The August Newsflash

The past few months have been great, and frankly, writing on the blog isn't at the top of the list of things to do. While I enjoy hopping on here to blast out the occasional update or social commentary, I've spent my time and energy elsewhere. But I'm in one of those moods where I'm feeling the need to put down on paper (or the web) what's going on, so here's the August update/news flash/public journal for those interested in hearing what's what.

Back in July, my little sister got married out in Colorado, giving myself, my girlfriend, and family an excuse to head west for some rest and relaxation. My sister's wedding was full of fun and great reminders about the importance of family and how lucky I've been to be able to spend quality time with the people who matter most since leaving Seattle. After the wedding, Romeo and I got lost in the Rocky Mountains for a week and it was a much-needed break from the pace of life. No schedules, no meeting requests, no emails, no events to attend; just the two of us, a piece of crap rental car, and the amazing state of Colorado. It reminded me of my trip eastward from Seattle several years ago; and no offense to Annie (my dog), but Romeo is a way better travel companion. We did the usual Colorado things--hiking in mountains, riding bikes, enjoying scenery, etc., and it gave both of us a chance to turn off the work side of our brains and appreciate each other, where we're at in life, and the great things we're able to enjoy together.

For me, the break came at an ideal time. I had been feeling uneasy at work--not in the sense that my job was in jeopardy, but that I wasn't entirely sure the fit was there. I'm paid to help teams and leaders improve how their work is done, but that relationship can be delicate. For the system to improve, it requires a shared acknowledgment that something isn't working well in the eyes of the customer and better ways of working are essential. This isn't to say the work wasn't effective--I worked with a number of leaders and teams that were enthusiastic about 'getting better' and had some great results to boot. But I had been feeling a bit squeamish about my effectiveness in helping us get better.

So Colorado gave me a chance to step back from it all, take a deep breath, and gain some perspective on things. A few weeks after returning from Colorado I was approached about a similar position to what I do now with an organization that provides outpatient medical care. There's kind of a funny story behind how they knew I existed, which I'll tell another day. Let's just say it involved quite possibly the most embarrassing thing I've ever had to do in front of an audience. Anyhow, back to the job--they do everything from primary care to advanced specialty care, and provide the range of services you and I experience when we're not feeling well. The work would involve advancing quality improvement in both familiar areas (lab) as well as some not-so-familiar ones (surgery center). The opportunity for learning would be great, and I'd be closer to the work that 'touches' patients on their journey from illness to health (and preventive care too). But the work was only part of the equation, and I knew from prior experience that the setting needed to be right if I was going to consider a switch.

I went out to visit with their leaders to learn a bit more about them, as well as help them learn a bit about me, and the more I heard the more I felt inspired and upbeat about joining a group with similar enthusiasm, curiosity, and discipline related to quality. By no means are they a 'perfect' company (i'm not sure one exists), but for my kind of work there is strong commitment, infrastructure, and leadership to make a difference in the care we provide patients. This is what I experienced working out in Seattle, and is something that is hard to quantify, but it matters. My work gets far easier when there's a unified team supporting it, and I'm confident I'll have what's needed to make a difference.

There were a few other variables to weigh, but ultimately I decided to accept the job, which will start the Tuesday after Labor Day. It'll be a challenge, and it'll push me in new ways, but I'm optimistic that I'll learn while making a difference. As folks at my current job have found out about my decision, the conversations have been enlightening. It's been humbling to see and hear many of the compliments, and I am grateful for the relationships I've built and learning I've acquired over the past year. Most folks understand my passion for improving healthcare and why its important to me, and after they hear about the work I'm doing most have wished me well. And those that haven't said much or been lukewarm, well, you can't make 'em all happy. And I can understand how my quick stint may not be seen by all as something good for the company.

But ultimately, I own my career and how I choose to make a living. And I'm comfortable with the decisions I've made, how I've handled myself, and where I'm heading, which is ultimately what matters. I'll have a few weeks in between jobs to clear the head a bit and catch up with people I don't see enough, ramble on my blog, hit the golf course, exercise, and recharge the batteries.

