Assessment:
Name of person you are observing: Chad Davenport
Role in the organization: Supervisor
For each domain below, consider the indicators and reflect on where this individual might fall within the inclusive leadership development continuum: Emerging, Developing, Skilled, or Accomplished.
Attending
The ability to give others full, focused attention—especially during times of difficulty.
Chad is very good at this. He is very good about finding moments for one on one check ins, just to see how him employee feels like things are going. In conflict he is especially intentional about this allowing space and room to navigate conflict.
This individual listens attentively and without interruption when others are discussing challenges.
Chad does a great job listening and letting the other party finish. He does good keeping things calm and controlled to the best of his ability.
This individual is fully present and focused when someone is sharing a concern or problem.
Chad is fully present and focused when there is a concern or problem will be off of his laptop and maintain eye contact and allow someone to have his undivided attention.
This individual demonstrates genuine interest when others are describing personal or professional difficulties.
I feel Chad does very well on the professional side of things. However at this time, I think there is a very intentional effort to keep personal and professional separate at work. Personal life compassion may benefit from improvement.
Based on your observations, how would you rate this individual’s approach to Attending?
☐ Emerging ☐ Developing ☐ Skilled ☐ Accomplished
Provide specific observations that support your assessment: Navigating conflict this week gave each part an individual space to communicate, created a meeting for all parties to come to a resolution, and followed up with each party to see how they felt and if their needs were met.
Understanding
The ability to seek and build shared understanding without imposing assumptions.
Chad does try to seek understanding but often plays devis advocate, to help other party see both sides. Does not impose assumptions.
This individual seeks to understand the nature of others’ challenges before offering solutions.
Chad appears to seek to understand to a certain extent but is always ready to help with possible solutions.
This individual refrains from jumping to conclusions or imposing their own explanations.
Chad often listens and tries to understand but does appear to come to his own understanding and explanations.
This individual takes time to carefully explore the root causes of problems from the other person’s perspective.
Chad does a very good job about exploring the root causes of problems from the other person's perspective. Does a very good job of asking open ended questions and allowing people to explain their perspective.
This individual collaborates with others to develop a shared understanding of the issues at hand.
Chad does a really good job collaborating with others to find an INDIVIDUAL understanding of the issues at hand, but is still progressing on getting everyone on the same page of the issue at hand.
Based on your observations, how would you rate this individual’s approach to Understanding?
☐ Emerging ☐ Developing ☐ Skilled ☐ Accomplished
Provide specific observations that support your assessment:
Chad sometimes listens to find a solution instead of listening to understand and leading towards a solution. I think Chad is very solution/problem solving oriented that sometime he may not fully understand the issue.
Empathizing
The capacity to connect with and feel concern for others' emotional experiences.
Chad is hit or miss on this, there are moments of connections, but there is defiantly a feel of keeping others at an arms width away.
This individual expresses warmth and empathy in interactions with others.
Chad tries to do this. However, I could see how some of his employees may not feel that way. I do think interactions are always kind. Empathy may not be there yet.
This individual is emotionally attuned to others when they are upset or stressed.
Chad is progressing in this area; however I am not sure how this would look yet either.
This individual demonstrates sensitivity to the emotions and needs of others.
Chad does well with this I believe.
This individual shows genuine care for the challenges and emotional experiences of others.
I am under the impression that Chad genuinely cares for his employees. I feel emotions may be a difficult area for Chad to navigate. Chad shows care for challenges if they are brought to him.
Based on your observations, how would you rate this individual’s approach to Empathizing?
☐ Emerging ☐ Developing ☐ Skilled ☐ Accomplished
Provide specific observations that support your assessment:
Chad does not often engage in personal conversations that are happening in the office, Chad is very professional and seems to avoid the personal side of things. Chad may come off with a lack of empathy because he is trying to help someone see both slides or the issue while also trying to validate feelings. However that often looks like “Im not saying your wrong” or other comments like this that may be interpreted as lack of empathy.
