1. “Espirit de Corps” – What Makes It and What Breaks It Leadership Training in Morale Competency 26th Annual Conference on Families and Health Austin, TX ~ March 2006 Deborah Taylor, Ph.D. Central Maine Medical Center FMR

2. In healthcare, the workplace message is clear (or is it?)….

4. Disclaimer My motivation for elevating morale to the top of my projects at work list arose out of an increasing intolerance for listening to people (in my own residency, on list-serves and at regional/national mtgs) complain (about low morale)

5. Morale (according to Webster) The state of mind of an individual with respect to the tasks that s/he is expected to perform Espirit de Corps – a spirit of enthusiasm and devotion to a common cause among a group

6. Does this affect resident morale? PGY I

7. Exercise #1 The Work Morale Quiz …handout…

8. Literature Review Brief overview of –Corporate concepts –Healthcare applications –Family Medicine specifically

9. FISH! FISH! –Play –Make Their Day –Be There –Choose Your Attitude (Started with Pikes Fish Market)

10. “The Disney Way” –Dream –Believe –Dare –Do Applied from hotel mgmt to healthcare

11. Healthcare Pub Med search Thousands of references Morale & Family Practice yielded 43 abstracts (>75% outside the US) Morale and Family Medicine Residency Education yielded 0 abstracts

12. Three Fundamental Building Blocks for Morale Trust Clear Communication Positive Reinforcement

13. Probably not the best morale booster!

14. My Observations External or Internal LOC Majority of morale focus in our FMRP is a reaction to external LOC areas (insurers, hospital, patient/families, pharmaceutical companies, state and federal government, colleagues in other specialties) & is big picture and future-focused Based on corporate literature, internal LOC is a better way – intra-residency, day to day, empowering

15. What behaviors or traits in others affect your morale –Positively? –Negatively? +

16. Our greatest impact in the workplace is in four areas: Influencing our own morale (+ &/or -) Influencing the morale of our students and residents (+ &/or -) Influencing the morale of our program and practice staff (+ &/or -) Influencing the morale of our departmental faculty colleagues

17. Exercise #2 The Morale Inventory Instructions: Please take a few minutes to list 2-3 characteristics or behaviors for each category on the inventory. We will then share our lists.

19. Exercise #3 Break into Small Groups Group task is to discuss and report a summary to the larger group the following: (ground rule of confidentiality) 1. How would you describe the morale in your current work environment? 2. Does your Dept or Residency have an external or internal LOC approach to morale? 3. What traits of those discussed so far are your system’s strengths or weaknesses?

20. Honesty and Trust are Key

21. Small Group Reports (10 minutes max)

22. What I have done in our Residency? My Strategic P-O-M-P Initial Mtg with each group (Faculty Retreat, Resident Mtg and Staff Mtg) Three exercises (same for each group) Quote of the Week F/U mtg with each group Goal setting/PMP Large Group Mtg (all 3 groups) for update Model FISH! Philosophy

23. Your Leadership Mission (should you choose to accept it!) Take a couple of minutes to reflect on what you have heard and learned today. Develop Your Own P(ersonal) - O(ther - M(orale) - P(lan) –ID 1 thing to start doing and 1 thing to stop doing to improve your own morale –ID 1 thing to start and 1 thing to stop doing to boost the morale of one group around you

24. Not good for the morale of Attorneys… A teacher, a petty thief and a lawyer all died and went to the pearly gates. Because of overcrowding, St. Peter told them they had to pass a test before ascending any further. He asked the teacher: “What was the name of the famous ship that hit an iceberg and sank?” “The Titanic” she answered and he motioned her into heaven. How many people were on the ship, he asked the thief. The thief answered that he luckily knew that as he had just seen the movie – 1500. And so the thief entered heaven. Then St. Peter turned to the lawyer and said “Name them.”

25. ?????s Comments…..

26. Thanks for coming. The End.