healthcareexecutive

[healthcareexecutive]

Well the first class is in the books.

Yesterday was the first class of Foundations of Physician Practice Management at the University of Detroit Mercy. This was the first time this class has been offered as part of the MHSA program and I am honored to be able to teach the course. This course is very personal for me. As a graduate of the MHSA program many years ago I was surprised that our program did not expose students to the field of practice management or that the outpatient arena was a possible career option in healthcare. Having built my career in this area of healthcare, when I was given the opportunity to sit on the advisory board I had suggested this option as a possible course for students. This was about five years ago or so. The faculty agreed and the wheels were set in motion to add this course to the curriculum. Flashback to a year ago and the course was approved and ready for development. After a semester of development it was ready to be offered to students (only offered during the Winter semester). And as you can surmise, yesterday was the first day of the course. It is a little weird to be in a class on the other end of the spectrum, however I am beyond thrilled to be able to share my experiences and knowledge with the students and to help shape the next generation of healthcare leaders. Sometimes opportunities are born out of your personal experiences.

[healthcareexecutive]

Friday Evening Fail!

Failing to set goals for yourself

What a timely FEF as we enter the new year and no doubt, we are all setting New Years Resolutions, however I am not talking about New Years Resolutions. I'm talking about setting goals for yourself, in some specified cadence, consistently. These can be yearly, monthly, or weekly. While most of my goals tend to be more professional in nature, for 2024 they happen to be all personal and involve around improving finances and investments. And while I may not achieve every goal I set, I look at it as a win if I achieve any of them. For example, if I set 8 goals and only achieve 4 of them, it's likely that I wouldn't have accomplished those 4 if I had not set any goals in the first place. At a minimum, at least I am tracking my progress over time.

This week's FEF...set goals for yourself

#healthcare administration #career #healthcare executive #healthcareadministration #healthcare #fridaymotivation

[healthcareexecutive]

Friday Evening Fail!

Failing to realize you can achieve a higher level than where you are at now.

I used to have an inferiority complex or imposter syndrome in my career. When I started graduate school I felt I did not belong. I felt that the other students had more work experience, were more knowledgeable than I was, and were better poised for success. When I would attend networking events I would hold senior executives in awe. Admiring how polished and put-together they seemed and how well they spoke. I often questioned and doubted my ability to get to that level.

As I ended graduate school I graduated near the top of my class, I was more involved in professional organizations than others, and I was highly committed to actively engaging in various projects. As I progressed throughout my career, I realized that these senior level executives were people too. They had more experience, yes, but at the end of the day they were people with their own nuances, with their own strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities. When I look at people in certain positions I wonder how I would act in their shoes. Would I have made the same decision? Would I process things in the same way? The truth is, you don't need to be someone else to succeed. You just need to be you. Work on your strengths, identify your weaknesses, and do the best you can. Chances are you will find success.

This week's FEF really comes down to self-doubt. While a small amount of self-doubt can be healthy as it can drive and push you to perform better, it's important that you can reach a higher level in your career if you wish to do so.

Best of luck in your career's everyone!

#healthcare executive #healthcare #career #healthcareadministration #encouragement #busines #inspiration

[healthcareexecutive]

Friday Evening Fail

Failing to go all in.... This is a counterpart to a previous MMCT talking about finding the right balance for you in regards to work-life balance. And while it is still true you need to find your own balance that works for you, my viewpoint has always been to go all in. My plan was never to get into healthcare, rather it was to run my family's business. And like many individuals, life took another turn. When I decided to leave the family business and pursue an education in healthcare management, it was going against the grain. The family business could have been considered the safe play. So when I did this, I knew my decision was to go all in. Yes, I could have gone back to the family business had it not worked out. Call it pride or whatever, I had always felt this was not an option. And by the way, I was starting a family at this point in life as well. Needless to say, the stakes were high. So when individuals would talk to me about work-life balance or burnout, I had a hard time relating. For me, my whole family and our livelihood was at stake with this decision. Of course I was going to "burn the candle at both ends" as people would say. Of course I was going to commit to the networking event, when others would say they had "XYZ" to do. Of course I was going to go all in and do everything I could to stand out, to separate myself from others getting into this industry. To me, it made sense. And well...it seems to have paid off...at least so far. And if it were to end now, well at least it was a good run. This week's FEF...definitely determine your balance...but if you are determined to make a career in this industry, don't let others talk you out of it. Don't be afraid to go all in, whatever that looks like for you. Best of luck in your careers everyone!

[healthcareexecutive]

Friday Evening Fail!

