Let me put a disclaimer on this month’s post: I’m not against the concept of AI. I’ve dabbled with it a few times. I can see its value. And in healthcare, given the growing expanse of medical knowledge combined with the shrinking workforce to deliver care, what a blessing it is to have a resource at our fingertips to more quickly identify potential causes of illness, along with the ability to document care with less time and effort. Anything that can be automated or accentuated through AI to free up time for care is a-okay with me. But…
That’s just the thing. AI can’t care. It can’t connect. It can’t echo empathy. It can’t provide a soothing touch of a hand in trying times. It can’t shed a tear in shared discomfort or concern. It can’t sit in quiet support beside someone who just needs the presence of a friend. It can’t respond to frustration and sooth a missed service opportunity. It can’t smile and belly laugh. It can’t give full and all-embracing compassion. It can’t build and sustain trust. It just can’t…
What’s more, it can’t be a leader for the teams who are delivering that care, coordinating the supplies, serving the meals, collaborating across the whole system. That’s something only humans have the ability to provide.
Healthcare is a business delivered for people, by people. No other industry (besides maybe education) has that honor so distinctly.
If you read news on nearly any platform, you know that society is experiencing mental health challenges at epidemic proportions. I’m no expert but I suspect the technology that’s so ever-present between us has its fair share of the blame. Hordes of people now desperately crave being noticed—not with a swipe or a ‘like’ or an emoji. They desire meaningful, “I see you and recognize your worth here” kind of acknowledgement. To be seen, heard, and valued. Is it any wonder belonging and inclusion are so well-recognized as a need in recent years? We’ve forgotten how to meaningfully connect with others, one-on-one, face-to-face. Never before has connection been more needed!
I urge you as leaders to pause and reflect on that. How are you truly CONNECTING with each person on your team? Not once in a while but daily. Do they know you CARE? Care is a verb…an action. Not a noun. What actions show you CARE?
Explore this checklist of ways you can do what AI can’t for your teams. How many of these can you check off as ones you routinely do for all the individuals on your team?
- Stopping to chat, asking about things outside of work (their family, their activities, their vacations, their life…)
- Recognizing their birthdays or work anniversaries in deliberate & meaningful ways
- Knowing how their day is going – what’s been rewarding or troubling
- Regularly rounding with employees one-on-one privately, digging into what opportunities exist in their work or the work of the team
- Conducting stay interviews
- Sharing a laugh or a cheesy dad joke
- Sitting quietly with them in the break room or walking beside them in the hall
- Celebrating the small, daily wins in addition to the big accomplishments
- Listening to how they wish to grow, paying attention to ways you can meet that need, putting opportunities in front of them
- Knowing & providing their favorite guilty pleasure for special occasions—snacks & beverages they love
- Coaching in the moment—reinforcing the good as it happens, helping them explore better ways to approach situations when they miss the mark
- Being available for support—helping them critically think through problems, offering advice, answering questions they can’t answer themselves, being a resource & removing barriers
- Offering a shoulder to cry on or a helping hand when life’s demands become too overwhelming
- Encouraging teamwork and collaboration through intentional team-building activities as a group, even if brief
- Calling out their professional growth—new skills or certifications, cross-training
- Acknowledging big moments in their personal life—weddings, birth or adoption of children, funerals of loved ones, new puppies
- Noticing when they support or mentor others
- Sharing your vulnerabilities by acknowledging your stumbles and fallibility
- Expressing clear expectations that push them to be and do their best
These aren’t skills you learn from leadership books. These are just human interaction skills. They are free to learn, free to use. And they can overcome any other weakness you may have as a leader. Your team will forgive your imperfections if you have shown first that you care and they have a connection with you, their leader. Above all, humans want genuine connection.
What adjustment can you make today to connect with your team and show you care? Maybe even ask AI how. But know that AI can’t ever care like you can…
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“A kind gesture can reach a wound that only compassion can heal.” – Steve Maraboli
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Explore these workshops and programs offered by our RWHC Education Team to improve your skills of caring and connection:
- Trauma Informed Leadership
- Lend Me Your EAR: Engagement, Accountability, and Retention Tactics for Leaders
- Belonging at Every Step: Recognizing Bias & Fostering Inclusion for All
- Introduction to Psychological Safety: The Foundation for Quality Care
- Servant Leadership: Committing to Being of Service as a Leader
- Understanding & Developing Emotional Intelligence
To learn more, visit: https://www.rwhc.com/Services/Educational-Services/Leadership-Series or email me at csearles@rwhc.com.
Consider joining our Leadership Bites program: https://www.rwhc.com/Services/Educational-Services/Leadership-Bites
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
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Corrie Searles, MPT, Leadership Development Educator
In Corrie’s role as Leadership Development Educator at the Rural Wisconsin Health Cooperative (RWHC), her aim is to empower leaders—formal and informal—to create positive influence that enables others to serve well.
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