Executive Leadership: Defining the Key Attributes of Leaders – a Practical Discussion on
Change Management, Organizational Behavior, and Mentoring
Attila J. Hertelendy, PhD, ACP
Assistant Professor, Emergency Medicine
Assistant Professor, Health Management Leadership
& Policy
Director, Emergency Health Services Program
Learning Objectives
• Analyze how leaders are developed in a changing dynamic
environment
• Describe a new paradigm for leadership development
applicable to ambulance service executives
• Articulate the importance of mentorship in Paramedicine and
the need for continued research
Setting the stage
• The entire approach to the concept of healthcare provided by
Paramedics requires LEADERSHIP.
• Paramedics have successfully demonstrated that they are
capable of being stewards of their own profession.
PARAMEDICS MUST CONTINUE TO LEAD.
• Many fundamental existential questions surrounding the
identity of Parmedicine need to be resolved before we are able
to develop a sustainable management model.
Ponder this throughout the discussion
• What are the skill sets required to lead effectively?
• How do you hone your skill sets to enable you to effectively
lead in your organization?
• More importantly, how do you equip our future workforce to
operationalize the changes and implement the vision for
Emergency Care?
Assumptions
• It would be presumptuous to assume that the healthcare
community has an accurate understanding of our knowledge,
skills and abilities.
• Grant participants – need to be educated. Public Health, and
other government agencies don’t really know what we can do.
Leading Change
• Healthcare is changing faster than many anticipated. EMS
delivery systems must change to remain relevant.
• AACE is in the best position to lead change in and directly
influence the way in which healthcare is delivered by
Paramedics. – There are numerous positive catalysts for this
change to occur.
Ponder this throughout the discussion
• Leadership development is an organization’s conscious effort to
provide its managers and potential managers with
opportunities to grow, learn, and change, in hopes of
producing over the long term a cadre of managers with the
skills necessary to function effectively in that organization.
• Question to consider are we doing this effectively in Paramedic
Practice?
Leadership Development
• “Leadership and learning are indispensable to each other.”
~John F. Kennedy
Leadership is developed through:
• Experience
• Education
• Self-Awareness
Sources of Experience
• The two major developmental factors in any work situation are
work associates and the task itself. Work associates can serve
as positive or negative models.
• Work-related tasks give the leader an opportunity to become
an effective and innovative problem solver.
Learning from Experience
• Amount of Challenge
• Variety of Tasks or Assignments
• Relevant Feedback
Broad Experience
• Broad Experience- Many aspects of leadership are situational. Gaining
managerial experience in different settings is therefore advantageous.
Multifunctional managerial development is an organization’s
intentional efforts to enhance the effectiveness of managers by giving
them experience in multiple organizational functions.
Leadership Development through Education and
Training
• University Courses
• Leadership Training Programs
Education for Leaders
• How are we doing in this area?
• Why is this important?
• Is academic preparation required? If so what kind of academic
preparation?
• What will we require of our future workforce in administrative
settings?
Leadership &Management Education
• Management education is the acquisition of a broad range of
conceptual knowledge and skills in formal classroom settings in
degree-granting institutions
• Bachelor’s degree programs in EMS Management and
Master’s Degree programs in EMS Leadership
• Executive education programs
Experiences at the George Washington
University
• Developed an integrative Bachelor’s Degree completion
program focused on EMS Management – Aligned with
Competencies at the Entry Level – Middle Manager
• Developed a Master’s Degree in EMS Leadership – Focused on
integration into the healthcare system – Aligned with
Competencies at the Executive Level
Leadership &Management Development (cont.)
• Strategies used to develop managers include management
education, management training, and on-the-job experiences.
• Management development activities account for
approximately 30% of all funds budgeted for training by
organizations.
Developmental Activities
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Multisource feedback
Developmental assessment centers
Developmental assignments
Job rotation programs
Action learning
Types of Leadership Development Programs
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Feedback-Intensive Programs
Skill-Based Programs
Conceptual Knowledge Programs
Personal Growth Programs
Socialization Programs
Action Learning Programs
Coaching and Psychotherapy
Continuum of Practical Options for
Multifunctional Managerial Development
Self-Awareness
• Leadership Development Through Self-Awareness
– An important mechanism underlying self-development is
self-awareness, insightfully processing feedback about
oneself to improve personal effectiveness. Self-awareness
occurs at two levels. Single-loop learning occurs when
learners seek minimum feedback that might substantially
confront their basic ideas or actions. Single-loop learners
think defensively. Double-loop learning is an in-depth type
of learning that occurs when people use feedback to confront
the validity of the goal or the values implicit in the situation.
