Lona Gordon Small, MBA, PMP, CPBPM, MT(ASCP)

Effective communication in healthcare is vital and could mean life or death. It is important to consider how the message is received by the audience. -Know what is important to them. Working on an interdisciplinary team project, the C- suite maybe interested on bottom line, institutional grade or ratings. The nurse may be interested in the effect on their work, patients, and metrics they are measured on. -Speak in the language and terms they understand A phlebotomist speaking to the patient using technical jargons for tests, could be scary and create anxiety for the patient. -Use effective tools the audience is comfortable with. Busy physicians find it easy communicating with secure chat than time- consuming phone conversations.

One of the most common challenges I hear from medical lab leaders is not feeling prepared moving from technical experts to leaders. I help them identify their unique strengths and desires to align with their zone of genius, I call this their Core Role. They also assess their Core Self, Values, and Visions. Their Core is unique to them and help them stand out. With other exercises they get to see so much of their strengths that they didn't realize they had, and that builds confidence in what they have to offer. Next, I do a reverse gap exercise. Instead of looking forward at their vision and what is missing they look back at all they have to offer to the role. This way they may see most of their strengths and may just find a few gaps.

One area where I find myself and others in my field can do more is showcasing our contributions. In Quality showcasing the results of a major project or even a small success story is not only great in giving recognition to the team but also visibility to your work area at the organizational level. Another important aspect that should not be forgotten is showing the impact of your work on the overall success of the organization. Doing an impact study and the ROI of the project tells the organization that their investment in your work and achievement is worth it and should be encouraged.

Medical lab professionals are vital in providing about 80% of the information for patients to be diagnosed. Medical lab professionals however work behind the scenes and many times identify as introverts. As a QA Specialist in the lab, I encounter different patient safety and quality issues, with specimens sent to the lab for testing. Working together with interdisciplinary teams is vital. I coach team members that creating great relationships where other teams are willing to make changes, starts by taking small steps. One of the first thing to do is to look for opportunities where you can be of help. By being of help it opens the door for easy dialogue, then you become a go-to person, then finally collaboration to solutions.

Self- awareness is a very underrated skill needed for success. I start with helping my clients know their Core: Their Core Role, Core Value, Core Self, Core Vision. Knowing your Core will help you understand your strengths, values, and interest. Identifying your goal becomes easy. Clients looking to find a job that's right for them, can set their goals based on the people in the roles they want to connect with, and the companies and organizations they want to follow. For individuals looking to have more visibility and impact in their career, identifying goals and interests now is easy based on their Core Vision. They can decide which professional organizations they want to connect with, the stages they want to speak on, and so on.

A shared vision is important to rally the team around a common purpose. This allows for individuals on the team to know the direction the organization is going and decide if that aligns with their values and purpose. A shared vision allows the team to collaborate in designing the path to get to a clear destination. This is the opportunity to allow team members to utilize their unique strengths, perspectives, and talents to create solutions to accomplish the vision of the organization.