eLABorate Topics

Are you on the verge of giving up and ready for a career change? Are you tired of not receiving any recognition for the critical work that you do as a phlebotomist? Do you think you are stuck working in a hospital lab with no way out?

This episode is for you! 

Whether you ever thought about starting your own phlebotomy school, mobile patient service center, or just being an innovator using your phlebotomy skills, Lisa Wylie, will give you tidbits to think outside of the box and fall in love with your career all over again.

Tune out the distractions and turn up your volume to hear this insightful episode. 

Guest Bio:
Lisa Wylie is a Phlebotomy Specialist that has been in the Healthcare field for over two decades and amassed a wealth of experience. She is  a a Phlebotomy Coach, Instructor, Mentor, and Author. Lisa owns and operate a patient service center and mobile Phlebotomy company.

Key Points:

• With a strong phlebotomy background your career opportunities are broad
• Always ask questions and have a desire to learn
• Be open to non-traditional career paths
• Don't be afraid to be creative in sharing your expertise

Call to Action:
Are you a phlebotomist looking to pivot from working in a traditional hospital or laboratory setting? Drop us a line in the the comments or let us know on LinkedIn: eLABorate Topics Group so that we can reach out to you. Don't forget to share this episode with your favorite phlebotomist! 

Be an eLABorate Supporter! 

1. Listen on directimpactbroadcasting.com, Spotify, Audile, Amazon, Apple Podcast or your favorite podcast platform
2. Don’t forget to subscribe to the show on your phone, tablet or notebook so you never miss an episode! 
3. Be sure to leave a comment, and share with a fellow medical laboratory professionals!
4. Join our eLABorate Topics Group on LinkedIn

Be a Guest on our show!

If you have a leadership or laboratory message to share and would like to be a guest on the show, please reach out to us by completing the guest interest form or send us an e-mail us at [email protected].

Please tune in next week to hear another amazing episode of eLABorate Topics!

Are you managing your mind? 

Are you doing a good job at managing your own thoughts, perspectives, talents and energy?

Negative experiences are inevitable but, what is the key to keeping a positive outlook no matter the situation?

In today’s exciting episode the co-host, Stephanie Whitehead, shares insight on how to neutralize negative thinking, change your perceptive. Tune out the distractions and turn up your volume to hear some impactful advice how to manage your mind and control your day!

Call to Action: 

Revisit Episode 71 of this podcast, “Top Delegation Tips for Managers” (featuring co-host Tywauna Wilson) for more information on mastering the art of delegation. 

Seventeen laboratory medicine organizations support the laboratory medicine profession! 

We encourage you to take the time to visit the certain laboratory websites like the ASCP, AABB, AACC, CLMA, ASCLS to investigate how you can get actively involved in all the discussions that affect our profession.

Be a Supporter! 

1.      Listen on directimpactbroadcsting.com, Spotify, Apple Podcast or your favorite podcast platform

2.      Don’t forget to subscribe to the show on your phone, tablet or notebook so you never miss an episode! 

3.      Be sure to leave a comment, and share with a fellow medical laboratory professionals!

Be a Guest!

If you have a leadership or laboratory message to share and would like to be a guest on the show, please reach out to us at [email protected] or Direct Impact Broadcasting on Social Media. 

As the medical lab field deals with the challenges of limited staffing and looking towards  the “great retirement”, the lab is struck by the negative effects of the pandemic, “the great attrition”. People are resigning from jobs in droves according to the McKenzie Quarterly. This to us is a triple wammy!

In this episode Lona Small gave tips that informal leaders could use to improve the morale on their teams.

1.     First fill your cup
Have a support system or means to support your physical, mental, spiritual and emotional health. Develop frequent and consistent habits of meditation, prayer, affirmations, exercise and eating healthy. This will put you in the right frame to address daily challenges.

2.     Become the champion for positive communication
a. Focus on the opportunities rather than fixated on the challenges and communicate these opportunities to your team members. 

Is this an opportunity that could escalate the approval process of a new instrument that would be helpful to the team?
 Could the situation make someone closer to becoming a charge tech?

b. Clarify and reframe negative news and misinformation.

3.     Be a Go-To person

Lend a helping hand when things become overwhelming for a team member and set the tempo for others to do the same.

