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New connections, new information lead to new opportunities
n business as in life, sometimes we approach situations and people strategically, and other times we recognize opportunistic moments. When that happens, we try and capitalize on those times when fortune seems to smile down upon us. It reminds me about the question, “Would you rather be lucky or good?” And the appropriate answer is always, “I want to be both, lucky and good.” As much as these past two years have taken many of us out of our rhythm when it comes to seeing or meeting people, it has also created incredible opportunities to be opportunistic and strategic and to connect with more people than ever before. Social media platforms make it really easy to find people and begin new relationships, both personally and professionally. And virtual meeting technology continues to improve, making it feel like we are actually in the same room with the person we are meeting with virtually. One reality of the virtual world we live and work in is fatigue. Many of us spend our entire days on Zoom or Microsoft Teams, Google Hangout, or other such platform. In a future column I will share some tips and
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February 17, 2022
WINNING WORDS
Michael Norton
techniques for avoiding burnout and fatigue. For now, I would share that if we can get comfortable with using these platforms coupled with the technologies and sites that allow us to make new connections and receive new information, it creates an environment for new
opportunities. Some of the businesses that I work with have shared that these past two years turned out to be the best years they have ever had in business. The salespeople on their teams figured out how to maximize all available resources and technology to find new prospects, build better and deeper relationships with customers, leverage data and insights based on the readily available access to information, and all of that helped them to find more opportunities to not only win more customers, but to serve their customers in such a way that it created raving fans. And although we all are aware of
what is being referred to as the “Great Resignation,” we are all probably aware of the job market that has an abundance of openings and opportunities. Many of you have reached out and shared some of your own success stories about connecting with people you had not known before, learning about companies you had never considered, and landing new positions in a role that you really wanted. New connections and new information led you to new opportunities. In my industry, training and development and motivational speaking, conducting sessions virtually was already happening pre-pandemic. And when the pandemic hit, some companies and speakers were well equipped to move meetings and training sessions to virtual platforms. Others had to catch up. But now two years later, we are finding that leveraging the power of technology and virtual training environments has improved the effectiveness of the training and transfer of knowledge. Additionally, the new people, departments, and teams we can connect with has made it easier to share information across an organization and created new opportunities for learning that was
otherwise unavailable in the past. Here we are in another Valentine’s Day week. Romance is in the air. How many couples have met by making new connections online, were introduced to someone through an online platform or service, had the ability to learn more about the other person to see if they were compatible, and created opportunities to get to know one another better? I know several couples in my own circle who have benefited from this level of connection, information, and opportunity. Are you making the most of your new connections and access to information? Have you noticed an increase in opportunities that have popped up for you, your family, or your friends over these past two years? I would love to hear your story at mnorton@ tramazing.com, and when we can harness the power of being lucky and good along with connection, information, and opportunity, it really will be a better than good year. Michael Norton is the grateful CEO of Tramazing.com, a personal and professional coach, and a consultant, trainer, encourager and motivator to businesses of all sizes.
Achieving a more equitable, accountable and effective behavioral health system
gazed out the window at the snowcovered peaks and patchwork fields below as my plane approached the tarmac at Denver International Airport. Wheels down at last. I had arrived at my new home–a brilliant blue sky overhead and blinding snow as far as the eye could see. It is hard to wrap my mind around how such a majestic place can also possess one of the country’s highest rates of suicide and prevalence of mental health challenges. My mission? Harness the momentum that has driven an unprecedented two-year planning effort to bring about transformational change in Colorado’s behavioral health system so that it truly and compassionately puts people first. I am humbled that Governor Jared Polis has appointed me to serve as Colorado’s first Behavioral Health Commissioner to lead the new Behavioral Health Administration (BHA), which we will launch by July. This clinically trained mental health and addiction treatment practitioner has come to Colorado at an urgent and exciting moment. We are on the verge of making history and have a
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real opportunity to develop a system that is equitable, accountable and effective. The BHA we build will oversee a system that serves all of Colorado, provides care that is timely and helps people find success by achieving wholeMorgan Medlock person health and wellbeing. When we get this right, our state stands to become an exemplar on the national stage of what it means to provide person-centered, community-based and data-informed behavioral health care.
experience. By July we will have established an Advisory Council that is diverse in its membership and co-chaired by someone with lived experience. Council meetings will be inclusive and accessible, held in different parts of the state, with attendance and input widely encouraged and sought out. In the same vein, I am proud that the BHA’s first official action has been to sponsor five individuals to participate in the College for Behavioral Health Leadership’s Equity-Grounded Leadership Fellow Program pilot this spring. The program’s goal is to empower and equip leaders to take bold action to unravel systemic racism and create equitable behavioral health systems in their communities.
When I worked as an emergency department psychiatrist in Boston, I saw first hand how the scarcity of behavioral health treatment options in the community and the stigma of seeking support can result in our family, friends, and neighbors landing in some of their darkest moments. The BHA we build will be driven by individuals with this lived
Sadly, we are all too familiar with the tragic stories of Colorado’s behavioral health safety net failing our state’s most vulnerable citizens, including those from marginalized populations. Individuals with complex needs are turned away, insurance coverage is inadequate or nonexistent, appointments are unavailable. The BHA we build will be transparent, account-
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able and effective. We will define new metrics that will help us identify and design solutions to fill the gaps and ensure Coloradans are benefitting from timely services that are culturally responsive and meet the highest standards of care. We will use data to measure our progress toward fortifying and expanding our safety net so that we catch people before they find themselves in crisis. And we will publish our findings in a transparent and accessible way through public dashboards and reporting to the General Assembly. We are making history. Join us. I am committed to working with patients, partners and other stakeholders to build an equitable and just system of behavioral health care for Colorado. The BHA we build will bring partners together to align our funding and resources under a unified vision and strategy for transforming our behavioral health system. This strategy will be bold, be based in empathy, integrity and data, and will always put people first. Dr. Morgan Medlock is Colorado’s behavioral health commissioner.
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