“If we can't craft that job, maybe we can involve them in some extra assignments to keep them motivated and engaged.” Finally, Gall noted, “I tell them that I hope that their dream job is here with this company; but if it’s not, I still want them to reach their goal.”
Taking a Few
Steps...Literally People with leadership potential may be all around you. “If you are out and about as a leader in the community, you get to know everyone and see who advocates for their residents and are dedicated to the com- munity. When you see them, pull them in and engage them,” said Sarah Howd, MD, CMD, assistant professor of medicine and geriatrics at the University of Rochester, associate medical director of the Senior Living Practice at UR Medicine Geriatrics Group, and chair of AMDA—The Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care’s assist- ed living subcommittee. This means entry-level workers too, she
stressed, adding, “When they are faithful to their schedules, know their residents, and clearly love their work, talk to them about their next step. Would they be interested in training to be a med tech, an LPN, or an administrator? We need to identify stars at all levels and foster their growth.” Tim Nelson, a principal at Olympus
Retirement Living in Eagle, Idaho, agreed, saying, “I had a skilled nursing administra- tor reach out and tell me about a mainte- nance worker who would be a good admin- istrator.” It turns out that “this person had pursued an administrator’s license without telling us. He was someone who consistent- ly went above and beyond.” These are the kinds of people, he suggested, leaders need to watch for. While it’s important to enable and en-
courage workers to advance in their careers, leaders also need to nurture those who have talent and promise but don’t necessarily want to move up the ladder. “We have to respect people who aren’t
interested in going to the next level. This was so foreign to me, but I had to learn that it’s okay and to understand and appreciate their goals. Now I have nothing but admira- tion for these people because they truly love their work,” said Nelson. With this new understanding, he now fo- cuses on other ways to nurture and support them. “We need to give them ownership in something that they’ll enjoy besides their regular job. Maybe we can put them on a committee or involve them in planning a special event,” he said, adding, “And we can’t forget the value of a thank you and a little praise. These can go a long way.”
Offering a Taste of Leadership Not everyone has a clear career path, and it’s important to help guide those promis- ing team members who don’t have a five- year plan. Gall said, To do so, she said Merrill Gardens creat- ed a new position in the company—resident experience partner. “For example, if some- one comes in to interview as a server and we see a spark in them, we talk about the possibility of cross-training them to handle multiple roles in the community – helping with activities, working in dietary, answering the phones, etc. The more they learn, the more they get paid,” Gall said. “These people are very valuable to us,
and their job satisfaction is high. They are excited about their work, and they enjoy the fact that there is variety in their day.” Over time, these workers find out where their passions lie, and management can work with them to identify what possible leadership roles might be right for them, she added.
From Greeter to Great Leader Gall knows from experience that great lead- ers can come from anywhere. She recalled, “We had a bus driver taking a group of residents to Walmart for some shopping. He stayed at the front of the store and was impressed with how efficient, happy, and pleasant the greeter was.” Eventually, the bus driver approached the
greeter and asked if she’d ever considered working in senior living. She said, “No.” “He gave her a company card and told her
we were looking for an activities’ assistant. She called that afternoon and ultimately got the job,” Gall said. But that was just the start: “She just blew us away with how great she was in that position, and she was eventually promoted to activities director. She then went into sales and then to the business office. Today, she is senior business office director.” Assessing leaders is key to getting people
in the right positions and ensuring that they have the skills and competencies they need. Shook said, “We do town hall meetings with different groups of employees and no lead- ers present. We ask them how their leader is doing. We walk through what is happening and what needs to happen.” This isn’t about blame, he stressed. It’s about ensuring that people have the tools to positively impact their relationships with their teams. When people are struggling in a leader-
ship role, it is important to work with them to assess if this is where they want to and should be. Not everyone really wants to be a leader. However, if they are faltering as a leader but want to succeed, it behooves the organization to identify way to pull them up and get them on track.
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2023
ARGENTUM.ORG 35
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56
