Wondering what it takes to be a leader in not only healthcare facilities management but really any role in which you find yourself in life? Then next week’s release of the High Reliability podcast, on April 27, is a must-listen for you, focusing on FM leadership, with some real-life mixed-in.
We talk leadership with Geoff Schuller, President of GH Schuller & Associates in Mission Viejo, California. Geoff had a first career in the military and then transitioned into the private sector. He has served as a Facility Director in hospitals and now runs a consulting firm in California, working with hospitals and biopharmaceutical firms. Geoff attended the University of Southern California later in his career to attain his Masters in Leadership, and he continues to take classes at USC.
Here are some nuggets from our discussion:
On returning to Graduate School as a professional:
It has been an enjoyable experience that has offered me a different focus and perspective. I’m always learning something new.
Being around younger students and in classes with them brings energy. You learn to be observant of and listen to their comments and perspectives. I think I open their eyes because I bring my years of experience, which I think brings value. They bring value to me based on their perspectives. I am a pen and paper guy, they joked with me, “We will pull you into the 21 century, Geoff.”
On generational leadership nuances:
This is the first time in history there have been 4 or more generations in the workplace. It is unprecedented. Each generation expresses themselves differently; these days, it is important to explain the why to people. In the past, they never explained the why to us. We just did it.
The best way to manage a group is to understand the individual. Each person has subtle nuances. How do they prefer to communicate? Email or face to face? How do they prefer to have work assigned to them? Understanding who you are working with creates the best possibility for success. There is value in a diverse generational workforce if you understand them (the people you work with/manage).
On helping improve employee mindsets:
Sometimes we just need to hear from our leaders that they have confidence in us, and if we have a hiccup, it’s going to be fine. Leadership is the ability to recognize individuals struggling with self-confidence and help them through.
Quotes of note:
“If you don’t have followers, you are just a person out taking a walk.”
Editor’s note: The above is one of my all time favorites.
“Amateurs practice until they get it right, but professionals practice until they can’t get it wrong.”
For more of our discussion on FM leadership, listen to High Reliability on April 27.
G/MA Nuggets
1) Registration for our free webinar on May 20 at 12 pm Eastern is now open!
2) We have open jobs in Boston, MA; Cincinnati, OH; Paramus, NJ: Madison, IN; and Randallstown, MD, with additional opportunities in the coming weeks.