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The "Layoff As Failure" Mantra

Do me a favor, will you? If you, as a health care leader, feel compelled by dire circumstances to lay people off, stand in front of your mirror before you do the deed and repeat the following mantra 100 times:
"I have failed. My business is performing just as badly as those around me because...I am unable to look for opportunities in a sea of difficulties...I don't understand how to execute a growth strategy....I failed to engage my employees' creative energies in helping us grow...and I failed to hardwire customer loyalty in distinctive ways. And now it's too late. I have failed. And so others must pay the price."
Say it loud, say it proud. 100 times. And then go re-write your vision statement to something closer to the truth, something along the lines of "We're no worse than anybody else."


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