Authors

  1. Gould, Kathleen Ahern PhD, RN

Article Content

Heath C, Heath D. The Power of Moments: Why Certain Experiences Have Extraordinary Impact. New York, NY: Simon & Schuster; 2017.

  
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The Heath brothers have produced some exemplary works over the last few years. Their work is often cited in health care improvement work, business, and personal growth fields. I was introduced to one of their early books, Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die, at a national conference when Dan Health spoke about the work of nurse researchers, who succeeded in changing the way we communicate about patient falls. The researchers needed to make sure their findings would be translated into a message that would "stick" with the staff. Other publications by the Health brothers often inform and inspire medical professionals. Recently, one of our Dimensions of Critical Care Nursing authors explained how she used the techniques from Switch: How to Change When Change is Hard as a precursor to implement a new procedure at her hospital. Often, I hear students and young professionals say that they read Decisive: How to Make Better Choices in Life and Work, at the suggestions of a parent, recruiter, or coach. Each book found its way into my life-leaving me with gentle lessons, surprising insights, and models for change.

 

Moments came to me by surprise-a gift from a Heath spokesperson. When it arrived by mail, I sat down to quickly flip through it-and did not move for a few hours. I found myself writing notes-as memories of "moments" flooded my mind. I realized that my life and work were blessed with purpose and passion. I developed a new appreciation of how many "moments" had contributed to these blessings.

 

The Heaths illustrate how brief encounters can change lives. They explain why some of our cherished moments are clustered into certain periods of our lives. These moments are dominated by 4 elements, which form the books structure: elevation, insight, pride, and connections. These elements create a sleek acronym-EPIC.

 

Moments of "elevation" are most often personal and may transcend the normal course of events and make one feel extraordinary. The Heaths describe how these moments may occur spontaneously or how we can build them. One example is Signing Day-a tradition where high school students sign a National Letter of Intent in ceremonies reserved for athletes accepted to colleges of division I and II distinction. What if this signing day extended to everyone accepted at a college? Although this may "break the script," as the Heaths describe, it encourages high school administrators an opportunity to create moments of elevation that boost sensory appeal and raise the stakes for all students accepted into college or employment. This type of recognition may be designed as a strategic surprise and bring a new focus to a change within the organization. Creating these moments is not often in one's job description and is sometimes quite challenging. Often, it may take 1 person to create a defining moment and change the culture or message of an organization. Once elevation is in motion, one may add insight, pride, and connection.

 

Introducing a new truth and stretching for more, feeling, and understanding creates insight. Insight describes a process of self-discovery-when we are brave enough to seek it. We can do this in debriefings, mentorships, and conversations: any condition when we examine our actions and failures-and seek help. The Heaths describe this as learning.

 

Pride consists of 3 components; recognition of others, multiplying milestones, and practicing courage. Parents and educators realize that one of the ways we can create moments of pride for others is to offer a child personal recognition-by expressing gratitude and joy in their accomplishments or efforts. This can be a new milestone and may trigger many milestones-to be multiplied by setting small goals. This may begin a lifetime of self-motivation, habits of realistic goal setting, and feelings of competence, as hitting each new milestone evokes pride. These milestones may take courage but can create actions that are contagious-motivating and life changing. Moments of pride are easily described-with remarkable recall and emotion. Many begin with 1 instance of meaningful personal recognition.

 

Finally, the Heaths talk about "connection." These are more social moments-times when we are able to describe how a relationship was strengthened. To appreciate this, we must feel a sense of shared meaning, which is only possible when we bring people together-a practice often lost in the electronic world of emails, text, and work at home cultures. These experiences allow one to identify what connects you to others-to society-to meaning beyond money and power. Connection introduces one of the most enlightening sections of the book as the authors describe the concepts of passion and purpose.

 

"Purpose" is defined as the sense that you are contributing to something bigger than yourself. This feeling is found with a group, an idea, and an organization. "Passion" is more personal. It is a feeling of excitement and enthusiasm about your own work. Although we are fortunate when we have both, purpose trumps passion. Purpose is something you can share and cultivate. It unites people, gives meaning to task list, and defines "what matters" to you.

 

The final chapters describe how one can make moments matter and how the reader may use this book. The Heaths have created a Web site that includes a newsletter and access to free materials such as Power of Moments podcasts, which include "Defining Moments in Education," "Defining Moments in Healthcare," "Defining Moments in Customer Experience," and "Defining Moments for Employees" (http://www.thepowerofmoments.com).

 

MEDIA

April 2017 at TED2017

Gawande A. Want to get great at something? Get a coach. April 2017 at TED2017

  
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https://ted.com/talks/atul_gawande_want_to_get_great_at_something_get_a_coach?ut

 

How do we improve in the face of complexity? It's not about how good you are-it about how good you are going to be that really matters. - Atul Gawande

 

Gawande begins with a story of high-risk birth in a challenging setting. As a skilled storyteller, he reminds us that successful child delivery needs a skilled team-one that is organized and prepared and one that benefits from coaching and improvement. The story leads to a discussion about how professionals get better or become great. The traditional pedagogical methods involve a period of study-then you go out into the world to practice your skill. Professionals are expected to make their own improvements and make their own mark on the world. A contrasting view comes from the sports world. They use coaches to improve performance. He describes this own realization-that everyone needs a coach. Gawande draws from personal experience and the experience of other experts.

 

Without a coach, you run the risk that, somewhere along the line, you stop improving. A coach brings small things into focus and allows you to bring yourself to a new level of awareness. He describes what great coaches do. They provide the eyes and ears that break down actions-and then help you build them up again. It is often painful and usually hard work.

 

To his surprise, his own surgical coach found a list of things that he could improve on, even after viewing what Gawande thought was a flawless procedure. "Your elbow is lifting": a small thing-but something that may change the accuracy of hand skills for a surgeon. The solution-perhaps a change of instrument or a shift in the position of his feet. Some changes, such as a stance in a golf swing, that extra step before a lacrosse shot, or planting a foot before catching the football, make all the difference. A sailing coach will tell you to always look up, into the sail-to "see" the wind-that is the way to your destination. It is why coaches watch each motion and every action, view films, and check equipment with such intensity. They see where your feet are planted, where your eyes gaze, and how you arms move with certain pieces of equipment. Good coaches know that it is often the small things that make the biggest difference.

 

Coaches are on to something profoundly important. Through observation and communication-talking and listening-they bring value to what we do. They create new skills and coordination to techniques that are individual and group based. The techniques may involve personal skills, providing working equipment, and improving communication. Many use a checklist to ensure preparation and bring everyone together in synchrony; because it is never 1 thing but instead a series of actions, motions, pieces of equipment, and communication between individuals that make a team better.

 

Teams are transformed because of coaching. Gawande's message: everyone needs a coach.