Connection. It’s the energy that ties you to a person, a place, a memory – a relationship to your work, to your team members, and to yourself. It is one of the most vital aspects of our existence.

When we use last month’s principle of Intention as a guide and decision filter, something powerful happens – we are connected to a greater whole. It’s no surprise then that, as we wrap up our focus on Intention, we transition to the principle of Connection.

As leaders, we are the connective tissue and the bridge between people, between ideas, and between possibilities. Understanding and creating a Connection across all of the disciplines in our organizations ensures that each individual piece fits into a greater whole—contributing to a better Experience for our team members, providers, patients, and guests.

Connection, by definition, requires an “other” – another person, another team, another goal we’re trying to reach. When we make the Connection and connect-the-dots, we are bridging the gap of the unknown. We are the glue.

Healing requires Connections—between doctors and patients, between patients and family members, between the many members of our care teams. These are the Connections that define our patients’ memories of their Experience with us—our people and our places. When their loved ones think of our organizations, they remember the way a caregiver took the time to make a connection — holding their loved one’s hands and guided them through their time of need.