4.     Be the listening ear
Be available to listen if your team member is having a challenging  day and needs to talk. Listen more than you talk but do not facilitate negative criticisms and a pity party.
 
 

5.     Initiate positive solutions

Look for ways to improve the team spirit. Continue to have parties and celebrations in a safe way. Do the baby showers, birthday parties, wedding showers etc. Continue with the kudos board.

Don’t make the mistake in thinking that you will always be in a good place of giving. Remember that you too can have a bad day. If so, do  not be afraid to press pause, and don’t hesitate to let your team members know you need some time, and find someone you trust to talk to.

Don’t think you have to be good at doing all of the 5 things. You maybe good and some and not others. Just choose something to do to build morale and team spirit on your team. be creative and come up with others.

So the first thing to do if you are stepping up to lead your team to improve team spirit and morale is to ….. You guess right. Fill your cup first.

Listen to this full episode of eLABorate Topics podcast to get more details on how to improve team spirit and morale now, as an informal leader.

You can reach Lona Small directly at [email protected] if you have questions or want to contact her regarding lab operational excellence coaching and training. You can also catch her on LinkedIn under Lona Gordon Small and follow hashtag #YouAreAnImportantPartOfTheWhole.

Be an eLABorate Supporter! 

1. Listen on directimpactbroadcasting.com, Spotify, Apple Podcast or your favorite podcast platform
2. Don’t forget to subscribe to the show on your phone, tablet or notebook so you never miss an episode! 
3. Be sure to leave a comment, and share with a fellow medical laboratory professionals!
4. Join our eLABorate Topics Group on LinkedIn

Be a Guest on our show!

If you have a leadership or laboratory message to share and would like to be a guest on the show, please reach out to us by completing the guest interest form or send us an e-mail us at [email protected].

Please tune in next week to hear another amazing episode of eLABorate Topics!

In this episode of eLABorate Topics podcast, cohosts Lona Small, Stephanie Whitehead and Tywauna Wilson discuss how you can lead without a title.

All of the cohosts agreed that a leader is not necessarily one with a title of manager, supervisor, lead technologist or other well- known titles in the lab. A leader is one who can be a role model and influence others to follow them or their ideas.

One can use different ways to lead, such as:

· Coming up with new ideas and being innovative to solve issues such as improved workflow

· Volunteer to lead projects such as validating a new instrument or being a super user on and LIS project

· Supporting the team by being a great team player

· Train others on the team

· Support the role- base leader by reducing their work load

· Taking responsibility for outcomes from any action or error

There are many benefits involved in being a leader without a title:

· Being able to allow your team to shine without having the pressure to do so

· Opportunities to prepare for promotion into a role-based leader

· Enjoying the positive outcome that comes with your innovations and support

· Getting a chance to lead teams

· Enjoying a stronger team of more leaders leading without a title

Listen to this full episode of eLABorate Topics podcast to get more details on ways lead without a title.

Be an eLABorate Supporter! 

1. Listen on directimpactbroadcasting.com, Spotify, Apple Podcast or your favorite podcast platform
2. Don’t forget to subscribe to the show on your phone, tablet or notebook so you never miss an episode! 
3. Be sure to leave a comment, and share with a fellow medical laboratory professionals!
4. Join our eLABorate Topics Group on LinkedIn

Be a Guest on our show!

If you have a leadership or laboratory message to share and would like to be a guest on the show, please reach out to us by completing the guest interest form or send us an e-mail us at [email protected].

Please tune in next week to hear another amazing episode of eLABorate Topics!

Are you stressed and overwhelmed trying to manage all of your tasks and projects? Do you need help meeting all of your deadlines? Want to engage your team to take on more responsibility? Then this episode is for you!!

In this episode, co-host Tywauna Wilson shares tips for effective delegation.

Key Takeaways:

• Delegation is an essential leadership skill
• Know when to delegate
• Who can handle the project/task at hand
• Understanding how to delegate

Call to Action: What is your biggest takeaway on delegation? What project/task do you need to delegate? Make a commitment to do this today.

Be an eLABorate Supporter! 

1. Listen on directimpactbroadcasting.com, Spotify, Apple Podcast or your favorite podcast platform
2. Don’t forget to subscribe to the show on your phone, tablet or notebook so you never miss an episode! 
3. Be sure to leave a comment, and share with a fellow medical laboratory professionals!
4. Join our eLABorate Topics Group on LinkedIn

Be a Guest on our show!

