Lakeland Health continues to lead by example when it comes to crafting the leadership of the future not only for their own institution by for the community at large as well. Lakeland’s “Leading Toward the Future” leadership development program, recently graduated its third cohort of team members. The ongoing program is presented by Lakeland University, a corporate university within Lakeland Health that develops and delivers educational programs for growing clinical, management, and leadership capabilities. To date a total of 51 team members and 13 physicians have completed the program.
For the past year and a half, 18 Lakeland team members dedicated more than 1,000 hours to complete the intensive, in-depth program which develops leadership skills and characteristics, such as collaboration, emotional intelligence, crucial conversations, and resilience to change, among others. Participants included leaders with years of experience, new leaders, and team members with aspirations to become leaders in the future.
Within Leading Toward the Future, participants completed a 360-survey process, met with members of Lakeland’s Senior Leadership Team, experienced hands-on simulations, and attended Lead USA, where they heard presentations from esteemed leaders across the country. Participants also identified an Action Learning Project, and made presentations about their project at the final class. In order to complete the program, graduates will teach segments of leadership classes to the program’s next cohort.
Sandi Plank is Chief Learning Officer & Executive Director at Lakeland University. She tells us, “Each graduate team member from this cohort of the program has grown and changed through the last 18 months and each one has accomplished so much in this short time.” Plank adds, “I was impressed with the depth and breadth of their final presentations and how each project was strategically focused to help Lakeland to positively transform the healthcare and the health choices of those we serve and employ. I predict great things from each of them as they journey with Lakeland into the future of health care.”
Meanwhile, Gwen Day, Manager of Organization Development at Lakeland University says, “This cohort is an amazing group as a whole, but individually, each person has a remarkable story of growth, both professionally and personally, throughout the program.” Day is especially proud of the program, because “It has impacted the way they think about their work, their impact, how their team functions, and Lakeland as whole. I am so proud of what each of them has accomplished.”
Shown in the photo accompanying this story on Moody on the Market.com are: Front row (left to right): Kristin Perrine, Denise Pullins; Samantha Fell; Jessica Hines; Eden Partlo; Alissa Lehto-Hoffman; Gwen Day; Middle row (left to right): Kerry Pratt; Liz Burrows; Rebecca Chambers; Mary Jo Crandell; Lynette Dawson; Back row (left to right): Donnakay Owusu-Agyei; Jodi Hobson; Kim Simpson; Lynell De Wind; Karen Kaminski.
