Practice Management Alert

Leaders aren’t born, they’re made.

Leading an organization or some aspect of an organization involves a lot of responsibility: You need to make sure that tasks are accomplished to keep moving your business forward, you need to be keep the company’s vision in mind and keep your team motivated toward that progress, and you need to keep your employees working together and toward your company’s goals.

Finding a mentor can be a particularly helpful way of learning which leadership style fits you best. Effective leaders — and managers — are skilled in building up their team members, boosting their confidence that they can truly excel in their jobs. As the healthcare industry moves toward corporate culture while orienting more toward customer service, leadership is an increasingly valuable skill.

Finding or Becoming a Mentor Can Pay Dividends

You may not have time or money to seek out an official leadership workshop, which is why mentorship can be a cost-effective and less time-intensive alternative to develop or polish useful skills.

“In today’s corporate culture, where proper soft skills and leadership learning are early on the chopping block, mentors become beacons for employees looking to flourish in their careers,” says Sean Sullivan, MBA, PMP, founder of Kind Seas LLC, a consulting company focusing on business and executive leadership, in Naples, New York. “An engaged mentor who is leaning into the role for their own improvement will not only provide the example and the hard recommendations for the mentees, they’ll likely become the sponsor needed to pave the next move in the employee’s career.”

Healthcare jobs are notorious for their high turnover rate, but investing the time and genuine interest in helping your employees excel can result in a happier workplace culture, as well as boosting employee loyalty.

Mentorship Can Provide Direction

Many people who seek careers in the healthcare industry are driven and dedicated, but sometimes need direction or encouragement to avoid burnout.

Mentors are critical for employees who are quick movers and tend to jump into new or challenging roles, especially those who rely on the “fake it till you make it” mantra, Sullivan says.

Finding a mentor may seem tough, but think about those in your office or the industry at large whom you admire. Ask if they have time for a chat so you can pick their brains about how they made it to their current roles and whether they would be interested in mentoring you.