Not Celebrating the Wins of Others... This one can be hard, especially early in your career when you are trying to establish your own career. As much as I preach about working to separate yourself from others that are trying to climb the ladder, suggesting that others are your competition, in reality, there is enough pieces of the pie to go around. Whatever level you aspire to get to in your career, if you put in the work, the time, are committed to success, there is enough of "that level" for you to achieve it. Bottom line is, whenever your fellow students, colleagues, or peers achieve a win, or a success in their career....Celebrate it...be excited for them...don't be jealous or envious. This week's FEF....Celebrate the wins and successes of others.

#healthcare administration #wins #fridaymotivation #success

[healthcareexecutive]

Friday Evening Fail!

Failing to work hard... While it is true that we need to have work-life balance, those that I have studied that have climbed the ladder, all worked hard. They put in long hours, they committed to their field and career, and always strived for the best. The funny thing is... You never would know this. They were humble in doing so. They did not brag about their accomplishments. They were not outlandish in any way. They very much adopted the servant leadership approach. This week's FEF....work hard and stay humble

#work #healthcareadministration #career

[healthcareexecutive]

Friday Evening Fail!

Not preparing for the interview.... Now this sounds like basics 101, however I have seen many people interview for many positions, and they seemingly fail to get the job. Now nailing every interview is not guaranteed to land the job, but failing to nail the interview will guarantee you don't land the job. In my time I have seen three basic interview failures. 1) Lack of energy. This is everything from handshakes, eye contact, hand motions, and generally a lack of passion and confidence in the answers. 2) Lack of selling oneself. Many people simply state what they have done or what they were responsible for in their previous positions. They don't show how what they have done and what they were responsible for will bring value to the position they are interviewing for. 3) Lack of detailed answers. Many people can state where they want to be in five years, but many don't go into depth to highlight the steps they are taking to get there. Having an end state is great, but having one without a plan is not a good interview approach. This week's FEF, you are not just selling what you have done in an interview but what you bring to the table in terms of value, your potential, and your energy. Best of luck in your careers everyone!

[healthcareexecutive]

Friday Evening Fail!

Avoiding tough conversations... This can be applied to both a manager/director or an employee. In either way, there are many times when tough conversations need to be had. As a manager/director, this can be with an employee, a provider, your boss, a colleague. As an employee, this can be with your boss, a fellow employee, or a friend. Whatever the situation is, tough conversations will need to be had. And the dynamics of the relationship will dictate how that conversation goes. By having these conversations you will have accomplished many things. One, you may strengthen the relationship you have with that other individual, whether that is personal or professional. Two, you may lose that individual, again, that may be an employee or a "friend". And whether you strengthen that relationship or lose that relationship, you will learn something from that conversation that you will be able to apply to future conversations. This weeks FEF....when faced with a tough conversation, prepare yourself for the conversation, and have the conversation. Whatever the outcome may be, you will have gained something from having it.

#healthcareadministration #fridaymotivation

[healthcareexecutive]

Monday Morning Career Tip!

Professional Organizations...

We hear it all the time, join professional organizations, network, make connections, however there is a limit to how much you can do all of this.

So the question comes down to, how many professional organizations should you belong to? Of course we can simply sign up to be a member, but I'm talking about about how many should you be active within.

This will differ for each person, however I have found that 3 is my max. Any more than that I am unable to keep up. I also believe it is important to have one of those three be outside of the industry you belong in. This allows you to grow and development throughout your career and stay connected to the broader area of one's career.

This week's MMCT....find the right balance of how many professional organizations you can belong to and then become heavily involved and invested in those organizations.

#networking networkingtips careersuccess careeradvice #healthcare #healthcare administration #healthcare executive #career #healthcarepodcast #healthcareadministration #podcast #podcasts #career advice #careerdevelopment #business #healthcarepodcasts #podcaster

[healthcareexecutive]

Friday Evening Fail!

Looking to others to find your success.... Yes, others certainly contribute to your success, however they can only set you up with an opportunity to succeed. And in order to get these opportunities you must put in the work first. you must put in the work and prove yourself capable of handling more. Looking to others to get something you want without first "proving" yourself is a major mistake, and often leads to unintended results. This week's FEF...Others can get you an opportunity to highlight yourself. They cannot get you the end result.

#fef #friday #healthcare #healthcareadministration

[healthcareexecutive]

Friday Evening Fail

Taking a microscopic view of your career.

Oftentimes we focus intently on the here and now. We aim to do the best we can at the job in front of us. Sound thinking however if we do this long enough we forget to look at the big picture. That big picture is different for us all. Some of us want to progress up the ladder, some aspire to middle management, some (students) are simply focused on landing that first job. Whatever the goal is, it's important to look at the big picture and see how the here and now contributes overall to the big picture.

This week's FEF....

Take time to look at the big picture.

