Mastering the 1:1
As leaders, we are called to know our people—not only as employees but as individuals entrusted to our care. (This goes back to the family concept!) At Bella, our mission is not just about making our patients whole; it first and foremost involves helping our own people grow and heal in every aspect of their lives. Just as Christ knows us intimately, we are called to cultivate relationships built on trust, compassion, and respect, with the goal of nurturing the whole person—body, mind, and soul. By investing in their well-being, we empower them to serve our patients with love and care, and we guide them toward spiritual fulfillment, helping each one grow closer to God and ultimately reach Heaven. In doing so, we reflect the heart of Christ’s leadership and care for each person, fostering a community where both our team and our patients can thrive in health and in holiness!
Seven Principles from: The Way of the Shepherd by Kevin Leman and William Pentak
Servant leadership in healthcare practices helps us build trust, foster growth, and create a culture where team members thrive.
Know the Condition of Your Flock
Follow the status of your people as well as the status of the work.
Get to know your flock, one sheep at a time.
Engage your people on a regular basis.
Keep your eyes and ears open, question, and follow through.
Discover the Shape of Your Sheep
Your choice of sheep can make flock management easier or harder.
Start with healthy sheep, or you’ll inherit someone else’s problems.
Know the shape of your sheep to make sure they’re in the right fold.
Help Your Sheep Identify with You
Build trust with your followers by modeling authenticity, integrity, and compassion.
Set high standards of performance.
Relentlessly communicate your values and sense of mission.
Define the cause for your people and tell them where they fit in.
Remember that great leadership isn’t just professional; it’s personal.
Make Your Pasture a Safe Place
Keep your people well informed.
Infuse every position with importance.
Pull chronic instigators from the flock.
Regularly rotate the sheep to fresh pastures.
Reassure the sheep by staying visible.
Don’t give problems time to fester.
The Staff of Direction (You know that stick that the shepherd uses!)
Know where you’re going, get out in front, and keep your flock on the move.
When directing, use persuasion rather than coercion.
Give your people freedom of movement, but make sure they know where the fence line is. Don’t confuse boundaries with bridles!
When your people get in trouble, go and get them out.
Remind your people that failure isn’t fatal.
The Rod of Correction (Yep… still refers to the stick.)
Protect: Stand in the gap and fight for your sheep.
Correct: Approach discipline as a teaching opportunity.
Inspect: Regularly inquire about your people’s progress.
The Heart of the Shepherd
Great leadership is a lifestyle, not a technique.
Every day you have to decide who’s going to pay for your leadership—you or your people.
Most of all, have a heart for your sheep.
Are you shepherding your people or are you just managing them? As leaders , it is essential that we understand and support the individuals who make up our team. Just as a shepherd knows each sheep, we must know our people in order to guide, empower, and nurture them in their personal and professional growth. By taking the time to understand each person's unique strengths, motivations, and needs, we create a culture of care and collaboration that extends to our patients and the broader community.
To assist in this process, we encourage utilizing tools such as Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, CliftonStrengths, and the Five Love Languages. These resources provide valuable insights into how people think, work, and connect with others. Incorporating these tools into your management strategy will allow you to better communicate, motivate, and encourage your team, creating an environment where each individual can thrive. Ultimately, by knowing your people on a deeper level, you are not just leading a team; you are helping to shape their personal and spiritual growth, aligning them with our shared mission of service and healing… and really… helping them get to Heaven! After all that is what this is all about!
Ten Tips for One-on-Ones:
Regular “one-on-ones” are important to open the lines of communication, normalize accountability, and at the end of the day bring satisfaction to our work! The first step is spending time with your team!
Get it on the Calendar. Make your one-on-one meetings a recurring event and make them a priority. Select days of the week when you are usually in the office and time/location where conflicting meetings/events will be less likely. Allow enough time for the meetings and avoid back-to-back when possible. Regular one-on-one meetings strengthen relationships and ensure every individual receives support for both professional and spiritual growth.
Normalize It. It is really normal for employees to get nervous about having a meeting with their manager. Settle this right down by explaining why, what, and how often you plan to meet with your team. By making mutual feedback a norm, it is not so scary and much more effective!
Have a Plan. Be prepared with what you want to discuss. Don’t just wing it. Spend 5-10 minutes prior to the meeting to write out what you want to achieve. Encourage your team to come to the meeting prepared as well.
Focus on Them. Let them do most of the talking. Remain focused and interactive. Ask for suggestions on how he/she would solve an issue before giving your own feedback or opinion. Avoid distractions: such as checking emails, texts, or taking other calls during the meeting.
Focus on Strengths. People love to hear you acknowledge what they’re good at. They want to know you see their strengths. Too often, managers think their role is to give feedback about what the employee needs to improve. There are times you need to give constructive feedback, but you will be more effective if you start with their strengths and then move to where they could use additional support. Be sure to acknowledge and celebrate successes like creations or implementations. Let them know you value and admire their achievements.
Focus on the Future, not the Past. Spend the majority of your time discussing near-term future activities and events. Help problem-solve their approach. Let them "show off" what they plan to do.
Specify Desired Results. Help them outline the objectives of a project and desired results. Be as specific and clear as possible to articulate the desired end result. Be less focused on how they achieve the result. They will probably take a different approach than you would. Allowing them to find their way is a better learning opportunity – for them and you.
Ask Good Questions. Your employee will know you are engaged and listening when you ask appropriate, challenging questions. Don’t interrogate. Your questions should help you understand the situation and give you the chance to acknowledge great decisions, actions, or results or help them identify where they may need to do more planning.
Share Information. Once your employee has given you updates, share information with them. Employees want to feel they are "in the know" and appreciate hearing the information you have learned in your own team meetings. It doesn’t need to be confidential, but it should contain company news and information that impacts them.
Ask How You Can Help. Part of being a good manager is asking your employee how you can be a support to them. Don’t assume what they would like to have you do; ask them where they need you to be involved. Err on the side of the employee. Allowing them to be under-supported is sometimes a better learning opportunity for them than forcing your support when they don’t see the need for it.
By leading with compassion and purpose, we nurture a team aligned with our mission, reflecting Christ-centered care in every interaction.