Helping
The commitment to take action that alleviates distress and supports well-being.
Chad does this to a fault. Chad takes this on at his own expense.
This individual actively helps others address the problems they face.
Chad does well on this on a patient care/ work load front.
This individual takes effective and thoughtful action to support team members in need.
Chad finds his solutions in “doing it himself” . This is Chads way of supporting his team. Often take the loads off of his staff. However I think we may be able to find a better way to do this that is not at his expense and also supports his team’s growth, not just their stress, with the long term goal of stress management even in difficult situations.
This individual demonstrates a consistent commitment to making a positive difference in others’ lives.
Chad absolutely does this well.
Based on your observations, how would you rate this individual’s approach to Helping?
☐ Emerging ☐ Developing ☐ Skilled ☐ Accomplished
Provide specific observations that support your assessment: In a struggle Chad always over books himself and take on extra people so his team does not have to. Chad is really good about taking on the vast majority of work so his team does not have to. Chad helps by taking patients, organizing meetings, keeping things organized, and seeking engagement.
Assessment:
Name of organization you are observing: UTMB Outpatient Sports Medicine
For each statement below, observe the general behaviors within the organization. Note specific examples if you can, and provide a brief reflection after each section.
Use this scale for each statement:
0 – Not Observed 1 – Rarely 2 – Sometimes 3 – Often 4 – Consistently
- Building Emotional Connection
Staff treat patients and colleagues with kindness and respect.
Multiple staff are not attentive to patients, certain staff are abrasive to patients to the point of the patient requesting a new therapist, and asking the current therapist “are you okay??” due to how the patient was being treated.
Supervisors do well keeping up with staff outside life (Derek having heart issues, constantly checking on him and trying to send him to get care, offering to bring him food in the ER, Keeping up with house flooding and making sure therapist is doing okay)
Alma does well being sweet to her patients, building relationships, uses endearing terms.
Staff make an effort to emotionally connect with patients and their families.
Staff does okay, at best, emotionally connecting with patients. The staff largely keeps patients at a distance and offers base level comfort, like tissues.
Sympathy and validation is not observed.
Very much a tough love clinic.
Staff are sensitive to the emotional needs of both patients and co-workers.
I have been very impressed by the out poor of support staff has received from co-workers, in the hospital.
Staff does well figuring out what a patient needs and meeting them where they are at.
Staff does well accommodate some of their Co-workers, BUT not all Co-workers do well being mindful of others.
Difficult conversations (e.g., about diagnoses, care decisions) are handled with empathy.
Clinic is very big on autonomy and making sure that the patient is involved in decision making. Really good about that
Not good about empathy in general. Have not been overly impressed with the response to crying, hurting, not feeling well.
Patient was on the Nustep reporting they didn’t feel well, hurting and nauseous. Therapist said “Okay rest” and walked away. Different therapists standing by but treating their own patient had to offer this patient water, vomit bag, check on them to see if they needed anything, and attempt to help them.
Observation Notes:
Overall, there is really goods, and really bads. There is no body I see in the middle, no half attempts that fall short, there is either an intentional effort to help and care and have compassion. OR there is no effort to be kind or helpful or comforting.
- Communicating Effectively
Staff listen carefully to patient concerns without rushing.
Does well but we are time limited, so this is a time permitting question. However, I do notice PT’s going late in evaluations to answer questions.
Providers and team members explain things clearly and in understandable language.
Not all team members do well explaining things, some team members do not understand themselves and cannot explain.
Noticing frustration when having to explain things multiple times, or when every exercise is questioned. Comments like “like I said before” “Again….” And similar comments are used.
Staff take time to answer questions and clarify confusion.
For the most part I feel like the staff does. In the setting its not an option. Minor things that stand out is some staff feeling attacked and getting defensive when asked questions.
Communication between departments or teams is respectful and coordinated.
