9/12/22 employee experience
bringing the idea of two ambulatory directors to life
It's no secret that our world's new normal presents workplace challenges. Having worked at Dayton Children's pre-pandemic, the differences were very apparent for ambulatory directors Melanie Wilson and Melissa Musinski.
So, they decided to do something about it. The product? Ambulatory manager flight school - a training class designed to increase networking, retention, goal alignment, development opportunities, and best practices.
"We knew that COVID made gaps in networking across the organization and developed new challenges that we wanted to address," said Melinda Pennell, organizational development and leadership manager. Melinda proved a great resource during the development of the program that launched in October 2021.
The inaugural ambulatory manager flight school had 16 managerial level participants - one manager per ambulatory director. The class met once a month for a 90-minute long session led by ambulatory directors on a variety of topics - everything from budget and capital planning to employee recognition, relationships, inclusivity and mindfulness.
Anthony Thurmond, sterile processing manager, and Lisa Berlon, pulmonary administration manager, were among the first participants who completed the course in August.
Lisa said she looked forward to the class each month, as it was an environment to share, collaborate, connect and grow as a leader with others in like positions.
"We are all dedicated to helping the children and families in our community, but in order to do that we have to be the best leaders for our teams," said Lisa.
"The time and investment ambulatory directors and leadership dedicated each month to help us have the tools we need to succeed is invaluable."
Two classes will be offered this fall and will be required for all ambulatory managers. Lisa and Anthony's class will gather quarterly to collaborate with one another and broaden their perspectives on current projects.
"The experience was one of the best programs I have experienced for leaders striving to do better and be better for their employees," said Anthony. "I feel like a much stronger leader and more appreciative of the challenges others face and may be holding within."
A huge shoutout to Melanie and Melissa for making the program possible.
"It was an honor to fill a gap in the manager’s development and see these leaders gain new perspective and enriched skills," said Melanie. "This turned out to be a rewarding journey for everyone who participated!"
