LEADERSHIP INSIGHTS

I love pie! I rarely turn down the chance to enjoy a slice…lemon meringue, peach, apple, pumpkin, pecan, chocolate, cherry, even grape! There’s only one pie I had to develop a taste for – humble pie. Do you have a taste for it as well?

Since April we’ve sailed the seas with two ships of our leadership fleet – Mentorship and Relationship. How’s your sailing going? Who on your crew has now been mentored…and is now mentoring others? What relationships among your “shipmates” have you leaned into to strengthen? We now enter June, a fine month for sunny sky sailing. We conclude our voyage aboard our final leadership vessel – Stewardship.

Last month we toured the first of three “ships” in our leadership fleet – Mentorship. How did you do as you hoisted the sail with that skill? Who did you mentor? How did they grow? How rewarding was it to watch their sail fill?This month’s vessel – Relationship.

Have you ever been sailing? Sailing a boat requires trust in your intuition to steer—paying close attention to changes in the wind, knowing how to adapt and adjust and when to let go of control, relax, and enjoy. And it’s hard to sail a large ship alone; you must rely on your crew’s strengths. Communication is required between the captain and shipmates. Does sailing sound a little bit like leadership? Well then…I invite you to set sail with me over the upcoming months as we explore thre...

Modern medicine preaches the benefits of prevention. We’ve learned how it positively impacts overall health, increases quality of life, and decreases cost of care.What if we were to apply this concept to our staffing pipeline? Too often in the midst of today’s healthcare climate, where steadying today’s staffing levels is—at best—a struggle, considering tomorrow’s needs takes a back seat. While the difficulty is understandable, by postponing the preparations until the time of need, it c...

As readers of this monthly leadership insight, we vary in years of experience, age, and approaches. We bring diverse viewpoints to the definition of good leadership—what WE think it means to be a great leader. I’m challenging all of us to look at leadership from a different perspective. Instead of seeing it through our own eyes, considering what benefit we bring to those we support, let’s get curious: what do those we serve NEED from our leadership?

January marks the beginning of a new walk for me as I now offer this monthly reflection.  I’m attempting to fill the big shoes of one of my most cherished mentors—Jo Anne Preston, who taught me so very much about myself and about what true leadership looks like.  Realistically I know I’ll never fill her shoes, as I’m simply not like her, despite my desire to be.  Instead, I’m working on walking ever steadier in my own shoes.  Over the past 23 years of my own leadership journey, even that ha...

Ahhh…Fall! The season of colorful leaves fluttering to the ground, cooler temperatures, fields being harvested, Friday night football, children racing door to door to collect treats, and yes…PUMPKINS! I may be more excited than most about the annual tradition of growing, carving, and displaying pumpkins. But this year in my pumpkin search, I’m seeing messages of leadership and fostering belonging. Read on to see what I mean:

Have you ever felt like an outsider? For example, I had a year-long weekly class in eighth grade, and I was the only one who came from the neighboring – rival - town. The other kids sat on the opposite side of the room from me and, for twelve months, only the teacher acknowledged my presence.

I’ve been hearing more and more about Belonging and its impact on employee well-being, engagement, and retention. It got me curious. Is it really as big of a deal as it seems? In a word, yes. The more I learn, the more convinced I am that it’s a golden ticket that we might not have yet completely unwrapped.