Fill in the gap

April 1, 2020 | (21) Comments

My wife Shannon brought this Brene Brown podcast to me, and we listened to it together over the weekend. I reclined on the couch while Shannon sat cross-legged on the floor, and we listened intently, nodding our heads in unison and agreement with the words we were hearing.

So many of you have reached out to me expressing your feelings of fear, worry and stress, and I want to share this podcast with you today, as it was exactly what I needed to power me through this week. I hope it will be impactful for you as well.

What we are enduring is not a sprint – this is a marathon without an end in sight. In order to get through this, we need to create a new normal for ourselves and each other based on the solid information we know is true. We must bring a calm to ourselves, find a release valve for our anxiety, and shift our mindset to withstand the emotions we are all coping with in our respective ways.

We must “fill in the gap” within our One Amazing Team so that we are here to support each other through this – I hope to be at 100 percent every day, but I know that is not realistic. So I will need you to fill in the gap when I’m at 50 percent. And, I will be there to fill in your gap when you are at 80 percent, 50 percent, or 40 percent.

I encourage you to listen to this, and share it with your families at home. It is a powerful practice that will strengthen our teams, our families, and ourselves.

21 Responses to “Fill in the gap”

  1. Awakening and learning podcast. Working from home has actually allowed me the space to listen to the podcast as I rarely can listen to anything at work. I did not realize how easily we do compare suffering, and in these times of uncertainty we really must be kind to ourselves and others. Thank you for sharing and I thank myself for allowing me the time to listen.

    • Karen Wilkinson

      I, too, listened to Brene’s podcast the first day it was available. All of her books/TED talks provide food for thought. The other leadership book our hospital might be interested in reading is the new book on Winston Churchill, titled: “Winston Churchill and Fearless Leadership in Times of Crisis.” One can listen to an interview from the author on the Fresh Air podcast. Karen

  2. Kristin Thorp

    I am a HUGE Brene Brown fan and had no idea she had a Podcast! This specific podcast really spoke to me and was spot on, thank you so very much for sharing!

  3. Paige Schulz

    This is a powerful message! Thank you and Shannon for sharing this with your TCH family. When my husband and I married in 2001, my grandmother’s advice was that “marriage is rarely 50/50. Sometimes it is 75/25 and sometimes it is 10/90.” Brené Brown’s message is reminiscent of this treasured advice and a nice way to remember my sweet grandmother and her wisdom.

  4. Jessica

    Mr. Wallace,
    The sentiment is appreciated as always. However, we need real actions to help during this time. The gap I need to fill is my PTO gap that will occur if I get placed on quarantine because I am on the front lines, or if I get my shift cancelled because of low census.

    I would love to see TCH step up to the plate, ahead of the game, like other hospitals have across the country and offer 2 weeks of pay (not from my PTO) for anyone who is sent home to be quarantined, as well as some type of incentive/hazard pay for us front line employees. This is a tough time for everyone on so many different levels, but there AREthings that can be done to help ease some of the stress that haven’t been done yet. The opportunity is still there.

    • Mark Wallace

      Thank you for your feedback. I recognize this is a difficult and challenging situation, especially for those on the front lines of care such as you and your colleagues. Given how quickly things have evolved over the last few weeks, we have received a lot of important questions around our processes and operations, particularly on how we are managing our time-off policy. I understand many are feeling worried and unsure of what is to come, but I want assure you Texas Children’s is continuously having these important conversations and will be guided by our core values to lead our community—and each other—through this challenge. More information will be shared with team members over the coming days.

    • Mark Wallace

      Our top priority remains the safety and health of our team members, patients and families as we navigate through this situation. Our leadership team is working with front-line staff as well as those behind the scenes to keep our workforce and patients safe while providing compassionate care. We are closely monitoring the guidelines from the CDC and the sentiments of our team and are providing regular updates. Thank you for your concerns and for reaching out.

  5. Patricia

    I don’t understand why we are being made to use our PTO for quarantine, it should be sick time. You are asking someone to quarantine because you are concerned they might have Covid therefore it should fall under sick time guidelines not our Personal Time Off.

