GREAT LEADERSHIP IS NOT MAGIC OR MYTH, BUT IT TAKES SPECIAL SKILLS, TALENTS, PASSIONS
“We always encourage our leaders to share best practices and focus on providing avenues for our teams to do this easily. This creates a team of leaders who are all striving for the same goals and helps build camaraderie and culture within our organization.”
— Collette Gray
of transparency from a data per- spective. We often have to rely on self-reported data on issues such as occupancy,” said Joe Jedlowski, chairman and chief executive officer at Distinctive Living, a New Jersey-based senior housing operator and developer. Instead of making decisions
Joe Jedlowski
based solely on data, he sug- gested, assisted living leaders need to get out in the fi eld, talk
to their people, and engage experts to validate data points and make well-rounded decisions. Nelson observed that in his own role as a leader, he needs to
wear multiple hats and he sees that as a good thing. “I get to do marketing, customer service, and team building. I see these things as the leader’s job, and you must be good at all of them.”
Building the Team How leaders defi ne their style impacts how they build their teams. For instance, Nelson said, “I see myself as an empowering leader. The people I’m looking for thrive on knowing they can have an impact and make a diff erence.” Jedlowski on the other hand said he pictures himself as an
innovative leader, tearing down walls. “I want people who aren’t afraid to challenge the status quo and don’t have the mindset of ‘we’ve always done it this way.’” He said that building his team was easy. “I chose people I have known for years. We’ve worked together for a long time, and we know each other’s strengths and weaknesses, and our values are aligned.” When it comes to keeping a good team, Jedlowski said it’s important to realize that people don’t leave because of systems or
processes but more likely because the culture is toxic. “This means faulty promises, lack of communication, and no transparency. We let people know from the start that we’re invested in them. We know what their goals are, and we set a clear direction for them to reach them,” he said. Gray said her company’s philosophy for success when it comes
to leadership is to provide community leaders with the autonomy to manage their business while providing them with ample resources, training, and support. “This philosophy has proven successful in our entire business approach and has resulted in our ability to be able to grow people from within, thereby promoting them and creating a deep bench strength.” Leadership is an art, and sometimes this means things aren’t
necessarily black and white. “Sometimes we learn by trial and error. The pandemic shone a light on how adaptable and agile leaders need to be. Those who weren’t able to adapt and adjust weren’t able to continue in their leadership roles,” says Creal. “We learned that you can’t panic or overreact. You have to stay
calm and model this for our teams.” Gray said, “Develop your leaders to be fl exible and understand the need for change – in- novation stems from change and ultimately will drive the future success for our industry.” On top of everything else, O’Neil stressed that leaders need
their values in the right order. Of course, work is important, and it’s especially satisfying when you love what you do. “But as a physician, I’ve found that when people always put
their work above everything else, they are not happy in their lives and often have health issues. We need balanced lives and people and activities outside of work that bring us joy and a sense of purpose.”
12 SENIOR LIVING EXECUTIVE JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2023
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