Episode 270: Blueprint for Success: Strategies for Healthcare Leaders with Teri Sholder

Episode Summary:

In this episode of The TRU Leader Podcast, Tracy and Michelle are joined by Teri Sholder, a former healthcare leader who transitioned to starting her own consulting company focused on performance improvement. She emphasizes the importance of maintaining successful processes and the need for leaders to understand the drivers of desired outcomes for sustainability. Her company assists with strategy implementation to ensure long-term success. Teri introduces her book, “Ascent to Excellence, A Blueprint for Health Care Board and Leadership Success,” which provides evidence-based strategies for healthcare board members and leaders to achieve and maintain excellence.

Key Discussion Points:

Teri’s Journey: Teri tells Tracy and Michelle about her journey from being a former healthcare leader to now founder of a consulting company focused on performance improvement. She also emphasized maintaining successful processes and understanding the drivers of desired outcomes for long-term sustainability.
Book Introduction: Teri introduces her book, “Ascent to Excellence, A Blueprint for Health Care Board and Leadership Success.” Her book provides evidence-based strategies for healthcare boards and leaders to achieve and sustain excellence.
Leadership Challenges: Tracy, Michelle, and Teri discuss the challenges leaders face in sustaining success, especially during leadership transitions. They also highlight the issue of new leaders dismantling successful systems and the need for continuous reinforcement of their value.
Quality & Financial Struggles: The discussion reveals the importance of prioritizing quality even amidst financial difficulties and that balancing cost and quality is crucial for long-term success.
Essential Leadership Elements: Tracy, Michelle, and Teri discuss the five critical elements for effective leadership which include Commitment and Vocalization, Data Integrity, Clinical Documentation Improvement, Workforce Engagement, and Process Optimization. They also emphasized accountability with clear goals aligned with organizational objectives.
Board Member Engagement: Part of the discussion also included the need to engage board members in governance, adequate orientation and simplified information presentation using scorecards for goals, metrics, and benchmarks.
Understanding Polarities: The discussion highlights the importance of understanding and managing polarities such as mission & margin and cost & quality for effective decision-making.

Final Thoughts: This episode emphasized that healthcare leadership requires a balance between maintaining successful processes and adapting to new challenges. Tracy, Michelle, and Teri note that effective leadership involves commitment, clear communication, data integrity, workforce engagement, and process optimization. Engaging and adequately orienting board members is crucial for sustained success. Lastly, balancing quality and financial considerations is key to achieving long-term organizational goals. Tune in to hear more about Teri's insights and strategies for achieving excellence in healthcare leadership and performance improvement.

Connect with Teri Sholder:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sholder-healthcare-consulting-0802732a/

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