From “I Will” to I do.

Teach the commitment. Observe the behavior. Sustain the practice.

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COMMITMENT 05

I Will support the people who care for our patients.

Learning objective: Turn a staff concern into a practical improvement in working conditions.

1. Understand the commitment

Support requires leaders to understand workload, tools, role clarity, and the barriers staff encounter. Appreciation has value, but it cannot substitute for addressing an unsafe assignment or a persistent workflow defect. Ask staff what makes safe care difficult, observe the work, and identify which resource or process can change. Check whether the change helps across shifts and whether it transfers work to another team.

Observable behaviors

Ask staff about workload and practical barriers to safe care.
Agree on a feasible support action with an accountable owner.
Check the effect on staff and on connected teams.

Describe a recent moment when this commitment was difficult. What could an observer have seen or heard you do?

2. Practice and reflect

Staff report that repeated equipment problems are delaying care. What response best demonstrates support?

Choose the strongest leadership response Arrange lunch and remind staff to stay positive. Ask staff to work faster while a replacement is considered. Observe the failures, arrange a safe contingency, and assign repair and follow-up responsibility.

Read the facilitator’s explanation

Support becomes credible when it addresses the work itself. A contingency and a repair owner create an immediate response and an avenue for sustained improvement.

Reflect: Which barrier did staff identify, what changed, and what unintended workload did you check?

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3. Observe and coach

Choose the behavioral level supported by your evidence. Unobserved commitments remain unscored.

Coach assessment1BeginningAcknowledges workload concerns when raised.2DevelopingOffers support but requires help translating it into a concrete response.3ConsistentAddresses a work barrier and verifies the effect with staff.4SustainingRedesigns recurring support failures and develops other leaders’ capacity to respond.

Evidence to look for

A staff-identified problem, support action, accountable owner, and a follow-up conversation across affected roles.

Suggested process measure

Staff-raised barriers with an agreed response by the promised date / barriers due for response.

Evidence-informed teaching. Sources: [2] [3]

Kelly Emrick, DHSc, PhD, MBA