Unpacked with Ron Harvey
People Always Matter. Join Ron as he unpacks leadership with his guests.
Unpacked with Ron Harvey
Inside Lexington Health: Culture, Mentors, And The Truth About Leadership with Lara Lott Moore
We sit down with Lexington Health VP Lara Lotmore to unpack the real work of leadership: presence over perfection, influence over control, and culture over slogans. From mentorship and conflict to AI and talent pipelines, Lara shares practical ways to build trust and keep teams strong.
• choosing organizational leadership for real-world impact
• leading through fatigue with presence and grace
• mentors and sponsors as growth accelerators
• building culture from day one and protecting it at scale
• tackling conflict quickly with humility and respect
• accountability without eroding trust
• reinventing hiring and training to solve shortages
• candidates interviewing employers and what to prepare
• AI as an enhancer, not a replacement
• transparency as the engine of public trust
• influence over control as you rise
Share the link with someone that’s looking to grow to become more effective as a leader.
Connect with Ron
Just Make A Difference: Leading Under Pressure by Ron Harvey
“If you don’t have something to measure your growth, you won’t be self-aware or intentional about your growth.”
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Disclaimer:
The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the speakers and guests and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of any organization or entity. The information provided in this podcast is intended for educational and informational purposes only and should not be considered as professional advice. Listeners should consult with their own professional advisors before implementing any suggestions or recommendations made in this podcast. The speakers and guests are not responsible for any actions taken by listeners based on the information presented in this podcast. The podcast is not intended to be a substitute for professional advice or services. The speakers and guests make no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, about the completeness, accuracy, reliability, suitability or availability with respect to the information, products, services, or related graphics contained in this ...
Welcome to Unpack Podcast with your host, Leadership Consultant, Ron Harvey of Global Core Strategies and Consulting. Ron believes that leadership is the fundamental driver towards making a difference. So now, to find out more of what it means to unpack leadership, here's your host, Ron Harvey.
SPEAKER_03:Well, good afternoon, everybody. This is Ron Harvey with Global Core Strategies and Consulting. We're a professional leadership firm based out of Columbia, South Carolina. And we really spend all our time helping leaders be more effective, of taking care of the people that get the job done for real in their organizations. So we love it, we enjoy it, and we love giving back to the community, which is why we do the podcast, Unpack with Ron Harvey, where we invite guests from around the world. And we have local talent with us as well. So we bring them on the show and we talk about organization, we talk about leadership, we talk about challenges. We're pretty transparent, and that's why we call it Unpack. So welcome back to another episode where we're going to talk about uh the truth about leadership, um, people and what it actually takes to lead at the highest level possible. So I get to have a friend of mine. Uh, we've been having coffee and meeting and working with her for years now, who's become a really good colleague, a supporter, and a friend. So, Laura, welcome to the show. Uh, I'm gonna invite you and move out the way of this microphone and let you uh introduce yourself.
SPEAKER_01:Well, thank you, Ron. Thank you for having me. Um, so hey guys, I am Laura Lotmore. I am uh vice president here at Lexington Health in the Midlands of South Carolina. We cover mostly Lexington and Richland County. Um I have the pleasure of working with our perioperative groups or our ORs, um, imaging um and all things community related, which is how I got to meet Ron through all of our chamber um initiatives and as a participant in Leadership Columbia. So just uh excited to be here and excited to talk to Ron like we normally do over coffee.
SPEAKER_03:Yes, yes. We can let them into our own little coffee meeting, you know, on a podcast, um, because we do uh we did the talk often and support one another and have fun, um which is how I met you over time, you know, through coaching experience and helping some of your leaders. When you think about, you know, you've been you've been in your space and you know, you look at Lexington Health and the work that you're doing. What do you enjoy most about because I know it's challenging, I mean, for everybody, but what do you enjoy most about your role of being a leader?
