Fall Networking North of Boston
Join WHCM for appetizers and a cash bar as we network with friends and colleagues in Woburn.
Join WHCM for appetizers and a cash bar as we network with friends and colleagues in Woburn.
We have another exciting fall forum planned! Join us for a buffet dinner, two educational breakout sessions (running concurrently) and a chance to network.
Breakout sessions will be:
(1) The Power of Connection & Communication. The Power of You.
Laura Willis, Brand Strategist / “Core” Counselor, Encore Revolution
Are you ready to take your next step, and want to have a competitive edge? Do you want to do more work that you love, and have more success while doing it? Learn how uncovering your passion and who you are at the core can have a direct impact on getting more of what you want – it’s a combination of art and science. In this interactive session you’ll learn 5 keys to:
• Reignite your passion for your work and life
• Define an authentic personal brand and how it directly impacts your success
• Make a deeper connection with others and why it’s important
• Balance baring who you are with your expertise
• Understand the science behind deep connection
• Begin communicating with confidence and using the power of you!
Learn tips and techniques you can begin to implement right away. Come to be energized and inspired to take control of your success!
About Laura: Ms. Willis is a brand positioning expert and strategist, who has created award winning web and print communications to help local, national and global companies, stand apart from the competition. With over 20 years in advertising agencies and mid to large corporations in the greater Boston area, she brings real-world expertise to her own business, Encore Revolution (www.encorerevolution.com). Laura combines elements of proven brand development techniques with personal growth and awareness work into a unique process which she uses to inspire business professionals through speaking engagements, educational programs and private coaching. She believes that when people align with their deeper purpose and passion and give it an authentic voice, they can make a bigger impact and have greater success.
(2) How to Hire and Be Hired
This session will offer insights into how to find the right candidate, and how to find the right fit in a job where you will be the right candidate.
Busayo Ola Ajayi, MS, SCP, SPHR, Director, Talent Acquisition, Diversity and Inclusion at Boston Medical Center (BMC)
Busayo Ola Ajayi is a Human Resource professional with over 10 years’ experience. Currently the Director of Talent Acquisition at BMC she oversees an engaging team responsible for all the hiring and onboarding at BMC. She also partners with the Assistant Director for Diversity and Inclusion at BMC to ensure that the talent acquisition strategies are aligned with ensuring with organization goals. She has a Master’s Degree in Human Resource Development from Villanova University and is certified by HRCI and SHRM. She has worked in higher education, insurance, healthcare, manufacturing and vision.
Kaylee Davis, Addison Group
Kaylee Davis is a Business Development Manager for Addison Group Healthcare, providing non-clinical staffing solutions to healthcare organizations around the country. As a member of the New England Division, Kaylee works with clinics and hospitals to provide best-in-class staffing solutions and human capital management consultation. Kaylee is also an accomplished public speaker and networker, serving on the Programming Committee for MGMA as well as an active member in ACHE and Women in Healthcare Management. Kaylee is passionate about improving the operational efficiencies within healthcare and contributing to patient care.
We haven’t had a summer networking event in Boston in several years, so we decided to bring it back – Boston is so fun in the summer! Unfortunately, the torrential rains kept us from enjoying the outdoor patio, but close to 40 women showed up to network, and I was so happy to see new faces and meet a dozen new members, or ladies who were thinking about membership. One new member said she was “impressed by the caliber of professionals in attendance (even on a rainy day) and how open people were to offering career advice to others.”
What sets WHCM apart is that we are an organization run by women, with the purpose of helping other women in the industry. I am consistently proud of our membership, and their willingness to lift other women up – regardless of their position in the workplace or status. An interesting conversation theme I took part in at the event was discussing what other professional organizations our members belong to – one common theme is they were all were open to both men and women. But, many were involved with professional organizations specific to their field – healthcare finance or medical devices, for example. It seems like a good idea to join one general networking organization, like ours or perhaps the Boston Young Healthcare Professionals, and then one specific to your area of focus. And get involved! It’s a great way to meet people. Hope to see all my new connections (and more!) on October 3 at our Fall Forum.
Blog post by WHCM Chairwoman Rachel Labas
Just like that, my son Dhruv has turned 1! As of this writing, he is almost 14 months. Wow!
I am trying to find a good metaphor for the last 11 months of being a full-time employee and full- time mom. A Roller Coaster ride seems appropriate, so does a stretched elastic band and being lost on an island. But I digress. Here, I reflect on my motherhood journey in the past 11 months.
