Leaders Willing to “Be the Difference”
Kenneth Allison, accountant, LeadingAge New York
I had the great pleasure of co-facilitating a
Leadership Lounge session at the 2016
LeadingAge New York Annual Conference
and Exposition with Baptist Health System’s
Ruth Tietz. Ruth’s experience as a LeadingAge
New York Leadership Academy facilitator
made her an ideal co-facilitator. Ruth’s calm
and engaging presence was both motivating
and inspirational to myself and the session’s
participants. The interactive nature of our
Leadership Lounge allowed each participant to
share meaningful insights while they gained
comfort sharing in the group dynamic. This
assortment of individuals quickly became a
group of eager participants that were willing to
share lessons from experience and learn from
the different experiences and perspectives of
others involved in aging services.
skills they felt were valuable during their
leadership journeys. We also took time to
discuss issues that would be beneficial for
leaders to continue their professional growth
like mentorship and risk-taking strategies.
It was valuable to watch current leaders
reflect on their careers and illuminate their
motivations, success stories and, especially,
stories of failure and redemption. The insight
that I personally found most beneficial
were discussions involving organizational
dynamics. The conversations related to
innovation and organizational culture were
truly enlightening. We really dove into the
pulse of what makes an organization great and
what incentivizes great leaders.
Being a Leadership Lounge facilitator at the
LeadingAge New York Annual Conference
and Exposition was a great opportunity.
I felt inspired and rejuvenated because
of this experience. Being a facilitator
is remarkably different than being a
presenter. Facilitation allowed Ruth and
I to engross ourselves with the thoughts
and feelings of the entire lounge rather
than simply expressing our ideas. Above
all, I enjoyed the opportunity to learn. This
environment gave me the opportunity to
learn from this thoughtful and creative
group. It is encouraging to know that
although aging services will likely never be
an easy field to navigate; there are leaders
willing to “be the difference.”
It was very interesting to learn how each of
the session’s participants looked for ways
to “be the difference” in their respective
organizations. We learned from an attendee
with more than 40 years of experience that
there has never been an easy period for long
term care providers. The current period is
extremely difficult, but just as the profession
has adjusted and evolved in the past, we each
have an opportunity to be a difference for the
future of aging services.
This session was particularly interesting
because we were able to discuss so many
topics – specifically ones that could help
current and future leaders of the communities
that are so vital to all engaged in long term
care. Leaders were able to highlight personal
Ruth Tietz, director of
marketing and public relations,
Baptist Health System
Kenneth Allison, accountant,
LeadingAge New York
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Adviser a publication of LeadingAge New York | Summer 2016