So stay tuned, and wherever you are, enjoy the summer while we've got it!

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly of Being a Fan

As a kid, I was irate when sports teams I followed closely lost important games. I have no idea why I got so fired up, but whether it was the Bulls, Bears, Cubs, Hawks, or Blue Demons (and a sprinkle of Miami football) I got really fired up when teams I liked lost. I'd get violent (literally throwing/breaking stuff), pouty, and couldn't stomach my Eggo's while I checked out the Tribune sports page, painfully pouring over the carnage from the night before. Over time, I got a little less emotional and dramatic about sports, and learned some important lessons about being a fan--like avoiding the internet/TV/radio sports content after losses. But at the end of the day, I like it when the teams I follow do well and put on my grumpypants when things go south.

So after last night's bulls loss, it really got me thinking about the impact of sports on my mood. Part of my job entails asking people 'Why' problems exist, and with my mood somewhere between grumpy and shitty this past 96 hours I turned the mirror on myself to ask: 'Why Delta, Why do you care so much about the outcome of a sporting event?'

The short answers as why I think I'm impacted so much by sports comes down to:

-I enjoy the sense of Shared Community Interest/Pride

-Sports allow me to spend time (both in person and via email/text) with the people I'd like to be around (family/friends)

-I'm pretty shallow when it comes down to what entertains me and sports teams are just as dramatic as any soap opera, sitcom, or reality show you follow on TV. Its not the only thing I do for entertainment, just tends to pre-occupy my time more than other activities when teams are doing well.

One of sports' upside (for me) is the Human Contact it encourages. Its a great feeling to leap on your feet as part of a crowd that erupts at a big moment in a game. Although you have no idea who the other 23,000 screaming idiots are, you've all shared that moment and acknowledged it together--something that doesn't happen very often in your daily life. That experience of being part of a shared public event is something I thrive on--whether its a concert, a sporting event, or a party...I'm a guy who likes to be around others. (An ENFP if you're familiar with Myers Briggs Personality Profiles). And I enjoy those events even better when I share it with someone I know--my father, brother, cousin, niece/nephew or friend (even girlfriend this past week) who enjoy the Bulls like I do. Make no mistake about it, the bulls give me an outlet to spend time with all of those people, and sad as it sounds, it binds us together. Maybe not with my girlfriend, but you get the idea.

And on the flipside of those highs are the devastating lows after a tough loss. I've lived through a bunch of them in my lifetime. The Bears in multiple playoff runs, the Cubs in every series they've ever played, the Bulls in the late 80s before they got their legs underneath them (and this week), Depaul choking a game when they began to get a shred of credibility from folks other than the 19 loyal fans...You get the idea, I've been let down as a fan of Chicago teams I spend my spare time following. I think part of the reason I get so angry is the feeling that I had invested all of that emotional energy, time, cash, and brainpower only to result in a crappy outcome. (As an interesting aside, I just loosely defined waste, a concept I use to help folks examine how they do their work to deliver a consistent service/outcome). In addition to the feeling that it was a waste of time to care in the first place, there's also a sense of inadequacy that comes with supporting a losing team. Almost as if it that loss reflects back on me and makes me a loser. Yes, I realize that sounds ridiculous, but why else would people feel so pissed about a random 12 people losing in a sporting event?!?

As far as this year's Bulls team goes, I've written ad nauseum about my appreciation for what they've done, even took time to thank them. I tend to be a pretty "glass half full" kinda guy about things--sports included, so when I step back from the table and look at the glass from this season it is close to the brim. Last July, I was one of many Bulls faithful wallowing at the thought of another mediocre Bulls season after they lost out on Lebron James and other free agents. But over the past 12 months the Bulls have proved me and every other fan into believers wrong by playing basketball in its purest form--relentless effort, discipline, teamwork, and defense. And although the outcome wasn't what I hoped for, I can't get too down on them--I'm proud to be a fan of a team that plays together, works hard, and genuinely wants to continuously improve. But the Bulls success is only half the reason why the cup is nearly full--I had nearly 8 months of great entertainment, abundant time with family and friends, and that sense of community I enjoy...

