Coming back from a conference like ASHA, I like to take a moment and go over my notes and think through the conversations that stood out to me in my time away from the office. In terms of “food for thought,” ASHA did not disappoint.
So, here we go.
It’s about the people. We loved spending time with our current customers and engaging with other amazing vendors, operators, and owners. The conversations were fantastic and really helped me think through how we can continue to be better every day. A couple of key callouts:
I’d like to wish a speedy recovery to my new friend, Corey Denman, who put it all out there on the pickleball court in our attempt to make it back to the top after losing our first game.
I was also fortunate enough to meet the legendary Mel Gamzon and learn from his 44 years in the industry. Mel may be the most well-connected person in this industry, and it was my pleasure to meet so many incredible leaders who helped build senior living into what it is today.
Kaden McKenzie, Mel Gamzon, Jared Hancock
Senior Living is just scratching the surface of what it could be. When the industry is only serving 10% of the total addressable market, it is clear why a coordinated effort such as “Where You Live Matters” is so critical. As I look at the opportunity in front of us, I recognize that it will be critical to set aside concerns over freeriders or prisoner dilemma-esque game theories and commit as an industry to grow the overall size of the pie. I was particularly moved by Aegis Living’s commercial “Future Old Person” as a way to strengthen the position of senior living. The greatest news of all, is as more seniors choose to move to senior living sooner, the better off they will be. Enriching relationships, events, and activities will translate into a much more fulfilling life.
We must always be sharpening the saw. The keynote speaker, Eric Potterat, PhD, was phenomenal. He detailed out the five unique factors that are common amongst the world’s top performers.
Identity vs. Reputation: Top performers care far more about how they think of themselves than how others perceive them.
Mindset: Top performers are not complacent and focus heavily on the process rather than outcome. Wins and losses are equally as valuable because they can learn from both.
Efficiency & Consistency (Process): Time is currency and top performers actually block their entire “magic 16 hours.” Looking at building strong habits that support their goals is of paramount importance.
Adversity Tolerance Tactics: When top performers are celebrated for “coming in clutch” in particularly stressful situations, it is not because they rise to the occasion, it is because they only fall to the level of their preparation. They have trained, studied, visualized the outcome, built habits and muscle (and mental) memory so in moments of stress they are able to perform despite the stress, not because of the stress.
Balance and Recovery: We are NOT what we do. We are a balance of all facets of our life and we must tend to them all to find balance and be ready to be our best selves. Dr. Potterat points out six key pillars: work, relationships, health, hobbies, spirituality and legacy. Consistent investments in all six areas actually leads to more motivation and higher levels of performance.
