A Flash of Inspiration

Tiller-Hewitt HealthCare Strategies’ Partners – Guest Blog Series

Phillip Stephens is a Fellow in the American College of Medical Practice Executive and the Chief Executive Officer of Consultant’s in Women’s Health.

It’s funny what you draw knowledge and inspiration from. Generally, I read journals or hear lectures that will spawn business insight or ideas. Movies or novels can also be inspiring if you see through the drama and capture the underlying message that the writer is trying to artistically convey.

A couple of months ago, late at night, I’m doing a guy thing – sitting on the couch, mindlessly flipping channels on the TV. I scroll across a movie that presented me with a management epiphany a long time ago. It was the deep and epic business management classic – Flashdance.

Yep. Flashdance. It came out in 1983 when disco and big hair was dying a merciful death. Most of you are probably too young to remember this forgettable movie.

Here’s the plot:

Cinderella Story

It’s your typical and oh so believable Cinderella story of a young and beautiful female welder working at a steel mill who moonlights as an exotic dancer at a wholesome Pittsburg cabaret. She aspires to get into the, uhh, “Pittsburg Snooty Conservatory of Interpretive Dance”. So with spunky determination and relentless practice, she finds love with a hunky rich building contractor and aces her dance audition to get in to the Pittsburg Snooty Conservatory of Interpretive Dance. After painfully watching this B rated feel good movie, I came away with several observations.

1. Jennifer Beals is a decent welder
2. This movie is basically “Rocky” in tights
3. Work hard to achieve your dreams

Focus

Let’s focus on the “Work hard to achieve your dreams” part. This is the (only) redeeming message I took home from the movie. What does it take to achieve your dreams? Focus. Determination. Hard Work. Aptitude. Belief in Yourself, Knowledge, Skill, Fortitude, Resolve and an Unyielding Drive to Achieve. If we are going to be the best we can be at what we do, we need to review this checklist for success from time to time. Ask yourself, “Am I the best at what I do at my workplace?” If not, why not? If you don’t have a passion for your work, work to find that inspiration. It will make you feel good about what you do. Renew your commitment to continue to learn or raise your level of your job skills. Whatever you want to do, you need to have a passion for what you do or your ultimate success and happiness will be transitory. So, when somebody asks “who’s the best employee where you work? Step up and with all true conviction, say: “I am.”

Phillip Stephens is a Fellow in the American College of Medical Practice Executive and the Chief Executive Officer of Consultant’s in Women’s Health. Consultant’s in Women’s Health is a 59 physician OB/GYN and Fertility and Pediatric practice in San Antonio, Texas. The practice has 17 offices and 350 employees. Consultants in Women’s Health has been recognized as one of the 40 “Best Practices” in the United States by the Medical Group Management Association. Mr. Stephens spent the first 16 years of his healthcare career in Managed Care. Most of that time as Executive Director of a major Managed Care organization and Senior Vice President of a major US based international pharmaceutical company. He is an Alumni of Stephen F. Austin State University and has a degree in Marketing. He is a past president of the San Antonio MGMA. He is a member of MENSA and former City Councilman.