Culture Change RX

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In this episode of Culture Change RX, Sue Tetzlaff discusses the importance of initiating movements within healthcare organizations to create lasting and impactful change. She emphasizes that true revolutions require more than incremental improvements; they demand a collective effort around a shared purpose. Tetzlaff shares insights on how to mobilize people, the significance of leadership, and the necessity of data in driving change. She also highlights successful examples of movements and the importance of celebrating the “first followers” as the movement builds momentum.

• A movement is more than incremental change; it is impactful and lasting.
• Starting a movement often begins with one person or a small group.
• Hope is not a strategy; movements require intentionality and leadership.
• Celebrating first followers is crucial for building momentum.
• Data is essential for guiding and measuring the impact of a movement.
• Expect resistance and noise; persistence through this is key in the infinite game of change.
• Communication cadence is vital for keeping the movement alive.
• Creating a volunteer army can empower employees to drive change.
• Leaders play a critical role in activating and sustaining movements.

Need help improving the culture, performance, and results of your healthcare organization? If so, let’s talk:  https://www.capstoneleadership.net/contact-us

Are we connected yet on LinkedIn? https://www.linkedin.com/in/suetetzlaff/

The Virtual Patient Experience Boot Camp is designed for healthcare leaders and team members involved in patient experience improvement, communication, quality, culture, and organizational change, including:

• CEOs, COOs, and CNOs
• Patient experience leaders and improvement team members
• Nursing and department directors and s

Hi! I’m Sue Tetzlaff. I’m a culture and execution strategist for small and rural healthcare organizations - helping them to be the provider and employer-of-choice so they can keep care local and margins strong.

For decades, I’ve worked with healthcare organizations to navigate the people-side of healthcare, the part that can make or break your results. What I’ve learned is this: culture is not a soft thing. It’s the hardest thing, and it determines everything.

When you’re ready to take your culture to the next level, here are three ways I can help you:

1. Listen to the Culture Change RX Podcast
Every week, I share conversations with leaders who are transforming healthcare workplaces and strategies for keeping teams engaged, patients loyal, and margins healthy.

2. Subscribe to our Email Newsletter
Get practical tips, frameworks, and leadership tools delivered right to your inbox—plus exclusive content you won’t find on the podcast.
📩 Subscribe here

3. Break through to the next level of greatness in your organization with help from my team and me.
When you’re ready to be the provider and employer-of-choice, we’ll help you implement proven frameworks that strengthen culture, improve experience and ensure your organization thrives.
You can email me at [email protected] and put “BREAKTHROUGH” in the subject line and I’ll get you all the details.

Send us a Message

In this fourth of a series of planned quarterly episodes on Culture Change RX, host Sue engages with Ben Davis, President and CEO of Glencoe Regional Health, to discuss the ongoing transformational initiatives within his rural healthcare organization. As they mark the completion of the first year of Glencoe’s “Experience Initiative,” they explore the concept of the 'whirlwind' in daily operations, the necessity of grit and perseverance in navigating change, and the significance of investing long term in people to foster a culture of growth and excellence in patient care.

• Investing in people is crucial for organizational success and quality patient care.
• Data tracking is important to measure progress and motivate change.
• Leadership development is one of the key focuses and a recent on-site leadership training achieved a high satisfaction rating by the leaders attending.
• The 'whirlwind' refers to the daily operational challenges that take time and energy and may distract from pro-active improvement and growth activities.
• Grit and perseverance are essential for successful change management.
• Adoption of new practices may take time, and at the one-year mark it is estimated that maybe only 10-15% of staff are currently engaged in these new initiatives which is right on target as to what could be expected at this point in the transformation.
• The journey of transformation is ongoing, requiring continuous effort and commitment.

Missed earlier episodes in this series?
👉 Listen to Part 1

👉 Listen to Part 2

👉 Listen to Part 3

Subscribe and stay tuned for more insights from leaders driving meaningful change.