The NBA Column (No Basketball Allowed)

In recent weeks I've used the blog to spew nonsense to anyone who would read about the Bulls, the NBA, and watching a bunch of grown men run around in tank tops grabbing each other. To change it up, I figured I'd use tonight's column to share some random musings about life outside of the hardwood. Tonight's column will serve as a public service announcement for reading (including gift recommendations for the reader in your life), so if this doesn't interest you please check back later this week for Heat-Bulls coverage.

Believe it or not, I actually do read things other than columns and twitter feeds written by sportswriters. Its not always the "headiest" kind of literature, but it helps me sleep at night and my mom always told me good readers make good writers. So if I really plan to write a book someday I should probably read a few. Having said all of that, I don't read a TON, but normally will read a few pages of a book (actually Kindle) before bed to knock me out. At most I'll read 20 pages a night, sometimes as few as 2. But a few of the books I've read have been really good, so I figured I'd spread the gospel in case you're looking for something to read or know someone in your life who is.

In Fifty Year's We'll All Be Chicks - by Adam Carolla. When I lived in Seattle, Aceman was my wingman on the way to work. Each day I'd listen to him nasally wax-on about the world's problems and just about any topic under the sun, often saying exactly what I think about issues. He's got an engineer's mind and a crass, sarcastic sense of humor that I love, and his presence in the car on the way to work or school is something I miss. He's not much of a writer, but this book is an excellent summary of Adam's life, along with some spot-on observation of the utterly dumb things you and I observe on a regular basis. My only criticism of the book was that I wished he named this something different, mainly because so much of the book would be great for a female audience as well. This would be a perfect book for the "guy who doesn't read much" in your life or anyone who regularly reads Bill Simmons on ESPN.

The Lincoln Lawyer - by Michael Connely. Yes, this is the same book as the movie with the same title starring that guy from Dazed and Confused (I know his name, just can't spell it). The book is a page-turner and profiles a typical "who dun it" legal story about a suspected murder involving a rich douchebag from LA. The writing isn't anything that'll blow you away, but you'll like the action as we uncover the twists and turns from the perspective of a sleaze-bag defense attorney. This book would make a great gift for the serious reader in your life who needs to read something not-so-serious. Also good for folks heading on vacation. Which is exactly what Romeo Sierra and I read on our vacation to/from Seattle. We thought it'd be kinda fun if we read the same book at the same time, you know, like in high school. We didn't have book club or pop quizes but it was kinda interesting to read the same book, even if it was trashy fiction.

Scorecasting - I like to sprinkle some non-fiction in to the rotation, and this book got off to a solid start but faded towards the stretch. After reading Michael Lewis' Moneyball, I became fascinated with Sports Analytics and how numbers, statistics, and measurement can be used to out smart the opponent. As a former coach and athlete, Moneyball made complete sense to me, and bordered on a work-related book as I thumbed through Billy Beane's adventures with the Oakland A's and performance improvement. Since Moneyball, there have been literally hundreds of authors out on the web, in books, and elsewhere who sift through piles of data to tell us something interesting or unique about sports but most of them fall short of talking about how those teams, coaches, or players actually do something with all of that data. Scorecasting is one of these books, and although the book does an excellent job explaining some of the common fallacies in sports (Defense doesn't always win championships, Icing the kicker doesn't work, the Cubs suck because of their fans), I found some of the writing rambled long after the point had been made. Worth picking up for a sports/numbers junkie, but make sure they've read Moneyball first.

The Imperfectionists - recently, I ran out of books to read and went to Facebook to ask for suggestions. Although a few folks responded, I didn't see anything that caught my eye until I stumbled on this book, which I intend to go read after I finish this post. For a first-time author, the writing is outstanding and the plot moves along at a great clip--its essentially a fictional tale of a journalist working for an english-speaking newsroom in Rome. The writing is unlike anything I have read before, and is so good I've actually forced my girlfriend to read passages I found insightful and well-written. This is probably the kind of book you'd give someone who majored in English or a Fine Art in college who also traveled to Europe at some point.