SPEAKER_01:Well, I think it's it's interesting. I always say the leadership portion of it, while it feels like it can be the hardest, is the most rewarding because you get to um meet um all kinds of folks, whether it's like yourself outside of the organization or within the organization, but then you get to um feel like you have this um an impact and a and a real time, something you can see that's tangible um working with someone and seeing them um improve and and then them helping me improve um because I I certainly don't know at all and have a lot to to still learn. And so I I just I'm blessed that I get to do what I do and um and get to pull on the strengths of so many others and then share that amongst all of them. Um and so to me, this is the fun stuff that we get to do. Um I I kind of geek out on it a little bit now. Um, and and and I get it all in my little element and get so excited when I have a new leadership book to read or if I have a new concept or something I want to share with someone. But it really, it really is the fun stuff that we get to do. And um, I'm just blessed that I get to do it here, somewhere that I love working, been here for 16 years. Um, and I always say I bleed green just because um it, it just it I I believe in what we do, um, and not because I was told to, but because I honestly see things in action and um and getting to work alongside some really strong, creative, amazing leaders who've helped me grow. Um, and I believe we all do it for the right reasons. So I I'm blessed, one, that I get to be a leader, two, that I get to do it here, and three, I get to do it alongside um some pretty great people.
SPEAKER_03:Yeah, yeah, I love it. I uh uh I want to unpack a little bit. I mean, when I met you, you're already in your in a role and you were getting promoted and you were doing things yourself, but even in that journey, you know, you you took the the liberty of continuing your education. That's important because you, you know, you were successful, but you you saw a need to continue your own personal growth. What do you say to leaders that that are on the fence, whether they should do their professional development or growth or continue education? What do you say to those leaders? Because you did it and you were already in a in a in a great role. What made you continue?
SPEAKER_01:Well, I think that was part of it. Um, you know, when I got out of college, I swore, please don't make me go and do that again. Um it was just such a, you know, it was a it was a long time ago. And you know, I've been afforded some really great opportunities, um, worked really hard, but had some folks that really believed in me. And you're right, I was in a role where I didn't have to continue my education necessarily. Um, at least I wasn't, it wasn't a requirement, I should say. And I had looked over the years many, many times and you know, Googled different programs of what do I want to do, but nothing really stuck with me. I mean, I could have done an MBA or an MHA and I thought about it and I looked that up um for multiple years. Um, but it's what I do all day already, right? And I felt like it wasn't, I didn't know what else I was going to gain from it personally as well. And I think that's what struck me when I found um the program that I did at Columbia College, um, organizational leadership. I thought, one, didn't know that was a thing you could do, but it it spoke to me in a way, and it was different. And so that when I went about it at that moment, it um it was because I wanted to, not because I had to. And it was something that was gonna be impactful for me professionally and personally. Um, and so I had a conversation with my boss, and I said, Hey, I'm thinking about doing this. Um, and I said, you know, what do you think? And he said, One, I absolutely support you, but if you're asking me, do you need this to keep your job or to be considered for other things? The answer is no, but do I think it's a good idea? Yes. And that was what I needed. It wasn't required again. Um, but it it gave me a push. And so um it's interesting. I I told myself I'm gonna write the entrance essay. And if I write it and it's natural and I feel like I can flow and I can do this, then I'll I'll I'll I'll move forward. And it did. Um, I sat in my office and I think I wrote it in probably 45 minutes just because I was just I was really excited about it. Um, and it was hard. It was hard doing that. Um, being a mom, having um, you know, a career and a demanding job, uh, being a wife, doing all the things, um, being out in the community, but it was hands down one of the best things I did for myself um in the last 20 years. Just and it definitely is part of my career because, you know, it it helped me in ways I didn't even know I needed help and or I didn't even think about. Um, it was again, I do the the technicalities, the the business aspects of the job every day, and I've been a leader for many years, but it helped me realize how much more one I needed to learn, but how much there was an opportunity that I got to experience some of that and then share it with other people. Um, and so it was a hard year, um, because it was a year. Um, it was it was really hard, but and my husband probably doesn't always agree that it was the best of times, but it was it was almost like being in therapy. It was it really was because it was it brought me to a lot of these realizations about myself and helped me realize who I am that will ultimately make me a better leader. And so I, you know, I I highly recommend it to anyone, and this program specifically, um, just because I got so much out of it. I've actually um I've had four people that I work with now. Um, one's already finished the program, same one. Um, and then the other three are going to finish in December, and they're excited, and I can see that spark in them. And it's not for everybody. Um, the program that I did or any program may not be, but if they got as excited about it as I did, um I wanted them to know that there was an option out there.