The Virtual Patient Experience Boot Camp is designed for healthcare leaders and team members involved in patient experience improvement, communication, quality, culture, and organizational change, including:

• CEOs, COOs, and CNOs
• Patient experience leaders and improvement team members
• Nursing and department directors and s

Hi! I’m Sue Tetzlaff. I’m a culture and execution strategist for small and rural healthcare organizations - helping them to be the provider and employer-of-choice so they can keep care local and margins strong.

For decades, I’ve worked with healthcare organizations to navigate the people-side of healthcare, the part that can make or break your results. What I’ve learned is this: culture is not a soft thing. It’s the hardest thing, and it determines everything.

When you’re ready to take your culture to the next level, here are three ways I can help you:

1. Listen to the Culture Change RX Podcast
Every week, I share conversations with leaders who are transforming healthcare workplaces and strategies for keeping teams engaged, patients loyal, and margins healthy.

2. Subscribe to our Email Newsletter
Get practical tips, frameworks, and leadership tools delivered right to your inbox—plus exclusive content you won’t find on the podcast.
📩 Subscribe here

3. Break through to the next level of greatness in your organization with help from my team and me.
When you’re ready to be the provider and employer-of-choice, we’ll help you implement proven frameworks that strengthen culture, improve experience and ensure your organization thrives.
You can email me at [email protected] and put “BREAKTHROUGH” in the subject line and I’ll get you all the details.

Send us a Message

In this episode of Culture Change RX, Sue Tetzlaff explores the concept of being 'in the red' culturally within healthcare organizations, drawing parallels to financial health. She discusses key indicators of cultural health, the impact of employee disengagement, and the necessary components of a cultural turnaround. Emphasizing the importance of strong leadership and long-term commitment, Tetzlaff encourages organizations to assess their cultural status and take action to foster a thriving workplace environment.

• Data is essential for understanding cultural health and guiding improvements.
• Key indicators of cultural health include turnover rates and employee engagement scores.
• Active disengagement costs the U.S. economy significantly.
• Culturally in the red feels like negativity and disconnection.
• Cultural recoveries require strong leadership and clear diagnosis.
• Organizations should assess their cultural status regularly.
• A healthy culture attracts talent and improves patient care.

Need help improving the culture, performance, and results of your healthcare organization? If so, let’s talk:  https://www.capstoneleadership.net/contact-us

Are we connected yet on LinkedIn? https://www.linkedin.com/in/suetetzlaff/

The Virtual Patient Experience Boot Camp is designed for healthcare leaders and team members involved in patient experience improvement, communication, quality, culture, and organizational change, including:

• CEOs, COOs, and CNOs
• Patient experience leaders and improvement team members
• Nursing and department directors and s

Hi! I’m Sue Tetzlaff. I’m a culture and execution strategist for small and rural healthcare organizations - helping them to be the provider and employer-of-choice so they can keep care local and margins strong.

For decades, I’ve worked with healthcare organizations to navigate the people-side of healthcare, the part that can make or break your results. What I’ve learned is this: culture is not a soft thing. It’s the hardest thing, and it determines everything.

When you’re ready to take your culture to the next level, here are three ways I can help you:

1. Listen to the Culture Change RX Podcast
Every week, I share conversations with leaders who are transforming healthcare workplaces and strategies for keeping teams engaged, patients loyal, and margins healthy.

2. Subscribe to our Email Newsletter
Get practical tips, frameworks, and leadership tools delivered right to your inbox—plus exclusive content you won’t find on the podcast.
📩 Subscribe here

3. Break through to the next level of greatness in your organization with help from my team and me.
When you’re ready to be the provider and employer-of-choice, we’ll help you implement proven frameworks that strengthen culture, improve experience and ensure your organization thrives.
You can email me at [email protected] and put “BREAKTHROUGH” in the subject line and I’ll get you all the details.

Send us a Message

In this episode of Culture Change RX, Sue Tetzlaff explores the long-term nature of culture change within organizations, particularly in healthcare. Using analogies of soup and dye in water, she goes on to emphasize the importance of commitment, competency, and consistency in fostering a positive culture. Tetzlaff outlines four key elements necessary for effective culture change and warns against the pitfalls of short-term initiatives and always-changing directions that fail to create the desired positive and lasting impacts.

