Resources for Today's Professionals

February 2011 Life is a journey of learning

Resources for Today's Professional

Greetings!

Last month at the annual NATSAP conference in Arizona I heard a lot of people speaking about optimism. Yes, an optimistic outlook can help improve your state of health, not just your state of mind. A few people openly admitted that secretly they think optimistic people are just a little annoying with their constant insufferable smiling, they way they always look on the "bright side" and reciting cheerful comments.

A few others admitted that when they encounter an optimist, uncharitable words like "chump" and "sap" pop into their head. And a few others stated that when optimists veer off into wishful thinking, and what they called the ridiculous state of "blind optimism," (which one person said was downright delusional thinking) optimists may even be dangerous. I ask you this question - is optimism a characteristic you want to instill in yourself and your kids?

I say, yes. Optimism can protect against anxiety disorders, depression and promote emotional resilience. Optimists are healthier than pessimists, and they recover faster from conditions like heart disease. Optimism can help a person cope more effectively with stress, and affects the immune system in ways that are largely beneficial. Plus, from what I was told, most people prefer the company of an optimist.

These days, however, given all the crisis (economic) and disasters (man-made and natural) we face, it is easy - tempting even - to opt for pessimism. The good news is, optimism can be learned. All it takes is a little practice and, surprisingly perhaps, healthy does of argumentativeness, determination, grit, and self-criticism. Like many of you who were in Tucson, I found myself in the company of local people who were still reeling from the tragedy.

I struggled with what to do or say when encountering these local individuals. As I grappled with the difficult questions raised about public safety, First Amendment rights, mental health and gun control, I also wondered what role I, as a visitor, could play in promoting healing about such a tragedy.

Nothing will remove the reality that there are individuals who grapple with mental illness - and may act on that illness.

It can happen in any community. Even in the midst of trauma, every local I met and spoke with saw reasons for hope. Many praised and talked about the heroism displayed.

I asked them all if the tragedy really changed their hearts and their behavior? Want to learn about optimism?

Listen to those who helped us have a conference in a beautiful setting while mourning the victims of a shooting rampage that killed six innocent people in their community.

You will learn all about optimism.

Sincerely,

Dore E. Frances, Ph.D.
HFS Consulting
(541) 312-4422
Dore E. Frances, Ph.D.

The Top - Down Attitude

The Number One Leadership Hang-up

Effective leaders see themselves as the bottom of an inverted pyramid
Servant leadership is much more rare
The top-down attitude comes naturally to most people

This top-down attitude problem is the number one leadership hang-up. When you have it, you spread it to everything your leadership hand touches. You think people would have learned by now, yet it still keeps cropping up; that age-old problem of autocratic, domineering, top-down leadership.

Of all the sins of poor leadership, none is greater and none is still committed more often. The top-down approach to leadership is based on the military model of barking orders to weak underlings. "I'm in charge here!" One blatantly irritating practice of some leaders who exercise a top-down style is the use of knowledge - to keep people in line and in their place. Knowledge in an organization is power.

A leader can use this power to dominate others by keeping them guessing and in the dark. Dictators have long recognized that others' knowledge is their worst enemy.

Top-down leadership can become like a chain reaction.

The boss barks orders to the employee. The employee goes home and barks orders at their spouse.

The spouse barks orders at the children. The children bark at other kids and the other kids take it out on their parents when they get home. It comes so naturally to most people to be autocratic, and it also happen to be the greatest leadership mistake. Why do a lot of people fall into the trap of top-down leadership attitudes?

It comes naturally.
It reflects the dark side of human nature.
It's the easiest.
It's the most common.
It's traditional.

A classic source book on a different kind of leadership is Servant Leadership, written thirty years ago by Robert K. Greenleaf.

I interviewed young workers in our industry. They are the emerging-generation on the scene, and their managers need to know what turns them off and what turns them on.

TURN-OFFS

Being watched and scrutinized
Disparaging comments about their lifestyle and tastes
Feeling disrespected
Feeling pressured to convert to traditional behavior
Hearing about the past - especially their boss's
Inflexibility about time
Workaholic attitudes

TURN-ONS

Fun at work - light competition, structured play, and surprises
Learning how their current work is making them a better part of the company
Opportunities to learn new things
Praise and recognition
Small, unexpected rewards for jobs well done
Time spent with managers

Dore E. Frances, Ph.D.
HFS Consulting

Advocate || Educational || Therapeutic Consultant || Parent Coach || Radio Host || Speaker for Workshops || Visionary || Working with People who What to Expand their Creativity and with Organizations that want to Explore new Ways of Thinking

541-312-4422
Dore@dorefrances.com

In This Issue

The Top - Down Attitude

Head Games - Be the first to answer this puzzle correctly and win a Gift Card

How does customer service affect the behavioral health industry?

Head Games

Be the first to answer this puzzle correctly and win a Gift Card.

You must be a current confirmed subscriber to enter.

Find the five-digit number in which the second-digit is three times the first, the third is one more than the second, the fourth is four times the first, and the last is one half more than the second.

Hint: There are no zeros in the number.

Answer: 26,789

Our Winner - Aaron Boldman of Future Men in Missouri

NEW GAME

The following groups of letters are the remnants of words after one particular letter was removed and the remaining letters scrambled.

Find the missing letter and unscramble the words.

Hint: The letter appears more than once in each word.

SUIE

TONEU

EAIOR

GOOD LUCK!

How does customer service affect the behavioral health industry?

Industry executives are missing the fact that their admission / intake department can significantly increase revenue when they allocate funds for customer service training and provide adequate phone coverage, detailed tracking information and strong department leadership.

The admission department is often the one area that receives an inadequate operating budget, little consideration and minimal training.

There is a significant correlation between a well-trained admissions / intake staff and an increase in average daily census and revenue.

How many treatment facilities have admissions / intake staff that cannot answer simple clinical questions, lack appropriate after-hours coverage, let phone calls roll to voice mail, or undervalue the importance of their admissions / intake team? In my research I found that staff members in this key department are often underpaid and lack specific, ongoing feedback. Without the admissions and and intake department, there is no business. With a great team, one can expect revenue and census to increase significantly. I work in this arena on a daily basis and understand the importance of customer service and how it directly affects census. Your admissions team needs to understand how to build relationships and deliver an admission. Good admissions people possess both clinical and organizational skills, as well as a caring and warm phone presence.

You also need a person with excellent closing skills. Once you hire someone, what is your training process? Do you have a specific written training program, including role playing and training modules that address the variety of situations each admissions person will face every day? Do you have your admissions people spending time observing the clinical components of your program?

Is your training process completed before an actual phone call is answered? It is important to remember that people are shopping for treatment options in this economy.

Professional Resources

American Association of Children's Residential Centers

American Bar Association

Association of Family and Conciliation Courts

Bryant, Lovlien & Jarvis, PC

Center for Visionary Leadership

We Do Wish To Thank Our Sponsors!

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