FEATURE ARTICLE
Mentoring in healthcare: A rehabilitation hospital’s launch of an innovative program for emerging leaders
Healthcare Management Forum 2015, Vol. 28(1) 4-7 ª 2015 The Canadian College of Health Leaders. All rights reserved. Reprints and permission: sagepub.com/journalsPermissions.nav DOI: 10.1177/0840470414551896 hmf.sagepub.com
Michelle Stuart, BComm, MHSA1; and Carol Wilson, BSc, MHS1 Abstract With enterprise-wide interest by physicians, management, staff, and volunteers in developing future leaders across their organization, this article describes efforts to design, implement, and evaluate an inaugural, 1-year formal mentoring program for the Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital, Alberta Health Services. Evaluation surveys were analyzed highlighting critical success factors incorporating a broad, diverse mentee/mentor applicant process, well-defined mentee/mentor selection/matching criteria, and use of a formal program to support knowledge acquisition through projects, learning sessions, and presentations.
Introduction It is not just how many followers one has; it is also how many leaders one has created among them. The more leadership in the ranks, the more effective is one’s own. Michael Useem,1 Director of the Wharton School’s Center for Leadership and Change
Rationale for developing a formal mentoring program With today’s dynamic, complex, and fast-paced healthcare work environment, the role of developing talent and, specifically, of developing emerging leaders is critical to success. Healthcare, similar to many other industries, is facing an unprecedented ‘‘passing of the torch’’ over the next two decades from the baby boom generation to other generations in the workforce (generation X and millennials) keen to be mentored and to learn from experienced, proven leaders. Oracle, in a recent on-line brief, states that ‘‘the new generation of employees entering the workforce has grown up in a world of constant change and innovation. To become the kind of employer that attracts and retains talent, organizations need to create a high-impact learning culture.’’2 Similar considerations were important for the purpose of designing a mentoring program at the Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital (GRH), Alberta Health Services (AHS) in Edmonton, Canada, which would address the expressed learning needs of a broad range of physicians, employees, and volunteers and ensure that they were enabled to integrate continuous learning using the support of a high-quality customized program. In response to a well-defined need for a sustainable approach to leadership development, the LEADS in a Caring Environment capabilities framework has been approved by the Canadian College of Health Leaders as a logical framework for career-wide learning for leaders at all levels.3 This framework, with its five domains, lead self, engage others, achieve results, develop coalitions, and systems transformation, is in active use by AHS and provided the framework in designing the GRH’s
Leaders in Rehabilitation: Emerging Leaders Mentoring Program. In addition, the former Capital Health’s Mentoring for Managers Program was used as a reference in content development. In the latest context of leading organizations, leadership practice is evolving from a focus on an individual to one that defines leadership as a process. The Center for Creative Leadership defines leadership as ‘‘the process by which group, communities, and organizations accomplish three tasks: setting direction, creating alignment, and gaining commitment.’’4 By defining leadership as a process (not a role), healthcare organizations, similar to the approach undertaken by the GRH, can develop leadership capacity throughout the enterprise and empower frontline teams to use innovation and creativity while harnessing the power of ‘‘systems thinking’’ and information management to support continuous improvement in quality, patient safety, and outcomes.
