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- [00:00]
A
This is Laura Dardo with the Beckers Healthcare Podcast. I'm thrilled today to be joined by Michael Sloan, Market Vice President of Human Resources at Common Spirit Health. Michael, it's a pleasure to have you on the podcast today.
- [00:11]
B
Hi Laura. Thank you for having me.
- [00:13]
A
Absolutely. Now I am excited to be speaking with you today because I know you've recently published your first book titled Unlocking the Hidden Strengths that Build Extraordinary Teams and Cultures, which is available on Amazon in both audio and print. And so we'll be talking about that a lot today and just unpacking some of the ideas and big things, things that you've noticed over your career themes that can really be helpful for other leaders in the healthcare and human resources space. But before we dive into that, could you take just a minute and tell us a little bit about yourself and in your background?
- [00:45]
B
Yeah. I'm a lawyer by training from Omaha, Nebraska originally and I was in private practice as well as a criminal prosecutor for the city of Omaha. When I was there, I made the jump out to the west coast and I was lucky enough while practicing law I was able to get in touch with Common Spirit Health, representing them in some matters. Obviously one thing led to the other. I knew the team, I knew what the organization was about and it was really ever changing for me that I got introduced to healthcare. And the next thing I know I'm becoming their Director of Employee Labor Relations and then eventually starting my career as a Vice President of Human resources. So it's been about, it's been a up and down journey to say the least in the human resource arena. I've spent about 13 years with this organization. It's a great organization. We've grown leaps and bounds. I, I feel not only through Dignity Health, but now becoming Common Spirit Health with the merger of chi and I've just, you know, been, been very blessed in my career not to only have leaders in the space of which I've, you know, sort of settled in, in human resources, but also to the degree in which human resources has being part of that change and helping drive that change. So here we come, full circle. Currently overseeing markets in the Central Coast, North State and Sacramento area of our California region. And that's where we are today.
- [02:18]
A
Well, that's amazing to hear and you know, what a great career journey. Like you mentioned, twists and turns, but certainly exciting to healthcare is always ever changing and a lot going on there, so. Well, Michael, I know this is your first book. What pushed you to finally sit down and write it? If you tell us a little bit about what's in there and you know, what you really feel like is important to put down on the pen and paper.
- [02:42]
B
Yeah, you know, it, it really has been sort of a, a pet project of mine for years and I finally just, you know, started putting pen to paper and, and I felt that something that I had experience in as well as what I, my own observations that was backed up by not only data and, and, and, and other things from people that have come before me, but I think what really triggered me to really put it into print form was really the fact that, you know, being in human resources we are, we always have our foot in something, whether it be operationally, clinically, financially, what have you. And, and a lot of the times when we're trying to develop strategies or prepare for the next quote, unquote shoe to drop, if you will, we, we need teams to get us there. Right. And, and being part of that, not only the selection part and development part, but really being involved in the minutia of who's going to be part of those teams. And, and I've seen sometimes that we sometimes look at the four corners of, of someone's CV or resume or background and, and I saw that we were maybe relying too much on that. And I felt that not only, you know, it's not to say that those people that fit that criteria weren't good at what they did, but putting them in a team environment and helping them drive for change and reach the objectives that we've set out to do. I felt sometimes that it was more of the subjective criteria of the individual that really helped team succeed, that really drove change and got the return on investment. More so than someone that says, you know, I'm strictly financial and, and the numbers are what the numbers are. I found that more often than not the people that really were the stars, if you will, the people that we needed to formulate who we wanted to be part of our organization but let alone help develop, those people were the ones that really had, you know, some people call them soft skills but more often than not I think those get overlooked. And I wanted to sort of set my book apart from the normal business book or self leadership book that you know, really set itself apart by focusing on those attributes, you know, personal qualities that often go unrecognized yet are crucial for those the cohesion, resilience, innovation and long term success of an organization. So that's really what drove me to, to write about it.
