Who would have imagined that gourmet burgers and decadent hot dogs could transform a community with elevated fast food? Companies like Shack Shack and Chick-fil-A have re-engineered how fast food is delivered, raising the benchmark for exceptional customer service. If an industry once known only for quick, impersonal service can transform itself by putting quality and customer experience first, then healthcare organizations have even greater potential to redefine excellence.

Healthcare is a complex system focused on reimbursement models and bureaucracy, often prioritizing financial incentives over patient outcomes. It’s not easy to grasp that an industry built around people sometimes falls short of basic standards, losing sight of its core commitment to compassionate, patient-centered care.

How does an industry focused on wellness and care of the sick become so transactional? In 2007, hospitals began collecting patient experience feedback surveys (HCAHPS) to qualify for full Medicare reimbursements under the IPPS system, which pays hospitals a set amount per patient stay rather than for every service. Hospitals with low HCAHPS scores risk losing 2% of their Medicare payment, potentially losing millions of dollars. Additionally, poor reviews also deter consumers and impact staff retention.

Healthcare organizations have spent endless hours and dollars in creating dedicated roles, specialized programs, technology integrations, and redesigning processes to improve patient experience scores. Despite continuous efforts, the national patient satisfaction rate remains at around 71%. Why? Because temporary fixes are used, and initiatives are created to meet incentives instead of addressing the actual needs and wants of patients and the providers caring for them.

Shake Shack got its start as a hot dog stand aimed at revitalizing Madison Square Park, offering families a safe space to gather and serve up the nostalgic tastes of classic burger and shake stands from childhood. By using fresh ingredients, offering a wide range of topping options, and ensuring a quick, efficient checkout, it elevated the fast-food experience.

Just as Shake Shack transformed a simple hot dog stand into a vibrant community hub, healthcare organizations can elevate patient experience by focusing on:

• Creating a Welcoming Environment
  Shake Shack revitalized Madison Square Park by offering a safe, inviting space for families. Similarly, healthcare organizations can design patient-friendly spaces that make individuals feel comfortable, secure, and valued from the moment they enter. Yet, anyone who has experienced an emergency department knows these basic needs are often unmet. Overcrowded hospitals force patients into hallways, conference rooms, and makeshift care units, hardly the comforting settings one would expect in a place of healing. Patients feel abandoned and often left in chaotic environments filled with other sick or traumatized individuals.
• Prioritizing Quality and Personalization
  By using fresh ingredients and offering a variety of topping options, Shake Shack delivered a personalized culinary experience. In healthcare, this translates to providing high-quality, patient-centered care with customized care plans that address individual needs. Unfortunately, truly personalized care requires much more than just checking off documentation boxes or relying on superficial gestures like a whiteboard asking for a patient’s favorite color or their pet’s name. Patients leave hospitals without clear guidance on the next steps, a solid understanding of their diagnosis, or awareness of the importance of medication compliance. Additionally, scheduling follow-up appointments can take months due to limited availability.
• Streamlining Processes
  Shake Shack’s efficient checkout process minimized wait times and improved overall satisfaction. Healthcare can learn from this by simplifying key processes like triaging, scheduling appointments, and managing discharges while providing continuous updates to keep patients informed. Many patients express frustration over long waits for doctors or tests and the lack of communication about their discharge status. After all, if we can receive real-time alerts about our Amazon deliveries, we should also expect timely updates about our hospital stays.

It’s not that healthcare organizations haven’t introduced initiatives to address these issues; they have, but many of these efforts are just quick fixes that don’t address the root causes. These solutions are often driven by administrative leaders who haven’t interacted with patients in years or possibly never have, rather than the frontline care teams who understand the real challenges. Inadequate staffing and resources often lead to these surface-level initiatives meant to satisfy the requirements of regulatory agencies, leaving the clinical teams feeling discouraged and defeated by yet another failed attempt to improve patient experience scores.

If current initiatives were truly working, why haven't we seen higher patient satisfaction scores and better outcomes? We would also notice shorter wait times, fewer readmissions, reduced medical errors, and a more engaged, motivated staff.

These strategies are only the foundation. They must engage and incorporate the frontline, hold leaders accountable for execution, and be backed by an executive commitment to resources; only then can we pave the way for lasting success.

From Burgers to Bedside: What Healthcare Can Learn from Shake Shack’s Customer Experience was originally published in Management Matters on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

For over seven years, I’ve navigated the bustling landscape of the hospitality industry. This journey has provided a front-row seat to the fascinating, and sometimes frustrating, world of leadership. I’ve witnessed the incredible power of leadership to nurture talent and drive success, but also its potential to inadvertently stifle growth and create unnecessary roadblocks. One recurring observation has been this: the perplexing way companies often treat existing employees during the promotion process, essentially subjecting them to the same scrutiny as a brand new hire.

