“To the caregivers, including staff, clinicians, advanced practitioners, and physicians who each day brought their energy to the calling of serving and loving those around them, including one another, our patients, and their families, and our community. I was (and am) in awe of you every single day.” – an excerpt from the dedication of my book, Lead with Imagination.
I wrote those lines with a lump in my throat. Today that lump is even larger.
Unsung Heroes
In a crisis, some of those unsung heroes become noticeably more visible – doctors, advanced practitioners, public health workers and of course, nurses. And so are the grocery store clerks, delivery truck drivers, and all the first responders (you likely can think of many more).
Others of the unsung can become less visible – small business, all the service hospitality workers. Our coffee shop baristas and restaurant staff, and more.
During the time that I oversaw a large financial operation for a healthcare system, I would estimate that our team processed almost 4 million payroll checks. They worked tirelessly to ensure that everyone received their paycheck on time, without fail. I cannot recall a single phone call or email thanking this dedicated group. I do remember the not so pleasant calls when someone thought their check was incorrect.
As leaders we have an opportunity to sing an authentic thank you to these unsung heroes.
When We Get It Right, It’s Music To Our Ears
Prosody is the musical idea in which the lyrical content is supported by the musical components of harmony, melody, and rhythm to create meaning. You may not always recognize what it is, but when you are moved by a song, there is a good chance it is the principle of prosody in the hands of a gifted songwriter. Ben Rector is one of those exceptional artists. This song, linked below, is a great example of combining prosody with singing to the unsung heroes. As a leader, maybe this translates to matching our words to our actions.
During this extraordinary time, in the midst of stress and uncertainty, I hope you will join me in noticing, appreciating and putting action to words to all the unsung heroes around you.