decision making

What’s Wrong with This Picture? Creating Confusion by Sending the Wrong Message

Semaphore flags

My social media of choice is Twitter. I’ve been a “Tweep” since 2008, although that includes years of no Twitter during the craziness of politics and elections when I find my blood pressure boiling way too frequently. There are lots of advocates who are also Twitter people. Those I know about I follow. When it makes sense I “retweet” what they’ve said to help them amplify their voices – a bit of a marketing boost, I hope! So you can imagine my surprise when I found this Twitter post the other day: Whoa! Say what? I contacted the advocate who …

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The Advocacy Liability Insurance Conundrum

upset and worried

Once in awhile a topic in the APHA Connect! Discussion Forum takes on a life of its own. The recent conversation regarding liability / professional / E&O (errors and omissions) insurance for advocates is one of them. I’m going to share part of the conversation with you, then provide some perspective, too. The Conversation Trigger Recently, the company that has provided business liability insurance to the majority of professional advocates during the past few years has decided to stop covering advocacy practices. APHA’s insurance advisor* has explained that the insurer has decided instead to focus on different kinds of insurance. …

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To Quote Dr. Phil – And How’s That Workin’ For Ya?

Dr. Phil

True confession here – I am not a HUGE fan of Dr. Phil’s. However, in the early years of his TV show I used to watch on occasion and felt like he made some great points about the choices we make and how we live our lives…. So, short of catching my 15-year-old smoking pot in her room (no worries – even my grandkids are older than that), or finding out my husband has three other wives (beLIEVE me – he doesn’t!) here are some of my favorite Dr. Phil-isms: No matter how flat you make a pancake, it’s still …

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The Enemy of the Good – Getting Out of Your Own Way

beaver dam

I love sayings and metaphors. Those who are regular readers of this blog know that from previous posts. I so admire and respect people who just have a “way” of phrasing words to make concepts understandable, even those that are profound and important. I especially like it when I think they are right 🙂 One of the sayings I’ve cited in previous posts has been one that’s most often credited to Voltaire: Perfect is the enemy of the good. I’m going to show you how this saying fits advocacy, and how it can have a profound effect on your practice. …

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Rats! Seattle History Exposes a Lesson for Advocates and Care Managers

rat in sewer

I love Seattle. I have visited several times, all work-related, and always pleasurable. Such a vibrant city, so many good-hearted people. If I didn’t live so far away, I’d visit far more often. This month I visited Seattle again, and for the first time, I enjoyed several tourist days. Delightful! From the Space Needle, to the Chihuly Gardens, from the Pike Place Market food tour, to a tour of the Seattle Underground… which brings me to the point of today’s post. Early Seattle history is very much about the Seattle Underground. It’s so different from any history I’ve learned before, …

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A Simple Coin Toss Could Determine YOUR Future

coin flip

I’m always fascinated by research results that make me go “hmmm”. Today I have one of those to share with you. Sometimes it’s not a good “hmmm” – because my thought process is – “you mean someone PAID them to do that research?” Or, “Why did they bother? That’s just common sense!” Other times I can glean something useful or at least thought-provoking – good fodder for a discussion with friends or family. That’s where this one falls. And because you are my friend (or at least you’ve invested in our relationship by reading this post) and because some among …

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Burned Out? Leaving Medicine? Advocacy Might Be Right For You

exhausted medical worker

Understatement warning! (Like a spoiler alert only it’s no spoiler!) Burnout among medical professionals is huge right now. The COVID pandemic has caused exhausted healthcare professionals to suffer feelings of fear, frustration, anger, sadness, and the sense that each has lost control over his or her own life… As a result, many people who work in medical environments are looking for an alternative to the craziness. The question becomes… Is there something I can do for a living, a new profession I can choose, that allows me to take advantage of my health and medical education and experience while I …

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