Description of key program elements After deliberation of options during spring 2012, the leadership team at the GRH reached a decision to design, develop, and launch a mentoring program for emerging leaders. The process for authoring the program’s design, curriculum, and delivery mechanisms can best be described as an iterative process and was co-authored, using a context-relevant curriculum specific to needs identified by the GRH senior leadership team, based on content from well-established leaders in the fields of management science and leadership development (inclusive of Ken Blanchard, Jim Collins, Peter Drucker, John Maxwell, Peter Senge, and others and thought leadership from leading management consulting companies such as Deloitte, McKinsey, 1
GRH Learning and Development Team, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
Corresponding authors: Michelle Stuart, Consultant and Carol Wilson, Manager, Learning and Development, GRH Learning and Development Team, Consultant Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. E-mail: [email protected]; [email protected]
Stuart and Wilson PricewaterhouseCoopers, and others) and was guided by the LEADS in a Caring Environment framework. During fall 2012, the program goals were solidified and guided by the GRH senior leadership team, the learning and development manager, support team, and an implementation plan, inclusive of application process and forms and an intake/assessment process to determine the final cohort of mentees considered manageable for the inaugural year. In addition, the program was supported by a formal curriculum organized into 12 learning modules complete with learning guide and learning objectives for each module, a module reading list, well-defined expectations for frequency of meeting schedules, engagement of employee’s supervisor with guidance in fulfilling an annual action plan developed by each mentee, leadership learning sessions where summary presentations eased the extent of individual reading of relevant articles and/or recommended books, and the use of structured, qualitative evaluation questions provided at mid-interval and at the end of the yearlong inaugural program. The formal call for mentees and mentors for leaders in rehabilitation was issued and a selection committee assembled comprised of three management individuals, inclusive of a patient care manager, an allied health manager, and the manager, learning and development centre, to oversee and guide the program’s implementation. By January, the program began with eight mentees matched with appropriate mentors, included well-paced learning sessions with knowledgeable leader-presenters from within the GRH, opportunity for the cohort to meet regularly as a peer group, participation in eight mentee-led projects, and concluded, after 12 months, with a formal graduation ceremony.
Key findings Based on evaluation feedback by mentees, mentors, leaders, and supervisors at the GRH, leaders in rehabilitation were deemed to be highly successful from a number of perspectives. First, the matching of mentors with mentees was a welldesigned and executed collaborative process with the mentee group reporting high levels of satisfaction that they had been matched with the ‘‘right’’ mentor. This is further evidenced by well-attended individual meetings between mentees and mentors that occurred either monthly or bi-monthly based on the needs expressed by the mentee in support of their participation in the program. In a recent article in Harvard Business Review Blog Network titled Demystifying Mentoring, Amy Gallo dispels one of the current myths stating that ‘‘it’s actually quite rare these days that people get through their career with only one mentor.’’5 For those responsible for development of a formal mentoring program, it is logical to develop a range of mentors to support an ongoing commitment to the program and be able to impact a greater number of employees as a result. Second, the learning sessions which included a summary presentation by a qualified GRH leader using the structured leadership curriculum, individual presenter perspectives, and complimentary reading lists were very well received with
5 87.5% of all mentee respondents preferring the learning session forum as compared to self-study. The reason for high endorsement of the learning sessions was indicative of the comprehensive nature of the curriculum and provided an opportunity for discussion among the mentee cohort and their leaderpresenter. In addition, the strong endorsement of cohort-based learning was a definite element of the program’s success as the eight mentees formed a strong, active network throughout the year-long program. This finding clearly implies that an informal network naturally evolves within a formal mentoring program and should be encouraged by the organization and supported by the mentoring program leaders. The mentee cohort evolved their own means to support each other and recommended that a more structured approach for their cohort to schedule preplanned connection time would be of high value. Harold Slavkin, writing in the Journal of Healthcare Leadership, states that ‘‘command and control, anchored to ownership or formal authority, is being replaced by an intermixture of tentative and changing teams of people organized to solve problems within predefined timelines and budgets.’’ His extensive experience suggests that ‘‘our future will present a culturally diverse, competent healthcare workforce (e.g. clinicians, scientists, engineers, sociologists, law and public policy, business and journalism) that must be educated and trained to meet our nation’s needs for wellness in the 21st century.’’6 Third, the leadership skills discussed with the 6 formal learning sessions were based on the 12 structured learning modules, covered logical topic groupings such as cultivating a professional network and leading individuals and teams and were linked to formal learning objectives aligned with the LEADS in a Caring Environment framework. Mentees were encouraged to apply the knowledge gained to their individual projects and to integrate learning activities into their ongoing work relationships. Projects were a key element to the program’s overall success and spanned a full range of individual and group efforts that permitted mentees to explore topics of utility to their own work environments and teams. Some examples of the projects undertaken are as follows: introducing support personnel (into the adult vestibular assessment workflow); engaging in the psychology service; breaking down communication barriers with communication access strategies; assessing patient wait times at the Stollery Children’s Hospital Scoliosis Clinic; and, taking the 21-day Complaint Free Work Environment Challenge. An instructive comment from one of the eight mentees (an audiologist with over 14 years at the GRH) illustrates the program’s impact, ‘‘This program integrated many approaches to learning skills in leadership and really helped me to understand through discussions, readings, mentorship and practice.’’
6 This sentiment was echoed by a mentor (a senior administrator with over 14 years of leadership experience within the interdisciplinary, tertiary rehabilitation hospital) who states, ‘‘Participating in the 2013 Leaders in Rehab program was a rewarding experience. The participants were fully engaged in real life learning as they applied their new skills and knowledge. It was evident throughout the program that the mentees were eager to learn, quick to embrace change and open to trying new things.’’ The collaborative, supportive learning environment is reinforced by Chao who reported ‘‘both participants in a mentormentee pair have to be committed to the relationship. The motivation and commitment required for a successful mentorship can be enhanced with good training and program support.’’7
Recommendations As a direct result of implementing and evaluating the first year of a formal mentoring program within a Canadian academic tertiary rehabilitation hospital setting, the following recommendations can be shared. First, the intention of the GRH senior leadership team was to create an investment in emerging leaders that will complement other programs such as the GRH Workforce Engagement Program—an innovative program currently under development and designed to engage the GRH physicians, employees, and volunteers in ongoing, meaningful dialogue to capture their creativity and insights and translate these into future gains for the GRH in its core business—providing excellence in patient care, teaching, and research specific to tertiary-level rehabilitation programs for children, youth, adults, and seniors. In an article for Healthcare Executive, Jim Perrone outlined the six major steps for establishing a formal mentoring system. In advocating for establishing a mentoring strategy, Jim states that ‘‘a clear mentoring vision has the capacity to act as a guiding mechanism for the mentoring effort.’’ Further, he also acknowledges that ‘‘a formal mentoring program works best in an organization where people development and organizational learning are supported and nurtured by leadership at all levels. A mentoring culture is more important than just going through the administrative motions of carrying out a formal system.’’8 Second, the GRH senior leadership team understood that the voluntary nature of launching an open call for soliciting mentees and mentors would attract individuals who valued the program’s benefits and would align on the need for committed time above their work responsibilities. As confirmed by the 6-month evaluation results, mentees averaged between 8 and 10 hours of time per month, while mentors averaged between 2 and 3 hours. The GRH mentor cohort provided commitment on a voluntary basis from the context of an opportunity to directly influence the development of emerging leaders, but also, to reinvigorate their work environments and to reap the benefits of the individual mentor-mentee relationship. As one mentee graduate summarized, ‘‘I have met a lot of strong leaders within
Healthcare Management Forum the hospital and learned from their input, experiences, and their leadership styles.’’ Finally, the GRH evaluation surveys also revealed a novel insight into the process for developing a formal program for emerging leaders. One of the findings, for a portion of the applicants, was that the mentee’s supervisor was initially unaware of the high level of interest in being mentored as an emerging leader. The application process itself represented a unique opportunity to integrate leadership aspirations of mentee applicants into reframing annual goals and objectives for individual employees, irrespective of acceptance into the first year of the mentoring program. For organizations considering a formal mentoring program, it is worthwhile to facilitate an open process for the invitation to apply and to be transparent regarding the criteria and process used for being accepted into the formal program. As Harold Slavkin of the University of Southern California asserts, ‘‘the future of leadership in the healthcare workforce, whether within public or private organizations, will continue to require creative, interdisciplinary, and most often culturally diverse collaborations.’’6 For the National Health Services in the United Kingdom, leadership development is seen as central for the organization’s modernization and linked to broader requirements for effective transformation and change management efforts.9 From a practical perspective, Steve O’Brian (Chronus Corporation) asserts that the most sought after skill in 2014 is ‘‘Leadership. Not just at the top but leadership in the midlayers of the organization—where leading teams and groups happens.’’10 For the GRH and its leadership team, investing in their emerging leaders through leaders in rehabilitation has proven to be a successful endeavour. The entire senior leadership team is committed and enthusiastic that the program will be provided in 2014 and will incorporate feedback from the mentee/mentor cohort, supervisors, managers, and the learning and development team, all of whom were instrumental in the inaugural program’s successful launch. Acknowledgments Special acknowledgment for the vision in developing and overseeing the program’s implementation is reserved for Isabel Henderson, GRH Site VP, Alberta Health Services, and Grace Maier, Specialized Geriatrics, GRH, Alberta Health Services.
