On Human Resources

2022 or the 1950s? 

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February started with news that was both disturbing and disappointing to see in 2022. But unfortunately, not a surprise considering the long history of racism and white supremacy in this country. News programs the first few days of Black History Month covered bomb threats at many HBCU campuses, the Florida Anti-Woke Act, book banning, a neo-Nazi group protesting in front of Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, and another police shooting of a young black man, Amir Locke, in Minneapolis.

It makes one wonder if this is 2022 or the 1950s. Are we moving forward or backward?

When I touch on political subjects in my blog posts, I try to weave a healthcare perspective into it. The best I can do given these discouraging news stories is to reinforce that it takes each one of us to make change and create the kind of world we want to live in, work in and raise our families in.

As Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. said, “The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends towards justice”. Yes, but only if we pull it towards justice. So, what can you or I do to pull it?

I applaud Boston Children’s Hospital where I served as interim CIO last year for requiring “Bystander to Upstander” training for all employees as part of the health system’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. This program raised awareness of microaggressions in everyday life and provided simple tools for each of us to use to move from being a bystander when we see and hear something to being willing to call it out.

I applaud the CHIME Diversity and Inclusion committee which I am a member of for their continued work to raise awareness amongst CHIME and CHIME Foundation members and AEHIS, AEHIA and AEHIT members. The newest offering, “DEI Dialogues”, kicks off this Friday 2/25 from 12-1PM ET. DEI Dialogues will be a dynamic series of virtual conversations around identity, belonging, equity and inclusion with a different lens of focus each month. The focus of the first one is Black History Month. Cletis Earle, SVP and CIO at Penn State Health, and Dr. Andrea Hendricks, Senior Executive Director & Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer at Cerner, will moderate the discussion. For more information on CHIME Diversity and Inclusion and to register for the first DEI Dialogues, click here.

When it comes to understanding our own biases and working to end racism, we are each on our own journey of self-awareness and action. Together we can be the change and move forward not backward.

Resources and Related Posts:

Here’s the story behind Black History Month – and why it’s celebrated in February

How Sharing Our Stories Builds Inclusion

One year later – an increased focus on diversity, equity and inclusion

At the intersection of racism and healthcare

The “Great Resignation” at the micro level

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We hear a lot about the “Great Resignation” at a macro level. It is usually coupled with advice to employers on how to retain people and address the reasons people are resigning at such record levels. Behind the statistics are real people and everyone has their own, unique story. For some it just happens to be a good time to rethink their career options.

My LinkedIn newsfeed may be an indication of the talent shortage and the number of opportunities out there.  Several times a week I see a health IT leader posting about an open position and opportunity to join their organization.

I’ve recently been contacted by several individuals interested in making a career transition – looking for their next opportunity and challenge. People who have reached out include:

  • A physician who has worked largely in industry, most recently in Asia, but wants to return to the U.S. this year. He is looking for insights on the market and to understand the potential for someone like him moving into a hospital/health system CIO role eventually.
  • A well respected, former colleague who has been at a very successful health IT vendor for several years and is considering what his next level challenge might be. He is looking for advice and connections.
  • A consultant who a colleague introduced to me as he thinks I’ve been a great mentor and advisor for others. The consultant is starting to make a transition and wants to understand potential opportunities.

I am committed to helping next generation leaders so of course I make time to talk to people when I get these requests and introductions.

I listen to where they are at and what they are looking for next. I ask a few probing questions. Then I tailor my input/advice to their situation the best I can. I often suggest other people for them to talk to and offer to introduce them to recruiters if they don’t already have those relationships.

What do all job seekers have in common? Continue reading →

Considering a coach in 2022?

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It’s a new year. Time to reflect. Time to set new goals for yourself. If you have ever used a coach or considered doing so, you know the value of investing in yourself. I have provided leadership coaching and career coaching for many health IT leaders in recent years – all at different stages of their professional development and career. Over the years, I’ve written on the value of coaching and professional development. Here is a short list of posts worth revisiting:

When to use a career coach

Investing in you, the value of a coach

Confidence matters as much as competence

Being valued, doing meaningful work

Welcoming feedback

Note – I am taking a short break from writing new posts in January. With all the blog posts I’ve written over the past 7 plus years, I’m using this break to share some of my “classics”. Thank you for being a subscriber – I hope you will encourage your colleagues to subscribe in the coming year.

Leadership revisited

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It’s a new year. Time to reflect and look ahead. Whether you are a leader or an aspiring leader, there is always room to develop your own leadership skills and find ways to help others develop. Over the years, I’ve often written on leadership. Here is a short list of posts worth revisiting:

10 Tips for next generation leaders

7 Ways to develop the next generation of leaders

Leading through a crisis

What we should expect of leaders

Inspiring and developing new leaders – learning from the best

Lead by example

Leader as conductor

Note – I am taking a short break from writing new posts in January. With all the blog posts I’ve written over the past 7 plus years, I’m using this break to share some of my “classics”. Thank you for being a subscriber – I hope you will encourage your colleagues to subscribe in the coming year.