Leadership is a double-edged sword. On one hand, a good leader can empower their team, providing the guidance and support needed to flourish. They can identify and cultivate potential, creating an environment where individuals can excel and contribute meaningfully. On the other hand, poor leadership decisions can demoralize employees, hindering their career progression and ultimately impacting the overall success of the organization.

One of the most crucial aspects of effective leadership is transparency. Employees deserve to understand the rationale behind decisions, especially those that directly impact their careers. While it’s crucial to maintain professionalism and avoid personal biases, leaders must be upfront about the factors influencing promotion decisions, even when delivering difficult news like a missed promotion. This builds trust and allows employees to understand where they need to improve. Conversely, when an employee has consistently demonstrated their capabilities and dedication, leaders should champion their growth and provide unwavering support throughout the promotion process.

However, I’ve consistently observed a disconnect in how management approaches promotions for existing employees. It’s as if their years of service and proven track record are suddenly irrelevant.

The New Hire vs. The Loyal Employee:

The onboarding process for a new hire is rightfully thorough. Interviews delve into their past experiences, future aspirations, and overall mindset. These questions are vital because the company is essentially taking a calculated risk. They need to assess the candidate’s potential to contribute and integrate into the existing team.

Now, compare this to the promotion process for an employee who has been with the company for years. Their performance is documented, their strengths and weaknesses are known, and their contributions are readily visible. Yet, they are often subjected to a similar level of scrutiny as a new hire, forced to re-prove their capabilities and justify their worthiness.

This approach raises several questions:

Why are we asking questions we already know the answers to?

After years of working together, managers should have a comprehensive understanding of their employees’ skills, work ethic, and potential. Rehashing the same basic questions feels repetitive and disrespectful to their tenure.

Does this process undermine employee confidence?

Being treated like a new hire during a promotion can create unnecessary doubt and anxiety. It can lead employees to question their value and feel undervalued by the organization.

Is this the best use of time and resources?

Instead of focusing on redundant evaluations, the promotion process should be streamlined to emphasize future growth and strategic alignment.

The Manager’s Responsibility: Knowing Your Team

The bottom line is this: if a manager doesn’t have a clear understanding of their employee’s abilities and strengths after working together for a significant period, the issue lies with the manager, not the employee. It’s a failure of leadership to not recognize and nurture the talent within the team.

Furthermore, if a manager treats an existing employee like a new hire during the promotion process, it suggests that they may lack the essential skills needed to identify and attract top talent in the first place. After all, if you can’t recognize the value in someone you’ve worked with for years, how can you confidently assess the potential of a complete stranger?

In essence, if a leader can’t determine whether to promote an employee after a significant period of collaboration, they should reconsider their involvement in hiring new employees altogether.

A Better Approach: Focusing on the Future, Not Just the Past

Instead of rehashing past accomplishments, the promotion process should be an opportunity to discuss future contributions and strategic alignment. Here are some questions managers should be asking existing employees aspiring to grow:

• “What new ideas do you have for improving our team/department/company?” This focuses on innovation and proactive contribution.
• “How do you see yourself contributing to the company goal?” This assesses their understanding of the company’s strategic objectives and their ability to contribute to their achievement.
• “What skills or knowledge do you want to develop to succeed in this role and contribute more effectively to the company?” This demonstrates a commitment to continuous learning and growth.
• “What challenges do you anticipate in this new role, and how do you plan to overcome them?” This shows foresight and problem-solving abilities.
• “How would you mentor and support your team members in this new role?” This explores their leadership potential and commitment to team success.

Transparency and Fairness:

Managers also have a responsibility to be transparent with their own superiors, advocating for their team members and ensuring that the promotion process is fair and equitable. Favoritism and bias can easily cloud judgment and lead to poor decisions that stifle talent and undermine team morale.

Equality is paramount.

Leaders must create a supportive environment where every employee has the opportunity to excel. This means providing equal access to resources, training, and mentorship, allowing individuals to develop their skills and demonstrate their potential.

Knowing When it’s Time to Move On

Ultimately, if an employee consistently finds themselves having to justify their worthiness after years of dedicated service, it may be a sign that their contributions are not truly valued. In such cases, it might be time to explore opportunities elsewhere, where their talents will be recognized and their career progression will be supported.

The promotion process should be a celebration of growth and a testament to an employee’s dedication. By shifting the focus from repetitive evaluations to future potential and strategic alignment, companies can create a more empowering and rewarding experience for their employees, ultimately driving greater success for the organization as a whole. Don’t waste your employees’ time by making them explain why they should get promoted. Make them feel valued.