First and foremost, it does take a village. I am forever indebted to my army of advisors (yoga teacher, doula, lactation consultant) and my girlfriends who helped me have child birth, breastfeeding and early parenting experiences I dreamt of. It was incredibly hard, both physically and emotionally, but having my village made me not quit. Paradoxically, being an immigrant living miles away from my real family and old friends by choice, I constantly question my choices and the implication of my choices on me and my husband as parents, and on my son. Questioning yourself becomes an intrinsic and unavoidable part of parenting. Goes something like this- Is he happy at day care? Should he be in daycare? Should I reduce my hours at work and stay home with him longer? You get the picture. It ebbs and flows – it has taken me some quiet time to realize that there is no absolute and there is no one right way of parenting and by extension of living life. I’ve also learned babies are amazingly malleable and resilient, and transitions are much harder on me as an adult than they are on him as a baby.
Welcoming the unsure messy parts is what makes parenting such a learning experience. I struggled less with the significantly increased volume of work (chores etc.) but rather with the unpredictability of a baby’s schedule. Learning to give up control is probably my biggest learning.
On its heels follows learning to compromise. It took me some time to be okay with not being able to “do it all”. I have reduced time for my spouse, family and friends, to exercise, to read, to focus on my career- to do all the things that I did before I had an infant. However, by not doing one thing also means I am choosing to do something, often related to the baby. And in the grand scheme of things, I am glad I made those choices. I chose to spend the time with my infant, because he is already a toddler!
Lastly, I’ve learned to ask for help. I’ve learned to champion for myself. In sleep deprived, guilt- laced moments, it is easy to get delusional about one’s own capacity and not pause to get a reality check. That is a dangerous slippery slope that I often remind myself to not get on. Having honest conversations with my spouse, my nanny, my manager at work has (I hope) helped them help me.
Motherhood is messy and magical. I am grateful to have had this wonderful experience and this adorable child that I call mine!
Blog post by WHCM Steering Committee Member Dhana Kotwal
Join Women in Healthcare Management as we visit a beautiful new summer networking location on Boston’s waterfront. Included are passed and station hors d’oeuvres. Munch on delicious items like lobster sliders and chicken satay as you enjoy summer in Boston; all while making new connections and seeing old friends. We will also feature a mini dessert station with coffee. Cash bar. Hope to see you there!
Recently, our institution began a “Positive Pause” initiative. Our Provider Wellness Oversight team has been working hard to narrow their focus on wins that will provide a more mindful, healthy environment for colleagues within the institution, focused on clinical providers.
Positive Pause entails opening meetings with a positive story. These have ranged from positive patient interactions, positive interactions with colleagues both within and outside of the organization and (what I find most important) interactions with support staff team members. Most recently, a surgeon had really edified a front desk coordinator who went above and beyond to ensure coordination of care for one of their patients. This was talked about at the beginning of a large board meeting with many top executives in attendance. The coordinator was overjoyed to hear praises from these leaders! To be recognized for hard work is a huge factor in our employee engagement, across the full spectrum of the organization.
This pause should be just that, a two-minute account of a great experience ~ make the time purposeful, help others to see the “great” in what we do each day- even when it all seems to be sliding (quickly) downhill. I can assure you that this technique sets a different tone for the meeting, and can really make a difference!
“If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader” ~ John Quincy Adams
Blog post by WHCM Steering Committee Member Jennifer Pendleton
There was a record turnout at WHCM’s Spring Event March 28, 2018, as nearly 100 women from a variety of health care sectors attended for what was clearly an important and timely topic “Health Care Innovation: How Market Players are Shaking Things Up and the Impact on Your Career.”
The dynamic and engaging panel featured Beth Roberts, Senior Vice President, Regional Markets, Harvard Pilgrim Health Care; Christina Severin, President and CEO, Community Care Cooperative; Sonia Millson, Senior Vice President, Iora Health and Lauren Peters, Undersecretary for Health Policy, Executive Office of Health & Human Services. Led by moderator Claudine Swartz of Strategic Policy Solutions, LLC the panelists discussed innovations in their respective organizations as well as their predictions for the future, particularly as it relates to women in the changing health care market.
Ms. Swartz and Kathy Keough, Director of Government Relations for Atrius Health, who served as co-chairs for the Spring event, selected the panelists for their cutting edge strategies and philosophies to “no longer accept the status quo” in health care. From a payer, provider and policy perspective, the panelists were all in agreement that innovations in Massachusetts are happening at a rapid pace, perhaps more than any place else in the country and it is a great place for women no matter where in their careers they may be to work.
There were an amazing amount of take-aways offered by each of the panelists including: the importance of carving out – even scheduling – time to learn what others are doing and thinking about outside of your organization, to taking risks, and not accepting the “status quo” all of which resonated with attendees who peppered the panelists with questions.
WHCM volunteers heard incredible feedback from all in attendance, as well as the panelists themselves, who all appeared to enjoy the opportunity to network with others, but also learn about some of the many perspectives in health care.