Developing next generation leaders (literally)

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Over the course of my 35+ year career in health IT management, I have led, coached, and mentored many IT professionals. And situationally I’ve mentored my adult daughters – meaning when they ask for advice. In doing so, I have found analogies with some of my mentees and coachees who are similar ages and at a similar stage in their career.

I am always happy and proud when I see any of them grow and develop, take on new opportunities, and progress in their career. And it’s nice to hear feedback on how I’ve helped on their journey as I continue to work with others.

Now we’re at the “literal” part in this blog post’s title – next generation leaders in my own family.  Both my daughters received awards this year from their employers recognizing their contributions and leadership. My oldest daughter, Katie Killinger, MSN, BSN, NP-C, is the Chief NP of Orthopedic/Spine Surgery at Brigham and Women’s Faulkner Hospital. She received the second annual APP in Excellence Award which recognizes the important contributions Advanced Practice Providers (APPs) make to the hospital. My youngest daughter, Ann Ochiltree, works in the seafood industry and is the Sr. Manager, Executive Communications & Administration at Thai Union North America. She was recognized with the Big 6 Value Award – Innovation. I am very proud of both my daughters and love seeing the examples they are setting for their own young children.

To even mention my daughters here may be considered “parental bragging” as my husband calls it. But I mention them in a broader context of how leaders lead and influence in many different circumstances. Continue reading →

Remote work – writing chapter three

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In my blog post late May, “Remote work – what next?”, I commented on the balance needed as organizations begin to bring people back to the office. Balancing the organization’s needs with the individual’s preferences and choices. I concluded that the organizations that are thoughtful in their plans and supportive of their workforce during this transition time will be most successful in retaining and attracting talent. I noted that chapter three of remote work was just beginning to be written.

I continue to hear from colleagues on their approaches and see many articles on the subject. That includes a rather concerning one, “The Great Resignation…..by Remote Workers”, written by several senior partners at the search firm Korn Ferry. One of my CIO colleagues shared it on our Children’s Hospital Association (CHA) CIO Forum Hot Topic Call last week when we were discussing our respective approaches to continuing remote work. The article describes the challenge of retaining employees who now know they can be a remote worker for companies anywhere who may offer a higher salary or better benefits and perks. They emphasize the need for organizations to rethink their retention programs and find new and innovative ways to incorporate remote workers into the culture.

It was useful to hear from CHA colleagues – flexibility is the operative word. Having broad guidelines and letting individual managers work with their teams on how best to make a mix of remote and onsite work most effective for them. A few of the CHA CIOs talked about national recruitment with each having several states where they are approved to recruit from. For an organization that primarily operates in one state and hires from a few bordering states, expanding recruitment nationally will depend on HR support and dealing with tax laws. But if you do go down this path, one CIO cautioned that you need to ensure inclusivity and find ways to make out of state employees feel part of the culture.

My colleague and principal at StarBridge Advisors, Russ Rudish, wrote an excellent blog post recently outlining the challenges and opportunities that both employers and employees are focused on as we enter this next chapter. In “Now What? Working in a Post Covid World”, Russ comments on recruiting and retention, work / home separation, feeling part of a team, and more. As he says, there are no quick or simple solutions but how companies address them will have significant and broad impacts. Continue reading →

One year later – an increased focus on diversity, equity and inclusion

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A year ago this week a small number of Minneapolis residents witnessed the death of George Floyd. Within days, the world knew what had happened and responded. There were mass protests in cities across the country and the world.

It was a time to reflect as companies across the country looked internally at their own practices and culture. Many started programs focused on Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI). Those with programs already in place revisited and strengthened them. At Boston Children’s Hospital where I am currently serving as interim CIO, they reaffirmed their commitment. This past week, Dr. Kevin Churchwell, President and CEO, sent a note to all staff outlining some of the work that has been done in the past year in support of their six core EDI commitments with the subject: “One Year after George Floyd’s death, our work continues…..”

The core commitments are:

Goal 1: We will be truly inclusive.

Goal 2: Our team will be as diverse as the patients and families we care for.

Goal 3: We will eliminate racism from our processes, practices, and guidelines.

Goal 4: We will continue to educate ourselves to be an inclusive working environment.

Goal 5: We will work to eliminate health disparities in our community and across the nation.

Goal 6: We will develop and use metrics to continually improve our performance in equity, diversity, and inclusivity.

