“Vision without action is a daydream. Action without vision is a nightmare.” -Japanese proverb

Welcome to my blog on our new, exciting web site! This is my first attempt at blogging anywhere and I hope that you will take this as an opportunity to post your reactions and comments to what I write. I’m looking forward as much to hearing your reactions and comments as I am to writing my entries.

I started with the proverb above to focus this first entry on what is commonly referred to as the “vision thing”. We are in the process of rolling out a tool, a campaign called “Inspiring Hope”, so that all of you understand the vision, mission and goal of Cenpatico. Our vision for this company is that Cenpatico will become the industry leader in recovery and resiliency based managed behavioral healthcare for the publically funded consumer.

Think of the vision statement above as the top of a triangle and moving down are the building blocks that support this statement which ultimately become a foundation, the actions we must take as a company. The vision answers the question WHERE we want to end up, but not the HOW and WHY. The “why” has to be answered by a strong mission that supports our vision. Our mission for this company is that together we inspire hope for a better life. That is why I get out of bed in the morning. Yes, increasing share holder value for Centene is critical and understood, however, that is true of every great company, and, I think you will agree, is hardly by itself an inspiring mission. I believe that every one of us has to understand that regardless of our role, each of us has the power to make a difference in our consumers’ lives; each of us can inspire hope!

So, we have the “where”, we have the “why”, and now for the “how”. Think about your favorite companies and what is it you love about them. Obviously they have to have a great product, but don’t they also have great customer service? And sometimes when the product falters, don’t these same companies also make it up to you, again, with great customer service? I still remember an American Airlines service agent when I showed up with 5 minutes to spare, grabbing me and my suitcase and escorting me down the ramp to the plane before they closed the door. Once on the plane, there was no overhead space, she then grabbed my bag and rushed it down the stairs outside to ensure that it made it into the plane’s baggage compartment. See, I still remember her and she reflected well for her airline.

Customer service is not a department. CSR’s are not just a specific group of employees. In our business we are all CSR’s. We can do most of what our competitors do, however, it is a crowded field and we have to stand out. I believe our employees set us apart from our competitors. If we are to get to our vision, we have to show the world we “walk the talk” with our mission. Cenpatico’s primary goal, the engine for the vision and mission, is customer service that consistently demonstrates Cenpatico’s value. Thus, our goal, the “how”: “Demonstrate value to our customers in everything you do”.

So there you have it. Our vision, mission, and goal (bolded above for your convenience) which answer the questions: Where is this company going — Why are we going there — How are we going to get there.

Sam Donaldson, Ph.D.
CEO & President
Cenpatico

This entry is filed under Blog.