Leaky Pipes—Time to Focus on Our Foundations

Years ago, good friends of mine noticed that there was a spot on their kitchen floor that their toddler would always snuggle up on. They did not think much of it for a while, but when it became a daily event, they investigated further. They discovered the reason he was snuggling up on that part of the floor was because it was warm. The reason it was warm was that there was a leaky pipe under the floor that was destroying their foundation. The warm spot on the floor ended up requiring the foundation of their house to be rebuilt, and was the beginning of a long and expensive renovation project.

Unrecognized or undertreated workplace culture and quality issues erode organizational foundations. In our organizations, how can we recognize and fix these warm or “hot” spots to address them before our foundations crumble?

Project Aristotle, a study of Google’s highest-performing teams, found psychological safety at the root of the highest-performing teams. (The New York Times Magazine. https://tinyurl.com/ykhtdjzp). In her book “The Fearless Organization”, professor Amy Edmondson of Harvard Business School defines psychological safety as a culture in which employees can speak up without fear of reprisal and discusses how it is foundational to organizational and team success. This is in part because it allows for the early detection of problems. Individuals who feel safe are more likely to raise concerns before an adverse event occurs. When it comes to fixing the “leaky pipes” slowly eroding an organization’s foundation, Band-Aids don’t cut it. Systemic change is needed.

Lily Zheng, in her article for Harvard Business Review, “The Failure of the DEI- Industrial Complex,” discusses how organizations are “often eager to fund one-time “inspirational” events” (Band-Aids) “but far less enthusiastic about medium-to-long term interventions that change incentive structures, shift the balance of power and resources, or reimagine personnel processes like evaluation, promotion, and conflict resolution” (foundation) (Harvard Business Review. https://tinyurl.com/mu2jdva5).

One can argue whether the lack of interest in long-term interventions reflects limited bandwidth or an underprioritizing of these issues. However, the result is the same. Inaction. During times of crisis, focus can move further away from foundational values, citing the necessity of “firefighting” the problems of the moment, but I would contend that in times of uncertainty, more focus should be on investing in the optimization of systems for long-term success. Asking ourselves how we can be even better.

While strengthening our foundations is often not flashy work, strong foundations are critical to organizations surviving crises and coming through difficult times stronger rather than crumbling. With the stress and uncertainty that currently surround us within and outside of healthcare, I think it’s time to focus on our foundations. The creation of psychologically safe workplaces is a start, enhancing an organization’s early warning system for potential “hot spots,” but intentional strategic changes are needed for long-term success and the strength to withstand difficult times.   

—Robin