Start with Why

The one-syllable word “why” is very underwhelming in size and yet very powerful in terms of the action it inspires and the understanding it opens the door to. Why did you get out of bed this morning? Why do you do what you do? Why do you live where you live? Why do you believe what you believe? The list of questions goes on and on. Each one seeking to understand, usually something of causality or motivation. It’s easy when we’re the ones asking the questions of someone else. It’s much harder when we look internally and seek to understand that which motivates us. Difficult or not, it’s a great self-reflection exercise that both individuals and businesses should routinely perform. Knowing the answer can be a powerful force.

In his book Start With Why, Simon Sinek claims that organizations who know WHY they do what they do will have a much greater chance of success than those who simply know WHAT they do, or HOW they do it. Their WHY gives them a sense of purpose and mission that inspires team members, is winsome to their customers, and creates a loyal brand following and long-lasting success. He believes people don’t buy WHAT you do or HOW you do it; they buy WHY you do it.

So putting my Iatric Systems hat on, I started thinking about our WHY and…clothing stores. Each time I shop for a suit, the salesperson helps me find one that has the right general look/feel in the right price range I want, but inevitably, needs modifications to fit me well. The professional tailor understands that suits aren’t one-size-fits-all garments, and takes great pride in helping both me and the store look good by giving the suit a custom fit, and helping me get the most out of my investment. Likewise, most healthcare IT systems are not one-size-fits-every-organization, and like the tailor, our WHY (or, at least, a part of it) has always been about helping customers get the most our of their investment.

Today, our WHAT and HOW comes through healthcare technology solutions focused on interoperability, analytics, patient privacy, and EHR Optimization, but our WHY has always been tied to the belief that systems do not come out of the box custom fit for an organization. And like my tailor, for more than 25 years, we have felt that same sense of pride by helping our customers create a better “fit" for their businesses. With 2015 coming to a close, we want to thank our customers for putting your trust in our team, and we look forward to helping you enhance your healthcare IT investments in 2016 and beyond!