A Journey Through Leadership in Hospice:
From Student to Middle Manager and Beyond
Dora Hall, LCSW, ACHP-SW
Hospice of the Bluegrass
Site Director, Frankfort
Objectives of Session
At the end of the session, the participant will
be able to…
• Discuss the growth of a leader over time.
• Identify the importance of a mentor
• Identify how motivation and experience
help formulate leadership style
• Define leadership in a hospice setting.
Career Snapshot
Bachelor of Social Work 1997
Practicum in the hospice setting and hospital
setting
Worked in a LTC setting from 1997 to 1999
Master of Social Work 1999
Practicum in the VA setting and the hospice
bereavement Setting.
Employed At Hospice of the Bluegrass since
November 1999.
Growth of a Leader- Student
• MSW practicum student in the HOB
bereavement program for six months
• Learned about the organization and the
care for patients/families
• Enjoyed being around other Social
Workers and observing their styles
• Met my first mentor, AVP of Counseling
Services
Lessons Learned
• My passion for hospice grew while working
with the bereavement department.
• I was able to see a snapshot of a hospice
IDG working together to ensure quality
end of life care in an urban setting.
• I realized the importance of seeking out
assistance when a difficult situation
occurred.
Growth of a Leader-Frontline Social Worker
• At the end of practicum, hired on as full
time social worker in a rural service area
• Became a team player, honed social work
skills, and was exposed to what Hospice
care is all about.
• Gained 3 years of direct patient care
experience
• Moved from novice to solid performer
Lessons Learned
• I consider this a period of learning from nurses,
other social workers, chaplains, and nursing
assistants how to provide end of life care to
patients and families.
• I came to value the different team members and
how to enhance the care I was providing to
patients through anticipating needs, providing
counseling and support, and solidifying my
knowledge of hospice care.
Growth of a Leader- Nursing Home Coordinator
• Moved from a caseload to coordinating the nursing home
program in the office
• No supervisory experience
• Grew in the areas of customer service and representing
HOB to external customers
• Learned hospice criteria
• Enhanced public speaking skills and educating others
about hospice care
• Worked on clinical supervision to obtain KY LCSW
license for independent practice
• Carried a small bereavement caseload
• Spent time Site Director who provided suggestions in
areas I needed to grow
Lessons Learned
• Learned LCD’s and Medicare Regulations
• Experienced both good and bad relationship
building with external customers through
different scenarios
• The Site Director allowed me to reflect on my
successes and failures, while providing
feedback on how I could solve issues differently.
• Started to develop critical thinking skills and self
reflection
Growth of a Leader- Counseling Supervisor
• Moved into a supervisor role
• Completed NHPCO’s Management
Development Program Level I
• Worked on completing LCSW supervision,
carried a small bereavement caseload
• Worked under another Site Director who
brought different learning opportunities
Lessons Learned
• I learned to be more direct as a supervisor and
when communicating with the Site Director
• I learned to have two solutions to an issue when
presenting problems
• Honed my interviewing and hiring skills
• I was able to rebuild the counseling department
after a major turnover
• First experience with major agency change,
while also experiencing a major life change
Growth of a Leader- Site Director
• After 2 years, moved into the Site Director
position.
• Oversee/supervise 60 plus employees.
• Completed LCSW supervision/obtained license.
• Completed MDP Level II.
• Obtained ACHP-SW certificate
• Developed a functional leadership team
• Leading the office through multiple changes.
• Utilized the three mentioned mentors throughout
Lessons Learned
• When struggling with an issue, ASK FOR HELP
from your supervisor and/or mentor
• Change in the hospice world is constant
• It is important to delegate and ensure that issues
are handled in a fair manner
• Having more than one mentor to process issues
with is important
• Be clear, consistent and confident when
communicating issues and decisions to staff
• Knowing when to lead and when to follow
My Feelings: Mentor Actions
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Doubt
Fear
Concern
Discontentment
Impatience
Anger
• Reassurance
• Education
• Encouragement to do
more
• Guidance in which
direction to go
• Suggestions in
creating new
processes
Importance of a Mentor
• Building a professional relationship with
someone you can trust
• Learning new ways of thinking and doing
• Being able to seek advice
• Being able to share success and
disappointments
Mentoring
• In the book Employee Development: Big
Business Results on a Small Business
Budget, Jim Guttman describes mentoring
as a “wonderful opportunity …for
employees to enrich lives of their coworkers by sharing information, skills, and
abilities”.
Mentor-Mentee Relationship
• The needs of the Mentee should match
the competency of the Mentor.
• There is a high potential of success
• Positive chemistry exists between the two
individuals
• High level of trust
Employee Development: Big Business Results on a Small Business Budget
Ideal Qualities of a Mentee
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Enthusiasm
Clear vision of goals
Initiative
Wants to improve weak areas
Open to constructive feedback
Takes responsibility
Proactive Listener
Shows flexibility
Employee Development: Big Business Results on a Small Business Budget
Ideal Qualities of a Mentor
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Trustworthy
Optimistic
Dependable
Available
Seasoned leader/contributor
Influential
Good listener
Excellent interpersonal skills
Employee Development: Big Business Results on a Small Business Budget
Motivation and Experience
• Increased knowledge and skills when
solving issues
• Change is a constant, and moving a group
through change is difficult
• Experiences bring lessons learned, and
increases confidence when new
challenges rise.
Next Step- Being a Mentor
• Several staff members reach out to me for
guidance, and I approach each one based
on their own needs
• I still reach out to my mentors when
issues/concerns arise
Where to find Mentors
• Agency
• Peer Group (NASW, HPNA)
• Ministerial Association or Denominational
group
• Toastmasters
• Civic Groups (Rotary, Sunshine Club)
• Medical Associations/groups
• NHPCO NCHPP
Leadership
• What is leadership?
Leadership Defined
• BusinessDictionary.com defines
leadership with four key components:
• (1) Establishing a clear vision
• (2) Sharing that vision with others so that
they will follow willingly
• (3) Providing the information, knowledge,
and methods to realize that vision,
:
• (4) Coordinating and balancing the
conflicting interests of members or
stakeholders. A leader comes to the
forefront in the case of crisis, and is able
to think and act in creative ways in difficult
situations
Question:
• How do you see this definition applied in
the Hospice setting?
Qualities of a Leader
• In Robert Thomas’ book “Crucibles of
Leadership”, he points out the following
qualities and attributes of outstanding
leaders:
Qualities of Outstanding Leaders
• Adaptive Capacity
• Engaging others through shared meaning
• Integrity
Attributes
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Resilience
Creativity
Open to new experiences
Willingness to learn
Acute observational skill
Deep sense of purpose and focus
Self-awareness and emotional intelligence
Attributes
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Skilled Communication
Comfort with dissent
Clear values and voice
Balance among ambition, technique, and
moral compass
• Able to work with value conflicts
• Knowledge of when to lead and how to
follow
Tools to Grow in Hospice Leadership
• Keeping knowledge and skills of
profession up to date
• Maintain/strengthen licensure, certificates
• Stay informed through NHPCO and
professional associations (NASW, HPNA)
• Utilize NHPCO trainings
• Complete management training such as
the NHPCO MDP program.
Additional Resources
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www.nhpco.org
www.socialworkers.org
www.hpna.org
www.studorgroup.com
www.professionalchaplains.org
Questions?