Focus

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I recently attended a series of events related to the USA Pro Challenge.  “The USA Pro Challenge, also known as America’s Race, is an annual multi-day professional road cycling stage race that first took place in Colorado in 2011. The race is marked especially by the incredible altitudes (over 12,000-feet), spectacular Colorado Rocky Mountain scenery and over one million annual fans onsite.”

What struck me the most about the athletes and their teams is how specialized they have become.  When the sport was less organized a generation ago, racers could aspire to be winners of single-day races, mountain-top finishes, sprints, and stage races taking place over days or weeks.  Not anymore.  Today’s top teams select a single discipline, and build a team required to achieve their specific objective.  This singular focus also keeps the expectations aligned with the team’s sponsors.  The team is going after either stage wins, sprint finishes, best young rider, overall general classifications ride, or climbing.

The events made me reflect on my own team, and how we’ve built a team focused on the interface between healthcare and information technology where opportunities abound.  We’re focused on providing those we serve with the ability to deliver extraordinary care by leveraging interoperability, improve outcomes through data liquidity, and realize dollar savings through improved efficiency and productivity.

Unlike racing associated with sport, there is no roaring crowd at a finish line to let us know we won.  Our aspiration is continuous improvement for our people, our organization’s ability to provide extraordinary services, and the knowledge that we’re making a difference because our actions are built on Golden Rule values.  In cycling parlance, we’re going after the combativity award, which shows the most fighting spirit!