Everyone has seen the shows So you think you can dance? or Dancing with the Stars, right? It's where everyday people and celebrities alike take the stage to show off their moves with the hope to either stay relevant or fulfill a lifelong dream of becoming a performer. Though I appreciate this courage and ability, it just isn't in the cards for me. I've been told on more than one occasion, that I had the rhythm of a fish out of water - pretty hurky-jerky.
But I was excited to maybe catch a show while I was in Branson, MO. After all Branson, in my mind, is just a smaller version of Las Vegas - but wholesome. (As a side note: Branson should market themselves that way - What Happens In Branson, Are Stories You Can Take Home). Luckily I was able to take in one show, and it was fantastic! The show kept me engaged for the duration - comedy, drama, education, music, dance, personal triumph and it even got me to participate! I was pleasantly surprised that the 66th Annual MHCA Convention was this compelling.
From the get-go I was part of the action. During the Opening Keynote Session, I had the honor to go onstage and accept a plaque on behalf of OnShift staff scheduling and labor management software for being a Silver Sponsor of the event. This would have been good enough for me, but then came the best keynote speaker I have ever seen at a state conference, Judy Carter. Judy is a best-selling author and comedian that had the crowd roaring with laughter from the start. She used the daily struggles of long-term care and senior living professionals to demonstrate that we can't always control what craziness is swirling around us, but we can control how we react.
As leaders, coworkers and people, how we react to chaos can help create calm and positive outcomes. To articulate this, she gave an example of a canceled flight that had all passengers berating the airline's customer service person for a solution. These passengers left the same way they came, upset and without a solution. Judy took another approach. She recognized the horrible situation and made light of it, recognizing she wasn't the only person having a bad day. She understood that the customer service rep had been verbally beaten up for the past two hours, so she showed a little appreciation for the job they were stuck doing. And what do you know, she miraculously was given the last seat on a flight home (first-class, too!).
Her underlying message was that showing appreciation can get you results. This especially rings true for long-term care and senior living providers. It's critical to show appreciation for the hard work and dedication caregivers show day-in and day-out. By implementing a "Caught You Caring" program that recognizes and rewards caregivers for good deeds, you can engage your staff - providing better outcomes. For more tips read our whitepaper, 5-Step Action Plan to Improve Employee Engagement.
My fun did not stop there! The show continued with productive meetings, educational sessions and even some song and dance - including my first flash mob (special thanks to people at Platinum Health Care for providing me with the needed moral support). I even got on stage at Ernie Biggs and danced my heart out to YMCA (I was the cowboy). Special thanks to the staff at MHCA for putting on such a great event and all the attendees for making me feel so welcome.
All in all if you have a chance to go see the MHCA show - I totally recommend it!
For more information read our whitepaper: