Why we believe in leadership training throughout every level of our organization

Learn more about our company-wide leadership program with first-hand insights from our trusted coach and President & CEO

With 55% of CEOs reporting that developing the next generation of leaders was their top challenge for the year ahead, leadership is a common area of focus for workplace growth, but it’s generally designated to those in higher ranks on the organizational chart. [1]

The term leadership can often be confused with skills like management abilities, but have you ever considered if every person in your organization, even those in entry level positions, could take on a leadership role in their specific job?

At WeCare, that’s the position we take for every individual at our company, and that’s why team members in all different roles across the board are invited to take part in our Art of Medical Leadership 1.0 and 2.0 training program, which is based on the book, The Art of Medical Leadership, written by Suzan Oran and Scott Conard, MD with Nicole Oran.

As we shared in our previous post, working with leadership coaches Suzan and Nicole has been one of the ways we support our overall effectiveness to best serve our patients.

Join us to explore insights from Suzan and our President & CEO, Raegan Le Douaron, about our leadership coaching and why we believe in offering this program to every member of our team. 

Why is it important that every WeCare tlc team member benefits from this leadership program?

Raegan: It is important to me to have a company where the organizational chart is necessary for accountability and flow of information, but it does not determine the value of your place on our team.

Providing leadership coaching to all of our team members can improve not just their work relationships, but their personal relationships too, and that is something that I take great pride in offering.

We will continue to grow and evolve in our approach, and it is important to recruit people who are invested in having a “learner” mindset versus a “knower” mindset. I think it takes the provider-patient relationship to the next level and it certainly has taken our client relationships to the next level.

Suzan: My ultimate definition of leadership is drawing out leadership in others, and with WeCare tlc, we’re able to do this with all of their team members from the home office staff to clinical teams.

What does the Art of Medical Leadership training program entail?

Suzan: The purpose of the program is to achieve a new level of success in the areas of patient satisfaction, employee satisfaction, operational efficiency, and profitability at WeCare tlc. 

Nicole and I facilitate the interactive program twice a year for groups that include physicians, nurses, medical assistants, health center staff, and the home office team. The participants are asked to actively apply the distinctions, concepts, and tools from the book the program is based on to increase their individual effectiveness, team collaboration, and enjoyment in their work—ultimately benefiting patients and clients.

Some of the teachings in our book are very specific to healthcare, but overall, the distinctions can have a profound impact in all areas of a participant’s life.

For example, the program outlines a new way of listening to others when we communicate that is different from what’s natural to us—it’s a different level of being intentional.

As a result of this new way of listening, connection and collaboration with others is taken to a whole new level, which can have a profound impact in our communication with our families, partners, friends, and of course colleagues, clients, and patients.

Raegan: Since we are a company that has a foot in the business world and a foot in the healthcare world, it is vital that everyone on our team has an inside look into the issues that impact each of those worlds through our leadership program. It builds better internal collaboration and is one of the reasons we continue to excel at what we do.

What are the most important teachings in the program?

Suzan: I’d say how we are listening to others is just one (rather important) distinction in the program. 

Raegan: I find that how we listen to others is actually the most important distinction in this book. Usually when we listen, we are actually planning our response and not listening to where the other person is coming from. This is not only important in patient care (by pushing the care teams to find underlying issues or reasons driving behavior), but at all levels in our organization because we now have a common way of listening to each other without doubting their intent. We know that they want the best for WeCare tlc, even when we do not necessarily agree with the idea being presented. This cultivates understanding and a deeper level of collaboration if everyone holds themselves accountable to this principle. 

Suzan: When correctly practiced, the other areas covered in the program can have an impact in participants’ daily lives at work as well as shift their “big picture” thinking in terms of the purpose and vision of WeCare tlc.

How has this leadership program impacted the company culture at WeCare tlc? 

Suzan: Participating in this program together, or even just knowing others at WeCare tlc have taken the program previously, has created a real sense of unity and camaraderie within the organization. WeCare tlc team members know that when it comes to increased productivity, growth, and evolution as a company, they are all in this together.

Raegan: A very important part of establishing a strong company culture and ensuring clear communication is having known objectives and common definitions, so everyone knows exactly what someone is saying when they are talking.

We constantly work on our communication and interpersonal relationships at WeCare tlc to ensure we are not getting bogged down in communication issues and mishaps. We are singularly focused on providing excellent patient care that results in improved health outcomes for our patients and lower health care costs for our clients.

How has the leadership program expanded over the years?

Raegan: Given our commitment to individual growth, we asked Suzan and Nicole to create a custom adaptation of their program titled Art of Medical Leadership 2.0 for our company last year.

The purpose of this six-month program was to expand upon the principles of The Art of Medical Leadership even further to have a specific positive impact on our communication and relationships with our clients and our patient wellness programs.

Are you an employer interested in partnering with WeCare tlc? 

Delivered through our health centers both in-person and virtually, we deliver proactive primary care solutions that prevent and manage costly conditions, while allowing our clients to provide an exceptional benefit to attract and retain top talent.

We are proud to be an independent, second-generation, family-owned company with a long track record of achieving results for our happy clients. 

Ready to create a healthier workforce with a better healthcare solution?
Contact us today or explore our success stories to learn more.

Source:

1: DDI | Global Leadership Forecast 2021