For the most part communication between departments is very professional. Very limited communication with other departments. Sometimes the surgery department gets a little frustrated with the rehab department. Communication with the front desk is streamlined, however not everyone participates in that like they are supposed to. Collaboration and space sharing with Cardiac rehab/ pulmonary/ nursing gets tight at times, and everyone navigates that really well even though it is frustrating. Everyone is very considerate of who is using what and making sure everyone gets what they need.
Observation Notes:
Overall, I feel communication is getting better, however I can see a lot of room for improvement. This would also fall into the sometimes category. There is plenty of room to improve here.
- Treating Patients as Whole People
Patients’ preferences, values, and beliefs are taken into account in care decisions.
Absolutely, patients are always made sure to get what they want to do and where or who they are most comfortable with.
Cultural and linguistic needs are acknowledged and respected.
Yes, we have translators on hand, do our best to provide gender preferences as well. There are times when a translator is not utilized. Sometimes it is difficult to use the mobile translator and that does not always happen. This could be improved upon.
Care is personalized rather than one-size-fits-all.
This is a big one… and I have to say some people do. But I definitely noticed everyone gets the exact same exercises depending on the therapist.
Staff show respect for the dignity and humanity of each patient.
I do think for the most part this is true. However, I did observe comments like “we don’t usually treat people who can’t walk” however I also observed an older lady who had an accident asking a tech for a pad or something of the sort and the tech did everything she could to help, quietly and discreetly.
Observation Notes:
These are really hard to grade but I would put these in the often category. I truly believe there is just a few people who do not provide this but the vast majority do.
- Creating a Culture of Compassion
Leaders model compassionate behavior in how they treat staff and patients.
Yes, for the most part. However, I have observed coworkers feeling like work is more important than family and feeling guilty to take time off. I think they do great job treating patients with compassion and understanding.
Staff feel safe to speak up, ask for help, or share concerns.
No absolutely not. Staff feel like they may be punished for speaking up. They do not feel safe or valued.
Wellness, resilience, or burnout support is available and encouraged.
No. Does not exist.
The overall environment feels respectful, inclusive, and patient-centered.
The environment does feel respectful, inclusive, and patient-centered. This is a true statement.
Observation Notes:
There is not much sympathy or compassion for each other on a day-to-day basis. I think most people are just getting by. It’s not necessarily a fun place for people. I don’t know if people look forward to going to work and seeing their co-workers. They are merely co-workers, not friends, no real relationships.
Final Reflection Questions
In what ways did this organization demonstrate compassionate care most effectively?
This organization effectively demonstrates compassion by making sure patients have a voice and feel heard.
Were there any gaps or missed opportunities for compassion?
Of course, daily there is missed opportunities for compassion. Not everyone is willing to be comforting to the patients, or their colleagues for that matter. There is definitely a mentality of “I am here to do a job and go home” and that job does not include compassion.
How does the culture of compassion (or lack thereof) affect patients, staff, and outcomes?
The culture of compassion affects patients, staff, and outcomes substantially. I have watched this department go through the rough patches of no compassion and watched the clinic stay angry and tense around the clock making everyone unhappy and complaining. This leads to much more patient complaints and conflict overall. Ultimately causing staff to be distracted and occupied with other issues than patient care. I have also seen this clinic at a high, but they are very aware of the weak links and there is a constant awareness of others not meeting expectations or providing poor patient care that starts to become a burden on others. There is actively a cancer in the clinic that is stable. Everyone is aware of it, its easy to spot, but its stable. It’s not spreading, it is affecting the team a little, there is a hope that intervention will help, but everyone is content with not getting worse.
Organizational Culture of Compassion Assessment
This tool helps you assess whether the organization you are observing fosters a culture of compassion—not just in individual interactions, but in how it structures its leadership, teamwork, innovation, and overall mission.
This is not about whether people are kind in the moment—but whether compassion is part of how the organization thinks, plans, leads, and grows.
Plan to spend at least 3 hours observing this specific area.
