"Hardwiring Your Organization for Honorable Leaders, Happy Employees and Lasting Results"

Quint Studer Chief Executive Officer and Founder The Studer Group

Quint Studer's approach to business culture centers around what he calls the "Healthcare Flywheel." At the center of the flywheel diagram is the sense of purpose, worthwhile work, and making a difference. Surrounding it are passion, principles, and pillar results. Studer relates passion to self-motivation and the desire to do well, principles are also known as prescriptive to-do's, and pillar results are also known as the bottom line. Studer's theory is that, in order to achieve an ideal corporate culture, companies must effectively balance employee satisfaction with customer satisfaction. If followed properly, Studer's model will foster high performance in the workplace.

Studer's focus was on the prevention of employee turnover and the effective distribution of talent and performance within the company. The problem is that businesses become cultures of "demotivation." "Employees don't want to work with somebody who sucks the energy out of them," Studer said. Normally, this happens when low performers are mixed with high performers. The key, Studer said, is either trimming away low-performing employees or redistributing them into positions where they can perform to their strengths. "Most people are highly self-motivated," Studer said.

He placed great emphasis on the impact of the supervisor. "Do you take your boss home?" Studer asked rhetorically, referring to the fact that most employees complain about their workplace, at home. He pointed out that most children can relate stories about their parents' bosses when prompted, even if they know little or nothing about their parents' jobs. "The number one reason people leave their jobs is that they can't stand their boss," he said.

Studer stressed that the first 90 days on the job is typically the most critical period for a new employee. This is one of the best opportunities for a supervisor to make an impact on turnover. Studer offered tips for employee retention, and even outlined a series of questions that should be asked of new employees at 30 and 90 days into their employment. He quoted internal studies of this survey process that showed a drastic reduction in turnover in companies that tested it - as much as 60%. Not only did this strategy reduce overall turnover, but it contributed to an increase of roughly $1.2 million to one company's bottom line.

"There are four questions you ask at 30 days," Studer said.

• How do we compare to what we said we were going to be like in regards to schedule, the job itself, and training?
• What is going well and who has been helpful?
• What are some ideas you have that could improve us?
• Is there any reason why you would think of leaving?

"Then, at 90 days, you ask two more. You don't ask these at 30 days because they're not ready to answer them yet," he continued.

• Do you know anybody else who would be a good fit here?
• As your supervisor, how can I be helpful to you?

Studer also discussed the importance of avoiding inherent human negativity. "Compliments don't grow naturally - complaints do," he said. One important aspect of controlling negativity is the use of key words at key times. By verbally rewarding those who assisted a new employee, for example, it fosters the continuation of that behavior. It's these key components of human behavior and gratification that really contribute to a formative workplace culture. "Culture outperforms strategy every time," Studer said, "and culture combined with strategy is unbeatable."

---

Quint Studer is helping to change the face of today's health care. Studer is considered by many to be the main impetus for more and more health care organizations returning to their roots over the past several years. Not only does he coach ways for organizations to create a culture of excellence, Studer has also done it. Over his 20-year career in health care, he moved from the staff level to becoming COO of Holy Cross Hospital in Chicago from 1993-1996 and President of Baptist Hospital, Inc. (Baptist and Gulf Breeze Hospital in Pensacola, FL) from 1996-200. In March 1999, Inc. Magazine named Studer its Master of Business. He was the only health care leader to ever receive this distinction.

Based on his own leadership experience, Studer created the Nine Principles® to guide organizations in the culture change process and has adapted the Five Pillars™ as a tool to help facilitate the framework to achieve operational results. Building upon his strengths and what he knows to work, Studer formed the Studer Group. Sound, timeless principles-a strong focus on developing leaders, practical and prescriptive steps that hardwire operational systems into place, constant development of new tools and techniques, and the use of coaches experienced in the process of creating operational excellence in organizations-are what take the good to great.

What particularly pleases Studer is creating sustaining cultures of excellence. After Studer's departure from Baptist Hospital, Inc., its success has continued. The same can be said of other organizations the Studer Group works with, including some of the best organizations in health care. Studer is also the author of Hardwiring Excellence: Purpose, Worthwhile Work, Making a Difference.

For more information about Quint Studer and the Studer Group, visit www.studergroup.com.