Simple Rules for Harmonizing Missions in a Department
| A. Translate an innovation spontaneously arising in any mission area to all mission areas. Innovations and improvements often arise spontaneously among people doing the work of clinical care, education, and research. Immediately ask “What are the corresponding innovations or improvements for work in the other missions?” For example, how can a change in how care is done quickly affect how residency education is done, and what research questions arise to be answered by those doing the work? |
| B. Design initiatives and projects as tri-mission efforts from the very start. While many innovations or improvements arise spontaneously, others are deliberately planned initiatives to address a specific issue or make a systemic change. Design these as tri-mission efforts—how the change idea of the initiative plays within each mission area, and what the corresponding actions are in each—a 3-dimensional plan. |
| C. When coping with crisis, use harmonization to stabilize—don’t back off on it. Habits of harmonization created before a crisis can allow work in all missions to quickly realign to stabilize and work through a crisis. Address crises as a harmonized whole rather than go with a temptation to fragment into areas coping just on their own. |
| D. Think “harmonize” when groups become distant, siloed, or estranged. Faculty, residents, and staff in different parts of a department can become so distant they misunderstand each other’s actions or motivations. The cause is less likely personal than a system of work susceptible to disconnects and misunderstandings. In short, lack of harmonization. Ask first how well (or not) their work is harmonized—mutually understood and aligned as different parts of a common purpose. |
| E. Give department-level performance feedback in tri-mission form, not missions in silos. People appreciate knowing “how well we are doing.” Give department-level feedback across the 3 missions in 1 accessible informational format, but not as a judgment or exhortation, so people can take satisfaction (or not) and see for themselves where course corrections are needed. Include a metric or story for “harmonizing” itself in this dashboard. |