Dennis Smith, author of “The Velvet Glove of Leadership in the 2020s: Leadership Principles That Don’t Change in a Changing World” joins us to discuss his healthcare career and book. The pace of change may be faster than ever and the challenges of a post-pandemic world difficult to navigate, but Dennis contends with his book that there are principles that remain relevant to effective leadership.
Prior to writing his book, Dennis was National Director of Facility Management at Catholic Health Initiatives, now CommonSpirit Health. Dennis has owned his own Construction Management firm and served 24 years in the National Guard, including Command of an 8″ Self Propelled Artillery Battery. The Velvet Glove of Leadership was released at the end of 2023. Topics discussed in Episode 1 include: 00:00 Introduction 04:55 Transitioning from Construction Management to Facilities Management 11:08 Why The Velvet Glove 15:43 Hospital communication 25:12 Forgetting the basics 28:45 Why people listen