Archive for May, 2006

Memorial Day

May 29th, 2006

Marine_bugler_plays_taps_at_arlington_3When I was a kid, I was pressed into service for every fallen soldier’s funeral, every Memorial Day event and every parade. You see, I was the trumpet player who played TAPS, hundreds of times. Sometimes it was for a funeral for an elderly WWI vet. Sometimes for (at that time) a middle-aged WWII vet. The Korean vets were few and far between, but the most meaningful and difficult for me were the newly killed Vietnam vets because they were my brothers. Their birth dates were my birthdate. Their girlfriends were my girlfriends. Their families were my families. I stood by a tree or above the grave site, and many times trembled with my own tears echoing the tears of the loved ones being interred.

Taps_musicThe two most difficult times were both lifetime memories. The first was November 24, 1963, alone, in the middle of my high school football game, in the middle of the field, I played solo taps for John F. Kennedy, our president, who at that time was my generation’s personal hero. The man who brought youth, excitement and challenge to our nation.

Vietnam_veterans_memorial_2The second was atop a Bank Building in Indiana, PA where I stood in full uniform as a non-com in the Reserve Officers Training Corps, looking across a sea of 1,000 uniformed soldiers lined up on Philadelphia Avenue, knowing that many of them were waiting to be shipped out to Vietnam. Many of them were my friends, and many did not come home.

I do NOT miss playing TAPS, and wish that the world would stop producing the need for them.

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The Road Less Traveled

May 24th, 2006

Childrens_birthdayWell, I read an article this weekend, a cute, well-written article in our local paper about a trip to the park for the writer and his grandkids.  Consequently, I’ve decided that I wouldn’t even mention the fact that the six month old rolled over for the first time, and that the three year old figured out what that white porcelain thing with the seat is for in the bathroom. 

You will read nothing here about the myriad birthday parties we lived through with the dozens of three year olds. 

Paper_routeWhat you will read about is a guy who has worked since he was eight.  Paper routes, Christmas wreath route, glass factory, railroad, part-time college jobs, then teaching;  Plum Borough, Johnstown, Westmont, and part time at St. Francis University.  After that came the art center, the convention bureau and three hospitals; Mercy, Conemaugh and Windber. 

So, now it’s time to sign on the line one more time.  My contract in hand, I always have to wonder about "The Road Less Traveled."   

I remember telling a young intern that once you start earning $75K a year, your life belongs to the company.  That was a dumb quote.  Commitment, dedication and endless hours really are in the hands of each individual. 

For whatever reason, my choice has been to work longer and harder than most.  It was never a race to own a house in the Hamptons or a sailboat on Nantucket. It was about paying for six undergraduate and graduate degrees. It was about paying for a house and about buying over a dozen cars over the last thirty plus years. It was about doing what my parents did for me. 

Book_mscottpeck_2Believe me, it hasn’t been about the money, the fame or the glory.  My work ethic came from my dad, my grandad and my mom who worked harder than anyone I’ve ever known. It was because, as a kid, my teachers and parents and neighbors all said over and over again that it is our job to leave things better than we found them.    

Nevertheless, a loft in the city near the cultural district, access to an airport that has plenty of reasonably priced flights, a choice of Asian rim restaurants, and some wonderful art, music, dance and professional baseball and football only a few feet away.

Signing3_1 For a kid from Dickerson Run, Pennsylvania."The Road Less Traveled."

Leave it better than you found it. 

I signed yesterday. 

Let’s get on with the show.

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The Herd Mentality?

May 21st, 2006

Herd_of_sheep_1Sometimes it really really helps to avoid the pack, to stand away from the herd, and to do your own thing; i.e. management from the gut.  Looking back over the past five million two hundred fifty six thousand minutes that have made up these last ten years, it is obvious that the primary strategy that has worked for us was not our focus on finance, but, instead, it was our focus on our patients, our people working here and on our processes.

A few blogs ago we lamented the budget process because of its obvious drain on positive energy.  We spend so much time in this business studying our financial history that it can cause us to lose sight of the real focus of our work.

During a post board meeting conversation with an old friend, mentor and brilliant strategist, we talked about our new pay for performance wage program and our attempts to inspire all of our employees to be all that they can be.  He turned to me and said, “The injection of meaning into human life should be your goal.  Once your people truly get it, the motivation takes care of the challenges.” Or something like that.  Anyway, the point was to bring meaning to their lives.

Planetree_logoOnce we knew our objectives, to become a model Planetree Hospital, we set our measurement scales, initiated targets, and determined our key actions required to achieve those objectives.

Niagara_falls2These accomplishments led to increased volumes, satisfied customers, and increased revenues that have allowed us to grow, to flourish and to ensure survivability.

Simple?  Absolutely, positively, NOT.  Is it common sense?  Yep, but lots of smart people have convinced me that common sense is really uncommon, and that, my friends, is the problem.

p.s. Thanks for the prayers. My brother did just great.

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