    • Mark Wallace

      Thank you for your feedback. I recognize this is a difficult and challenging situation, especially for those on the front lines of care such as you and your colleagues. Given how quickly things have evolved over the last few weeks, we have received a lot of important questions around our processes and operations, particularly on how we are managing our time-off policy. I understand many are feeling worried and unsure of what is to come, but I want assure you Texas Children’s is continuously having these important conversations and will be guided by our core values to lead our community—and each other—through this challenge. More information will be shared with team members over the coming days.

      • Jessica

        Mr. Wallace, we all appreciate the bonus that was just given out but that is just a temporary bandaid in this situation. The majority of hospitals in TMC have given their employees some type of extra pandemic PTO bank so that IF they get exposed at work through a patient or employee and have to be quarantined, they will not have to use their own PTO which they may or may not have. I would love to see TCH fall in line with the rest of TMC and offer that extra pandemic PTO bank, much like how we got with Harvey. Unfortunately it appears TCH has been very reactive rather than proactive in regards to all of this and in comparison to other institutions within TMC. As a top 3 pediatric hospital in the country, we have to and can do better than that!

  6. Mr. Wallace. I know these are difficult times for all of us. I just wanted to say thank you for always keeping all of us in mind. Thank you so much for the extra funds this month. With everyone being home and using more products and eating more food, the extra money will come in handy in my household. I appreciate your thoughtfulness so much! I pray you and your family stay safe, And I pray for all our nurses, doctors, volunteers and the whole TCH family. Again, THANK YOU!

  7. Good morning. I spent time yesterday consoling a coworker who was cut to 24 hours. She is very very concerned because she is pregnant and after using her PTO, my day, and EIB for Corona cuts, there will be no time left for her maternity leave. Her baby is due in mid June. Her family depends on her pay check and she does not know how she will make it. Can you please please see how employees like her can be helped? She worked tirelessly to save this time, so she could relax and enjoy her baby when the time comes.

  8. Rosemary Campo

    Thank You Mr. Wallace for all the great things you are doing for employees. I know they really appreciate all that you do. I was also wondering if TCH was going to approve ( part of the Cares Act singed March 2020) In which employees may defer loan payments from their 403 B plan til end of this year. I was told by fidelity they had not gotten approval from TCH for loan deferrals.
    I want to thank all the Doctors, Nurses and Front Responder’s and all essential employees for all they do and again Thanks to our great leaders!

  9. Thank You Mr. Wallace for all the great things you are doing for employees. I know they really appreciate all that you do.
    I was also wondering if TCH was going to approve ( part of the Cares Act singed March 2020) In which employees may defer loan payments from their 403 B plan til end of this year. I was told by fidelity they had not gotten approval from TCH for loan deferrals.
    I want to thank all the Doctors, Nurses and Front Responder’s and all essential employees for all they do and again Thanks to our great leaders!

  10. Rosemary Campo

    Thank You Mr. Wallace for all the great things you are doing for employees. I know they really appreciate all that you do.
    I was also wondering if Texas Children’s was going to approve ( part of the Cares Act singed March 2020) In which employees may defer loan payments from their 403 B plan til end of this year. I was told by fidelity they had not gotten approval from Texas Children’s Hospital for loan deferrals.
    I want to thank all the Doctors, Nurses and all essential employees for all they do and again Thanks to our great leaders!

  11. Hello Mr. Wallace,

    Your wife did great by having you listen to Brené Brown. I find Jay Shetty’s On Purpose podcast to be soothing during these times. I believe there is light at the end of the tunnel and can’t wait for things to improve to work with your One Amazing Team!

    Wishing you and your family health and safety,

    Claudette Ferro

  12. Josephine Benavidez

    Started listening to this podcast yesterday evening and again this morning on the way to work. It is awesome!! I’m so glad you got to experience it, and thanks for sharing with our TCH community!!

  13. Peggy Kellum

    Thank you Mr. Wallace! I needed to hear this podcast. I knew I felt exhausted, but didn’t understand why. Brene explained what I was feeling. You cannot realize how much I needed to hear this podcast!

    I am not on the “front line,” but I am so very proud of all front liners everywhere!!! When I see New York and the people clapping, making noise to honor the front liners when they get off their shift, it makes me smile!

    Please tell all nurses and doctors that we are all very proud of them all!!!

    Thanks again, you know us so well, and understand us so well.

    I appreciate you!

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