• A vibrant culture is distinctly different from a lukewarm one.
• Organizations often switch strategies too frequently, resulting in “starting over” again and again.
• Long-term commitment yields lasting culture change.
• The cumulative impact of every individual's contribution, competency, consistency, and long term commitment create the culture.

Need help improving the culture, performance, and results of your healthcare organization? If so, let’s talk:  https://www.capstoneleadership.net/contact-us

Are we connected yet on LinkedIn? https://www.linkedin.com/in/suetetzlaff/

The Virtual Patient Experience Boot Camp is designed for healthcare leaders and team members involved in patient experience improvement, communication, quality, culture, and organizational change, including:

• CEOs, COOs, and CNOs
• Patient experience leaders and improvement team members
• Nursing and department directors and s

Hi! I’m Sue Tetzlaff. I’m a culture and execution strategist for small and rural healthcare organizations - helping them to be the provider and employer-of-choice so they can keep care local and margins strong.

For decades, I’ve worked with healthcare organizations to navigate the people-side of healthcare, the part that can make or break your results. What I’ve learned is this: culture is not a soft thing. It’s the hardest thing, and it determines everything.

When you’re ready to take your culture to the next level, here are three ways I can help you:

1. Listen to the Culture Change RX Podcast
Every week, I share conversations with leaders who are transforming healthcare workplaces and strategies for keeping teams engaged, patients loyal, and margins healthy.

2. Subscribe to our Email Newsletter
Get practical tips, frameworks, and leadership tools delivered right to your inbox—plus exclusive content you won’t find on the podcast.
📩 Subscribe here

3. Break through to the next level of greatness in your organization with help from my team and me.
When you’re ready to be the provider and employer-of-choice, we’ll help you implement proven frameworks that strengthen culture, improve experience and ensure your organization thrives.
You can email me at [email protected] and put “BREAKTHROUGH” in the subject line and I’ll get you all the details.

Send us a Message

In this episode of Culture Change RX, Sue Tetzlaff explores the critical relationship between culture and strategy execution in healthcare organizations. She introduces a strategy execution matrix that categorizes organizations based on their planning and execution capabilities. The discussion emphasizes the importance of aligning culture with execution to achieve organizational growth and success. Sue shares insights on how organizations can avoid stagnation and recklessness in their execution efforts, highlighting the significance of disciplined planning and follow-through. The episode concludes with success stories and a call to action for organizations to assess their execution strategies.

• Planning + Execution is required to build momentum for future-focused improvement and growth.
• Great planning efforts combined with effective execution systems helps organizations build momentum and achieve long term growth and improvement.
• Overplanning without execution keeps organizations stuck or stagnant.
• Without effective planning and execution systems, organizations are highly consumed with maintaining the status quo of the current day-to-day operations.
• Taking action without strategic direction can waste resources and time, and lessen the likelihood of a long term return on investment.
• Consider the Strategy Execution Matrix in light of your organization’s planning and execution efforts.

Need help improving the culture, performance, and results of your healthcare organization? If so, let’s talk:  https://www.capstoneleadership.net/contact-us

Are we connected yet on LinkedIn? https://www.linkedin.com/in/suetetzlaff/

The Virtual Patient Experience Boot Camp is designed for healthcare leaders and team members involved in patient experience improvement, communication, quality, culture, and organizational change, including:

• CEOs, COOs, and CNOs
• Patient experience leaders and improvement team members
• Nursing and department directors and s

Hi! I’m Sue Tetzlaff. I’m a culture and execution strategist for small and rural healthcare organizations - helping them to be the provider and employer-of-choice so they can keep care local and margins strong.

For decades, I’ve worked with healthcare organizations to navigate the people-side of healthcare, the part that can make or break your results. What I’ve learned is this: culture is not a soft thing. It’s the hardest thing, and it determines everything.

When you’re ready to take your culture to the next level, here are three ways I can help you:

1. Listen to the Culture Change RX Podcast
Every week, I share conversations with leaders who are transforming healthcare workplaces and strategies for keeping teams engaged, patients loyal, and margins healthy.

