Why Getting Buy In From Case Managers is Crucial for Hospital Leadership

Leading a team can be tough.

Leading a team that doesn’t listen or follow direction can make a tough job even worse – especially when that team is responsible for coordinating care, utilization management, care transitions, and discharge planning.

When looking at the big picture, there’s a few reasons staff may not want to get aligned with your direction including fear of the unknown, generalized disagreement, conflicting priorities and overall not feeling they have the time, tools, or authority to make the directed changes.

So what do you do when you have new ideas, instructions, or demands?

When it’s time to make change and get staff on board with it, you need to step up.

Here’s a 5 action items you can take to get your staff on board

1. Lead the Way

Some teams resist change due to not wanting to rock the boat or have to get others that they work side-by-side with actively engaged in the change process. If staff don’t feel comfortable with the trajectory and goals, it’s easy to fade into the background and try to get through every day without drawing too much attention. When leaders fearlessly take charge, staff feel empowered to follow suit and know that you will share in their successes or failure. By rolling up your sleeves and getting your own hands dirty, staff will know that you mean business – and so they should too.

2. Set the Example

A good leader, in any setting, will never ask a member of their team to do something they wouldn’t do themselves. In the instances where you aren’t able to do what you’re asking others due to for any reason, make sure that staff have the tools they need to get work done, and a bonus if they can do it with no distractions or interruptions.

3. Repeat Yourself

In a perfect world, once is enough. In a practice setting, repetition is key. If you want an idea or demand to sink in with staff, find numerous ways to communicate it to staff. A quick conversation in a hallway may not make a point, but a quick staff huddle with a follow-up email may make a point. The more opportunities you have to express the importance of the initiative, the higher the changes of buy-in from staff.

4. Create Consequences

While this is by no means the most exciting part of a leadership position, it’s vital. When staff are aware of the reasoning and impact behind the demands, they also need to have an understanding that failure to meet certain expectations can also have consequences. It also creates an equal expectation for everyone across the board. Some individuals need a little pushing and nudging rather than encouragement to meet goals.

5. Celebrate Achievements

When you celebrate your wins, others want a piece of the celebration! Human are inherently social and want to feel included. If you want a strong, loyal team it may be time to celebrate the wins – both big and little – to produce increased collaboration, inclusion, and resiliency. Celebrations should outline the action that was completed or noticed, the impact of that action (it explains the need to celebrate), and then, of course, the reward.

So the real question is – are you ready to roll up your sleeves and get to work?  Have you made any of these efforts? Have you seen change?