Single-Loop Learning
• Single-loop learners seek relatively little
feedback that may significantly confront
their fundamental ideas or actions.
– Individuals learn only about subjects within the
“comfort zone” of their belief systems.
Double-Loop Learning
• Double-loop learning involves a willingness to confront one’s
own views and an invitation to others to do so, too.
– Openness to information and power sharing with others can lead to
better recognition and definition of problems, improved
communication, and increased decision-making effectiveness.
Single-Loop Learning Versus Double-Loop
Learning
Self-Discipline
• Leadership Development Through Self-Discipline
– Leadership development requires considerable self-discipline,
mobilizing one’s effort and energy to stay focused on attaining an
important goal. Self-discipline plays an important role in the
continuous monitoring of one’s behavior to ensure that needed selfdevelopment occurs.
Self-Help Activities
• Develop a personal vision of career
objectives.
• Seek appropriate mentors.
• Seek challenging assignments.
• Improve self-monitoring.
Self-Help Activities
• Seek relevant feedback.
• Learn from mistakes.
• Learn to view events from multiple
perspectives.
• Be skeptical of easy answers.
Systems Perspective on Leadership
Development
• Relationship Among Approaches
• Integrating Developmental Activities
Creating a Learning Climate
◦ Make job assignments that allow people to
pursue their interests and learn new skills
◦ Establish work schedules that allow
enough free time to try new methods
◦ Provide financial support for continuing
education by employees
◦ Arrange special speakers and skills
workshops for employees
◦ Establish a sabbatical program to allow
employees to renew themselves
Creating a Learning Climate
– Establish a career counseling program to help employees develop
self-awareness and find ways to achieve their full potential
– Establish voluntary skill assessment and feedback programs
– Make pay increases partly dependent on skill development
– Provide awards for innovations and improvements
– Use symbols and slogans that embody values
Leadership Succession
• An orderly process of identifying and grooming people to
replace managers
• Succession planning is linked to leadership development in two
ways
– Being groomed as a successor is part of leadership development
– The process of choosing and fostering a successor is part of a
manager’s own development
Developing a Pool of Successors
• Evaluate the extent of an organization’s pending leadership
shortage
• Identify needed executive competencies
• Identify high-potential individuals for possible inclusion in the
pool
• Establish an individually tailored developmental program for
each potential candidate
Developing a Pool of Successors (cont’d)
• Select and place people into senior jobs based on their
performance, experience, and potential
• Continuously monitor the program and give it top
management support
Leadership Pipeline
A model of leadership development
that tightly links leadership
development with management
responsibilities at each level of the
organization
What do we know about mentoring in EMS Organizations?
• Evaluation of Subordinates’ Efficacy as Crisis Leaders and InRole Performance in Crisis Response Situations: The Role of
Transformational Leadership and Mentoring
• Attila J. Hertelendy, PhD, Ethlyn Williams, PhD, Juanita Woods,
PhD Candidate
Background
• Mentoring has been repeatedly supported through research as
effective means of developing career efficacy and ability in
proteges. (Allen, Eby, Poteet, Lentz, & Lima 2004; Scandura,
Tejeda, Werther, & Lankau, 1996).
Background - Cont
• Transformational Leadership and
Mentoring can independently strengthen
ability and performance outcomes.
• Receipt of mentoring development can
help the responder to internalize proper
behaviors and enhance crisis response
effectiveness (Sosik & Godshalk, 2000)
• Source of mentoring is understood in terms
of supervisory career mentoring (SCM) Direct supervisor of protégé. Vs. non
supervisory mentoring.
Background- Cont
• Research have found that when supervisors act as mentors, the
relationship between mentoring and career outcomes such as
performance (Sandura & Williams, 2004), organizational
commitment, and job satisfaction (Madlock & KennedyLightsey, 2010) are stronger. Mentoring provided by a
supervisor may be important for building positive career
expectations within organizations.
Current Research Study
• Examined supervisory evaluations of crisis responders efficacy
as leaders in crisis situations and crisis responders’ in role
performance.
• Influence of transformational leadership and mentoring
functions (careers and psychosocial) on crisis leader efficacy
Methods
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Large EMS/ Fire Dept in South Eastern US
98 Crews participated in the study
Of 156 members, reported on mentoring relationships
Captain of each shift answered questions about the shift
members (Firefighters and Paramedics)
• Each crew answered questions about work group, leadership
and mentoring
Results
• Results of regression analysis show
• 1. Transformational leadership and receipt of mentoring each
have a statistically significant and positive association with
supervisor evaluation of member crisis leader efficacy.
Results
• Only Transformational leadership has a statistically significant
and positive association with team member in-role
performance.
• These are initial preliminary results I wanted to share, data has
not been fully analyzed and reported. National / International
participation planned.
Mentoring
• Our experience is strengthened through mentoring.
Operational Definition
MENTORING I S
A LONG-TERM
PROCESS THROUGH WHICH A
SENIOR PERSON SUPPORTS THE
PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL
DEVELOPMENT OF A MORE JUNIOR
COLLEAGUE. MENTORING
RESULTS IN A MUTUALLY
BENEFICIAL PROFESSIONAL
RELATIONSHIP OVER TIME.
Business/Management Literature
• Harvard Business Review (Roche)
• 1,250 top Executives listed in the Wall Street
Journal.
• 65% had at least one important mentor
• Mentored Execs had higher salaries, more rapid
promotions, greater achievement of career
objectives and higher job AND life satisfaction.
Outcomes for Protégés
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Better Job Performance
More involvement in professional org’s
More networking and job opportunities
Greater satisfaction with institution
Lower job attrition rates
Stronger sense of professional identity
Higher productivity
Greater Career Eminence (Nobel Prize)
Benefits to Organizations
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Stronger long-term employee commitment
Succession planning (future leaders)
More impressive mentee performance
Higher Retention
Mentored employees more likely to mentor
others in return
Mentoring and the Dead
• Obituaries of Eminent
Psychologists
• 4th most common theme in
obituaries = “Inspirational
Teacher/Mentor”
What Effective Mentoring Dyads Do
The Elements of Mentoring
Launch the Relationship with Care
• Expectations?
• What predicts early
success?
• Clarify Ground Rules
• Set Boundaries
• Be alert to burnout
Know Thy Protégé
• Take Time with
protégés.
• Be accessible and
available.
• Identify protégé’s
talents and strengths
and communicate
these insights clearly.
• Spend time
discovering areas for
further development.
Model Excellence
• In all professional domains: be
congruent
• Model excellence.
• Reject perfectionism.
• Communicate confidence and
high expectations.
Affirm, Affirm, Affirm
• Perhaps the
“greatest” mentor
function.
• Imposter Syndrome
• Be consistent &
unconditional.
• Discern and affirm
the “dream.”
• Gently shape and
redirect unrealistic
aspirations.
Be a Teacher & Coach
• Early, explicit teaching may
help.
• Demonstrate complex tasks.
• “Teaching moments.”
Give the Inside Scoop
• Demystify the
“System.”
• Give the political
“lay of the land.”
• Avoid Gossiping or
undermining
colleagues.
Offer Counsel in Difficult Times
• Stand ready to Counsel.
• Don’t become a counselor.
• Offer warmth and kindness but
practice the art of referral
when needed.
Stimulate Growth: Challenge
• Deliberately
challenge.
• Yerkes-Dodson Law
• When challenging,
use the principle of
titration.
• Exposure is the only
answer to anxiety.
• Robin Williams
Self Disclose (When Appropriate)
• Disclose as a means of
teaching, reassuring,
and connecting.
• Who is benefiting?
• Offer a coping, not a
mastery model.
Allow Increasing Mutuality
• Accept and
encourage gradually
increasing friendship.
• Increasing collegiality
is validating for
mentees.
• Respect preferences
for hierarchical
structure.
Narrate Growth and Development
• Point out
milestones and
successes.
• Help mentees step
back and
appreciate their
progress.
Practice Humility & Patience
• Remain nondefensive and open
to feedback.
• Nobody wants a
“perfect” mentor…
• Humble mentors
model fallibility
w/o shame.
• Patience & EQ
Appreciate Development and
Life Issues
• Second career mentees
• Very young mentees
• Real life transitions,
challenges
• Personal and family life
stress
• Financial challenges
Questions?
Attila Hertelendy, PhD, ACP
Email: ahertelendy@gwu.edu
Tel:202-994-3483