Fort Worth, Texas,
04
May
2020
|
10:19 AM
America/Chicago

‘100 Little Wins Every Day:’ The Team Behind Redeployment at Cook Children’s

Obviously, there isn’t a simple switch you can turn on to activate a redeployment effort of thousands of employees. But fortunately, there was a team of employees being redeployed themselves perfectly poised and ready to assume this responsibility.

During normal times, our Business Development’s team of physici​an liaisons can be found visiting face-to-face with physicians from all over the region to spread the word about using Cook Children’s and our Community Relations team represents us at year-round community events. Clearly, the current climate of caution and social distancing prevents both of those from happening. 

Having an already cohesive team step into the role of executing and managing a massive redeployment was a natural fit. Manager of Business Development Holly Aldridge says, “This really allows us to pull together as an even tighter team and taps into below the surface skills.” 

Ashleigh Wilford, a physician liaison, adds, “We are seeing the hidden talents and strengths of each other that we will be able to carry over into our normal jobs.”

But it’s more than processing and tracking the assignments. As is expected from Cook Children’s, our employees are more than numbers. There is a human approach and touch needed. Aldridge explains, “Our approach when we started with this new endeavor was to be loving and kind to each employee we reach out to with their new assignment because this is a whole new, foreign world for everyone.”

Physician Liaison Nate Stark continues, “Having the perspective of being redeployed ourselves makes it easy for us to be empathetic and we can easily put ourselves in their shoes because we have gone through it.

Oftentimes, all that means is providing answers. Director of Business Development Greg Clark says, “When calling those being redeployed, we simply aim to alleviate their concerns and answer any questions about their new, temporary role. If we are able to do that, then we are successful. We want them to understand that this role they are filling is necessary for the organization at this time.”

This can-do attitude is abundantly clear in one of their own team members redeploying to Home Health. Community Partner Coordinator Holly Pennington joined the daunting initiative of making cloth masks for distribution across the system. She says, “Being a part of this, I’m getting to meet new people and contribute in a way I wouldn’t normally have the opportunity to do and I am loving it.”

Pennington’s impression of redeployment isn’t an exception. Physician liaison Jody McCauley offers his take as he works daily to match staff with positions. He says, “It feels like 100 little wins every day in this whole process. It’s so rewarding because we get to play a part in both filling the needs of a team or department AND get to hopefully enhance the outlook and skillsets of the employee being redeployed.”

Chief of Staff Natalie Wilkins, who leads this redeployments effort and the Business Development department, concludes, “I am so deeply grateful for this team who stepped into these roles and truly embraced this critical responsibility. I’ll echo what we are hearing from leaders from across the system in that there is so much gratitude for everyone’s ability to create this incredible effort that is critical to Cook Children’s operations in a very short timeframe.”

Remember any role asked of you is done so because you are essential. Together we can all get through this as smoothly as possible when we exhibit patience and kindness to one another. 

Thank you to this extraordinary team! #WeAreCookChildrens

- By Daron Aldridge

Comments 1 - 1 (1)
Thank you for your message. It will be posted after approval.
Kim Callanan
05
May
2020
Shifting out focuses to help where needed is the work of today. Attaboy to Cooks and it’s people for finding paths forward to meet the challenges of today. Job well done.