Living Leadership by Julie Thorson
I am not a medical expert, doctor, or counselor; I’m simply a coach’s daughter leading in the great field of long-term care. Pandemic paralysis continues to have a tight hold on us in long-term care. When I was asked and decided to contribute this leadership column several years ago, I had no idea how challenging…
In September of 2020, I submitted this blog in my Living Leadership column. If you would have told me then that in 10 months I would feel like I do today, I would have said there is no possible way! How can it possibly get worse than “running on fumes”? And I consider myself an…
As leaders, our responsibilities never seem to end. During the pandemic many lives depended on us. None of us need to be reminded of that, but the work is far from over. We now have a proven tool available to us, yet so many of our team members choose to decline their opportunity to receive…
I have a hunch we have all heard the saying, “The squeaky wheel gets the grease.” My guess is we may have even used it a time or two to deal with those who might complain more than others. Make sense? You with me? As we start to find our way through the pandemic, I’m…
Isn’t it interesting how in January new ideas are so exciting? Then in February, life’s hits keep coming, and there are those, “What was I thinking?” moments. Well, guess what? I’m only slightly feeling that this month. Last month we started a little challenge for my Living Leadership blog. I’ll continue it the rest of…
I have a challenge for you. It will take commitment, stamina and curiosity — and appreciation for all things leadership. Are you ready to join the journey?
As we are looking for things to do at home, we’ve returned to the “good ol’ days” of jigsaw puzzles. Of course, my husband and son made fun of me as I spent afternoons working on them only to have the, celebrate like it’s a sporting event when they get a few consecutive pieces to…
Last year around this same time I shared with you my thoughts on residents and families who complain. I stand by what I wrote last year, and in 2020 I’ve come to appreciate in a new way the impact complaints have on all of us in long-term care. The fatigue of the pandemic is doing…
In the course of just seven months, words and phrases have taken on a life of their own. They aren’t just words: They are topics for debate, fuel for bitter arguments, tools for discussion and will evoke emotion in people who might otherwise have been silent.
It’s important for people to know we are running on empty. We have been. I see it in my teammates, and I see it on the faces of my friends across the country.
As a leader, especially a leader in our field during this time, feeling connected to others and not alone on an island is more than valuable — it is a lifeline.
I’m 46. I bet you just thought one of three things. “She’s still pretty young.” “She’s getting up there.” Or … the third option, “Good for you, but why would you start a blog that way?” The last time my hair was colored was in February. I don’t know the exact date, because back then…
Heartbreaking decisions, no easy answers, the best of the worst, and lost hope. Welcome to the spectrum of emotions that now fills our days in long-term care
My leadership advice is to go back to the basics: communicate, include, communicate, include, communicate, include — over and over again.
I certainly don’t have the answers or solutions to this pandemic. But what I will continue to do is support, appreciate and trust.