2. Subscribe to our Email Newsletter
Get practical tips, frameworks, and leadership tools delivered right to your inbox—plus exclusive content you won’t find on the podcast.
📩 Subscribe here

3. Break through to the next level of greatness in your organization with help from my team and me.
When you’re ready to be the provider and employer-of-choice, we’ll help you implement proven frameworks that strengthen culture, improve experience and ensure your organization thrives.
You can email me at [email protected] and put “BREAKTHROUGH” in the subject line and I’ll get you all the details.

Send us a Message

In this solo episode of Culture Change RX, Sue Tetzlaff discusses the importance of effective leadership in healthcare organizations. She emphasizes the need for leaders to focus on proactive leadership activities. By categorizing their time into three buckets—whirlwind, management, and leadership—leaders can better allocate their efforts to achieve meaningful results. The episode concludes with a call to narrow focus and leverage time for greater impact in leadership roles. Healthcare leaders often feel overwhelmed by the day-to-day chaos.

• Categorizing activities into “the three buckets” helps prioritize focus.
• Proactive leadership leads to better outcomes.
• Less is more when it comes to goals and improvement priorities.
• Narrowing focus can lead to greater organizational success.
• The chaos of work and any perceptions of underachieving affects personal life and well-being.

Need help improving the culture, performance, and results of your healthcare organization? If so, let’s talk:  https://www.capstoneleadership.net/contact-us

Are we connected yet on LinkedIn? https://www.linkedin.com/in/suetetzlaff/

The Virtual Patient Experience Boot Camp is designed for healthcare leaders and team members involved in patient experience improvement, communication, quality, culture, and organizational change, including:

• CEOs, COOs, and CNOs
• Patient experience leaders and improvement team members
• Nursing and department directors and s

Hi! I’m Sue Tetzlaff. I’m a culture and execution strategist for small and rural healthcare organizations - helping them to be the provider and employer-of-choice so they can keep care local and margins strong.

For decades, I’ve worked with healthcare organizations to navigate the people-side of healthcare, the part that can make or break your results. What I’ve learned is this: culture is not a soft thing. It’s the hardest thing, and it determines everything.

When you’re ready to take your culture to the next level, here are three ways I can help you:

1. Listen to the Culture Change RX Podcast
Every week, I share conversations with leaders who are transforming healthcare workplaces and strategies for keeping teams engaged, patients loyal, and margins healthy.

2. Subscribe to our Email Newsletter
Get practical tips, frameworks, and leadership tools delivered right to your inbox—plus exclusive content you won’t find on the podcast.
📩 Subscribe here

3. Break through to the next level of greatness in your organization with help from my team and me.
When you’re ready to be the provider and employer-of-choice, we’ll help you implement proven frameworks that strengthen culture, improve experience and ensure your organization thrives.
You can email me at [email protected] and put “BREAKTHROUGH” in the subject line and I’ll get you all the details.

Send us a Message

In this solo episode of Culture Change RX, Sue Tetzlaff discusses the importance of cycles in healthcare organizations, emphasizing the need for a structured framework and execution systems to achieve long-term improvement and transformation. She highlights how continuous systems and cycles can lead to sustained growth and better results, ultimately strengthening healthcare organizations and their communities.

• The execution of plans is crucial for organizational improvement and growth.
• Continuous systems and cycles prevent the need for constant restarting.
• Regular cycles of goal setting and action planning enhances team performance.
• Leadership development efforts can be aligned to a continuous learning process.
• Embedding cycles in systems fosters a culture of continuous progress.
• Strengthening healthcare organizations strengthens communities.

Need help improving the culture, performance, and results of your healthcare organization? If so, let’s talk:  https://www.capstoneleadership.net/contact-us

Are we connected yet on LinkedIn? https://www.linkedin.com/in/suetetzlaff/

The Virtual Patient Experience Boot Camp is designed for healthcare leaders and team members involved in patient experience improvement, communication, quality, culture, and organizational change, including:

• CEOs, COOs, and CNOs
• Patient experience leaders and improvement team members
• Nursing and department directors and s

Hi! I’m Sue Tetzlaff. I’m a culture and execution strategist for small and rural healthcare organizations - helping them to be the provider and employer-of-choice so they can keep care local and margins strong.