- [05:26]
A
That makes a lot of sense. You know, I couldn't agree more. In Looking at some of those soft skills and the way that people can relate to others as being such an asset in people management and development. And you know, I think everybody who has been in that position has seen those stories before where, you know, individual contributors or those who may be have the strongest numbers or experience behind them. You know, when it comes to coaching and people development, it's just a different story skill set. So I think that's fascinating. And I know in the book you talk about those hidden strengths that build extraordinary teams. Can you tell us a little bit more about what that really means and how leaders can spot them in their own people?
- [06:03]
B
Yeah, you know, hidden strengths are the non obvious assets within a team dynamic, right. When they're acknowledged and leveraged, they elevate an entire group. And these often are manifested through, you know, case in point, untapped skills and experience. If we're looking at a strategy to reach a financial objective, right, we, we first go to the cfo, we go to the accountants, we go to the people that really know how to read and dissect a profit and loss statement as an example. But I've also found that there's some people that have maybe limited experience in that realm, but have a curiosity for learning and may have a cross functional fluency that may be better suited for something that touches upon that subject matter. So you know, looking at those untapped skills, those untapped experiences, as well as the character traits, as I mentioned before in the soft skills that oftentimes go undervalued. Case in point, again, emotional intelligence, resilient. When they, you know, I talk about in the book, are they go, you know, we all, all teams face challenges but sometimes those challenges make people sort of stop in their tracks. Do we have individuals on the team that are resilient and gritty enough that they won't quote, unquote, fold like a lawn chair when things get tough? Are they willing to bounce back, learn from it and push on? Are they curious? Are they curious learners? Are they willing to listen more so than speak? Are they able to make the team around them better people? You know, I use in the book an old age that we hear in sports. You know, are they the locker room people? Right? They, they may not have the best stats on the field, but, but they build the team better behind the scenes in the locker room that people gravitate to. They make people better around them and they make people elevate their game. And I think I also end on that of what it truly means is they bring a Unique perspective that sometimes we may get lost in what we're really setting out to do. These are the people that see the trees through the forest. You know, they're. They bearing a constructive skepticism and a diversity of thought to those groups. So that's what I mean. And that's what I try to define the. The, you know, the hidden strengths, what that really means. And I try to draw that out in the book. And I. And I feel from the. The data in. In the research that I've done really backs that up. But again, you know, undervalued, untapped, overlooked, and really what they bring from a personal standpoint that makes everyone around them.
- [08:54]
A
Better, that makes a lot of sense. And, you know, really thinking about that sports analogy is very relatable. And we've all seen those athletes or those times when certain individuals can bring up everybody else or really are the glue that makes it work. And so thinking about that in terms of your own teams is critical and I think so important. Now, I know culture is a big buzzword that has been coming up more and more recently, but in your view, what actually makes the. A great team culture? How do you think about that in the terms that you've been describing already about, you know, the people that make a difference and that can really be those motivators that raise all boats?
- [09:38]
B
Yeah, you know, that's a good question. And I think, you know, culture means a lot of different things for a lot of different people, but I think, you know, even though it's used as a buzzword, it really is a living, breathing thing for an organization. Right. Culture trumps strategy, as they say. And I do think there is a lot of breadth to that because it really. Culture is the personality of what an organization is and what it aspires to be. And for me, a great team culture is characterized by shared purpose and values, everyone rowing in the same direction, empowerment and autonomy. You know, not to micromanage, but to identify these hidden traits of what makes a good leader and what it lends itself to the team, but having the ability to let them run with them, giving them the personal autonomy and authority to do their jobs effectively. And that also fosters ownership and initiative in a way. I also think, you know, the culture breeds effective communication and transparency of what an organization is, what their mission, vision and values are, and people that gravitate towards that understand the expectations of what that organizational culture is. I also think it is also a little bit of psychological safety. People feel safe to speak up. For instance, the organization I work for we practice high reliability organizational standards. And I think in that realm, people need to feel safe to speak up, to ask questions, admit mistakes, learn from those and challenge ideas without fear of retribution. And on the other side of that, by doing that, I think it's a recognition and appreciation value that people's contributions in that realm of expectations for an organizational culture, people are genuine, genuinely acknowledged and valued for that. So, you know, again, culture means, and I don't set out to define culture as this is the be all, end all definition. And it means a lot of different things, things to different people. But for me personally, I think that's what encapsulates it.
