In today’s business climate, many of us feel that even when we are running, it feels like we are standing still. So why do some individuals seem to keep up with everything—juggling personal lives and business—and still have time to get involved in both their state and national associations? I am sure that the thought has crossed your mind at some point: “How do they do it, why do they do it, and what do they know that I don’t?”

These individuals have subscribed to a simple but powerful philosophy: “If it is to be, it is up to me.”

Before I begin to defend this statement, let me have you consider these three questions: Are you a thermometer or a thermostat? Are you a product of change or a change agent? Are you a gazelle or a lion? I would submit to you that all of the individuals we see involved in our industry have already answered these questions.

The diverse home health care services we provide are medically efficacious, cost-effective, and, most important, consumer-preferred. But who, besides us, knows it?

Over the years, there has been a persistent theme in our industry to get involved with our Congressmen, Senators, other health care constituencies, and health care consumers to convey the message that we are a vital component of the health care continuum. Many of you have taken on this challenge because our voices are getting louder.

For those of you who have not, as much I would like to rant and rave, and ask why you are not getting involved, I will instead share some of my findings while trying to get this article ready.

As you might imagine, the reasons why individuals are involved in their state or national association are as diverse as they are. The comments I received while researching this article covered the gamut from business competitiveness to personal fulfillment. But interestingly, the most difficult step for everyone was taking that first step.

Many said that for them their impetus was survival. Fear of the changing marketplace had caused them to look for ways to help improve the health care environment that would translate to more opportunity for them and consequently their own businesses. Getting involved in state and national committee work gave them first-hand knowledge of the situation, and they were able to plan accordingly.

When elephants fight

Today more than ever, the health care industry is under pressure. The events of September 11 have shifted Congress’ emphasis, and the old standby of reducing Medicare health care costs is once again the flavor of the week. More powerful lobbies, such as hospitals, doctors, long-term care facilities, etc, are all staking out their ground, and when elephants fight, pygmies get squashed. How large an elephant home care becomes depends on you.

Sometimes people fear getting involved because they are unsure how to or, worse, they procrastinate. Forget the saying “someday I will.” There are no “somedays” in your calendar, computer, or personal digital assistant. Commit to getting started today, because until you commit you only take up space. Contact the American Association for Homecare and your state association and become a member.

The providers I spoke with identified another invaluable benefit to getting involved with associations in their industry: The ability to interact with other business owners who share their challenges and to ask them how they have become successful. Everyone I spoke to was interested in sharing ideas that they had learned from another business owner or manager. In some cases, these ideas had been the turning point for their business.

Could you get this information elsewhere? Sure, you could get additional training or degrees. I am pursuing an MBA. It is challenging, and I am gleaning valuable information from case studies from other industries. But to hear it from someone who has been there and done it specifically in our industry is priceless.

the right stuff

As diverse as the comments were, a few common threads began to appear. Each individual has a clear goal for their company and the industry. They are action-oriented with a focused plan on how to attain their goals. They believe in the importance of motivating others. They possess high moral and business values and are opportunity driven.

Each of these individuals exhibits qualities that I associate with leadership. I certainly do not want to infer that the only leaders in our industry are those that are involved. But if you are on the fence about doing something, imagine the possibilities of what we may be able to accomplish together. The best way to predict the future is to create it.

Now as to the answers to the three questions I asked you to ponder in the beginning of the article. First question, are you a thermometer or thermostat? This one is pretty easy. A thermometer registers heat whereas a thermostat controls it. It is the same as the second question, are you a product of change or a change agent? If you answered a product of change, such as a thermometer, then that means that you only react to what goes on around you. On the other hand, a change agent, such as a thermostat, causes change to occur. Obviously, it is better to be a thermostat than a thermometer because it is better to control the effects of governmental changes through participation.

Finally, are you a gazelle or a lion? I base this question on a shirt I saw. It read, “As the sun comes up on the plains in Africa, a gazelle awakens and knows that today, in order to survive, it must outrun the fastest lion. On that same plain, a lion awakens and knows that today, in order to survive, it must outrun the slowest gazelle. So when the sun comes up, whether you are a lion or a gazelle, you better be running.”

Whichever you choose, your choice is survival. If you feel my references to the animal kingdom are trite, no apologies, because the increased competition between the health care sectors for limited, shrinking health care dollars is very real.

If you feel differently, need more information, or are still ambivalent, email me at mlacute@seeleymedical.com.  Otherwise, see you on the plains.

Mario LaCute is president of Seeley Medical, a home health care provider with five locations throughout northeast Ohio. He has served as president of the Ohio Association of Medical Equipment Suppliers and the American Association for Homecare.