Rule #5: Collaborate.

Americans are proud of our "rugged individualism," but seriously - it's almost impossible to go it entirely alone.  (Especially if you're in a non-profit organzation that isn't supported by your own massive independent wealth.)  If you haven't yet realized that everything in life is about relationships, now is your chance.  

I have the phrase "We're all in this together" posted on the wall of my office as a constant reminder that everything we do is a team effort.  This doesn't mean that we have a lot of meetings (I'm working on a separate post addressing my philosophy on that); but it does mean that everyone in our office has an "open door policy" so that people can quickly gather, discuss the issue, and then move on with their day.  For our organization, this applies across disciplines - physicians, pharmacists, case managers, therapists, intake workers, support staff and peer mentors all can quickly and easily access one another in help meet clients' needs.

It's often easy to collaborate with the people physically present in your office space, but what about friends and colleagues at other organizations in town?  Being "all in this together" should include them, too - perhaps especially so.  To accomplish this, we hold a monthly "Interagency Meeting" with the other groups that serve the HIV/AIDS popluation, including case management organizations, outreach & prevention organizations, housing programs, Legal Aid, American Red Cross, and representatives from state agencies such as the Department of Health, Department of Corrections, and Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services.  Everyone is able to quickly share information related to funding & schedule availability, upcoming events, program expansions (or retractions), etc.  Sometimes we have group gripe sessions, sometimes we all bring food and have a party.  No matter the format, these meetings give all the agencies a chance to sit at the same table and truly participate.

Learning what other organizations do (and even helping them do it) allows you both to better focus on what you each do best. When you collaborate you eliminate duplication of work and thereby free up time to do the things you actually want to do.  

Rule #4: Listen.

Successful organizations listen really well - they listen to their clients/customers, they listen to their staff, they listen to their peers, they listen to their funders, and they listen to society as a whole.  All of these groups possess information and feedback that can (and should) have a huge impact on how your organization operates now...and how it should operate in the future.  

Let's be honest - ignorance doesn't fix problems.  (See: housing bubble, teen pregnancy, Bernie Madoff)  Listening to what others have to say about us and our programs is arguably the most reliable way to get anything close to an accurate picture of how we are doing.  Are clients satisfied with our services?  Does our staff enjoy working here?  What are our colleagues doing to improve?  Our competitors?  What is public opinion on this subject?  What do the experts in our field suggest?

Like many public health organizations, we have limited resources to meet a growing need in an environment that is largely indifferent (and, at times, antagonistic) toward our clients.  Listening to what various stakeholders have to say about our programs help us to stay relevant, involved, and responsive to the needs of our clients, our staff, and our community.  Listening helps show others that you really, truly care and it helps you identify what data to base decisions on so that you can focus on what you do best.  (See how that all comes together so nicely?)

For the most part, Rules 1 through 4 have centered on what your organiztion can do from within; Rule #5 will turn the focus outside and take a look at what others are doing and how you can best fit in to the big picture.  

 

Rule #3: Be Data-Based.

And yes, that might mean using a database.  Don't be afraid; they can be quite handy.  

We have a tendency to compare everything in our lives to something (or someone) else.  Though our definitions of success may differ from person to person and organization to organization, our success is always determined by measuring ourselves in some fashion.  Typically the measurement is arbitrary (or at least nonstandardized), which makes it difficult to assess "actual" success or growth or change.  

The key for sustatined improvement is to quantify your variables and make them measureable.  Outcome measurements are nothing new - standarized testing in schools, pre- and post-time trials at the race track, and the ever-familiar course evaluations that you must complete at the end of a training workshop in order to receive your CEU certificate.  Currently our organization is looking at patient satisfaction - we want to ensure that our patients not only receive the highest level of care - but that they actually feel cared for.  To do this with thousand of patients each month, we contracted with the industry leader in assessing patient satisfaction, Press Ganey.  Responses are tabulated by individual provider, so all of our phsyicans, case managers, and mental health therapists receive a score based on their patients.  We also look at call volume and flow - how many phone calls come in, how many callers are placed on hold (and for how long), how many people hang up, etc.  Over time we've been able to see patients' satisfaction level increase in response to specific changes made in each clinic.

Last year I started measuring the workload of our staff as well as schedule flow.  This helps us in scheduling meetings, vacations, etc., as well as ensuring that the workload is evenly shared among all the staff (Rule #1).  The gallery below has some examples from our programs in 2010.

See the full gallery on Posterous

For our programs, our goal is that everyone who wants services should be able to access them.  Staff caseloads tend to stay pretty maxed out, so increasing access can be tricky.  Looking at the numbers helps take something from "I wish we could see a few more clients, but we're always so busy" to "Caseloads are smallest in the summer; let's schedule our outreach program in July so that people can get into care more quickly."  

Data not only helps you be more productive and efficient, it also helps you provide a qualitatively better service.  For us, we strive to challenge the status quo of HIV care.  Serving the most clients is one thing; giving clients the best service is another.  We want to do both. 