If you have a leadership or laboratory message to share and would like to be a guest on the show, please reach out to us by completing the guest interest form or send us an e-mail us at [email protected].

Please tune in next week to hear another amazing episode of eLABorate Topics!

Special Guest Bio:

Anne has over 25 years’ experience in the laboratory management and healthcare consulting business. As former laboratory Manager at National Jewish Hospital in Denver, Colorado, and a Group IT Software and Automation Manager at Sysmex America, she is an experienced professional with a demonstrated history of managing laboratory information. She is a principal at Talking Laboratories consulting which is dedicated to providing end-to-end support for laboratory informatic projects.

Anne is fueled by her passion for laboratory informatics and software tools that enable the laboratory to achieve operational excellence. She has spanned the continuum of healthcare roles from laboratory management to software and clinical decision rule development to sales and marketing leadership for various IT product lines. Anne offers a unique blend of clinical and IT knowledge to enhance laboratory efficiency and performance. She can help you develop a strategy to drive better business decisions using healthcare and laboratory informatics.

About this Episode

In this episode, Stephanie Whitehead talks with Anne L. Tate, MT (ASCP)SC, MBA, MHI – the cohost of “Talking Laboratories” podcast, about her career in the laboratory profession and about how she has used the power of podcasting to engage professionals in and outside of the clinical laboratory profession. 

Be sure to visit https://www.talkinglabs.net/ to discover a wide range of services and tools provided by Talking Laboratories for your lab IT and informatic projects.  

Follow the Dark Intelligence Precision Medicine briefing series moderated by Anne Tate and Talking Laboratories by subscribing to the weekly podcast at https://precision-medicine-institute.com/. 

Listeners can follow Anne Tate and Talking Laboratories social media accounts at @talkinglaboratories (Facebook), @TalkingLaborat1 (Twitter) and Talking Laboratories (LinkedIn). Contact Anne directly via email at [email protected]

Be an eLABorate Supporter! 

1. Listen on directimpactbroadcasting.com, Spotify, Apple Podcast or your favorite podcast platform
2. Don’t forget to subscribe to the show on your phone, tablet or notebook so you never miss an episode! 
3. Be sure to leave a comment, and share with a fellow medical laboratory professionals!
4. Join our eLABorate Topics Group on LinkedIn

Be a Guest on our show!

If you have a leadership or laboratory message to share and would like to be a guest on the show, please reach out to us by completing the guest interest form or send us an e-mail us at [email protected].

Please tune in next week to hear another amazing episode of eLABorate Topics!

In this episode Lona Small discusses the benefits of being a role model as a Lab operational excellence leader.

Lona discusses the work environment where there is a lot of gossiping, tattle-tailing, drama, call-outs and resisting change, and the effect of a role model in such an environment. Lona shows that a leader can change and create the team culture by being a role model. Lona includes 5  steps that are important to being a role model.

1. Check yourself as a Leader
2. Watch your attitude
3. Watch the behavior you encourage
4. Be willing to Walk The Walk
5. Celebrate the behaviors you want to see in your team

Listen to the full episode to find out the details of being a role model as a medical lab operational excellence leader, and more details on the 5 steps that are important to being a role model.

You can watch the video  episode “Building an Effective Recognition System” on YouTube

https://youtu.be/3492Z9-S9ss

You can reach Lona Small directly at [email protected] if you have questions regarding this subject or you want to contact her regarding LabOPEX coaching and training. You can also catch Lona on LinkedIn under Lona Gordon Small and follow hashtag #YouAreAnEqualPartOfTheWhole.

Be an eLABorate Supporter! 

1. Listen on directimpactbroadcasting.com, Spotify, Apple Podcast or your favorite podcast platform
2. Don’t forget to subscribe to the show on your phone, tablet or notebook so you never miss an episode! 
3. Be sure to leave a comment, and share with a fellow medical laboratory professionals!
4. Join our eLABorate Topics Group on LinkedIn

Be a Guest on our show!

If you have a leadership or laboratory message to share and would like to be a guest on the show, please reach out to us by completing the guest interest form or send us an e-mail us at [email protected]. 

Please tune in next week to hear another amazing episode of eLABorate Topics!

In this episode, co-host Tywauna Wilson shares tips to consider when your organization is Standardizing or integrating multiple labs. 

