Between The Metrics
The people who make you better shape who you become.
Life has a way of convincing us that success is about finding the right opportunities, the right title, the right education, or the right salary. Those things matter. But so do the people standing beside us.
There are people who leave you feeling smaller—questioning yourself, second-guessing your instincts, or trying to become someone you're not.
And then there are the rare ones.
The people who make you laugh a little louder.
Who challenge you without diminishing you.
Who make you want to lead with more kindness, more courage, and more authenticity.
Who remind you what you're capable of on the days you've forgotten.
Those relationships don't just make life better. They shape who we become.
I've realized that the people I value most aren't simply the ones who support me. They're the ones who consistently bring out the version of myself I like best.
In healthcare, we spend a lot of time talking about culture, but maybe it's simpler than we make it.
Culture is built by people who make each other better—one conversation, one meeting, and one act of grace at a time.
Pay attention to those people. They're one of life's greatest metrics.
Dana J. Caviness
Healthcare Executive | Cancer Survivor | Speaker | Writer
Dana Caviness is an MBA-credentialed healthcare leader serving as Enterprise Assistant Vice President of Patient Experience Operations at Wellstar Health System. With more than two decades of leadership experience, she drives patient-centered strategies that improve outcomes and strengthen organizational culture. A cancer survivor and equity advocate, Caviness translates empathy into operational practices,…
