Agile&Me: A physical therapy leadership podcast series

People First: Proven strategy for exceptional clinics

Richard Leaver Season 1 Episode 38

In this episode, Richard sits down with speaker, author, and former physical therapist, Amy Lafko.  Diving into the diverse topic that is "What is a people-first approach?" Find Amy's book "People First" here

As a Physical Therapist, Amy spent years in school learning best practices for patient care and how to put the patient first. Like so many technically skilled clinicians, she advanced to a leadership role. Spending 20+ years in operational leadership, she had an epiphany: Putting the customer first isn’t the path to success or fulfillment. Rather, the most successful organizations and practices put their people first – and exceptional customer care, profitability, and effectiveness naturally followed.

  • What is a People First approach?
  • A People First approach is a mindset/philosophy of leadership and not a series of tactics.
  • What are the foundational building blocks/attributes of a People First Approach?
  • Until recently there has been a focus on Patient First.  How is this different?
  • How have changes within the structure of healthcare employment and delivery over the last 10 years forced managers/owners to rethink how we lead people?
  • Are generational differences impacting the way we need to lead and manage?
  • How did Covid impact the way we should lead/manage?
  • What practical steps can private practice owners take immediately to start along the path of a People First approach?
  • What are the consequences of not changing to an employee-first mindset?  How have we seen this?

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