Start with Why

“People don't buy what you do; they buy why you do it. And what you do simply proves what you believe.”

Simon Sinek

Start with Why:
How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action

July 3, 2018

As part of the Essential Leadership Skills Training of the Texas Injury Prevention Leadership Collaborative, participants are encouraged to read Simon Sinek’s book, Start With Why, and watch his TED talk on this subject. In my opinion, it should be required reading for any leader, regardless of the job!

Sinek explains that every person, organization or company can tell you what they do. Some can tell you how they do it. But, only a few organizations or companies know why they do it. Sinek says successful organizations and companies have a purpose, cause or belief and can explain it – the why –- and it’s driven from the inside out instead of the outside in.

If you know me or have read any of my previous blog posts, this will come as no surprise – I have to feel inspired by my career, which probably explains why I have spent 30+ years in public health. It’s certainly not because a public health career is financially lucrative! It is what kept me at the Oklahoma State Department of Health for 26 years, and it is what attracted me to Parkland Health & Hospital System in 2008.

For outsiders to Dallas and history buffs, Parkland Hospital is probably best known for its connection to the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. After President Kennedy was shot at Dealey Plaza in Dallas, he was transported the 3.9 miles to Parkland Memorial Hospital. But, for me, Parkland has provided my purpose for the past 10+ years. When Dr. Ron Anderson, Parkland’s former President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), hired me in 2008, he talked about Parkland being the foundation for a healthy Dallas and how Parkland’s mission is to treat every patient/client with dignity regardless of ability to pay. Honestly, after hearing his impassioned words, I would have crawled to Dallas from Oklahoma to work at Parkland!

Ten plus years have passed since my first meeting with Dr. Anderson in November 2007. We have new leadership and numerous new employees, but the underlying mission of dedication to the health and well-being of individuals and communities entrusted to our care, remains the same.

In November 2008, Dallas County voted to approve the construction of a new Parkland Hospital to replace the building that had housed the hospital since 1954. In August 2015, the new facility was completed, and Parkland Hospital officially moved across Harry Hines Boulevard into the new hospital. Prior to the opening of the new hospital, Parkland held several open house events to allow employees, donors, and the community to tour the hospital. I had the privilege of being a tour guide for the public open house, which was held on a weekend. When I arrived for my morning shift on the day of the event, I was shocked at the number of people waiting for the doors to open for the open house. For the record, I’ve been married to my husband for enough years to always be at least 30 minutes early for any scheduled event, so I was shocked when I arrived early for my shift only to find people standing in line waiting for the doors to open to tour the new Parkland Hospital on a weekend. Here’s another surprise – not only were they early, but these people were dressed in their best apparel. As the doors opened, and people streamed in to view the bright, shiny new hospital, they gasped. My station was near the entrance of the hospital, and I heard one person after another exclaim how beautiful the new hospital is. More than once, my eyes filled with tears as these individuals from underserved areas thanked me for the beautiful new hospital. And, every single time, I replied, “Thank you. Your tax dollars made this beautiful place possible. I work for you.”

I’m not the only person working at Parkland that feels this way. For most Parkland employees, it’s not our job; it’s our passion. This was reiterated recently when our department held a retreat to spark new and innovative ideas to better care for our patients and the citizens of Dallas County. As part of the process, leaders were asked to tell the group what excites them about their job. Once again, I was inspired by the emotion behind the words of my leaders. One of my leaders talked about moving from “striving to thriving.” Another talked about grace being “underserved benevolence.” And one simply said, “I bleed purple” (which is the color of Parkland’s brand). I’m not sure “bleeding purple” is possible, Dr. Williams, but if it is, I do, as well!

Parkland has always been the hospital that serves the most underserved of Dallas’ population. The hospital system is continually focused on improving the care delivered to our sick and injured clients through state-of-the-art advances in medicine, but they are also committed to prevention. With the establishment of the Community Health Institute, they are actually trying to keep Dallas County citizens from getting sick and injured in the first place.

It’s clear that the commitment to excellence has been a part of the fabric and culture of Parkland for decades. Five days after the death of President Kennedy, Parkland’s administrator at that time, C. J. Price, sent the following memorandum to Parkland employees:

To: All Employees

At 12:38 p.m., Friday, November 22, 1963, President John F. Kennedy and Texas’ Governor John Connally were brought to the Emergency Room of Parkland Memorial Hospital after being struck down by the bullets of an assassin.
At 1:07 p.m., Sunday, November 24, 1963, Lee. H. Oswald, accused assassin of the late president, died in an operating room of Parkland Memorial Hospital after being shot by a bystander in the basement of Dallas’ City Hall. In the intervening 48 hours and 31 minutes Parkland Memorial Hospital had:

1. Become the temporary seat of the government of the United States.
2. Become the temporary seat of the government of the State of Texas.
3. Become the site of the death of the 35th President.
4. Become the site of the ascendency of the 36th President.
5. Become site of the death of President Kennedy’s accused assassin.
6. Twice become the center of the attention of the world.
7. Continued to function at close to normal pace as a large charity hospital.

What is it that enables an institution to take in stride such a series of history jolting events? Spirit? Dedication? Preparedness? Certainly, all of these are important, but the underlying factor is people. People whose education and training is sound. People whose judgment is calm and perceptive. People whose actions are deliberate and definitive. Our pride is not that we were swept up by the whirlwind of tragic history, but that when we were, we were not found wanting.

There is a majestic, state of the art hospital located at 5200 Harry Hines Blvd., but it is what is inside that building that makes it special – a compassionate and caring staff entrusted with the care of the most needy and underserved in Dallas County. Parkland has figured out the “why!” And, I’m so very fortunate to be part of it!