As Dr. Churchwell said in his message, “George Floyd’s name became a rallying cry for millions and yet another compelling reason to discuss tensions around racism and social injustice. One man’s life became a symbol of so many lives lost needlessly. Disparities and inequities long considered to be “part of the system” became impossible to ignore. Here at Boston Children’s, we took a hard look at ourselves, and we realized that we need to be part of the solution to these important issues.”

Many of you or your CIO may be members of CHIME. In 2020, I joined the CHIME Diversity and Inclusion Committee which was established in early 2019. Continue reading →

Remote work – what next?

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After 14 months of remote work for many, organizations are making plans to bring people back to the office. Most healthcare CIOs that I spoke with in the past year plan to have their staff either remain fully remote or back in the office part-time for a “hybrid model”. Only one CIO that I spoke to had his full IT team onsite throughout the pandemic. They were considered critical support staff and available to augment staff in other departments if needed.

With this transition there are many articles covering all sides of the topic and the challenges facing organizations and employees. Two recent articles from Harvard Business Review are worth checking out.  The first one, “What Mix of WFH and Office Time is Right For You?”, is aimed at individuals assessing their own workstyle when it comes to work location. If the employee has a choice, the article suggests they do a self-assessment and then discuss with their boss what would work best for them. The second one, “How To Do Hybrid Right”, is aimed at organizations trying to determine the right hybrid model in terms of employee types and workspace design.

A recent opinion piece in the Boston Globe by Jon Levy, “The Hybrid Workplace Probably Won’t Last”, talks about the pendulum swinging back to onsite work. Jamie Nelson, CIO at Hospital for Special Surgery, made similar projections in her recent podcast with Bill Russell on This Week in Health IT and talked about being onsite herself through the pandemic and the importance of leaders in healthcare organizations being present.

Bill and I covered the topic extensively on This Week in Health IT Newsday show earlier this week. A few of my thoughts on the topic: Continue reading →

Career advice revisited

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It seems that I am getting a lot of requests to provide career advice these days. I did formal career coaching for a few people in recent months and am currently participating as a mentor in the Boston Young Healthcare Professionals (BYHP) mentor program. In all these situations, I point people to my many previous blog posts on career advice to supplement what we discuss.

For general career advice, they find these “classics” useful to review:

Career advice in a competitive market

5 job search challenges in 2020

You need to own your own career

Taking control of your life

Make career choices right for you

New year, new job?

Time for a job change?

Stand out at the interview

So you didn’t get the job

In this new virtual world of recruiting, I tell people not to underestimate the power of LinkedIn. It is an online professional directory that recruiters look to for candidates. Optimize your profile. Ensure the one liner under your name is a good description of your role since that is what people see when you invite them to connect with you and when you are found on searches. Use the about section to describe what you offer and how you can add value – don’t just copy and paste your current job description summary. Be active which shows you are current and engaged – that means sharing content yourself and commenting on other people’s posts. And if you are actively looking for a new job, check the “open to work” box – don’t worry, you can control who sees it.

If you are thinking of using a coach, check out these two posts:

When to use a career coach

Investing in you, the value of a coach

Looking for a new job can be exciting and hard at the same time. Hopefully, the lessons and tips in these posts will make it a little easier.

Developing next generation leaders 2021 style  

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In 2021, I have said yes to one more way I can help develop next generation leaders. I am excited to be one of the rotating co-hosts on This Week In Health IT Monday Newsday series. Bill Russell has done an amazing job the past three years growing and evolving This Week In Health IT into several different podcast series and channels. Bill shares my commitment to developing next generation leaders through his many different offerings, so I quickly said yes when asked to be one of the co-hosts in the new format of the Newsday series.  Our first episode together will be available January 11, so I hope you will check it out.

Bill’s commitment and goal is clear: develop the next generation of health leaders by amplifying the best thinking. This Week In Health IT has proven to be a valuable contribution to our industry. My health IT advisory firm, StarBridge Advisors, is proud to continue as a channel sponsor in 2021.

After a very successful 2020 with 230,000 downloads and 177 new episodes including the daily COVID Field Report series from March to July, Bill has changed things up yet again for 2021. There are several options to pick and choose from for yourself and to share with your teams. These offerings provide a no-cost, easy, accessible way for staying current and continuing to learn from others.

Monday Newsday – replacing the Tuesday Newsday show, every Monday Bill will have a co-host to discuss key stories in the news.

Wednesday Solutions Showcase – 2020 episodes highlighted AI, Robotic Process Automation, Machine Learning, End Point Security, Social Determinants of Health partnerships, Mental Health integration with primary care and more.

Friday Influencers – Interviews with industry leaders. Guests include IT leaders, health executives and experts who can shed light on the challenges that healthcare faces and the potential solutions. Continue reading →