Instructions:
Based on your observations, organizational documents (mission, values, strategic goals), and conversations with staff or leaders, rate the following statements:
0 – Not Demonstrated 1 – Minimal Evidence 2 – Somewhat Evident 3 – Clearly Evident 4 – Strongly Embedded in Culture
- Organizational Vision and Values
- The organization’s mission or values explicitly reference compassion, care, or human dignity.
“Our Mission -To improve health by offering innovative education and training, pursuing cutting-edge research, and providing the highest quality patient care.
Our Values
- Integrity
- Nurture
- Synergy
- Passion
- Initiative
- Respect
- Excellence
Our Vision -We work together to define the future of health care and be the best.”
https://www.utmb.edu/president/strategic-vision/
These changed recently, and no long include compassion. In fact, our new slogan is “where passion meets purpose” However the mission does mention quality patient care.
- Compassionate care is included in strategic goals, not just clinical outcomes or productivity.
We do send out Press Gainey surveys, and they are part of our goal, including how they rate us.
I think we may find value in having a readily available patient feedback form however when we did we got in trouble from the hospital. Something we may be able to get away with is a paper form that says something like “let us know how we did today” and a little drop box if we can get that approved.
- Decision-making processes reflect a commitment to people—not just efficiency or profits.
We are heavy on budget here. Decision making progress may benefit from budgeting more for staff in independent departments. Hard question after facing a year full of benefit cuts.
- Staff at all levels can articulate the organization’s values in a meaningful way.
All staff do have opportunities to demonstrate the organization's values.
Notes or Examples:
2 – Somewhat Evident
UTMB Recently cut benefits like PTO, ability to use EIB, and FMLA changes. Stopped holding banked hours and wanted to pay back the banked hours at 50% to the employees. UTMB DOES do employee engagement events where they host BINGO, breakfast, and set up little shops.
- Leadership and Management Style
- Leaders model humility, emotional intelligence, and openness—not just authority.
I have observed efforts by leadership to address staff concerns and improve communication. However, there are situations where staff may not feel comfortable expressing concerns or disagreeing with decisions. Compassionate leadership requires leaders to listen without becoming defensive, recognize how their actions affect others, and create an environment where employees feel safe speaking honestly. This is an area where more consistent modeling could strengthen the workplace culture. There are also instances where employees reach out to leadership and do not receive any type of acknowledgement. No emails returned, or confirmation or any sort.
- There is evidence of collective leadership—decisions are made with input from staff at multiple levels.
There are opportunities for staff to share feedback through engagement activities, meetings, and discussions. I have personally participated in efforts to bring staff concerns forward and organize follow-up actions. However, staff involvement in decision-making does not always feel consistent. Staff must learn to speak up and communicate better as well. Greater involvement from employees before decisions are made could improve trust and shared accountability.
- Leaders are accessible and regularly communicate with frontline staff.
Communication opportunities exist through staff meetings, huddles, and leadership engagement activities. Among SOME leaders. Other leaders are not available, or do not respond when you reach out to them. This is actually very present right now, after recent reports that more of our leadership would be available and round, there has been absolutely no showing of some leaders still. I have identified concerns about limited contact between certain leaders and staff, which can make employees feel disconnected from decisions that affect their work. Consistent rounding, more than 2x a year regular updates, and follow-up on concerns would help improve this area.
- Staff feel that leadership supports their personal well-being, not just their performance.
UTMB provides a healthcare work environment where employee performance and patient care are important. However, supporting employee well-being is not relevant to evaluating productivity or performance. Staff need to feel that psychological safety, workload, communication, and personal concerns are taken seriously, heard, and addressed. Based on my experiences, there is room for leadership to demonstrate more consistent support for employee well-being. Better follow-through is a must.
Notes or Examples:
2 – Somewhat Evident
A significant example is my involvement in creating a rounding document that included individual staff tabs, concerns and questions, action plans, due dates, and follow-up tracking. The purpose was to provide staff with a structured way to communicate concerns and ensure that issues were not simply raised and forgotten. Staff were told this was in the works and HR has been involved and it must be done, however there and been no update on it.