#careers #students

[healthcareexecutive]

Friday Evening Fail (Student Edition)

Okay if you haven't picked up on these FEF themes lately they are all student editions. This one, your internship. Plainly stated, treat your internship like a job, not as a requirement to graduate. Far too often I see students take internships and approach them like they are a requirement to graduate. Technically, they are. However they are much more than that. They are an opportunity to be see the inside of an organization, to be exposed to those living healthcare administration on a daily basis, to have something meaningful you can put on your resume, to have something to discuss during an upcoming interview, and much more. Approach your internship as you would a paid position. Be selective in where you do your internship, be intentional in what you want out of your internship, and most of all, soak it all in. My only recommendation as to how you should differ the internship than a paid position...do more than one. If at all possible, try to do multiple internships.

#fridaymotivation

[healthcareexecutive]

Book Review

Unapologetically Ambitious: Take Risks, Break Barriers, and Create Success On Your Own Terms by Shellye Archambeau. The book is about the career path of Archambeau, the challenges she faced not only throughout her career but also her early days as a child. The book is filled with wonderful insights on how Shellye meticulously planned out her life, her commitment and dedication, and her laser-like focus on knowing what she wants in her life and her career and how she planned to execute this vision. Here are four points from the book that left me inspired and wanting more in my career. 1) You don't have to apologize for being who you are and making the choices you make. 2) You cannot wait for someone else to hand you an opportunity. You have to manage your own career. 3) You need to be building your network all the time, not just when you want something (A point I have echoed many times in mentoring others). 4) No matter what life throws at you, remain focused on your career and your priorities, whatever they may be, and things will work out. If you are looking for an inspirational story, check out Unapologetically Ambitious

#bookreview

[healthcareexecutive]

Book Review!

I just finished Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill.

My main takeaway from this book is that your attitude matters. The book is filled with insights on how to propel one's situation. One section that stood out was the major attributes of leadership, to which there are 11 of them, outlined below. The book goes on to explain these leadership qualities in greater detail than merely listing them, however they all provided me with a deeper understanding of areas that I need to focus on in my current position and career in order to improve and advance. It's a fairly easy read. I highly encourage giving it a read.

1)     Unwavering courage

2)     Self-control

3)     A keen sense of justice

4)     Definiteness of decision

5)     Definiteness of plans

6)     The habit of doing more than paid for

7)     A pleasing personality

8)     Sympathy and understanding

9)     Mastery of detail

10)  Willingness to assume full responsibility

11)  Cooperation

#bookreview

[healthcareexecutive]

Friday Evening Fail!

Measuring Success... We often hear that we shouldn't measure success by comparing ourselves to others, however the question remains, how should we measure success? Title? Money? Size of the organization? The answer to these questions are highly personal and likely there is no wrong answer, however these are important questions to consider. What do you value in terms in of success? And, once you figure out what you consider success, how do you know when it is time to move on from your current position? This evenings FEF, don't be trapped into thinking success has to look one way or the other. Success is how you define it.

#healthcare administration #healthcareadministration #healthcarepodcast #fridaymotivation

[healthcareexecutive]

Need Help

Here is an interesting article I found in Crain's Detroit Business written by Dustin Walsh. I must say, this article hits all too close to home. I'm not sure how it makes me feel, but I suppose it's good to know I am not alone, plus it puts perspective on what we are going through.

The article explains the ongoing shortage healthcare is facing in regards to medical assistants. The increasing pay in other industries along with various incentives is making this entry-level position in healthcare less attractive. It seems only a few years ago we were going through a nursing shortage, now it's medical assistants. Why it hits close to home, is because I personally have MA positions open with only two applicants for some. Baffling to me at first, this article places perspective and reason on why I am seeing what I am in my own hiring process. I encourage you to read the article (must have an account to access).

In any event, if anyone knows of any good MA's, I'm hiring at Michigan Medicine ;)

https://www.crainsdetroit.com/health-care/rising-pay-other-industries-blows-holes-health-cares-workforce

#healthcareadministration #medicalassistant

[healthcareexecutive]

Friday Evening Fail!

Not Paying it Forward! The one thing I find fascinating in our industry is the mentorship aspect of it. Virtually every senior-level healthcare executive I talk to almost always mentions a mentor they had when they were starting out their career. Every successful person always talks about someone that mentored them (Paid it Forward). One of the biggest mistake we make is believing that we don't have anything to offer. The truth is, if we've lived the experience, we have something to offer. Maybe we didn't get a job we went after, maybe a promotion, or a fellowship we didn't get. OR....maybe we did get all of those things.... Either way, we should share that experience with others (Pay it Forward) If we've learned anything from an event in our life, others likely can benefit as well.....in other words....PAY IT FORWARD!!!

#payitforward