Funding The author(s) disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: Major support for the GRH Leaders in Rehabilitation: Emerging Leaders Mentorship Program was provided through the Health Workforce Action Plan Grant (HWAP) funded by the Ministry of Health, Government of Alberta.
References 1. Useem M. The Leadership Moment. New York: Random House Publishers; 1998.
Stuart and Wilson 2. Oracle. Seven Steps to Building a High-Impact Learning Culture; 2013. http://www.oracle.com/us/c-central/chro-solutions/june-2013chro-deck4-1961622.pdf. Blog issue date of November 19, 2013. Accessed January 3, 2014. 3. Dickson G, Tholl B. The LEADS in a Caring Environment Capabilities Framework. Ottawa, Ontario: Canadian College of Health Leaders; 2011. 4. Altman GJ. Issues and Observations: riding out the storm of the healthcare system. Leader Action. 2006;26(1):19-22. 5. Gallo A. http://blog.hbr.org/2011/02/demystifying-mentoring. 2011. http://blogs.hrb.org. Blog issue date of February 1, 2011. Accessed January 3, 2014.
7 6. Slavkin HC. Leadership for healthcare in the 21st century: a personal perspective. J Health Leader. 2010;2:35-41. 7. Chao G. Formal mentoring: lessons learned from past practice. J Health Leader. 2010;2:31-34. 8. Perrone J. Career development—creating a mentoring culture. Healthcare Executive. 2003; 18(3): 84-85. May/June, 2003. 9. Hewison A, Griffiths M. Leadership development in healthcare: a word of caution. J Health Organ Manag. 2004;18(6): 464-473. 10. O’Brian S. Four Predictions for Talent Development in 2014; 2014. http://www.chronus.com/4-predictions-talent-development-2014. Blog issue date of January 6, 2014. Accessed January 7, 2014.
Mentoring in healthcare: A rehabilitation hospital’s launch of an innovative program for emerging leaders
Healthcare Management Forum 2015, Vol. 28(1) 4-7 ª 2015 The Canadian College of Health Leaders. All rights reserved. Reprints and permission: sagepub.com/journalsPermissions.nav DOI: 10.1177/0840470414551896 hmf.sagepub.com
Michelle Stuart, BComm, MHSA1; and Carol Wilson, BSc, MHS1 Abstract With enterprise-wide interest by physicians, management, staff, and volunteers in developing future leaders across their organization, this article describes efforts to design, implement, and evaluate an inaugural, 1-year formal mentoring program for the Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital, Alberta Health Services. Evaluation surveys were analyzed highlighting critical success factors incorporating a broad, diverse mentee/mentor applicant process, well-defined mentee/mentor selection/matching criteria, and use of a formal program to support knowledge acquisition through projects, learning sessions, and presentations.
Introduction It is not just how many followers one has; it is also how many leaders one has created among them. The more leadership in the ranks, the more effective is one’s own. Michael Useem,1 Director of the Wharton School’s Center for Leadership and Change
Rationale for developing a formal mentoring program With today’s dynamic, complex, and fast-paced healthcare work environment, the role of developing talent and, specifically, of developing emerging leaders is critical to success. Healthcare, similar to many other industries, is facing an unprecedented ‘‘passing of the torch’’ over the next two decades from the baby boom generation to other generations in the workforce (generation X and millennials) keen to be mentored and to learn from experienced, proven leaders. Oracle, in a recent on-line brief, states that ‘‘the new generation of employees entering the workforce has grown up in a world of constant change and innovation. To become the kind of employer that attracts and retains talent, organizations need to create a high-impact learning culture.’’2 Similar considerations were important for the purpose of designing a mentoring program at the Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital (GRH), Alberta Health Services (AHS) in Edmonton, Canada, which would address the expressed learning needs of a broad range of physicians, employees, and volunteers and ensure that they were enabled to integrate continuous learning using the support of a high-quality customized program. In response to a well-defined need for a sustainable approach to leadership development, the LEADS in a Caring Environment capabilities framework has been approved by the Canadian College of Health Leaders as a logical framework for career-wide learning for leaders at all levels.3 This framework, with its five domains, lead self, engage others, achieve results, develop coalitions, and systems transformation, is in active use by AHS and provided the framework in designing the GRH’s
Leaders in Rehabilitation: Emerging Leaders Mentoring Program. In addition, the former Capital Health’s Mentoring for Managers Program was used as a reference in content development. In the latest context of leading organizations, leadership practice is evolving from a focus on an individual to one that defines leadership as a process. The Center for Creative Leadership defines leadership as ‘‘the process by which group, communities, and organizations accomplish three tasks: setting direction, creating alignment, and gaining commitment.’’4 By defining leadership as a process (not a role), healthcare organizations, similar to the approach undertaken by the GRH, can develop leadership capacity throughout the enterprise and empower frontline teams to use innovation and creativity while harnessing the power of ‘‘systems thinking’’ and information management to support continuous improvement in quality, patient safety, and outcomes.
