Author: John Weir

With over 27 years in Healthcare Environmental Services (ES), I lead with a belief that attitude drives outcomes. As a Regional Director at MultiCare Health System, I oversee multi-site ES operations with a focus on people-first leadership, infection control, and operational excellence. I champion a Positive Mental Attitude (PMA) not as a slogan, but as a leadership principle. I believe positivity is contagious, and as a leader, I set the tone. Through consistent, uplifting communication, I create environments where ES teams feel empowered to be helpful, proactive, and proud of their impact. For me, development is a choice, and I invest in training, huddles, and coaching that energize teams, helping them thrive in their current roles and grow toward what’s next. My approach to high standards isn't theoretical, it's practical. Just like we notice when a hotel room is clean and fresh, patients and families immediately sense a space that’s been cared for. Through standardized protocols, team accountability, and a shared mission, I help create clean, safe, and healing environments that directly enhance patient experience and staff well-being. It's a privilege to lead teams that play such a vital role in the patient journey, and to help elevate the perception and performance of ES professionals across our system.

Over the past several weeks, as a lot of you know, I’ve had a TON of stuff going on, survey’s disaster drill planning, policy updates and more! And I’ve gotten a TON of work from home business ideas for my company that I haven’t been able to put into action yet because I’ve been so busy!

As a result, I haven’t been focused like I should have been and realized that maybe I need to double up with my self improvement. When I’m feeling unfocused and unproductive I am AWARE of it and do whatever I can at that moment to work on it and am constantly improving myself.

Recently I saw a gentleman named Benny Morris speak on self improvement and how to break past the barriers in our lives.

Dr. Benny Morris:

ALL of you have heard the whole “break past your beliefs” thing and probably have heard it many times. This seminar was NOT just another self-help “thing,” I originally wasn’t going to talk about this for that reason, but I decided what I learned was too valuable to share and would really improve your business ten fold!

Before I get into everything I’ve learned, I want to give you a brief history on Dr. Morris, to show you his credibility. Benny owned the FIRST Tony Robins Franchise and went on to tour with Tony across the country. In addition, he’s created a 5 step method (Valeo Method) on how to achieve your goals and dreams and his book is fantastic! He truly practices what he preaches and that is SO important when you’re listening to ANY leader!

What I Learned That Changed My Business and Life Forever:

During the seminar, thinking about why I still feel like I have things holding me back, yet I’m successful and really feel somehow at the same time that I give my business my all! I was confused and frustrated with myself.

Then Benny asked, “How many of you are living up to 50% of your potential,” NO ONE raised their hand, then he asked how many were living up to 10% of their potential, NO ONE raised their hand!!

This was it! I was NOT using all of my potential and I KNEW it! How crazy is that?? Most of us know that we’re not using our full potential, and still continue to do a half ass job day in and day out. We sit back and make excuses for not doing something and justify it with our EGO, then it never gets done!

What I learned at that seminar was to really push yourself to make a positive, disciplined, productive routine into a habit. There is no excuse for lack of discipline, and really no excuse for ultimate failure. Sure we might fail here and there, but that’s part of success!! However if you let that failure defeat you I HIGHLY suggest you figure out why and fix the problem within.

We’ve all been told this, but how many of us actually follow it?

So Here’s My Action Step For You TODAY:

Here’s what I want you to do every day, for the rest of your life ;) ! Whenever a thought comes into your head like “oh you can’t do that,” “You’re too young, You’re too old” blah blah blah, imagine it leaving your mind, grabbing that thought, throwing it into a trash bin tied to a helium balloon and floating away into space…

Your Ego is NOT your friend! It will say anything to you to keep you from your goals, and this is why you have to make these little mental pictures and tricks to keep it from taking you over.

Finally I want to tell you that Affirmations are so important. Admittedly I had stopped writing them, but from today on I am going to write them every single day, they condition our subconscious to allow us to be successful and free from mental barriers. Let’s write them together, after all repetition and routine will turn into habit :) .

To Your Success!

We had our “long awaited” Joint Commission Survey the beginning of this week. It seemed like forever, waiting for them to arrive… not really. While it might have seemed like a long time, it really was just another week for a hospital that prides itself on being the best possible caregiver to meet the physical, and spiritual needs of the community.

Environmental Services is the department that cleans, disinfects, and fights infection in every hospital. ES for short, is a department that touches every aspect of a healthcare facility, every patient, every staff member and every visitor. My team is no different, but we try to be different in one aspect; we don’t “get ready” for survey’s like The Joint Commission, or CMS, we practice survey readiness everyday.

Successful leadership in healthcare environmental services requires constant vigilance, ongoing education, willingness to identify opportunities for improvement in ourselves first, and staff second. In that spirit I share 11 principles and 14 traits for leading in this ever changing environment.

(more…)

Resonant Leaders engage us. They evoke positive emotions and inspire us through their positive thoughts and clear vision. Leaders develop their resonance through compassion, hope, mindfulness and they maintain their resonance. Is it any wonder this leads to increased revenue in an organization?

Leaders of all kinds possess these abilities. However, their level of emotional intelligence determines their ability to manage the feeling and emotions that motivate groups to meet its goals. Resonance, in terms of brain function, means that people’s emotional centers are in synch in a positive way. We have to do everything we can to promote resonant leadership skills.

Sure it seems like a never ending cycle of cutbacks, reductions and expectations to do more with less. Some hospitals reach the breaking point sooner because they have been more efficient to begin with. Eventually even the over-staffed facilities will feel the challenge to keep up.

Patient satisfaction scores are one measure of performance. While it is important to listen to the customer we must first measure our staff performance ourselves. When rounding do you take the time to observe how your staff are cleaning, and offer tips, suggestions and training on the spot?

(more…)

Housekeeping schedules should be planned, written and closely followed. Cleaning schedules should be developed according to the needs of each area. Without written routines and schedules your productivity and customer satisfaction are going to go up and down more often then a roller coaster.

The major difference between cleaning a medical facility and any other building is the focus on the un-seen enemy, bacteria. Environmental Service’s job is to not only provide good visible results, but to reduce the number of surface bacteria to a safe level in order to control cross infection. This is an extremely important responsibility because it keeps harmful bacteria from infecting the person next door or across the hall. Persons whose bodies are recuperating from surgery, injury or a primary infection are in a weakened condition and therefore, cannot put p their normal fight against harmful bacteria. A secondary infection in these cases can cause very serious illness.

(more…)