Send us a Message In this episode of Culture Change RX, Sue Tetzlaff and Natasha Todorovic-Cowan explore the multifaceted topic of change management. Natasha shares her journey into the field, emphasizing the importance of understanding human nature and change readiness. They discuss the untapped potential within organizations, the significance of creating structures for employee engagement, and the necessity of customization in change initiatives. The conversation also touches on hard truths...
Send us a Message In this episode of Culture Change RX, Capstone’s Cofounder & CEO Sue Tetzlaff unpacks a common pattern in healthcare organizations: one leader or department excelling while the rest of the hospital struggles to keep up. These bright spots, while encouraging, are often fragile and siloed. Sue contrasts this episodic excellence with the power of systemic success—when every leader, every team, and every department is aligned and performing at high levels. Episodic excelle...
Send us a Message In this Culture Byte episode of Culture Change RX, Capstone’s Cofounder & CEO Sue Tetzlaff shares a Story That Inspires about the power of goal-setting. Sue explains how setting and achieving goals not only helps organizations reach targets but also elevates the behavior, performance, and contributions of individuals and teams. By engaging employees in goal-setting, leaders create a pathway to cultural transformation—turning “this is how we do things around here” into “t...
Send us a Message In this Culture Byte episode of Culture Change RX, Capstone’s Cofounder & CEO Sue Tetzlaff shares a Story That Inspires about one of the simplest yet most effective leadership tactics: writing thank you notes. She emphasizes that appreciation should not be a one-off initiative but a regular, heartfelt practice. Leaders who consistently recognize employees connect their efforts to organizational impact, fostering motivation and loyalty. This short episode serves as both a...
Send us a Message In this Culture Byte episode of Culture Change RX, Sue Tetzlaff engages in conversation with Halle Pardun (full time hospital Marketing Director and part time Capstone Coach) about the importance of community mindedness in community hospitals. They discuss the role of an employee-driven community team, employee volunteerism, intentional marketing strategies, and their Quest for Excellence initiative aimed at improving and growing healthcare services. Halle shares insights on...
Send us a Message In this Culture Byte episode of Culture Change RX, Capstone’s Cofounder & CEO Sue Tetzlaff discusses the critical importance of service excellence in healthcare. She emphasizes that exceptional patient experiences should be safe, satisfying, and consistent across all interactions. Drawing parallels with the hospitality industry, particularly the Grand Hotel, she illustrates how high standards can be achieved through organization-wide commitment, employee engagement and l...
Send us a Message In this episode of Culture Change Rx, Sue Tetzlaff engaged in conversation with Michelle Franklin, CEO of Sullivan County Community Hospital in Sullivan, Indiana, to discuss the importance of mission, vision, and values in the context of a community hospital. They explore how these elements evolve over time, particularly in response to organizational growth and community needs. Michelle shares insights from her experience as CEO, emphasizing the significance of engaging stak...
Send us a Message In this episode of Culture Change RX, Sue Tetzlaff discusses the impacts of financial uncertainty on workplace culture, particularly in healthcare organizations. She emphasizes the importance of trust in leadership, employee engagement, and the need for transparency and education to navigate financial challenges. Tetzlaff shares strategies for overcoming these challenges, including the implementation of systems like goal cycles and employee-driven teams, to foster a healthie...
Send us a Message Building a new healthcare system isn’t just about construction—it’s about forward-thinking, people-centered transformation that fulfills a deep commitment to excellence in caring for the community. In this episode of Culture Change Rx, Sue Tetzlaff interviews Theresa Sullivan, CEO of Samaritan Healthcare in Moses Lake, Washington, about the transformative journey of building a new healthcare system. They discuss the importance of community engagement, strategic planning, a...
Send us a Message In this episode of Culture Change RX, Sue Tetzlaff discusses the critical aspects of transforming toxic workplace cultures, emphasizing the importance of local leadership, team dynamics, and individual behaviors. She outlines strategies for addressing toxic cultures, including the role of leadership in modeling positive behaviors, the shifting of team dynamics, and the necessity of addressing individual toxic behaviors. The episode culminates in a call to action for front-li...
Send us a Message A positive organizational culture is reflected in employee interactions with the community. In this episode of Culture Change RX, Sue Tetzlaff speaks with Sara Giles, the marketing director at Schoolcraft Memorial Hospital, about the evolution of community engagement and employee relations within the organization. They discuss the importance of building relationships, the impact of employee contributions, and the strategic alignment of community events with local needs. Sara...
Send us a Message Senior leadership team dysfunction in one or more of five specific areas can undermine the success and speed of leading organization-wide improvement and growth initiatives. In this episode, Sue Tetzlaff and Courtney Kloehn discuss the critical importance of strengthening senior leadership teams within healthcare organizations. They explore the common dysfunctions that can hinder effective leadership and provide actionable tactics for improvement. The conversation emphasizes...
Send us a Message In this episode of Culture Change RX, Sue Tetzlaff discusses the critical issue of misalignment within healthcare organizations. She shares insights from her experience founding Capstone Leadership Solutions and outlines a framework for achieving great strategies. The conversation emphasizes the importance of creating alignment through team structures, effective leadership, and achievement systems, while also addressing the barriers to change. Sue encourages healthcare leade...
Send us a Message Leverage the leadership practice of rounding to strengthen psychological safety, just culture, and high reliability. In this episode, Sue Tetzlaff discusses the importance of high reliability, just culture, and psychological safety in healthcare leadership. She emphasizes the significance of strengthening relationships through rounding, effective questioning, and the need for follow-up to build trust within teams. The conversation highlights practical options for leaders to ...
Send us a Message In this episode, Sue Tetzlaff discusses the challenges and strategies for leadership in healthcare organizations, emphasizing the importance of moving beyond the status quo to foster growth and community impact. She introduces two contrasting formulas for organizational success: the fading formula, which leads to deterioration, and the rocket fuel formula, which focuses on investing in people, service, and quality to drive growth. Tetzlaff shares her experiences and insights...
Send us a Message In this episode, Sue Tetzlaff discusses the importance of trust in senior leadership, particularly in the healthcare sector. She outlines two main categories of trust-building activities: everyday actions and responses during challenging times. She provides real life examples and practical takeaways for leaders related to strengthening trust and teamwork, even in the face of uncertainty and fear. There are two categories of trust-building activities in leadership: our everyd...
Send us a Message In this episode of Culture Change, Sue Tetzlaff emphasizes that efforts to elevate both competency and consistency are crucial for effective culture change and improvement. Competency relates to the quality and standards of practice, while consistency pertains to the frequency and application of those practices. The conversation explores how there are differences in how improvement teams and/or leaders approach increasing competency versus how they approach gaining more cons...
Send us a Message 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 ...
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 significa...
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 f...