- [11:55]
A
Absolutely. Fair point. And now I know healthcare is especially under a lot of pressure right now with burnout and staffing shortages, financial strain. And so when you're talking about creating this culture, creating high reliability teams, how do you use those strong teams and culture to help organizations push through these headwinds? How can you make sure that, you know, people are still feeling that culture during the challenging times that they do, during the good times and we'll be able to, you know, create that kind of feel for the overall organization?
- [12:29]
B
Well, I think first and foremost, you know, I write about it extensively in my book is okay, what's your part? Right? You know, we can all talk about what makes a good leader, what, how do you unlock that talent, but what's my part in doing that? And I think first and foremost is have your finger on the pulse. Not only learn from what I have in my book, but other resources or modalities in terms of what you want your culture to look like, what you want an individual that you can unlock and have others unlock their talent by, you know, keeping your finger on that pulse, As I said, you know, checking in with them. What's one thing that frustrates you in your day to day work? What type of impediments or obstacles can I remove for you? What opportunities do you feel will help bolster you in your expectation of living and working in this culture that we have? And what makes you feel supported? I think healthcare, specifically in any industry that are facing daunting challenges, I think that is one thing that we have to focus on is what can we do to resist or defend ourselves against challenges that come in day in, day out, year in, year out, but really gearing our people up, training them, bolstering them, developing them, and really checking in with them and having that, that relationship established where people feel supported. And I think it's the key is just not, is not Just asking, but truly listening without judgment and resisting the urge to really just jump to assumptions that I think, okay, this is what's going to get us there, but really get gathering feedback to prepare of. This is what I have to prepare for. Are my people ready for and if my people are ready for it, what type of people on my team do I want to have? You know, leading the charge.
- [14:29]
A
Got it. That is really helpful. And you know, looking at those folks who can lead the charge and who are able to jump in and make a difference organization wide, no matter where they sit within the organization, I know is a clear, clear benefit for those leaders who want to strengthen their culture but don't really know where to start. What's a simple step that they can take tomorrow?
- [14:50]
B
Well, I think number one, you know, talking to your people, as I said before, having that finger on the pulse, getting feedback, identifying setbacks that people may feel or perceive to feel that you, that you can do something to help that. And then I also think it is designing the work and expectations around for your team members to flourish and thinking of culture as a competitive advantage for attracting and retaining your top performers. I think by doing this, you measure what truly matters, which is, you know, moving beyond engagement scores and bottom line return on investment, but to understand the impact of culture and what you have done to help develop your leaders and achieving that. And I think by doing that, I think leaders will recognize and see for that matter that recognizing that individual, their aspirations, the things they bring to the table and providing opportunities, as I said, and listening to their feedback, you know, they learn to contribute more and they foster a deeper sense of belonging and value to the organization. Somewhere they want to be.
- [16:08]
A
That makes sense. And thank you so much for digging a bit deeper there. Now before we wrap up, I wanted to look into the future as well. What excites you most about how organizations can rethink talent and culture in the next few is.
- [16:21]
B
With, you know, that that may be perceived as a loaded question and it can go a different lot of, a lot of ways with that. But I think, you know, looking at the challenges you're facing, don't just assume that the people you have specifically to that specific challenge, and I'll go back to say it's a financial challenge. I need people with financial backgrounds. Make sure you're looking at others that lend itself to. Is the strategy right? Can the strategy be revised? Can it be revamped? Have we thought about this? Do they have an approach that may be mired in common sense? I talk about street smarts. Do they have a gut instinct that maybe something is not right of how we're approaching a problem, but maybe we need to deviate and pivot? Right. And I think by doing that, by looking at things in the things I outline in my book and identifying, but harnessing and fostering it and developing it, I think that's a big step in the right direction for any organization.
- [17:39]
A
Absolutely. And once again, the book is titled Unlocking the Hidden Strengths that Build Extraordinary Teams and Cultures. And you can find it on Amazon, both audio and print book. So please do check that out. And again, thank you, Michael.
- [17:53]
B
Thank you again, Laura.