What’s in a Name?
Who would have thought the name of a fruit — “apple” — would become the name for the world’s most valuable company? Apple co-founder Steve Jobs said he chose that name because he thought it sounded “fun, spirited and not intimidating.” Ultimately, that name set the tone for Apple’s culture as a creator of easy-to-use, innovative products. It got me to thinking about how we select the names for our programs and services at Lenbrook.
Names Based on Function or the Founder
Sometimes, the names of our amenities are simply based on function – or the person who initiated that particular program or service. Our formal dining restaurant complete with fine china, white table clothes and a dress code is named “Fine Dining.” Our outdoor terrace dining option is named “Tim’s Terrace” after the head of dining at the time the outdoor terrace venue was created. It’s pretty clear how these names came about.
Names Reflecting Vision and Values
More often than not, though, we look for opportunities to create names that reflect our core mission, vision and values — and if it’s a long name, we use the acronym. Of course, then we get the question, “What does that name stand for?” Upon which I smile and use it as an opportunity to share the Lenbrook story and offer some insight. Here are two examples.
What is “LIVE”?
Lenbrook is an energetic and engaged community of 500 residents whose interests and activities span everything from the arts, politics, philanthropy, literature and history to yoga, pilates, ballroom dance, woodworking and community service. Our residents take pride in living vital and engaged lives supported by a warm and welcoming community. So when we started a formal program to serve as a support system and conduit to resources our residents may need during short or long-term bumps in the road, we decided to name it: LIVE. It stands for “Lenbrook Individuals are Vital and Engaged.”
LIVE helps with so many stages and steps of residents’ lives, everything from providing referrals for personal care providers to sessions on how to best navigate Medicare Open Enrollment. Or, when folks just need a little extra social support, our Chaplains are right there to help. LIVE also provides ongoing education for living vital and engaged lives — bringing in professional speakers on topics that will help enhance a resident’s overall quality of life and independence.
Hence, when the team of senior living professionals were tasked with creating the name, LIVE seemed right. Because it’s a direct reflection of who we are: a warm, supportive community of vital and engaged residents.
What are RITE Rewards?
Along those same lines, we created the name “RITE Rewards” for our new employee recognition program. Our residents had requested we have a more formal way of recognizing associates who consistently provide caring, responsive and competent service, those who go the extra mile or demonstrate our values.
We chose to name it RITE Rewards, which directly references Lenbrook’s four core values in the workplace:
* RESPECT
* INTEGRITY
* TEAMWORK
* EXCELLENCE
It’s also a play on words because the idea is to catch associates doing something “RIGHT” and reward it. Residents, managers, supervisors and coworkers can fill out a card stating the specific behavior(s) the associate demonstrated that support “The Lenbrook Way” of doing things, and pop it in a RITE Rewards box. Points are assigned for each card submitted and associates can redeem the points for a variety of items. Special cash awards are presented each quarter and at the end of the year to the associates with the most points earned during that time period.
This program helps us reinforce and reward practicing Lenbrook Way service standards and values on the job on a regular basis.
One of my favorite Peter Drucker management quotes is: “Culture eats strategy for breakfast.” So while we have strategic goals and objectives for Lenbrook’s performance as a whole, we know that it’s our culture that’s going to make reaching those goals a reality. It’s one of the reasons we put a lot of thought into our Lenbrook program names — so that these names can help support the alignment of our culture with our stakeholders. Just ask me. I’m happy to share the story behind our names and culture.
Chris Keysor is President and Chief Executive Officer of Lenbrook. His passion for the senior living industry began early in his career as a CPA with KPMG Peat Marwick. Chris progressed in executive responsibilities over the years, working for a senior healthcare provider, healthcare financing organizations and senior living consulting groups. Chris is also a nationally ranked Ironman triathlete, which he says comes in handy raising his two young children with his wife here in Atlanta.