Becker's Hospital Review

40 Sign up for the COMPLIMENTARY Becker's Hospital Review CEO Report & CFO Report E-Weeklies at www.BeckersHospitalReview.com or call (800) 417-2035 If employees have healthy relationships with their bosses and training and education opportunities are made available to them, they get the feeling that the organization cares. People want to know you, as an employer, are investing in them. Here are three tips for hospital executives and senior leaders to better support their managers, supervisors, directors and staff and help them adapt in the shift from episodic to continuous change. Once managers and supervisors learn a new skill, does anyone judge how effectively they demonstrate it? Maybe a manager received training on how to run effective meetings. If no one observes the manager hold meetings and put that training to use, that skill isn't validated. We cannot expect employees to be competent in certain skills and traits unless we ensure they are doing things correctly. 1. Break the silence. Most managers and supervisors don't want to let executives know how much they're struggling. They don't want to be whiners. As a result, hospitals don't know the degree of stress their leaders are under, and this is why they are so exhausted. 3. Take the time to mentor. People in human resources or organizational development do a wonderful job of sharing training materials and professional resources, but they tell me they are unsure if a manager's or supervisor's boss follows up with their professional development. Take the time to mentor the people who report to you. Ask yourself, "What do my managers and supervisors need, and how do I help them?" When employees complete training or professional development courses, ask them to tell you what they learned and to describe how you can best help them. Provide managers and supervisors with ways to tell you where they need help (without feeling like failures for doing so). You may be able to identify some of the challenges facing employees based on outcomes or performance metrics, but in other instances, you will not know they're having a hard time unless they come forward and tell you. Dealing with continuous change is not easy. But we can do it and do it successfully. That's because despite all that has changed, the values that drive people to do their best work — to throw their heart and soul into caring for the patients whose lives are in their hands — remain steadfast. It's those values that will pull us through the tough changes with our passion and dedication intact. n 2. Validate fundamental skill sets. Training is only part of professional development. Leaders must help managers and supervisors obtain the skill sets they need. These fundamental skills include running effective meetings, managing financial resources, selecting and developing talent, answering tough questions, and, of course, understanding the external environment. But their responsibility doesn't end there. Validation is commonly missing in hospitals' leadership development. Hospital Review Profiles on 300+ Hospital & Health System CEOs and CFOs Now Available! For listings and biographical information on hundreds of hospital and health system CEOs and CFOs across the country, visit our CEO/CFO Directory at www.beckershospitalreview.com/ceo-and-cfo-profiles.html Latest profiles include: University of Pennsylvania Health System CFO Keith Kasper Intermountain Healthcare President and CEO Charles Sorenson, MD BJC Healthcare President and CEO Steven Lipstein To request a profile on a hospital or health system leader, email editorial@beckershealthcare.com. CEO and CFO Directory

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