By Jo Anne Preston, MS, Workforce and Organizational Development Senior Manager, Rural Wisconsin Health Cooperative (RWHC). This article (“Introverted Leaders”) was originally published in RWHC’s Leadership Insights. MYTH: Extraverts make better leaders.
TRUTH: Both strong and weak leaders can be found in any personality style. An even bigger, and often misunderstood truth: personality traits are not the same as skill. What does it mean to be introverted? You might be introverted if you: ✓ Tend to prefer thinking things through before speaking vs. thinking out loud ✓ Find that situations with lots of stimuli tend to drain your energy ✓ Generally are more energized working alone or with a very small group than in an open team setting No one is “pure” when it comes to personality style, and we are all a complex array of traits. Though it’s not static like our blood type, when it comes to navigating the energy dynamic of our internal and external world, most people lean in one direction more than another. Overcoming stereotypes Stereotypes of extraverted leaders as charismatic and “verbal stand-outs” can sometimes make it tough for introverts to get noticed for leadership opportunities. It’s a little bit like extraverted kids in the classroom who raise their hand with their whole body, drawing all the attention, leaving the more deliberate and internally focused introverted students unnoticed. When it comes to being a leader, being authentically you is a strength, notes Susan Cain, author of Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World that Can't Stop Talking. Being “authentically you” starts with spending some time reflecting on who you are, and personality exploration is a fun and useful way to be “positively self-centered.” Tips for improving your leadership capacity If you are an introvert: 1. Don’t assume you won’t be a great public speaker! Strongly introverted Susan Cain's TED Talk with 14 million views is just one example of evidence to the contrary. Effective speaking takes practice, and anyone who wants to excel must do the drills. As an extraverted speaker, most of my best ideas I have learned from Cella Janisch Hartline, RWHC Nursing Leadership Senior Manager, who is an extreme introvert AND gifted speaker and educator. She is powerfully engaging, impacting learners like a force of nature, proof that introversion is not the same as talent. It is also not the same as being shy. Introversion is about how you re-energize. After teaching all day she seeks time alone, and understanding personality differences helps me to not take that personally-a huge benefit in our working relationship! 2. Be conscious of your facial expressions. A very common experience among introverts it is that people often ask them, “Are you mad at me?" The introverted thinking face can look a lot like irritation or anger. Be aware that you may feel very approachable, but it doesn’t work if others don’t experience you as such. Isn’t some of this on the other person’s part to assume good intent? Yes. And. We are still accountable for the message we are sending out. 3. Be mindful of the toll that “people-ing” takes on you. A “best use” for personality tools is understanding your own wiring so that you can meet your needs. We all need to know what kind of fuel our engine takes to recharge, and then it’s up to us to go after it. Manage your energy by: ✗ Allowing—and valuing as productive—the thinking time you need before beginning something new ✗ Asking for agendas and written material to review prior to meetings ✗ Seeking out some opportunities to work alone ✗ Asking others for time to think about or process their questions before responding 4. Reveal your thinking. Help others understand your personality and what makes you tick. People want to know what you think, and in a vacuum of information, rumors will fill in the gaps. One daily habit to develop is to ask yourself, “Who might benefit from knowing what is on my mind?” Understanding your strengths Skeptical of personality instruments? They can still help if you are open to asking, “What can I learn from personality awareness to make me a better leader?” With an open mind, these tools (and there are many) can help individuals and teams appreciate, rather than fight against, diverse approaches to work and life. Rural Wisconsin Health Cooperative (RWHC) has been providing affordable and effective services to healthcare organizations since 1979. RWHC is owned and operated by forty rural acute, general medical-surgical hospitals. The Cooperative's emphasis on developing a collaborative network among both freestanding and system-affiliated rural hospitals distinguishes it from alternative approaches. RWHC offers a variety of programs and services to its members as well as to other clients across the nation.
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This article was written by Joe Wivoda, CIO of the National Rural Health Resource Center/Rural Health Innovations, for the September 2016 edition of “Networking News.” The Network Technical Assistance Project is funded by the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy, Health Resources and Services Administration, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services through a contract to Rural Health Innovations, LLC, a subsidiary of the National Rural Health Resource Center. The Rural Health Information Technology (HIT) Workforce Program wrapped up this August, and we want to take a moment to recognize the amazing work they have accomplished. The Rural HIT Workforce Program was a three-year grant program funded by the Health Resources and Services Administration’s (HRSA’s) Federal Office of Rural Health Policy to support rural health networks in activities relating to the recruitment, education, training, and retention of HIT specialists. The 15 grantees engaged in exciting projects that have made significant impact across the country.
HIT in perspective This is a difficult time period for the profession of health information technology (HIT). HIT is a new field; we are just beginning to understand HIT roles, and organizations often do not grasp the full value of HIT professionals. In addition, HIT certifications and licensure are in a state of flux. The 15 grantee networks in the Rural HIT Workforce Program worked within these muddy conditions to define HIT roles and education for the benefit of rural providers. Impressively enough, they are on track to have collectively trained more than 500 individuals. The networks work with hospitals, clinics, FQHCs, emergency services, school districts, public health agencies, and others across over 400 counties throughout rural America. It is truly humbling how many lives have been impacted, directly and indirectly, by their efforts. Successes among Rural HIT Workforce networks Here are just a few of the successes the Rural HIT Workforce grantees have shared: “We successfully employed students in HIT positions at 5 organizations and equipped staff with more HIT knowledge at a 6th organization” “Helping the smallest Critical Access Hospitals in our state to have some background in Health IT and understand/complete their quality reporting requirements more easily.” “Through the training we provided, we have over 60 students obtaining certification credentials. All of our 31 network members have obtained MU Level 3.” “Developed a network of employer partners with active participation in curriculum development, professional practice experiences, work-based learning opportunities and hiring strategies.” Identifying and surmounting barriers Of course, there were plenty of challenges along the way as networks worked to achieve these successes. Here are some challenges our grantees experienced and what they did to overcome them: “Many of the students who enrolled in our program had significant life challenges - illness, family deaths, relocation, unemployment, foreclosure and opportunities - births, marriages, pregnancies. We had to learn early on that life happens and flexibility is necessary. We were able to give students some flexibility with timelines for completing apprenticeships and meeting expectations in order to help them accomplish their goals in the program.” “Recruiting veterans was a challenge. We increased tuition incentives for veterans which increased our veteran recruiting percentage.” “Student communication and follow-up quickly became a challenge in our fully online curriculum. However, staff prioritized their schedule around constant outreach, both online, over the phone, and scheduling face-to-face meetings, to establish a comfort level with students and encourage them in low points. The program mandated a face-to-face orientation, which found much success in its implementation and impact throughout the final six months.” Looking ahead As the new curriculum for HIT education is released by the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) next year, this group will be at the forefront in rolling it out and finding the best ways to use it in their local communities. As the Rural HIT Workforce grantees have shown, the ONC HIT curriculum is a good framework that can be made most effective by modifying it with local needs in mind. Vendor-specific modifications, state reimbursement specifics, or provider-specific workflow training are just a few of the examples of how the grantee networks have been serving their members. Lastly, the Network TA team at Rural Health Innovations (RHI) would like to say “Thank you” and “See you later” to the Rural HIT Workforce grantees. We wish you continued success and want to remind you to stay in touch with us and with all of your fellow grantees in the years to come. Your work will continue to make a difference in rural communities across our country. |
The National Rural Health Resource Center (The Center) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to sustaining and improving health care in rural communities. Rural Health Innovations, LLC is a subsidiary of the National Rural Health Resource Center. Archives
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