Description of key program elements After deliberation of options during spring 2012, the leadership team at the GRH reached a decision to design, develop, and launch a mentoring program for emerging leaders. The process for authoring the program’s design, curriculum, and delivery mechanisms can best be described as an iterative process and was co-authored, using a context-relevant curriculum specific to needs identified by the GRH senior leadership team, based on content from well-established leaders in the fields of management science and leadership development (inclusive of Ken Blanchard, Jim Collins, Peter Drucker, John Maxwell, Peter Senge, and others and thought leadership from leading management consulting companies such as Deloitte, McKinsey, 1
GRH Learning and Development Team, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
Corresponding authors: Michelle Stuart, Consultant and Carol Wilson, Manager, Learning and Development, GRH Learning and Development Team, Consultant Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. E-mail: [email protected]; [email protected]
Stuart and Wilson PricewaterhouseCoopers, and others) and was guided by the LEADS in a Caring Environment framework. During fall 2012, the program goals were solidified and guided by the GRH senior leadership team, the learning and development manager, support team, and an implementation plan, inclusive of application process and forms and an intake/assessment process to determine the final cohort of mentees considered manageable for the inaugural year. In addition, the program was supported by a formal curriculum organized into 12 learning modules complete with learning guide and learning objectives for each module, a module reading list, well-defined expectations for frequency of meeting schedules, engagement of employee’s supervisor with guidance in fulfilling an annual action plan developed by each mentee, leadership learning sessions where summary presentations eased the extent of individual reading of relevant articles and/or recommended books, and the use of structured, qualitative evaluation questions provided at mid-interval and at the end of the yearlong inaugural program. The formal call for mentees and mentors for leaders in rehabilitation was issued and a selection committee assembled comprised of three management individuals, inclusive of a patient care manager, an allied health manager, and the manager, learning and development centre, to oversee and guide the program’s implementation. By January, the program began with eight mentees matched with appropriate mentors, included well-paced learning sessions with knowledgeable leader-presenters from within the GRH, opportunity for the cohort to meet regularly as a peer group, participation in eight mentee-led projects, and concluded, after 12 months, with a formal graduation ceremony.