Tips to Consider When Standardizing Across Multiple Locations

• It's not personal
• Keep an open mind
• Use your voice 
• Respect the expertise of all teammates 

 
Call to Action:
Connect with us on LinkedIn: eLABorate Topics Group

Be a Supporter!

1. Listen on Directimpactbroadcasting, Spotify, Apple Podcast or your favorite podcast platform. 
2. Don’t forget to subscribe to the show on your phone, tablet or notebook so you never miss an episode!
3. Please share with a friend, colleague, or family member!!

To connect with Tywauna for more strategies or join the monthly leadership roundtable, find her on LinkedIn at Tywauna Wilson or connect here.

"Everything rises and falls on leadership"- John C. Maxwell

Have you ever worked in a laboratory and your boss couldn't or wouldn't lead? Did it impact the productivity, morale, confidence, and success of the team? Many people find themselves in this situation due to a variety of reasons.   

Listen to the episode, with pen and paper, as Co-Hosts Tywauna Wilson, Lona Small, and Stephanie Whitehead discuss various strategies for leading when your boss can't or won't lead.  

Tune in as they discuss:

• What can happen when your boss doesn't lead
• Things to avoid in an environment led by a bad boss
• Finding ways to work with your boss
• Developing your own influence on the team

The Leadership tools discussed in this episode are linked below.

Previous eLABorate Podcasts: Episode 56: "How to be a Masterful Communicator to Influence at the Highest Level"- Qiana Cressman
                                                    Episode 19: "Emerging to Your Highest Level of Leadership"-Qiana Cressman

Courtesy of Trendy Elite Coaching and Consulting:
*Bonus* Audio Book Downloads: Leadership and influence https://eb4.co/leadershipinfluence
                                                      Self leadership   https://eb4.co/selfleadership

Be sure to share this episode with a fellow Lab Scientist or CLS Student!

Drop a comment or connect with us on LinkedIn - eLABorate Topics Group!

Be a Supporter!

1. Listen on Directimpactbroadcasting, Spotify, Apple Podcast or your favorite podcast platform. 
2. Don’t forget to subscribe to the show on your phone, tablet or notebook so you never miss an episode!
3. Please share with a friend, colleague, or family member!!

Do you have a message to share?
 Be a Guest on the Podcast!

If you have a leadership or laboratory message to share and would like to be a guest on the show, please reach out to us at [email protected] or Direct Impact Broadcasting on Social Media.

Lona went in more details to include how a lab leader can put together a clear vision for their lab. This included more information than was in the vision section of Lona’s, 5-day challenge course, “From Technical expert to an Impactful leader”. 

Lona included the approach in Cameron Heron’s book “Vivid Vision”, where he suggested several pages for a vision, and not just a sentence.

Lona included steps

1. Find an environment that is relaxing and away from the work environment with a writing pad

2. Imagine the lab you would love to have in the next 3 years

3. Brain dump all the ideas that come to you by writing on the writing pad

4. Rewrite ideas in sentence form ( 2-4 pages)

5. Share with your managers and ask them to identify any gaps

6. Write this out in a refined form and in present tense

7. Prepare in a form to be shared with all members of the team and to be used for goal setting.

Listen to the full episode to find out the details on coming up with a clear vision, the benefits, and the mistakes that people make about setting a clear vision.

You can also receive the 5 day challenge course “From Technical Expert to Impactful Leader” for free here. https://www.lonasmall.com/offers/x6PTsSey

You can reach Lona Small directly at [email protected] if you have questions regarding this subject or you want to contact her regarding LabOPEX coaching and training. You can also catch Lona on LinkedIn under Lona Gordon Small and follow hashtag #YouAreAnEqualPartOfTheWhole.

Drop a comment or connect with us on LinkedIn - eLABorate Topics Group!

Be a Supporter!

1. Listen on Directimpactbroadcasting, Spotify, Apple Podcast or your favorite podcast platform. 
2. Don’t forget to subscribe to the show on your phone, tablet or notebook so you never miss an episode!
3. Please share with a friend, colleague, or family member!!

Do you have a message to share?
 Be a Guest on the Podcast!

If you have a leadership or laboratory message to share and would like to be a guest on the show, please reach out to us at [email protected] or Direct Impact Broadcasting on Social Media.