September 6, 2024
There are only two more sessions in the popular Leading With Purpose program, but it isn’t the end; rather, it’s just the beginning. “The 30-minute programs focus on a few key points, followed by some actionable strategies participants can take. So far, the feedback has been very positive, and people have been able to take what they’ve learned and implement it with their teams,” says JoAnne Reifsnyder, PhD, MSN, MBA, FAAN, professor of health services leadership and management at the University of Maryland, who leads the sessions. She notes, “It’s about taking meaningful action sooner rather than later. People often don’t see themselves as leaders, and programs like these empower them to be active and effective in that role.”
PALTmed created the Leading With Purpose series to complement the More of a Good Thing discussions and are intentionally limited to 30 minutes. “We wanted to make it possible for people to access these sessions without spending a lot of time that could be dedicated to resident care and other tasks,” Dr. Reifsnyder says. Each session includes a tool, some coaching around how to use it, and a mechanism for sharing how things are going. The programs are conversational in nature, and everyone has an opportunity to share their insights and experiences.
The last two sessions, set for September 19 and October 17, respectively, are on Strengthening Your Approach to Leading Change and Age-Friendly Health Systems as a Care Force Strategy. Even if you haven’t participated yet, Dr. Reifsnyder recommends participating in these last two and listening to recordings of previous sessions.
“My experience has been that everyone in every position has the opportunity to influence and lead, and through these sessions, we can create the conditions for other people to be successful,” she says. These efforts stress how meaningful and important it is for every team member to have an opportunity to share ideas, provide meaningful feedback, and contribute to excellent care and positive change. Additionally, she notes, “These kinds of programs remind us that we can enjoy our work, be creative, and have fun as a team. There is a joy in leadership, and it can be a very positive experience.”
Leading With Purpose, says Dr. Reifsnyder, was developed specifically to be “very low burden but high engagement and actionable.” She stresses that anyone who participates in one of these sessions or listens to the recordings “will be able to take away one or two actions that they can put in place right away to improve their own practices as a leader and thereby strengthen their team as well.” Ultimately, she observes, “We can elevate our organizations by taking a few small steps. These remaining two sessions will highlight a few additional things that we need to do to not feel overwhelmed and to overcome the inertia that can get in the way of productive leadership.”
Go here to register for one or both of these sessions or for information about how to access recordings for previous sessions.