A few months ago, I delivered a webinar called, “Create A Culture of Care By Building Relationships,” that was all about stretching yourselves as leaders by:
- Building trust
- Being vulnerable
- Sharing stories
- Listening more
- Forming deeper connections with your team and finding their passion and purpose
- And ensuring no one (residents or staff) ever feels invisible
As we draw nearer to the holidays, I’m reminded that this is not an easy time of year for everyone and that plenty of staff, family and residents can suffer from the holiday blues. While you navigate through a busy holiday season of events, keep in mind that people who normally have a positive engaged outlook at work might not quite be themselves. Not everyone will want to participate in the holiday events – while others might volunteer to work extra shifts during the holiday’s because they don’t have family plans. Personally, before I had a family of my own, I always used to volunteer to work on Father’s Day since my own father is deceased. I figured other people wanted to be home with their dads – so I’d do what I could to make that happen.
If you notice a team member or a resident withdrawn from holiday activities – especially when they normally are actively involved – use that time to try to connect with them. You don’t necessarily need to ask them why they aren’t participating – just simply take a moment to acknowledge them, appreciate them, connect with them. Sharing that you noticed they aren’t their usual upbeat self-shows them you pay attention and care about them.
Model the way for others by creating a culture of care through building relationships. The more caring and supportive you can be to your staff and residents, the more your team members will be too. Trust me – they’ll appreciate it.
This article was written by Drive consultant, Allison Duda.
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