Setting the tone for your leadership tenure Published Jan. 27, 2009 By Col. Gino Auteri 325th Medical Group commander TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. -- One challenge leaders at every level face is how they will set the tone for the organizations they are about to lead. A common characteristic I have noted among some of the best leaders I've encountered is their ability to create a culture within their organization that reflects their own personal values and beliefs. Great leaders often adopt easy-to-remember acronyms to communicate and reinforce these values within their organizations. Prior to assuming command of the 325th Medical Group in July, I spent a considerable amount of time thinking about what principles and values I wanted to convey that would establish the tone for my leadership tenure. After much thought, I settled on the acronym "WE CARE" to convey my intent to the organization. I believed the acronym was very fitting for application to a health care organization. The principles embodied in "WE CARE" are conveyed to the Medical Group staff through newcomer's briefings, commander's calls and by inclusion in our 2009 strategic plan. During these sessions all 325th Medical Group personnel are asked to adopt the "WE CARE" philosophy and strive to provide World-class health care, Expeditionary medical support, Compassionate customer service, Accountability for all our actions, Respect for our mission, patient and peers and Excellence in all we do. To instill the principles within our staff, I elaborate on their meaning and my expectations for their application. The quest to provide world-class health care encompasses not only being the best at the medical services we provide within the walls of the medical group, but also being the best at facilitating necessary care that is beyond our internal capabilities. To that end, we are continually working with our civilian-health care partners to ensure timely availability of comprehensive specialty and inpatient services. In this region, we are very blessed to have one of the United States' Top 50 Hospitals, Bay Medical Center, as one of our key inpatient partners. Our commitment to delivering outstanding expeditionary medical support also encompasses two parts. First, we must ensure our active-duty medical personnel are trained and equipped to deploy at a moments notice to deliver medical care at deployed locations in support of ongoing contingencies. Second, we must continually ensure all active-duty members of the 325th Fighter Wing and associate tenant units are medically ready to deploy and carry out their down range missions. In the health care business, we typically interact with people when they are less than their optimal selves. This fact demands that we go the extra mile and provide an atmosphere characterized by compassionate customer service. During the past six months, we have implemented operational changes in an attempt to improve customer service. For example, we have put receptionists back into each of the clinic lobbies to help patients check in and keep them posted on any physician delays. We have also revamped our parking policy and reopened entry doors so patients will not need to walk as far to access the pharmacy, laboratory or radiology. Accountability for all our actions is an imperative given the life and death nature of the health care business. We ensure accountability through the constant monitoring of performance metrics, health care provider peer reviews, and frequent inspections by numerous external health care accreditation agencies. Another principle we emphasize with all our staff is the concept of respect for our mission, patients and peers. We recognize the sacrifices our active duty, retirees and their family members have made on behalf of this great nation and honor that sacrifice by treating all with appropriate courtesy and respect. This courtesy is extended to each other as we recognize every member of the medical group team is important to fulfilling our assigned mission. Respect among peers leads to a great work environment. Finally, the "WE CARE" adopts the Air Force core value of excellence in all we do. Under this principle, every member of the medical group team is encouraged to strive to be the best at their given specialty. By committing to this ideal, the entire organization is buoyed by the collective achievements of individual members. I believe the effort expended in predetermining a set of guiding principles has allowed me to set a positive tone for my leadership tenure. However, I realize changing the culture of an organization takes more than just having an easy to remember acronym. To change the culture, one must live and reflect the principles the acronym embodies. To that end I try to set the example each day. Have you set the tone for your organization?