Key findings Based on evaluation feedback by mentees, mentors, leaders, and supervisors at the GRH, leaders in rehabilitation were deemed to be highly successful from a number of perspectives. First, the matching of mentors with mentees was a welldesigned and executed collaborative process with the mentee group reporting high levels of satisfaction that they had been matched with the ‘‘right’’ mentor. This is further evidenced by well-attended individual meetings between mentees and mentors that occurred either monthly or bi-monthly based on the needs expressed by the mentee in support of their participation in the program. In a recent article in Harvard Business Review Blog Network titled Demystifying Mentoring, Amy Gallo dispels one of the current myths stating that ‘‘it’s actually quite rare these days that people get through their career with only one mentor.’’5 For those responsible for development of a formal mentoring program, it is logical to develop a range of mentors to support an ongoing commitment to the program and be able to impact a greater number of employees as a result. Second, the learning sessions which included a summary presentation by a qualified GRH leader using the structured leadership curriculum, individual presenter perspectives, and complimentary reading lists were very well received with
5 87.5% of all mentee respondents preferring the learning session forum as compared to self-study. The reason for high endorsement of the learning sessions was indicative of the comprehensive nature of the curriculum and provided an opportunity for discussion among the mentee cohort and their leaderpresenter. In addition, the strong endorsement of cohort-based learning was a definite element of the program’s success as the eight mentees formed a strong, active network throughout the year-long program. This finding clearly implies that an informal network naturally evolves within a formal mentoring program and should be encouraged by the organization and supported by the mentoring program leaders. The mentee cohort evolved their own means to support each other and recommended that a more structured approach for their cohort to schedule preplanned connection time would be of high value. Harold Slavkin, writing in the Journal of Healthcare Leadership, states that ‘‘command and control, anchored to ownership or formal authority, is being replaced by an intermixture of tentative and changing teams of people organized to solve problems within predefined timelines and budgets.’’ His extensive experience suggests that ‘‘our future will present a culturally diverse, competent healthcare workforce (e.g. clinicians, scientists, engineers, sociologists, law and public policy, business and journalism) that must be educated and trained to meet our nation’s needs for wellness in the 21st century.’’6 Third, the leadership skills discussed with the 6 formal learning sessions were based on the 12 structured learning modules, covered logical topic groupings such as cultivating a professional network and leading individuals and teams and were linked to formal learning objectives aligned with the LEADS in a Caring Environment framework. Mentees were encouraged to apply the knowledge gained to their individual projects and to integrate learning activities into their ongoing work relationships. Projects were a key element to the program’s overall success and spanned a full range of individual and group efforts that permitted mentees to explore topics of utility to their own work environments and teams. Some examples of the projects undertaken are as follows: introducing support personnel (into the adult vestibular assessment workflow); engaging in the psychology service; breaking down communication barriers with communication access strategies; assessing patient wait times at the Stollery Children’s Hospital Scoliosis Clinic; and, taking the 21-day Complaint Free Work Environment Challenge. An instructive comment from one of the eight mentees (an audiologist with over 14 years at the GRH) illustrates the program’s impact, ‘‘This program integrated many approaches to learning skills in leadership and really helped me to understand through discussions, readings, mentorship and practice.’’
6 This sentiment was echoed by a mentor (a senior administrator with over 14 years of leadership experience within the interdisciplinary, tertiary rehabilitation hospital) who states, ‘‘Participating in the 2013 Leaders in Rehab program was a rewarding experience. The participants were fully engaged in real life learning as they applied their new skills and knowledge. It was evident throughout the program that the mentees were eager to learn, quick to embrace change and open to trying new things.’’ The collaborative, supportive learning environment is reinforced by Chao who reported ‘‘both participants in a mentormentee pair have to be committed to the relationship. The motivation and commitment required for a successful mentorship can be enhanced with good training and program support.’’7
