Changing the Culture to Listen to Your Good Ideas

Something really important is happening at UMass Memorial. Eric Dickson, the CEO, is leading a campaign to change the culture so that front-line employees’ ideas are welcomed in every department. This would be a big change in many areas, and a positive one for SHARE members, our patients and, we believe, the success of our hospitals.

As SHARE members have always said, we know our work, we know our patients, and we have good ideas about how to fix problems. We just need to be free to say them, and to know that we will be listened to.

That means changing how managers manage at UMass Memorial. In the past, I think that many managers learned a “command and control” model of supervising. When the manager’s only job is to tell employees what to do, employees learn to keep their ideas to themselves.

In case you haven't read the Worcester Telegram and Gazette article about this, here's what I said:

"It's a process of changing the culture, from having managers tell the staff what to do, to one where the staff feel appreciated and listened to. The employees have good ideas, and they want to be respected partners in figuring out how to solve some of these problems." 

 Dr. Dickson said in the interview:

"Some managers have this feeling that good ideas can only come from the managers," he said. "That is the hardest thing, getting managers to believe that people on the front lines have better ideas than they do." 

To involve front-line staff in improving the patients’ experience, work flow, and the staff's own day-to-day work experience, Dr. Dickson is promoting idea boards with huddles in every department.

SHARE believes that idea boards and huddles are a great first step toward changing the culture. What I like best about idea boards -- when they’re done well -- is that everybody is equal at an idea board huddle. When the staff operates as a team, it changes how it feels to come to work. 

If you'd like to know more about idea boards and huddles, or you'd like some help with how to make them work well in your department, email Will at SHARE.