It’s About Respect

Showing respect and appreciation for the team can go such a long way. When I have been on teams that showed respect and gratitude, I worked hard, maintained a better attitude, and felt a sense of ownership. But this respect had to be shown. If leadership was telling me how much they appreciated me but did nothing to help me save time and work more efficiently, or worse, implemented policies that made my job harder, the words of appreciation meant little. In fact, it can feel insulting and erode trust in leadership.

Communicating respect to a team means demonstrating it by the choices being made. It’s essential to communicate with the team, understand their needs, and strategize to meet them. This can be challenging due to the inherent tensions found in the behavioral health industry. However, by employing creative problem-solving, we can explore options that may not be immediately apparent.

The whole benefits from the effectiveness and morale of its parts. When teams are happy and feel supported, they can help each other stay on track when a department is struggling. Brene Brown said that two people in a relationship are almost never at 50/50 capacity. One partner might show up at 25% that day, and the other then pulls the remaining 75%. In healthy equal partnerships, these percentages tend to even out over time. This concept can be loosely applied to interdepartmental cooperation. The willingness to band together arises when there aren't chronic, unresolved problems within departments, and they generally feel capable and supported by leadership and the whole. We can give if our cup isn’t depleted.