Rule #2: Focus on what you do best.

This is a deep vs. wide issue. Decide what your core services or products are and focus on excelling in those areaa. The playing field is already wide, so be the best player at your position.

I'll give an example: I work for an organization that provides medical, mental health, and medical case management for people with HIV/AIDS. We do an outstanding job at all three. I have an excellent staff of case managers and clinical therapists who work hard all day, every day meeting the needs of our patients. It is evident that they really, truly care about our clients (Rule #1) because they will come in early and stay late to better accomodate patient's schedules. And they are constantly suggesting ways that we can improve patients' experience in our clinic and how we can remove barriers to treatment.

Do you know what we don't do? Outreach. We do almost no direct outreach in the community. Outreach is a very important component in the fight to prevent the spread of HIV, but we know that our staff doesn't have the time or resources to be the best in both case management and outreach. There are other agencies in the community that do amazing things in outreach, and so we support them as best we can through funding and other resources.

A good example of focusing on what you do best is Microsoft. They a juggernaut in the software business, dominating both the operating system and office software markets with Windows and the Office suite, respectively. Even their web browser, Internet Explorer, continues to enjoy the largest share of its market. They have made billions and billions of dollars selling software, and focusing on that is the key to their success. Sure, they've tried to sell a few devices now and then (e.g. XBox gaming systems and Zune audio players), but their bread and butter remains their software. On the occasion that they have branched out into other areas (i.e. the Zune) they haven't done so well.

Despite the persistant rumors, Facebook has yet to release a "Facebook Phone." And if they ever do, it will still revolve around their core product - Facebook itself - because that's their focus. You won't see them making hand tools, desktop computers, or automobiles. Facebook won't be selling dishwashers or drilling for oil or delivering babies. Those things aren't their focus.

Focusing on what you do best also allows others organziations focus on what they do best. Only in rare occasions when organizations become so large that they are able to afford to branch out (such as GE, for example) into other areas. And even then it doesn't mean they'll be an industry leader in that area.

So, the question your organization must answer is: Do you want to be truly great at what you focus on doing, or do you just want to be kinda okay at a smattering of things?

Rule #1: Care. Really, truly care.

First and foremost, be client-centered.  This seems obvious, and it is, but so few programs actually adhere to it. So, I'll repeat it: Be client-centered.  From the moment your client first walks in the door or calls you on the phone, they should feel like they are the reason your organization exists - because they are.  Greet them by name, but be thoughtful of their privacy.  Make eye contact.  Find out what their needs are before you decide what's best for them.  Empower them.  Design your programs (and in some cases, even your office space) with the client's experience in mind.  (We'll talk more about that in Rule #2.)

Secondly - and this is a very close second - be staff-centered.  Without clients your organization would not be necessary, but without your staff you would just be an empty building.  Not to get too metaphysical on you, but think of clients as being the soul of your organization and the staff as the body.  The body can move and operate on its own, but without a soul it has no reason do so.  

I'm a firm believer that supported staff do better work.  If someone does good work, tell them, both publically and privately.  Mention it in a staff meeting, send them a thank-you card to their home.  Remember birthdays.  Ask how they're doing.  Ask how you can help them.  Don't always say "no."  Be reasonably flexible.  

Showing your clients and your staff that your organization cares about them builds the relationship that business so often leave out.  Notorious offenders like AT&T, Comcast, and Wal-Mart spend millions of dollars each year trying to repair broken relationships with their customers.  I've had representatives from AT&T & Samsung both reach out to me personally on Twitter in response to complaints - that means someone is paid to sit and crawl the Twitter feed looking for complaints.  That's a lot of scrubbing to do. 

 

Inspired to Greatness

A few times each year I attended conferences related to the prevention and treatment of HIV/AIDS in the United States.  Though the title and focus may differ, they each host a similar feel.  Inspiring success stories from San Francisco and New York, heart-warming tales of individuals who have overcome insurmountable odds, organizations giving away pencils in an attempt to convince you to hire them for capacity building assistance.  I always leave feeling armed with a notebook full of hastily-written ideas and a renewed motivation to enact change in my own community.  

But during the plane ride home, as I thumb through all the glossy materials I picked up in the exhibit hall, I almost invariably find myself wondering "Can't we can do better than this?"  Fancy flyers don't make a program successful.  Monogramed pens don't make patients feel comfortable coming to an HIV clinic.  Free t-shirts don't pay for expensive medications. 

Now we arrive at what most conference attendees really want to learn about: What does make the difference?  What makes a "good" program become a "great" program?  How can we enact desperately-needed change without spending any money?

Over the next few days I am goign to post my "Five Rules to Greatness" in the workplace.  Whether you're a local charity or a industry leader, these tips will help your organization become the best version of itself.   As a preview, here's the list:

Rule #1: Care.  Really, truly care.

Rule #2: Focus on what you do best.

Rule #3: Be data-driven.

Rule #4: Listen.

Rule #5: Collaborate.