A Whole That’s Greater Than The Sum of its Parts: Building Great Teams– In conversation with Kevin Hart
In many organizations, “teamwork” is more of a buzzword than an actual practice. Achieving true collaboration requires hard work and exceptional motivation.
We’re in conversation with Kevin Hart, a health care senior executive with decades of hands-on experience in making teamwork a reality.
Teamwork is one of your passion points, Kevin. What’s the ‘secret ingredient’ in building great teams in health care organizations?
“The key ingredient is reinforcing that no matter how big the organization, everybody matters. Often, one person gets the credit, but we all matter. It’s always the collective that gets things done.
“As a team member, each one of us has our own definition of how we find meaning in our job. You and I can work in the same company but our reasons for showing up every day may be totally different. In the day-to-day pressures of meeting economic goals, meaning can fall by the wayside. We need to respect the many definitions of meaning and make sure our organization’s culture reflects these varied perspectives, every hour of every day.
“A key gauge in evaluating the effectiveness of teams is this question. How does your team handle conflict? How do you stand by your values in a crisis? You need to have the ability to allow conflict and to be resilient in the face of crisis. These skills are just as important as creating an environment that’s open and honoring.
“Always remember the simple principles of effective human interaction. Acknowledge everyone. Take the time to pause and ask, ‘how are you?’ Then, listen, really listen, to the response. Those are small expressions that go a long way in making great teams.
“We live in a time of workplace flux. People readily change jobs. Long careers with one organization are the exception, not the norm. If creating an environment of joy at work is an abiding goal, part of that goal is enabling people not only to stay happily but to leave confidently — in the continued pursuit of the next calling that will bring them joy.
“In supporting your people as they take their next step, you are elevating your brand. Those employees may come back someday. Meanwhile, they will surely speak highly of your organization because you had their best interest at heart.”
Thank you, Kevin, for your thoughtful observations.
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A seasoned senior executive in the health care industry, Kevin Hart has dedicated the next phase of his career to helping transform the U.S. health care system. He is well regarded as a collaborative leader with a “big picture” vision and the ability to create and implement innovative strategies for the industry’s future.