For decades, I’ve worked with healthcare organizations to navigate the people-side of healthcare, the part that can make or break your results. What I’ve learned is this: culture is not a soft thing. It’s the hardest thing, and it determines everything.

When you’re ready to take your culture to the next level, here are three ways I can help you:

1. Listen to the Culture Change RX Podcast
Every week, I share conversations with leaders who are transforming healthcare workplaces and strategies for keeping teams engaged, patients loyal, and margins healthy.

2. Subscribe to our Email Newsletter
Get practical tips, frameworks, and leadership tools delivered right to your inbox—plus exclusive content you won’t find on the podcast.
📩 Subscribe here

3. Break through to the next level of greatness in your organization with help from my team and me.
When you’re ready to be the provider and employer-of-choice, we’ll help you implement proven frameworks that strengthen culture, improve experience and ensure your organization thrives.
You can email me at [email protected] and put “BREAKTHROUGH” in the subject line and I’ll get you all the details.

Send us a Message

Culture Change RX host Sue Tetzlaff converses with guest Christen Tenbusch of Covenant Healthcare about employee engagement examples and impact. They discuss the evolution of employee experience and patient experience, the empowerment of staff through focus groups, and the significance of creating a safe space for dialogue. Christin shares insights on flipping the hierarchy to empower staff, the impact of language in leadership, and the challenges of recruitment and retention in the healthcare sector. The conversation also touches on effective onboarding strategies and the necessity of engaging the C-suite in these initiatives to foster a positive organizational culture.

• Engaging employees is crucial for improving patient experience.
• Focus groups empower staff and enhance their engagement.
• Creating a safe space for dialogue fosters trust and communication.
• Flipping the hierarchy allows frontline staff to guide decisions.
• Language matters; changing terms can improve buy-in from staff.
• Behavior standards that are employee created are met with better acceptance.
• Growth and development opportunities are essential for retention.
• Recruitment challenges persist, especially in nursing and entry-level positions.
• Onboarding processes that include a phased approach can meet each new employees' unique needs.

The Virtual Patient Experience Boot Camp is designed for healthcare leaders and team members involved in patient experience improvement, communication, quality, culture, and organizational change, including:

• CEOs, COOs, and CNOs
• Patient experience leaders and improvement team members
• Nursing and department directors and s

Hi! I’m Sue Tetzlaff. I’m a culture and execution strategist for small and rural healthcare organizations - helping them to be the provider and employer-of-choice so they can keep care local and margins strong.

For decades, I’ve worked with healthcare organizations to navigate the people-side of healthcare, the part that can make or break your results. What I’ve learned is this: culture is not a soft thing. It’s the hardest thing, and it determines everything.

When you’re ready to take your culture to the next level, here are three ways I can help you:

1. Listen to the Culture Change RX Podcast
Every week, I share conversations with leaders who are transforming healthcare workplaces and strategies for keeping teams engaged, patients loyal, and margins healthy.

2. Subscribe to our Email Newsletter
Get practical tips, frameworks, and leadership tools delivered right to your inbox—plus exclusive content you won’t find on the podcast.
📩 Subscribe here

3. Break through to the next level of greatness in your organization with help from my team and me.
When you’re ready to be the provider and employer-of-choice, we’ll help you implement proven frameworks that strengthen culture, improve experience and ensure your organization thrives.
You can email me at [email protected] and put “BREAKTHROUGH” in the subject line and I’ll get you all the details.

Send us a Message

In this solo episode of Culture Change RX, Sue Tetzlaff discusses the complexities of leading change within healthcare organizations. She emphasizes the importance of understanding resistance, effective communication, and the need for a structured approach to change management. Sue shares practical tactics for leaders to implement, including anticipating resistance, communicating the reasons behind changes, and the necessity of studying and adjusting post-implementation. The conversation highlights the significance of creating an agile culture to combat change fatigue and achieve high reliability in healthcare settings.

• Leading change is a core leadership practice
• Resistance is a natural part of the change process.
• Anticipate and prepare for resistance to change.
• Effective communication includes addressing the why behind changes.
• Celebrate successes and learn from those who adapt well to change.
• The “study and adjust” phase is crucial for successful change implementation.
• Creating an agile culture helps reduce change resistance and fatigue.

