Tag Archives: professional development

Generational differences at work

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A recent Becker’s article got me thinking about generational differences at work. Scott Becker wrote the article, “Working with younger generations – 7 thoughts”, focusing on millennials and Gen-Z. He acknowledged that if you label entire generations with broad cliches you may not understand any real differences or similarities between generations. He noted that the state of the economy when you graduate can influence your view on work and career the rest of your life. He goes on to comment on work-life balance, social consciousness, job hopping, tech savviness, and mental health. I encourage you to check out the article.

I am passionate about developing next generation leaders and spend a lot of time informally mentoring and advising people as well as providing both leadership and career coaching services. As a baby boomer, the “next generation” for me includes Gen X (born 1965-1980), Millennials (born 1981-1996), and Gen Z (born 1997-2012). And then there is that micro-generation called Xennials born in the late 1970s or early 1980s. That is where my two daughters and their husbands fall – I can see how they aren’t quite Gen X or Millennials when I think about the general labels. Xennials are described as having an analog childhood and a digital young adulthood.

I have decades of experience to draw on in leading and teaching others, but I also consider myself a continual learner and learn every day from the generations coming behind me. The book “Wisdom @ Work, The Making of a Modern Elder” by Chip Conley is an excellent resource. As the description says, “The secret to thriving as a midlife worker: learning to marry wisdom and experience with curiosity, a beginner’s mind, and a willingness to evolve, all hallmarks of the “Modern Elder.” Continue reading →

Ready to share your story?

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Last week I shared that going forward I plan to use this blog to also highlight the great work that so many of you are doing. I got a lot of positive reactions to that idea. The next step is to connect with those of you ready to talk with me and start lifting up the work you are doing for others to learn from.

In articles and podcasts, it is often senior leaders who are interviewed. I have worked with many awesome staff and management folks over the years. I know many of you subscribe to this blog or read it when I share on social media. Consider this a more direct appeal to you to share your stories.

If you have a particular project that you are proud of, an important initiative that you are driving, or key lessons you want to share with others, I’d love to hear from you. Shoot me a note describing what you want to talk about and I’ll follow-up to learn more. Be ready to share what you did and why, key challenges, results, and any lessons learned that will help others.

How best to reach me? If you don’t already have my email, send me a message on LinkedIn.

Together we’ll keep learning, sharing, and making a difference!

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Time to pivot

Time to pivot

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I’ve been writing this weekly blog for 8 years. It has been a weekly discipline and truly a labor of love. I started when I was the CIO at University of Michigan Health System Hospitals and Health Centers (now called Michigan Medicine). I was encouraged to launch it by the then social media coordinator for the health system. My purpose was simple – share my experience as a health IT leader and help develop next generation leaders. As my website “About” page says: “With this weekly blog, I share perspectives on the critical issues facing Health Care IT, the organizational transformations that IT organizations face, the challenges of leadership, and the work we need to do together to keep the paths of opportunity open for all. What we do matters.”

When I left Michigan and started down the path of interim management, consulting, and leadership coaching, I took over the blog and continued to write and publish it myself. I have served in both permanent and interim IT leadership roles for many leading organizations in the past 8 years. When I have been “in the seat” as a CIO, I have had plenty to share and at no loss for new topics.

But now that I am not doing interim engagements myself, I am removed from the day-to-day issues and challenges, and the many lessons learned from them. I continue to coach and help grow new leaders plus spend time connecting people to new opportunities. So even as I pivot, sharing leadership lessons will continue to be a focus area as well as commenting on significant events in our world as they relate to the work of healthcare and IT.

While blogs as a medium may have had their day, podcasts seem to have taken over in recent years. I listen to many different podcasts though I still read a lot too – finding ways to continually learn from others. I continue to share through other forums – our StarBridge Advisors blog, as a monthly host on the This Week in Health IT Town Hall/Community channel interviewing guests (my foray into podcasts), as well as speaking on webinars and panels.

So, what’s my pivot? I will continue to write but I am going to find ways to highlight the work of others and get their perspective on key issues. There are so many of you doing incredibly important and impactful work in our industry. I’m not sure how I’ll approach this change or if I will adjust the frequency of posts.  I consider it a work in process.

If you are interested in having your work highlighted or sharing your perspective on a key issue for a future post, please reach out. And if you have topic ideas, I’m all ears.

My work and writing continue…..

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Advice for bloggers: valuable content and discipline

Making time for reflection

Health IT content – plenty of choices

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My recent two-week vacation included family time, Disney with grandkids, and time just chilling with girlfriends (aka pool time, my first ever pickle ball game, walks by the ocean, shopping, eating, talking and lots of laughing).  I often publish a blog each week even when I’m on vacation but not this time. It was a true break!