The Paradox of Promotion was originally published in Management Matters on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

My wife and I had a really great first year together, with practically no disagreements. But yesterday, I mentioned I wanted to talk about something that was bothering me, and I saw her whole demeanor change. Her smile faded, and she looked really anxious. I could tell she was worried. So, I stopped myself and said, ‘Hey, I see you’re a little tense. I totally get why, but I promise, this isn’t a confrontation. No one’s being blamed. Let’s try to approach this like we always talk about, with understanding and maybe even a little fun!’”

Reflecting on this personal experience, I realized that the principles I teach in business can also be applied to personal relationships. I write about transforming conflict into innovation, but that requires some intentional work, and this was the best opportunity to start it.

If you are curious about how this discussion turned out, read on! I decided to put this process into a blog post because this is where many people get confused.

How does the conflict start?

Conflict arises naturally when two or more people work or interact together. In small business partnerships, differing opinions, work styles, or visions can lead to disagreements.

The way we handle conflicts stems from our past experiences. in most cases, this is not a pleasant experience. We immediately start to expect a tense argument, maybe raised tones, lack of understanding, frustration, anxiety, being impatient, and cutting into the other while talking, without even listening.

Before the first word is even said, we are already in a stressed reaction mode. Energetically speaking — we dive into level 1 — the victim, or level 2 — anger. If we do not manage to catch this drop in time and snap out of it — the argument is doomed, as not much good will come out of it.

Shifting mindset

This is a critical point, in the process, and without lifting the energy and creating a collaborative atmosphere, the discussion cannot proceed.

As my wife’s energy dropped — I dropped the topic itself and instead addressed the situation: “I see your energy dropped,” I told her. “I understand why, but let me assure you — this is not an argument. There is no finger-pointing here because no one did anything wrong.

You know how I coach partners about conflict transformation, and we are no exception. Let’s make it a fun thing!.”

My wife looked at me, a bit surprised and a smile showed up on her face. We chatted a little while about this concept and how it would work before we addressed the topic. That was a game-changer!

Making a small tangent here to a different story that I think you can find related to this topic:

I remembered a funny fact about our dog. We had a thunderstorm the day before, and every time there was thunder, our dog hid away, showing fear. I suggested rewarding and playing with our dog every time there was thunder and giving her a treat instead of comforting her and acknowledging the stress. It wasn’t long before our dog came, all excited with every thunder sound, looking for a reward and a treat.

Setting up the rules

So now that we were both in a better mood, I said — let’s get an agreement about some basic concepts before we even approach the subject.

• First — it is important to acknowledge that there is no right and wrong, and we have to accept that different people have different perceptions, and they may be different than ours.
• Second — we must assume that everything that we do is done with good intentions. We know that neither one of us is trying to hurt each other. The other way around — we try to help each other.

With this in mind — let’s have a fun debate.

See, when we consistently change the experience of addressing a conflict — the fear and resentment will be replaced with excitement for some healthy, productive discussion. When we shift our energetic profile from lower levels (one or two) to level five — a win-win approach, we can expect a great outcome.

Common foundation

The right approach and open discussion are a great start, yet in order to transform conflict into innovation — additional elements are required.

Just imagine two people playing a board game — but each one has its own rules to the game. I am not sure that is going to work so well..

Before approaching any discussion, and really before conducting any business together, we have to set up the rules of the game. In business partnerships (and other relationships) those are in the form of core values, purpose, and common vision. when those are established — differences are at the tactical level, as all parties are aiming toward the same goals, using the same values.

I can’t stress enough how important it is to be aligned on values, purpose, and vision. With those in place, and when there is trust and empathy among all partners — that is when conflict resolution becomes conflict transformation, and it is actually a fun and exciting process.

Some extra perks

With the right mindset and a common foundation, you are already geared towards a transforming discussion. In order to further enhance the experience, think about any situational and environmental considerations that can promote the right atmosphere.

• Choose a cozy place, where everyone can feel comfortable.
• If possible — get out of the office to a neutral place
• Provide some snacks and cold drinks
• Provide any aids that can help collaborate, such as a whiteboard. post-it notes, writing pads, etc.
• Chose the right time when there are no urgent tasks or distractions

A cozy brainstorming area ready for innovative ideas.

Embracing Creativity Through Conflict

Transforming conflict into creativity is an ongoing effort that can greatly enrich your small business partnership. Each disagreement holds potential for innovation, just waiting to be harnessed.

By building open communication based on common goals, shared values, and shared purpose — facilitating brainstorming sessions, turning ideas into action, and nurturing a creative environment, you create a framework that welcomes conflict as a growth opportunity.

Welcome conflicts with open arms and a positive mindset, and watch as they shape the future of your business in remarkable ways.

How to Turn Conflict into Creativity: A Simple Guide for Small Business Partners was originally published in Management Matters on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.