I believe this demonstrates the value of collective leadership because it encourages employees to participate in identifying problems and developing solutions, allows employees to have a voice and creates a paper trail so when leadership is not responsive and ignores a concern it can be seen by all. However, the success of this type of process depends on leadership following through, communicating progress, and showing staff that their input leads to meaningful action.
An additional concern is psychological safety; it is my understanding that our department did not do well on a recent survey that employees had to do. Employees should be able to discuss mistakes, workplace concerns, and disagreements without feeling that they will be punished or dismissed. Leaders can strengthen compassion by responding to concerns with curiosity, respect, and accountability.
- Teamwork and Internal Relationships
- Collaboration is encouraged across departments and professions.
Healthcare delivery requires collaboration between physical therapists, physical therapist assistants, other rehabilitation professionals, physicians, and support staff. In my role, I have experienced the importance of communicating about patient care and coordinating treatment. However, opportunities remain to improve collaboration between PTs and PTAs, particularly regarding treatment plans, patient progression, supervision expectations, and communication about clinical decisions. Communication between Doctors and PTA, has been said to be inappropriate and that PT should be the only one communicating with Doctor.
- Team members treat one another with mutual respect and value each other’s contributions.
I have observed that team members contribute different skills and knowledge to patient care, and many employees work together to support patients and each other. It’s fun to watch therapists take care of each other and share the workload. However, respect and recognition of each profession's contributions are not always experienced consistently. Conflict is very much present and mutual respect is not always there. A culture of compassion should ensure that these contributions are recognized and that staff interact with one another professionally.
- Conflict is addressed constructively, not avoided or suppressed.
There are opportunities to address workplace concerns through leadership, meetings, and employee engagement processes. However, I noticed concerns about how difficult conversations and disagreements are handled. Conflicts should be addressed through direct communication, respectful discussion, and clear follow-up rather than allowing problems to continue or making employees feel uncomfortable, raising concerns, but that’s not always what happens. Often there is lack of conversation, passiveness, a general team message to address everyone instead of the issue directly. Workers being upset but never address issues because sometimes conversation is explosive.
- There are clear efforts to build trust among teams (e.g., shared goals, regular check-ins).
Regular meetings, huddles, and engagement activities provide opportunities to build relationships and discuss shared goals. I have participated in efforts to create more structure around staff concerns and follow-up. However, trust requires consistency. Employees need to see that concerns are handled fairly, communication is reliable, and expectations are applied consistently across team members. UTMB provides engagement but does not really fund it, free or cheap engagement is a big thing. Check ins, and shared goals are not a large awareness.
Notes or Examples:
2 – Somewhat Evident
As a PTA, I believe teamwork and communication are essential for safe, effective patient care. PTs and PTAs need a clear understanding of treatment goals, patient progression, supervision responsibilities, and when communication is needed it is not always available or welcome.
Clear, documented conferences and regular clinical discussions would help ensure that everyone is working toward the same patient goals, we do this huddle, but a different variation may be good.
I have also been involved in staff engagement efforts intended to strengthen relationships and improve communication. These experiences have shown me that teamwork is not only about working alongside one another but also about creating an environment where employees feel respected and comfortable asking questions.
- Innovation and Improvement Culture
- Staff are encouraged to suggest improvements—even if they challenge the status quo.
Staff engagement and suggestions are encouraged verbally but often aren’t taken into consideration or are heard but then nothing is done about them. It is hard to say if suggestions like this are accepted since a lot of those conversations happen behind closed doors.
- New ideas that enhance patient or staff experience are taken seriously and supported.
They are always welcome, they are asked for and want to be heard. However, not often are they accepted or followed through on.
- There is a process in place for learning from mistakes, rather than assigning blame.
I do not believe this to be true, I think that this would be a huge benefit, but would require addressing mistakes, and possibly addressing them to everyone so everyone can learn.
