Thank you for the great feedback (which also came with some powerful and inspiring messages). I’m grateful for your engagement and caring enough to want to help me help you be even better.
I’m going to give it another week for any additional responses to my request for what you need more of each day to ensure you have enough motivation and focus during your daily huddles.
Now, I want to go back to the most basic premise of all in the context of this ‘morning huddle’ philosophy of starting your day, beginning with the end in mind, and setting yourself up for success. It all begins with preparation and awareness over what the opportunities are for today, knowing what your key contributions are, and knowing which patients you are seeing today. Your goal is to have a game plan and strategy on how you will help them.
That is the foundational core outcome that we want to have as result of every Morning Huddle. It is quite literally like a huddle on the football field where everyone learns the play, talks through any areas of opportunity that will help each team member be effective, and sets everyone up to make the most of each patient encounter.
There is one other thing that is even more important to your Huddles. This one though is less a tangible outcome and more a feeling that comes from it.
That is a positive energy. But you already knew that.
Yes, a positive energy leads to a positive attitude which leads to positive outcomes. If you have it with each other then you will have it with your patients.
This is why a Huddle must be led in a commanding way because it is NOT a cheer session, it is NOT an administrative review session, it is NOT a talk about the schedule session, it is NOT a meeting about anything from yesterday or tomorrow, and it is NOT a personal grievances session. It is one hundred percent about maximizing TODAY. If you start off right, you’ll be on track to achieving your goal of winning the day by helping every patient that walks in.
You can have whatever components you want in the Huddle, it is your huddle, but I’m telling you anything that distracts from the single solitary core function and purpose of the huddle is only going to bog you down. The last thing you can afford is to end up with someone (or everyone) entering into the day out of alignment, off focus, and lacking the mentality that is required to be at peak performance from start to finish.
It can be collaborative where everyone shares their major objectives for the day and clearly states their highest priorities (whether those are people’s names, tasks, or collections) that are going to lead you to successful today.
However, it must be directed by the person that has a complete and comprehensive grasp on all aspects of the Practice. That said, it is every team member and doctor’s responsibility to know what they are going to do to help the team win today.
Remember, motivation is not just helpful it is essential, positive attitudes are not just optional they are required, focus is not just voluntary it is necessary, and preparation is not just a when-you-have-time it is a critical commitment of a professional.
You understand all of these things, I know that. What I’m asking you to do is double down on them and be even better. If you realize that everyday it takes everyone to succeed, then how can you start the day without everyone on the same page?
Your commitment to success is to arrive ready in all ways (physically, mentally, emotionally), so you can be and do your best.
I challenge you to set yourself up for success by having the most productive Huddles. When you master your morning, you have a far greater shot at mastering your day.
This year, like every year, you do it one day at a time and the good news is: you only have to SHOW UP and BE GREAT – TODAY!
Tomorrow… we’ll worry about that when it gets here… when it’s “Today!”