Now that I’m back it’s a different kind of week. I am taking care of one of my grandchildren so arranging my work schedule around her school drop-off and pickup times. Something many of you navigate seamlessly or not so seamlessly every day. I’m hoping to get it right!

I am also getting into the recording mode this week.

On May 5 at 1PM Eastern, I will be a panelist on the Well Health sponsored webinar – “Digital Transformation Post-COVID: What’s Next on the CIO Priority List?”. Meg Aranow from Well Health will be moderating the panel that also includes Joel Vengco, SVP and Chief Information & Digital Officer at Hartford HealthCare and Raymond Lowe, SVP & CIO at AltaMed Health Services. It should be a great session. You can register here.

And I’ve recorded my first show as one of the moderators on the new This Week in Health Town Hall / Community channel. I interviewed Pamela Arora, new President and CEO at AAMI and a longtime CIO colleague of mine. For all the IT leaders who listen to This Week in Health podcasts, be sure to check it out – the IT and HTM (health technology management) relationship is a critical one. Continue reading →

Health IT conference season via podcast

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I didn’t attend either of the two big March in-person health IT industry events – ViVE (CHIME+HLTH) and HIMSS22. But I’ve heard a lot of positives about both events from colleagues. Just seeing people in person after two years was a highlight for many. I admit, I miss the in-person connections as well! And I do look forward to attending the CHIME Fall Forum this year celebrating CHIME’s 30th anniversary.

Like my blog post in November after the CHIME Fall Forum, I’m going to point you to what I consider one of the best resources to hear what health IT leaders from provider organizations and vendors had to say about the conferences and what’s on their mind these days.

Bill Russell has continued his Today in Health IT podcast series he calls “Interviews in Action” – interviewing 50 health IT leaders at ViVE and HIMSS22.  Each interview is no more than 10-15 minutes long. After having family in town visiting this week, I’m behind on my daily dog walk podcast listening but I’ve heard almost all the ones that had been dropped through last week. That includes these CIOs among others: Michael Pfeffer at Stanford Medicine, Cara Babachicos at South Shore Health, Cletis Earle at Penn State Health, Andrew Rosenberg at Michigan Medicine, Nassar Nizami at Jefferson Health, Andy Crowder at Atrium Health, and Jamie Nelson at Hospital for Special Surgery. While there are common themes such as staffing and talent, clinician burnout, and cybersecurity, you will also learn about the top focus areas for each organization. You can hear from these CIOs and many other IT leaders and vendors on the Newsroom channel.

Whether you attended these events or not, you’ll find the interviews insightful. And if you are looking for more ways to learn and keep current, check out the other new channels that Bill and his team at This Week in Health IT launched as of January – Academy, Community, and Conference which includes both keynotes and solution showcase podcasts.

You may also want to check out the podcast series from CHIME, HealthsystemCIO.com, and CIO Podcast by Healthcare IT Today.

Happy listening!

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#InternationalPodcastDay

More podcast recommendations – going beyond HIT

 

 

 

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.

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 →

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 →

Inspiring and developing new leaders – learning from the best

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If you work in health IT, you probably know who John Glaser is. After a very accomplished career, John retired at the end of 2019 but is still very involved in boards, teaching, and writing. He is still making a difference in our industry and for that we all should be grateful. And as many retired grandparents are doing during this pandemic, John is sharing childcare duties with his wife for their 18-month-old grandchild.

I was fortunate to work with John for 10 years when I was CIO at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and he was CIO at Partners Healthcare (now known as Mass General Brigham). I can honestly say that John was the best boss I ever had. Many health IT leaders have been mentored by John over the years, been in a class he taught, heard him speak, or read his writing. I feel fortunate to have worked closely with him for those 10 years of my career.

What prompted a post about John Glaser? With the regular podcast listening I do on my daily walks, the Digital Health Leaders Podcast from CHIME is in my rotation. John was recently interviewed on that series by Russ Branzell, CEO of CHIME. There is so much wisdom packed into the 37-minute conversation, it is worthy of CEU credits in my humble opinion.

The most inspiring part of the conversation was when John talked about his life values and leadership models. As he says, we are all going to die someday. So, what do you want to be able to say about your life in your last 30 seconds? For John, it’s the love he and his wife have for each other, providing a blessed life for his three daughters, that he inspired and taught the people he led, and that he left the organizations and industry he was part of better for what he contributed. I can certainly attest to the last two and knowing his family, the first two as well. Continue reading →