and Your Colleagues will Practice It!
Any time we enter a new situation or new job, we want to fit in and be an integral part of that group. We begin to conform to the norms of that particular group. This is also true in societal groups and among peers. We begin to model the “accepted” prevalent behaviors. We watch formal and informal leaders around us to see how they respond to situations. Once we are sure of the acceptable behavior, we can begin act accordingly to fit in. Before we know it, we have a whole team acting and behaving in the same way. What would happen if we took the first step toward changing old accepted norms and begin to model a new kindness and attitude? There is a great TV commercial for a leading insurance company that shows one random act of kindness which is witnessed by another person who then performs their own random act of kindness which is seen by another and they go on to do a random act of kindness and so on and so on. It is actually called “paying it forward.” Could this really work for long term care? Being the perpetual optimist, I believe it can.
We often see a problem as being so big and pervasive that it is hard to fathom that one person can make a difference. I believe it only takes one person to start a chain of change. Once one person decides to make the effort to change, others will notice. Being an 80s girl, I feel certain that every girl in the country didn't decide to start teasing their bangs to the sky at the same time! One person took the risk and a whole generation of girls followed suite. Let this be the generation that takes the risk to model kindness to our residents.
Although I am the great optimist, I am not deluded enough to believe it will happen overnight. However, the modeled act of kindness repeated over and over will begin to be noticed by the team. The action may be ridiculed initially because some mock and disparage what they don’t understand or what they fear. Be the leader for change. Doing the right thing makes you feel warm and fuzzy inside. It is right for our residents and there is a certainty of action that comes with doing the right thing.
In the current environment of elder care there is a feeling of separation; an “us vs. them” attitude. As we work to create communities for our elders, we should model the same behavior that is important for us as we search for the right community in which to live. We want our neighbors and community to be kind, warm and accepting. Our residents deserve and want the same. It is my belief and experience that you get exactly what you give. Give kindness and proudly model your actions. Remember, people model the excepted behaviors of the organization. Take the risk, be the trendsetter and watch the change begin!
“People do what people see.” --Will Rogers
Teresa McCann
Senior Consultant/Director of Development
