The business of care is all about sacrifices. Of course this does not mean that those entering the business of care do not deserve to get paid. Let’s face it quality caregiving and caregiving management involve both skill and lots of time. This is not what the blog is about.
In this writing we address those who find themselves in substandard business operations. These care business owners can look back and find tons of family and friends either on the payroll or dependent upon the success of the care business. At the same times these relatives or other close associates are not making truly meaningful contributions to the success of the business or to the professional image of the business.
The owner may take much pride in how much cash they can provide to family members as it feeds their ego and feelings of superiority and self-worth. Some may be compensating for real or perceived other failures in their own lives that have negatively impacted their children and/or others. What is really going on? These entrepreneurs have been drawn into “Big Man on Campus” Syndrome.
Residents in assisted living, participants in adult day care and clients of a home care company can find their services not of the quality they should be due to an imbalanced commitment to financing the lives of others instead of investing into quality of life improvement for those being served. Often those reliant upon the owner for self-enrichment are compromised in a variety of ways from communication skills, to presentation ability to personal appearance to temperament and as a result can really not make the business better but are contributing to its ongoing decline. Families are let down too. Eventually that decline becomes permanent and the cash-cow dies!
In the wake of this business tragedy lies numerous victims including: Group home residents who could have done better, adult day care enrollees who would have found real fulfillment elsewhere and home care clients who would have benefited from a more stable and proactive approach to receiving care in their private homes. But the list of victims does not end here.
That unprofessional relative or other person who benefits from the business while never qualifying to make it better has been lulled into believing that the concept of “something for nothing” really does exist which allows them to live in a world of non-reality.
We have seen this pattern in SE Michigan group homes at an alarming rate. Avoiding the trend is simple: Recruit and train those with a commitment to quality service delivery and who are qualified to make the business better. Of course this requires that you as the owner have this visible commitment first.
Then you are the “Big Man on Campus” because you are doing a good job. After all is not this what really matters in the end.
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