Window Seats are the greatest!
While I don’t pay extra in order to choose my seat on a plane to guarantee sitting by a window, I do love the window seat. I have no reservation in sharing that while sitting in a window seat, I become quite boyish in my enthusiasm of watching the clouds and the terrain below as we pass them by.
During my most recent flight from HomeCareCon, I gazed out the window approaching home and my thoughts turned to the Fathers of Flight themselves: The Wright Brothers. What many now often take for granted is really a miracle that resulted from two individuals marrying a vision with action.
Then, I reflected on the vital balance of a great Visionary (CEO) and an effective Operator in driving success for home care agencies.
Visionary vs Operator
I read a fascinating article about The Wright Brothers that spoke to exactly what I’ve done so far in this post:
They are referred to as if they were a single persona: "the Wright brothers" - one mind, one personality.
“However,” the article continued, “Wilbur and Orville were, of course, in actuality two distinct individuals who brought unique talents and perspectives to their collaborations.”
While both inventive in nature, the National Air and Space Museum demonstrates that – of the two, Orville played a visionary role in that he was the “more impulsive, optimistic, and contemplative” of the two. The concept of flight was initially Wilbur’s idea, yet Orville is attributed to providing the enthusiasm that “carried them through the solving of the technical problems”.
Meanwhile, Wilbur’s steady and confident nature coupled with his mechanical abilities made him an ideal operator.
As a team, they pressed through design issues, crashes, and eventually successful flight.
While it’s a beautiful compliment for a home care agency to be seen as a company of “one mind, one persona” from the outside, it’s really only achieved when a team of leaders and managers and caregivers work together in pursuit of a core purpose. This oneness as a company starts with the efforts of a CEO setting a vision and an Operator establishing the processes for the rest of the team to align with and execute.