Today, we have a quick story to share. It’s a story about how many of us are starting to see the concepts of the County’s Pathway to Stabilization everywhere. It’s a bit like when you’re thinking about buying a specific vehicle and you suddenly see that make, model, and color everywhere. Has that ever happened to you? Zelos tells the story, so we’ll keep it in their own words, below in blue font.
Always on Our Minds.
You won’t believe how many times the Pathway concepts have shown up “in the wild” in the two weeks since our last Tip.
Part 1. My doctor’s office recently moved. Chitchatting, I asked the doctor why. She said, “We wanted to be able to see more patients without rushing appointments. We needed more space to add another doctor to the team.” My mind wandered, and I thought to myself: Oh, their current service level is something like: We will see X number of patients per day in 30-minute appointment slots. And at some point, they decided that they wanted to increase the X number of patients but keep the 30-minute appointment slots. That new X is their recommended service level. I wanted to ask my doctor: “How many years did it take you to get to your recommended service level once you decided what it was?” But that seemed like an out-of-the-blue question to ask someone who doesn’t work in the County, so I remained quiet!
Part 2. We tried to visit our favorite local restaurant last Tuesday. It was closed. It’s always closed on Monday, but Tuesday? The handwritten sign on the door said: “We are now closed Mon-Wed. We no longer have enough staff to serve you well 6 days a week, only 4.” After a beat (during which I was missing the much-anticipated guacamole), I exclaim: “They figured out their minimum service level and adjusted! So smart! Let’s come back Thursday to celebrate them!”
Part 3. My father-in-law is a photographer. From time to time, he enters a photo in his local competition, and he often asks the family for input about which photo to enter. This week, while some people who shall remain nameless simply added a heart emoji to all of them, I asked questions. I asked what he wanted to win and what the evaluation criteria was. Turns out, he wanted to win the “most unique photograph” award. He hadn’t won that one yet. I discovered he has his own mini-performance measurement system! He tracks what awards he’s won and how often; he identified his desired outcome; and he will evaluate and decide what to submit based on the specific criteria that will help him achieve his desired outcome. And because of all that, I can give him more helpful input and he’ll be more likely to win.
We’re sure there will be more stories; these Pathway to Stabilization concepts are always on our minds.
-Zelos
We share this story from Zelos, because we know that our brains link events and look for connections. As our brains do that, we learn; we form memories; and we incorporate those connections into our day-to-day thinking, making the concepts “ready” for use. In fact, research studies (see this article from Penn State) show that making connections between things that seem unrelated is linked to creativity.
So go on, try it. Where do you see the concepts that we have been discussing on our Pathway to Stabilization out in the world? Tell us all about it via the Feedback button below or share it with your colleagues in a future Workshop for People Who Plan!