- The organization actively tracks and responds to staff or patient feedback about emotional or relational aspects of care.
No this does not happen.
Notes or Examples:
1 – Minimal Evidence
I believe clinical workflows can be improved through standardized processes. For example, developing clear Epic SmartPhrases, scheduling headers, and PT–PTA communication procedures could support more consistent patient care and reduce confusion among staff.
Compassionate innovation should not focus only on making work more efficient. It should also consider how changes affect the employee experience, patient relationships, workload, and ability to provide safe and meaningful care. Staff should have opportunities to explain the challenges they experience before new processes are implemented.
Final Reflection Questions
- Overall, how would you describe the organization’s culture of compassion?
I would describe UTMB's culture of compassion as present but inconsistently experienced across leadership, teamwork, and daily workplace interactions. Compassion is an important part of healthcare and is reflected in the organization's focus on patient care and service. I have also seen examples of employees taking initiative to support one another, improve communication, and identify opportunities for change.
However, I believe there is a difference between an organization recognizing compassion as a value and consistently demonstrating it in its internal culture. Compassion should extend beyond the patient experience to include how employees are treated, how concerns are handled, and how leaders communicate with staff.
From my perspective, UTMB has opportunities to strengthen compassionate leadership by improving transparency, creating psychological safety, consistently following up on employee feedback, and ensuring that staff feel respected and valued. A compassionate culture does not mean avoiding accountability or difficult conversations. Instead, it means approaching those conversations with fairness, respect, and a genuine effort to understand and improve.
- Where is compassion most clearly embedded in the structure or operations?
Compassion is most clearly reflected in the organization's focus on patient care, the work of healthcare professionals, and opportunities for employee engagement and improvement.
In my rehabilitation setting, compassion is demonstrated through efforts to provide quality patient care, collaborate with other healthcare professionals, and support patients through their recovery. Staff members contribute their clinical knowledge and time to help patients achieve functional goals and improve their quality of life.
I also see compassion in opportunities for staff to share feedback and participate in improvement initiatives. My involvement in developing rounding tools, organizing concerns, and identifying action plans is an example of how compassion can be translated into workplace practices.
However, I believe the strongest opportunity is to make compassion more consistent in the internal operations of the organization. When staff feel heard, supported, and respected, they are better positioned to build positive relationships with coworkers and provide compassionate care to patients.
- What might this organization do to further strengthen its compassionate culture?
UTMB could strengthen its culture of compassion through several practical improvements:
- Improve leadership communication and accessibility. Leaders should maintain regular communication with frontline staff, provide updates on concerns, and explain how decisions affect employees and patient care.
- Strengthen psychological safety. Staff should feel comfortable reporting concerns, asking questions, discussing mistakes, and disagreeing respectfully without fear of retaliation or being dismissed.
- Create more consistent PT–PTA collaboration. Establishing regular, documented PT–PTA conferences and clear communication expectations would improve teamwork, clinical alignment, and professional respect.
- Use employee feedback to drive measurable action. Staff concerns should be documented, assigned to responsible individuals, given realistic due dates, and followed up on. Employees should be informed about the progress and outcomes of the concerns they raise.
- Recognize staff contributions beyond productivity. Compassionate leadership should acknowledge mentorship, teamwork, patient relationships, professional development, and efforts to improve the workplace, not only performance metrics.
- Develop a consistent approach to mistakes and conflict. Leaders should focus on understanding the cause of problems, addressing accountability fairly, and identifying changes that prevent similar issues from occurring.
- Include employee well-being in organizational decision-making. Decisions about staffing, workload, communication, and workplace policies should consider their impact on employees' ability to maintain a healthy and supportive work environment.
Overall, strengthening compassion at UTMB requires connecting organizational values to everyday behaviors. When leadership listens to employees, communicates consistently, and follows through on concerns, compassion becomes more than a stated value. It becomes something employees experience in their daily work.
