipline is the hardest thing we have to do as leaders, in my opinion. This article has some good advice.
Watch
What: Flash Mob - Ode an die Freude ( Ode to Joy ) Beethoven Symphony No.9 classical music (6 min)
https://youtu.be/kbJcQYVtZMo
Why: Because sometimes you just need to feel good. I know flash mobs are so 2014, but there was something to be learned from that trend. We love surprises. At least nice surprises. And there was something especially fun about the participatory nature of flash mobs. As humans, we love to be part of something. There are a bunch of management metaphors to be mixed in there, and some that apply to healthcare. Healthcare today is a team sport - it's people doing stuff together - hopefully to please other people. I think the thing I love about this video is the way the surprises just keep coming. If you haven't seen it (which you might have - it's been seen 13.5 million times), it will make you smile. If you have seen it, it will still make you smile. It's worth thinking about how you can generate this sort of planned, positive spontaneity in your organization.
Listen
What: The Moth, The Freedom Riders and Me, by Barbara Collins Bowie
http://themoth.prx.org/our-life-and-death-barbara-collins-bowie/
Why: I know I just shared a Moth podcast a few weeks ago, but given the recent events in Charlottesville, it seemed appropriate to share the Moth's response. This story is further made appropriate by the fact that much of the story revolves around the quality of hospital care received by people of color under Jim Crow.
That's it for this week! Drop me a line and let me know what you think. I really like hearing back from you about the links you liked.
Thanks for reading and see you next week!
Also, if you find these links interesting, won’t you tell a friend? They can subscribe here: https://tinyletter.com/markbonica
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 by e-mail, or you can tweet to me at @bonicatalent .
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
Twitter: @bonicatalent
"I know of no more encouraging fact than the unquestionable ability of man to elevate his life by a conscious endeavor." - Henry David Thoreau