A special thank you to Harvard Pilgrim Health Care, for hosting the location of the event! We look forward to seeing everyone at our next networking event scheduled for May 1 in Dedham, and our next Forum event on October 3.
Blog post by WHCM Steering Committee Member Kathy Keough
Join colleagues, friends and members for an informal night of conversation and networking. Connect with other women in the healthcare industry. Appetizers and a cash bar included. Hope to see you there!
Companies today face pressures from both external and internal sources to find ways to cut down costs and raise revenues. This ultimately raises the question, how can leaders remain a valuable asset to an organization and provide leadership guidance without getting phased out from technology solutions in an increasingly complex digital age? We have compiled a helpful set of guidelines to provide leadership guidance in today’s digital age.
How Leadership Is Changing In A Digital Age
Leadership used to be categorized as providing command and control in various situations. Whether it was a command on when or how to do something, or control in monitoring those actions and gauging across several metrics – it’s no longer that simple. Increasingly, leadership is changing in a digital age by how well leaders can identify new solutions and monitor the addition of those new solutions.
Previously, leaders were expected to maintain a close relationship with their peers and subordinates, but now they must learn to provide leadership from a distance – which can be difficult for some.
The days of continually checking in with employees or peers to monitor their progress are long over, it’s all digital now. Few industries notice the effects of leadership from a distance greater than the healthcare industry. As an example, when a nurse goes into a patient’s room, they scan the barcode on the wristband of the patient. From there, they then scan any IV drips or medication provided to the patient. All this, while using a mobile unit that has the employee’s ID and employee number in the system and provides real-time updates to a system that is easily monitored.
This allows nurse leaders and healthcare executives to monitor patient treatment frequencies, medication delivered, and employee rotation. It wasn’t too long ago when healthcare leaders had to walk around each floor and monitor the progress of their subordinates and peers.
How Leaders Can Provide Guidance In The Changing Environment
Even though companies look to cut down on expenses and switch to these real-time digital solutions that are less expensive and increase productivity overall, leaders are still needed – their role just changes slightly.
Moving forward, leaders can provide guidance in how they seek out new solutions and then monitor the implementation of those new solutions. In addition, leaders can provide guidance by assisting employees and peers with learning those new solutions and monitoring room for improvement in existing technologies.
Some of the biggest trends in today’s digital age are automation, cloud computing, and big data. Individuals can provide leadership guidance by understanding how these trends are being used and can potentially be implemented to improve daily methods and procedures.
Leaders must become more accustomed to making decisions through the use of these modern digital technologies. In the event these new digital solutions don’t provide the answers one is looking for, leaders must find new ways to manipulate the technologies for answers to their questions. Increasingly, leaders can no longer only be accustomed to using one program or digital solution. Instead, leaders must learn how to manipulate and become proficient in a host of different technology solutions.
Summary
In conclusion, previous leadership guidance and styles many are accustomed to no longer work in today’s digital age. With new technological solutions that eliminate the need for peer-to-peer or employer-to-employee interaction, leaders should find ways to become accustomed to balancing the changing environment of the modern digital age. Leaders can provide guidance in learning new digital solutions, implementation, and improvement of those solutions.
More so than ever, leaders are needed to help push every industry forward by being the driving force to create and implement digital solutions that will help cut cost, improve customer service, and raise revenues.
Thank you to our guest post contributor, Ryan Bucci, a Content Strategist with HospitalCareers.com. HospitalCareers is the leading healthcare and hospital recruitment platform with over 25,000+ hospital jobs, career advice, and insights for qualified healthcare professionals.
I was working recently with a new student, who I am mentoring, and we discussed (what I find to be) the most important topic when building a relationship like this, how do you like to receive feedback and constructive criticism?
Primarily, this is the most important lesson for me, as the mentor. It is inevitable that there will be feedback, which is why we ask for mentoring, right? So how do you like it served?
I, for one, prefer direct and transparent communication. Don’t open with “here is what you are doing very well”, and shove the opportunities for improvement in the middle. That seems to beg the analogy of a “crap filled Oreo”. Give examples, bring me back to the instance when I performed the task, and what I could have done better. Bring me back to the conversation that took place, and show me where I could have guided it more efficiently, or changed course if appropriate?
What environment do you like to receive this in? I appreciate the one on one atmosphere with my mentor or next level. I want it to be the purpose of our time together. Feedback is not about just giving and receiving, it often requires a further discussion. It is of the utmost importance as a mentor, that feedback time is blocked for only that.
When would you like it? Personally, I prefer getting the feedback in the moment. Handling the situation at hand, and then having a time out to “debrief” about what could have gone better.
Feedback and criticism play a vital role in the development of leaders. It is so important that we are coordinating the way in which it is given to be the most beneficial to our student and as a set up for success in the overall experience.
Blog post by WHCM Steering Committee Member Jennifer Pendleton