Guest Blog by Dawn Gannon
It’s hard to believe that the one-year anniversary of Super Storm Sandy has come and gone. While the storm was devastating for so many people in so many ways, it also provided opportunities for collaboration between competitors within the fertility community.
Just in case you haven’t heard, I am talking about the extra-ordinary collaboration between NYU Fertility Center, Reproductive Medicine Associates of New York, and New Hope Fertility Center to ensure that patients affected by the storm were able to continue building their families. As NYU’s Dr. Jamie Griffo has pointed out, the immediate, open arms response to a call for assistance from a competing practice to serve patients, regardless of who’s they were, showcases a tremendous dedication to community and quality care by everyone involved. In short, it was an expanded team effort, not one cycle failed, and the “Sandy Saves” are now a year old.
Writing for Entrepreneur recently, Lewis Howes pointed out that partnerships matter; even, and sometimes especially, with your competitors. Without partnerships, both inside and outside NYU during and in the aftermath of Super Storm Sandy, many patients would have lost a precious opportunity to build their families – not to mention thousands of dollars. Instead, the collaboration between competitors not only ensured continuation of quality care in an emergency situation, it also enhanced the corporate valuation of all the clinics involved.
Creating or enhancing value for all of your stakeholders, both internal (think employees) and external (think patients/clients) increases their satisfaction with your business, which in turn increases positive interactions, and eventually your bottom line.
As you begin (or continue) to plan for 2014, consider reaching out to your competitors, and others, in the fertility community to build partnerships, which can enhance corporate valuation with all of your stakeholders.
One last thought – Congratulations to NYU and New Hope Fertility, who are being honored for their remarkable partnership at RESOLVE’s Night of Hope on November 6th. I hope to see you all there!
Dawn Gannon
Before founding her own consulting firm, Dawn Gannon served as a respected management professional in the nonprofit military, higher education, and healthcare fields for 25 years. Dawn’s commitment and personal mission to improve the lives of others through service to the community focuses on providing administrative and volunteer management,consumer education, public outreach, event planning, relationship-building efforts,and strategic planning. She is also a published author on the topic of childfree living.
(Originally Published November 4, 2013)
