Its Dignity Friday.
We are experiencing some of the most challenging times in our history. It is a time that is bringing high stress and a sense of wondering is this ever going to end. In times like this it is difficult to talk about positive things but to me there is no better time than now to recognize the moments that bring joy to your heart like the birth of a baby or a marriage. Its these moments that help us move forward and help us get through the challenges of our daily lives.
I had two amazing things happen this week. These two events helped me to understand why it is imperative that we embrace the idea of treating all people with Dignity.
Amazing news #1: Back in January of 2020 I was a part of an amazing team of Clinical Documentation Specialists. We set out on a journey to grow and strengthen our team. We had the honor of working with an amazing team in our Diversity and Inclusion department (Yemisi Oloruntola-Coates and Kara Wolf). They introduced us to the Dignity Model. It was the start of something that I have never experienced before. It was the transformation of each individual as well as the growth of a team and the creation of strong leaders. You may ask does treating people with dignity have an effect? Well, let the employee engagement data from Press Ganey speak to that.
2019 Engagement score 3.99/5.0; Team index Tier-3 (Tier 1 (Top performers); Leader Index 63/100 Moderately low
2020 Engagement score 4.44/5.0; Team Index Tier-1; Leader Index 92/100 Moderately High/High
These numbers show the dedication and commitment of leadership and the team. Not only did we see improved communication and trust but we also saw improved productivity. This is a testament to how just honoring dignity can change everything. I am proud to be a part of these amazing people.
Amazing news #2: I had someone reach out to me to tell me that their mother is now 5 years sober. This is important because I was there on her first step in this journey. I was her nurse. I tell people all the time that you never know when your interactions with a patient could lead to that recovery journey. I am so honored that this family made me a part of this amazing achievement. To know that those few hours have made such an impact 5 years later is a testament to the power of dignity.
There is no algorithm or steps to dignity. It is just in how we treat people. It is in how we communicate. We want to be inclusive. We want to accept the identity of others. We want to be understanding and acknowledge our differences. We want to give people the benefit of the doubt and help create an environment that is safe. We want to support freedom and independence and when we hurt someone, we work to right the wrong.
You will always win with dignity. Dignity will always prevail. – Dr. Don Shirley-Green Book
Charles Redd RN
Dignity Freedom Fighter
Dignity Freedom Fighter 
Thank you so much Charles, you and the team were AMAZING to work with! It is one of my best experiences â in order to actualize and operationalize dignity one needs to believe in it! And You all did! AMAZING WORK!!!!
Thanks,
Yemisi
Yemisi Oloruntola-Coates
She/Her
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Chief Inclusion and Equity Officer
Yemisi_o.coates@wgbh.org
352.359.7698 Cell
One Guest Street, Boston, MA 02135
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My Executive Assistant Leah C Abrams can be reached by:
Leah_abrams@wgbh.org
617.300.2018 Office
781.864.7035 Cell
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