At Texas Health, we’re all leaders.
Ask Daniel Gandarilla, MBA, M.Ed., Vice President & Chief Learning Officer
We may not all have formal leadership positions, but in an organization with a strategy as audacious as Vision 2026, the ability to lead effectively in whatever role we’re filling is basic. A sense of personal leadership among all employees is essential to Texas Health partnering with the consumers of North Texas for a lifetime of health and well-being.
This means at Texas Health we want to develop leaders at all levels. We can all grow in our ability to lead. So how do you learn to be a more effective leader?
At Texas Health Resources University (THRU) we look at leadership development through two separate lenses. One is preparation for an individual who is assuming a formal leadership role such as supervisor, manager or director. This may be what you think of as traditional leadership development. But we also work with all members of the workforce to develop capabilities that can be used to demonstrate leadership. These are skills that can help people move forward effectively through times of change and to help improve organizational outcomes.
Leadership development has many facets, but it’s not “just a bunch of classes.” We believe in the “blended learning” approach that is advocated by the Center for Creative Leadership. This research-based approach states that developing leaders need to have three components, using a 70-20-10 ratio: “on the job” learning in challenging assignments (70 percent); relationships and networking that provide constructive feedback (20 percent); and formal coursework and training (10 percent). Classes are vital, but 90 percent of developing your leadership skills takes place out of the classroom in real life practice.
One example of leadership skills in action is looking at our Reliable Care BlueprintingTM implementation process. A team of talented people develops the blueprints and coordinates deployment, all of which takes leadership skills. Implementation also requires leadership at all levels to reinforce and round on the messages in the care designs.
You may also find yourself negotiating with others who might feel differently about a topic. This takes leadership skills to have crucial conversations or to mediate to a successful outcome. Leadership skills help us become more reliable and consumer-focused as we gain experience and learn to provide feedback.
THRU’s role in this ongoing educational process is to engage with employees to identify and design and deploy the right resources for individuals. No two people are the same. We’re continually implementing new resources in MyTalent, clinical learning and our Leadership & Management College for all members of the workforce to develop leadership skills.
by Brand Experience Communications • Posted September 25, 2018
