We specialize in Relational Coordination, bringing measurable improvements to both patient and employee satisfaction in healthcare systems!

Organization Development Consulting in HEALTH CARE SETTINGS

Molly Gibbs loves working as a consultant and coach in the healthcare industry. She specializes in addressing effectively high stress and conflict within work systems that are under pressure to serve more patients, with fewer resources. Her approach is rooted in two fields of study: Relational Coordination, and, understanding how family systems dynamics are often played out in the workplace. We specialize in issues regarding power, who has knowledge, who doesn't, which teams work well together but don't connect with other teams, and where systems fail to learn from mistakes. When we add shortage of funding, and more patients to that mix, the effects of conflict increase dramatically. Molly brings a respectful, clear, insightful perspective to stress and conflict in the workplace. Issues are clarified, communication skills increase, systems are streamlined, and problems are resolved without blaming. Assessment and visioning are essential tools to thorough work. We make sure the right people are in the room to tackle issues, that there is strong support for the program, and measurements are clearly defined. Molly brings 20 years of experience in creating:

• effective systems
   
• increased understanding and
   
• communicating much more effectively
   
• to those experiencing constant stress to do more--with less time, less money and fewer staff.

Her conflict resolution skills have helped teams, partners, interdepartmental staff, managers and staff to communicate clearly, with greater effectiveness, for all parties involved.

Molly designed and facilitated successful support groups to promote stress reduction at MultiCare Medical Center. She trained with Dr. Herbert Benson, at Harvard Medical School, in Boston. We integrated the work of many other leaders in the Energy Psychology and Energy Medicine fields: Carolyn Myss, Candace Pert, Phd (Molecules of Emotion), Dr. Bruce Lipton (Biology of Belief; Spontaneous Evolution) and Jon Kabat-Zinn. She also studied power within work systems, facilitated by Barry Oshry, author of Seeing Systems: Unlocking the mysteries of Organizational Life. Her studies with Oshry deepened her understanding of predictable stress and conflicts within hierarchical systems, where power and decisions are controlled top-down. Using "time out of time" in realistic work scenarios, groups could solve issues and try to shift the patterns that are often cemented in place. She also studied large system dynamics with Marvin Weisbord, creator of Future Search, which is a tool for addressing all forms of cultural diversity, and bringing all stakeholders together to create a preferred future.

Her work is influenced by master coach, Mary Beth O'Neill, who was a fearless champion of clear, honest communication within troubled work systems. She was an artist with getting those in charge to recognize their part in creating and maintaining workplace dynamics...and doing something differently to achieve healthier outcomes. Molly applied these lessons and others in healthcare. She co-authored a manual with colleague, Bill Braswell, Jr., who went on to direct Human Resources for Microsoft. Together, we trained 1,500 workers at NorthWest Hospital, leaving well-trained staff to continue the work that brought success to their Total Quality program. How? Because we addressed the interpersonal needs of every staff member we worked with. We discussed shared knowledge, shared goals, and mutual respect (specifically in giving clear, measurable feedback to co-workers). The question we always posed is: "What's my part in this?" We sought to create open systems, where everyone is safe and encouraged to give honest feedback, when things are working well and when they are not. Learning from experience is emphasized; not blaming others.

Some of the issues we addressed, out of our large group vision work, helped to fine tune how the work would be accomplished. We looked at: The six-box model, comprised of the following components:

• Purposes: What 'businesses' are we in?
   
• Structure: How do we divide up the work? And, significantly, how do we keep all players up to speed on patient's needs, progress and release dates?
   
• Relationships: How do we manage conflict (coordinate) among people? With our technologies?
   
• Rewards: Is there an incentive for doing all that needs doing?
   
• Leadership: Is someone keeping the boxes in balance?
   
• Helpful mechanisms: Have we adequate coordinating technologies? And significantly, how are we communicating within teams, between teams and beyond? What are our patient satisfaction results? Average number of days per hospital stay? Surgical recovery statistics? How well do our teams communicate with each other, and with our patients?
   
• Addressed sexism, racism and cultural differences.

Molly is also interested in outcomes based learning. She is currently fascinated with Relational Coordination, the work of Jody Hoffer Gittell. See the study results, and find out how we use RC Analytics services to provide superior results. Her curiosity and desire for lasting change takes her into a newer field of study that examines collaborative, interactive action research, process consultation, time series design, natural experiment observational design, and randomized control field experiments; these approaches help us understand the process of change at the individual, group and organizational levels. We also look carefully at the relationships between teams, communication and understanding between all these groups, to see where communication needs improvement.

Essentially we want to encourage relationships based on shared work goals, mutual respect and shared knowledge. Timely, accurate communication and problem solving skills are essential. We define what they are and use the measurements to direct where we focus our efforts. Work stations can be designed to support shared relational goals, and we offer training to support improved communication skills. Performance outcomes are measured, with significant results.

Location

Olympia, WA, USA