HR Pulse - Spring 2008 - (Page 47) L.E.A.D. By Amy McDirmit Call to Action Facing the inevitable exodus of workers, HR professionals have to take the reins and develop the talent pipeline. The key is identifying talent earlier in their careers and providing them with structured development opportunities and mentoring relationships. The L.E.A.D., Leadership, Education, Alignment, Development, program at Orlando Regional Healthcare is doing just that. Orlando Regional Healthcare, like many other health care organizations, has come to the realization that securing talent is a corporate asset—one that needs to be optimized for long-term interests and future success. In fact, 70 percent of health care CEOs consider leadership development for future leaders a priority, putting the onus on HR professionals to align their efforts and create better structured development programs (Advisory Board, 2003). Commitment from the Top Involving and engaging senior leaders from the start has been critical to Orlando Regional Health care’s success. Senior leaders can be the driving force, creating a culture of leadership development by establishing an expectation for every manager. They also can open doors and provide opportunities for staff members to look outside of their department and see the big picture. To gain senior-level commitment and buy-in, senior leaders should participate in the governance of the development program. At Orlando Regional Healthcare, senior leaders serve on the steering committee for the L.E.A.D. program. As members of this governing committee, they are solely responsible for planning, coordinating, and even selecting the participants of the program. Steering committee members establish the learning objectives and curriculum for the courses and deliver the content as subject matter experts. They also are instrumental in selecting the participants from the pool of potential candidates. Top executives also are incorporated into the L.E.A.D. program at Orlando Regional Healthcare and join the participants on a regular basis to network and answer leadership questions. Obtaining senior leadership commitment has been pivotal in the continued success of the L.E.A.D. program. Emerging Leaders Stepping Up Identifying the Potential Selecting the right people from the beginning will result in long-term benefits. The goal should be to hire staff with the greatest probability of being both willing and able to step up into leadership roles. If selection practices are focused in this way, emerging leaders will surface in every functional area of your health care organization. Identifying leadership potential requires a deeper look into an individual’s daily activities and an evaluation of their willingness to make an impact, take risks, and assume responsibility. Emerging leaders strive to make an impact within the department and see their responsibility as more than just a list of tasks to complete. They are willing to take risks and try new things, learning from their experiences. Emerging leaders also demonstrate a desire to grow and learn, always furthering their education and seeking new challenges at work. These individuals also demonstrate a positive effect by focusing on the possibilities and opportunities rather than on the pitfalls and obstacles. Emerging leaders at Orlando Regional Healthcare initiate for themselves the process of applying to the L.E.A.D. program. By starting the application process on their own, candidates demonstrate their personal desire to grow and learn new things. L.E.A.D. candidates are asked to include information pertaining to their work history, educational background, professional associations, certifications, and community involvement. Evaluating the 47 HR Pulse Spring 2008 The goal should be to hire staff with the greatest probability of being both willing and able to step up into leadership roles. >>
For optimal viewing of this digital publication, please enable JavaScript and then refresh the page. If you would like to try to load the digital publication without using Flash Player detection, please click here.