Summary: <br> Six years ago, on October 31, 2013, my son Jack was eight years old. <br> <br> <br> <br> Photo by Will Montague – Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License https://www.flickr.com/photos/36607441@N05<br> <br> <br> <br> We had just finished an amazing day of trick-or-treating, and he asked if he could change back into his normal clothes. This was a big deal because he had been wearing a hosptial gown for almost ten days. On this Halloween, we did not go door-to-door as we normally did each year. In 2013, Jack was dressed up in his Star Wars Jedi costume and enjoyed trick-or-treating in a wheelchair as we pushed him through the St. Francis Children’s Medical Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma.<br> <br> <br> <br> When bad things happen, it is sometimes hard to see the good in our difficulties. My son’s battle and recovery from an infectious disease known as Kawasaki, was one of those times. In addition to the amazing support of our friends, church and community, during those days, I was also astounded at the phenomenal care he received from his nurses, techs, doctors, and interns that literally saved his life.<br> <br> <br> <br> Each year at Halloween, I think back to that time with gratitude. The medical team who cared for him was an excellent example of teamwork. In fact, I’ve often thought how their actions apply to the work we do in school — or anyone interested in developing a team, organization or even as family.<br> <br> <br> <br> I’ve shared about Jack’s story in a previous podcast episode. But in honor of this special anniversary, I wanted to reflect on the our experience with my son’s medical team again and share four takeaways that may help you in your own service to others:<br> <br> <br> <br> 1. A common goal unites a group of diverse people.<br> <br> <br> <br> To give you some context, when our son was first admitted, he was in terrible shape: high fever, rash, swelling, etc. When they diagnosed him with Kawasaki and began treatments, his condition worsened.<br> <br> <br> <br> Then he went into shock.<br> <br> <br> <br> His treatments had to stop while they stabilized him for the next twenty four hours. Then they began treatments again, and this time the symptoms began to disappear and he began to heal.<br> <br> <br> <br> It was obvious during the entire time that his medical team had one goal in mind: to save our son.<br> <br> <br> <br> No matter their backgrounds, gender, differences in job titles or compensation, each team member was focused on that one outcome. Every decision was weighed against its effect on him, his condition, and well-being.<br> <br> <br> <br> In Jim Collin’s book, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Good-Great-Some-Companies-Others-ebook/dp/B0058DRUV6">Good to Great</a>, he studies the most effective businesses in America–ones with the longest track record of success. And one of many contributing factors was the ability of great companies to focus on a specific area where they can be most effective and work toward that goal.<br> <br> <br> <br> Lesson learned? When we focus on a common goal, not allowing ourselves to be distracted by secondary ones, we are more strategic and effective. What is the common goal you are working toward with your team? A common goal can unify the most diverse of people into positive action.<br> <br> <br> <br> 2. Great team members know their roles and execute them well.<br> <br> <br> <br> Whether it was the nurse tech assigned to check my son’s vitals, his RN who was determined to bring his fever under control, his physicians prescribing treatments or the pharmacists or lab techs we never met but who were prescribing or analyzing–each one played a pivotal role in his healing.<br> <br> <br> <br> And each one performed the role assigned. The nurse did not attempt diagnose. That was the doctor’s role.
