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In Tough Economic Times,
It’s Best to Stay the Course
By Tom Ostrander
A
Vice President, Human Resources
Sparrow Hospital & Health System
An important
aspect of organizational
management is learning
to stay the course in
tough economic times.
In the healthcare industry, we are privileged to manage
and engage a diverse workforce, provide exceptional
health care service to diverse patient populations, extend
a safety net to many without insurance, and ensure
appropriate standards of productivity that support
excellence in quality.
The challenge for hospital executives is to sustain
these efforts and maintain a bottom line that allows
recapitalization of the organization. Although there are
no quick fixes or best practices that would “fit” every
organization, to ensure diversity/inclusion stays the
course, I offer the following points to consider:
1. C
 reate a plan to integrate diversity and inclusion
goals into the organization’s operational goals.
The ability to align and integrate diversity and in-
clusion into organizational life creates accountability
for functional leaders. It positions diversity/inclusion
as part of the decision-making process versus being
an after-thought.
2. A
 ccountability may start at the top but it must
permeate throughout the organization.
It is important to have buy-in, accountabil-
ity, and engagement throughout the organization.
Just as a leader depends on managers, line-staff,
and others to implement specific tactics to achieve
goals and objectives, this same level of discipline and
accountability needs to be extended to diversity and
inclusion initiatives.
56 Pro f i les i n D i ve rsit y Journal March/April 2010
3. Make sure your diversity/inclusion goals
are measurable.
The saying, “measure what you treasure,” holds
true for diversity. State your objective in measurable
terms. Evaluate results and modify your process to
attain desired goals.
4. Keep diversity/inclusion visible through both
internal and external resources.
Use your marketing, communication, diversity
councils and others to talk about and restate the or-
ganization’s commitment to diversity and inclusion;
in tough economic times it sends a strong message.
5. Ensure your diversity/inclusion goals and
objectives are aligned and support the
strategic plan of the organization.
6. Make sure your champions, change agents, and
advocates are at all levels in the organization
and are being utilized to strategically move the
diversity/inclusion agenda forward.
7. Continue to broaden the diversity definition
and be as inclusive as possible.
8. The best practice that yielded initial results
may not be the best practice for sustained and
consistent improvement. Be open to making
course corrections as necessary.
9. Create internal and external partnerships/
alliances in the achievement of goals.
10. Your destiny is the journey that you are on…
Stay the course, be encouraged and enjoy
the journey. Sometimes it may take more than one
attempt to create the right initiative and/or process
that aligns and embeds diversity and inclusion into
everyday functions. PDJ