The Caregiving Organization's Dilemma

I was listening to a book recommended to me by the wonderful Judy Cornish, called Getting to Maybe (and, yes, audio books are the only way I can get reading done these days!). Early in the book, there is a discussion about rigidity, and the way it undermines the ability of complex systems to adapt and innovate. This particular point struck home so perfectly, I felt compelled to share it with you. Briefly paraphrased from Getting to Maybe, rigidity (or resistance to change) is one of the greatest barriers to progress faced by any organization, institution, or system. Although rigidity often begins as the stabilized result of years of successful processes and experience, over time, it morphs into inflexible ways of thinking and doing that -at best- hamstring organizations, and -at worst- cause them to fail. Of course, rigidity in an organization can also become established simply through force of habit, lack of better process options, the assumption that things are as good as they...

  In the business of private duty home care, the organization leader’s dream is to achieve stable growth and work flow (preferably at 1000 hours/wk or above). In the dream, they sleep peacefully through the night – unafraid of phone calls from caregivers or clients with problems. They waltz casually into the office - knowing that things will be humming along with the efficiency of a well-oiled machine. They meet confidently with prospective clients - describing with pride the level of care they know they can provide and exactly how they will do it. They review their financials with certainty – knowing what they should expect… and when. Their spouses greet them at the door each evening with kisses and cocktails! Their children are well behaved geniuses who mine Bitcoin! They…. Okay, I may have gotten carried away there at the end… but in the dream, they do get to GO ON VACATION. If you’re reading this with stars in your eyes, there are a couple things you should know. 1. ...