Recommendations As a direct result of implementing and evaluating the first year of a formal mentoring program within a Canadian academic tertiary rehabilitation hospital setting, the following recommendations can be shared. First, the intention of the GRH senior leadership team was to create an investment in emerging leaders that will complement other programs such as the GRH Workforce Engagement Program—an innovative program currently under development and designed to engage the GRH physicians, employees, and volunteers in ongoing, meaningful dialogue to capture their creativity and insights and translate these into future gains for the GRH in its core business—providing excellence in patient care, teaching, and research specific to tertiary-level rehabilitation programs for children, youth, adults, and seniors. In an article for Healthcare Executive, Jim Perrone outlined the six major steps for establishing a formal mentoring system. In advocating for establishing a mentoring strategy, Jim states that ‘‘a clear mentoring vision has the capacity to act as a guiding mechanism for the mentoring effort.’’ Further, he also acknowledges that ‘‘a formal mentoring program works best in an organization where people development and organizational learning are supported and nurtured by leadership at all levels. A mentoring culture is more important than just going through the administrative motions of carrying out a formal system.’’8 Second, the GRH senior leadership team understood that the voluntary nature of launching an open call for soliciting mentees and mentors would attract individuals who valued the program’s benefits and would align on the need for committed time above their work responsibilities. As confirmed by the 6-month evaluation results, mentees averaged between 8 and 10 hours of time per month, while mentors averaged between 2 and 3 hours. The GRH mentor cohort provided commitment on a voluntary basis from the context of an opportunity to directly influence the development of emerging leaders, but also, to reinvigorate their work environments and to reap the benefits of the individual mentor-mentee relationship. As one mentee graduate summarized, ‘‘I have met a lot of strong leaders within
Healthcare Management Forum the hospital and learned from their input, experiences, and their leadership styles.’’ Finally, the GRH evaluation surveys also revealed a novel insight into the process for developing a formal program for emerging leaders. One of the findings, for a portion of the applicants, was that the mentee’s supervisor was initially unaware of the high level of interest in being mentored as an emerging leader. The application process itself represented a unique opportunity to integrate leadership aspirations of mentee applicants into reframing annual goals and objectives for individual employees, irrespective of acceptance into the first year of the mentoring program. For organizations considering a formal mentoring program, it is worthwhile to facilitate an open process for the invitation to apply and to be transparent regarding the criteria and process used for being accepted into the formal program. As Harold Slavkin of the University of Southern California asserts, ‘‘the future of leadership in the healthcare workforce, whether within public or private organizations, will continue to require creative, interdisciplinary, and most often culturally diverse collaborations.’’6 For the National Health Services in the United Kingdom, leadership development is seen as central for the organization’s modernization and linked to broader requirements for effective transformation and change management efforts.9 From a practical perspective, Steve O’Brian (Chronus Corporation) asserts that the most sought after skill in 2014 is ‘‘Leadership. Not just at the top but leadership in the midlayers of the organization—where leading teams and groups happens.’’10 For the GRH and its leadership team, investing in their emerging leaders through leaders in rehabilitation has proven to be a successful endeavour. The entire senior leadership team is committed and enthusiastic that the program will be provided in 2014 and will incorporate feedback from the mentee/mentor cohort, supervisors, managers, and the learning and development team, all of whom were instrumental in the inaugural program’s successful launch. Acknowledgments Special acknowledgment for the vision in developing and overseeing the program’s implementation is reserved for Isabel Henderson, GRH Site VP, Alberta Health Services, and Grace Maier, Specialized Geriatrics, GRH, Alberta Health Services.
Funding The author(s) disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: Major support for the GRH Leaders in Rehabilitation: Emerging Leaders Mentorship Program was provided through the Health Workforce Action Plan Grant (HWAP) funded by the Ministry of Health, Government of Alberta.
References 1. Useem M. The Leadership Moment. New York: Random House Publishers; 1998.
Stuart and Wilson 2. Oracle. Seven Steps to Building a High-Impact Learning Culture; 2013. http://www.oracle.com/us/c-central/chro-solutions/june-2013chro-deck4-1961622.pdf. Blog issue date of November 19, 2013. Accessed January 3, 2014. 3. Dickson G, Tholl B. The LEADS in a Caring Environment Capabilities Framework. Ottawa, Ontario: Canadian College of Health Leaders; 2011. 4. Altman GJ. Issues and Observations: riding out the storm of the healthcare system. Leader Action. 2006;26(1):19-22. 5. Gallo A. http://blog.hbr.org/2011/02/demystifying-mentoring. 2011. http://blogs.hrb.org. Blog issue date of February 1, 2011. Accessed January 3, 2014.
7 6. Slavkin HC. Leadership for healthcare in the 21st century: a personal perspective. J Health Leader. 2010;2:35-41. 7. Chao G. Formal mentoring: lessons learned from past practice. J Health Leader. 2010;2:31-34. 8. Perrone J. Career development—creating a mentoring culture. Healthcare Executive. 2003; 18(3): 84-85. May/June, 2003. 9. Hewison A, Griffiths M. Leadership development in healthcare: a word of caution. J Health Organ Manag. 2004;18(6): 464-473. 10. O’Brian S. Four Predictions for Talent Development in 2014; 2014. http://www.chronus.com/4-predictions-talent-development-2014. Blog issue date of January 6, 2014. Accessed January 7, 2014.