Instructions
For each statement, choose one:
- Yes – Clearly observed
- Somewhat – Some evidence, but not consistent
- Not Observed – Not seen during your observation
Section A: Psychological Safety
To what extent do you observe the following behaviors within the team?
- Team members feel safe to ask questions, even if they’re unsure.
- Somewhat
- People admit when they’ve made a mistake or don’t know something.
- Not Observed
- Ideas for improvement are welcomed from all members, regardless of role.
- Yes
- Disagreements are handled respectfully and constructively.
- Somewhat
- Team members speak up about concerns without fear of embarrassment or punishment.
- Somewhat
- Feedback is exchanged in a way that promotes learning.
- Somewhat
- Supervisors or team leads actively invite input and listen with intention.
- Yes/ Somewhat
Observations:
Team leads round regularly and ask what is going well, what is not, and what can we do/need. Managers do not engage or interact with employees. Managers do not value feedback or even respond to emails putting supervisors in bad positions. Feedback is hit and miss because no everyone welcomes it and there are people who feel attacked and “dig there heels in” when receiving it. Team members speak up, but they slowly stop because they don’t feel like it matters or will receive what they need. I do not think its from fear of embarrassment or punishment. Disagreements are again, handled kindly by most people but there is certain people who get rude and mean when there is a disagreement. Some team member are too prideful to ask questions even though they don’t know what to do that the patient suffers.
Section B: Team Effectiveness and Potential
How does the team function in terms of clarity, collaboration, and growth?
- The team has a shared purpose or goal.
- Yes
- Roles and responsibilities are clearly defined.
- Yes
- Team members support and rely on each other.
- Somewhat
- Team meetings or check-ins are inclusive and productive.
- Somewhat
- The team adapts well to change and learns from challenges.
- Yes
- There is mutual trust and respect among team members.
- Somewhat
- The team engages in creative thinking or group problem-solving.
- Somewhat/ Not observed
Observations:
During most meetings/huddles the majority of team members do not participate, they do not voice their concerns, but will complain and voice them to me after the meeting. Again, a lot of this applies to certain people there are good teammates and bad team mates. Due to the mix of positive and negative member its hard to give a full positive observation.
Reflection Questions
Please answer the following based on your observations:
- What evidence did you see of psychological safety on this team?
I feel like I have good psychological safety in this team I speak freely to leadership without fear. I see therapists communicating with support staff about what they need and how that looks and problem solving together. Communicating with the PSS about referrals. The PSS requesting therapists do better keeping up with re-evaluations. Suggestions and inclusions of the techs with the new tech interviews, and much more.
- What strengths did this team demonstrate in terms of communication or collaboration?
This team demonstrated strengths in terms of communication when I made them all participate in a survey an pressured everyone to complete it so we can see what compassion an value looks like to them. If they are not forced or cornered into communication, it usually does not exist.
- Did you observe any barriers to psychological safety? If so, what were they?
Yes, therapists/leadership are hesitant to communicate with volatile therapists. When employees work up the courage to ask a question, but it is not always answered or even acknowledged. Employees bringing concern and never having follow up. A HUGE thing that happened this week is that the director of rehab showed up this week, Shelley, not to say hi to her employees, not to acknowledge anyone like she has been saying she will start making appearances and doing and didn’t acknowledge anyone even though she was there. No, she was there sole to meet the new hand surgeon who was doing a walk though through our clinic. That was a huge failure and missed opportunity from leadership, but a great representation of how our leadership functions and moves. Imagine what it tells your employees to be in a room full of them and the only person you acknowledge is the hand surgeon.
- If you were part of this team, what would you focus on to help strengthen the team’s culture?
I am part of this team, I focus on communicating with everyone and making sure everyone feels valued and feels like they have a friend. I make sure everyone is comfortable with communicating with me and wants to come to work. I try to make sure everyone’s concerns are heard and addressed. I would focus hard on making our team feel comfortable and willing to bring their concerns to leadership and leadership addressing them.