Need help improving the culture, performance, and results of your healthcare organization? If so, let’s talk:  https://www.capstoneleadership.net/contact-us

Are we connected yet on LinkedIn? https://www.linkedin.com/in/suetetzlaff/

The Virtual Patient Experience Boot Camp is designed for healthcare leaders and team members involved in patient experience improvement, communication, quality, culture, and organizational change, including:

• CEOs, COOs, and CNOs
• Patient experience leaders and improvement team members
• Nursing and department directors and s

Hi! I’m Sue Tetzlaff. I’m a culture and execution strategist for small and rural healthcare organizations - helping them to be the provider and employer-of-choice so they can keep care local and margins strong.

For decades, I’ve worked with healthcare organizations to navigate the people-side of healthcare, the part that can make or break your results. What I’ve learned is this: culture is not a soft thing. It’s the hardest thing, and it determines everything.

When you’re ready to take your culture to the next level, here are three ways I can help you:

1. Listen to the Culture Change RX Podcast
Every week, I share conversations with leaders who are transforming healthcare workplaces and strategies for keeping teams engaged, patients loyal, and margins healthy.

2. Subscribe to our Email Newsletter
Get practical tips, frameworks, and leadership tools delivered right to your inbox—plus exclusive content you won’t find on the podcast.
📩 Subscribe here

3. Break through to the next level of greatness in your organization with help from my team and me.
When you’re ready to be the provider and employer-of-choice, we’ll help you implement proven frameworks that strengthen culture, improve experience and ensure your organization thrives.
You can email me at [email protected] and put “BREAKTHROUGH” in the subject line and I’ll get you all the details.

Send us a Message

In this episode of Culture Change RX, Sue and Jess Nuutinen discuss the impact of crises on healthcare innovation, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. Jess shares her experiences as a nurse and leader, highlighting the importance of adaptability, teamwork, and community support in navigating challenges. They explore how partnerships and innovative solutions emerged from necessity, and the ongoing need for healthcare to embrace change, engage staff, and improve patient care.

• Innovation often arises from necessity during crises.
• Partnerships with local organizations can enhance healthcare delivery.
• Rapid changes in healthcare require effective communication and teamwork.
• Staff engagement is crucial for successful implementation of new practices.
• Sustaining innovations post-crisis and post-change is essential for future success.
• Leadership plays a vital role in fostering a culture of innovation and engagement.
• Rural healthcare faces unique challenges that require tailored solutions.

Connect with Jess Nuutinen:

• By email
• On LinkedIn
• At Frontier Strategy Partners
• Blog (shared governance)

The Virtual Patient Experience Boot Camp is designed for healthcare leaders and team members involved in patient experience improvement, communication, quality, culture, and organizational change, including:

• CEOs, COOs, and CNOs
• Patient experience leaders and improvement team members
• Nursing and department directors and s

Hi! I’m Sue Tetzlaff. I’m a culture and execution strategist for small and rural healthcare organizations - helping them to be the provider and employer-of-choice so they can keep care local and margins strong.

For decades, I’ve worked with healthcare organizations to navigate the people-side of healthcare, the part that can make or break your results. What I’ve learned is this: culture is not a soft thing. It’s the hardest thing, and it determines everything.

When you’re ready to take your culture to the next level, here are three ways I can help you:

1. Listen to the Culture Change RX Podcast
Every week, I share conversations with leaders who are transforming healthcare workplaces and strategies for keeping teams engaged, patients loyal, and margins healthy.

2. Subscribe to our Email Newsletter
Get practical tips, frameworks, and leadership tools delivered right to your inbox—plus exclusive content you won’t find on the podcast.
📩 Subscribe here

3. Break through to the next level of greatness in your organization with help from my team and me.
When you’re ready to be the provider and employer-of-choice, we’ll help you implement proven frameworks that strengthen culture, improve experience and ensure your organization thrives.
You can email me at [email protected] and put “BREAKTHROUGH” in the subject line and I’ll get you all the details.