SPEAKER_03:So yeah, I love it. And professional development and finding something that that that piques your curiosity and excitement about it. Uh and you did it for you. You know, you you you started too for a while, Laura. You you know, you're walking through that and you brought up some things that that I wanted to to unpack for people, you know, because sometimes it's difficult. But your wife, your mom, you're busy, you're on the chamber, you know, you're on different boards, you're you know, you you know, you do the heart, you know, association where there's just a lot. How do you lead through fatigue? Because that that can be very exhausting.
SPEAKER_00:I don't know if I have anything.
SPEAKER_03:Even healthcare. So you think healthcare, you guys have been, you know, since 2020, since COVID, you know, you guys have really been nonstop turbulent since 2020. How do you help people that that are watching, that are listening, saying, how does she do it all, still keep a healthy marriage, still be there for her kids, still continue her education, and still stay level-headed and grounded and through all of that? How do you do it?
SPEAKER_01:That's a great question. Um, I don't know that I have all the answers, but um I just I I give myself some grace and remember um that I don't have to be perfect at everything, though I I I think I try really hard and strive to be, we all do, but I'm a little OCD in that respect. But I give myself grace and I give myself the time and space to to take on whatever I feel like is gonna bring me some value or bring me or bring those around me value, right? And you know, just when you think there's not enough time in the day, there is, you can make it. It's hard. And then there are a lot of times in the moment when you think I cannot do this anymore, whether it's school or um an organization that you're working with. But I think it also comes from being really honest with yourself, but also with your family and your significant other, because you know, you've got to have some conversations about what the give and take is. And there's always gonna be something. And um, again, my husband may or may not agree that I get that right every time, but we try. Um, you know, we have a conversation every week on what days I have to be at work early, what days I have to be at work late, and you know, who's picking up the kid, and we we get all the logistics stuff out of the way so that then with then when we're actually in the week, hopefully, you know, we can be present in the moment. And I'll tell you, I'm not always present in the moment, and I'm not always really good at that, but I'm trying really hard, and it's something that I've tried to take my focus and shift it, is that um be present where you are and what what you're doing. And if you can, you can do it in shorter snippets sometimes if you can have your mind focus and be there. When my mind, when I'm at home and my mind's at work, I'm not really there for either one of them, and vice versa. And so it's it's about kind of channeling that and figuring out um how you can really be there physically and mentally for those you're in the room with at that moment. And and you'll be successful. It's it's it's not perfect, but there's um it's something you've got to try if it's something you're really interested in, because you'll feel bad and worse if you didn't try to do something else or be a part of an organization that you believe in their mission or whatever it may be, spend some time volunteering. If you'll feel worse if you if you don't make the effort, and so I say make the effort.
SPEAKER_03:Yes, I love it. I mean, I think I said it at the conference for everyone is you know, how do you get to the place as a leader where you where you be where your feet are? You know, all the time. Yeah, you know, oftentimes you could be sitting at a table and not be in the room um because you got so much going on in your life, and and people notice it, people pick up on it, um, and it leaves them in this awkward place of do they address it or do they do they ask questions or do they start the fight, or you know, what do they do to to make sure they can close that gap? So I would tell you, I love that you're saying that I'm working on how do I be where my feet are at that moment. If it's 30 minutes, it's 30 minutes. Um, if it's two minutes, it's two, whatever that time frame is. Um, so people get the undivided attention um that they need in that that time frame. I want to shift a little bit. You're you're when you think about you coming through the ranks and and and getting to the level that you are, what role did mentors or sponsors play in in your level of success? Um, you know, did you pick them? Did they pick you? Did you have them?
SPEAKER_01:I think a little bit of all of it. Um definitely they played a huge role. Um, I can think of um several off the top of my head. Um, but it's about surrounding yourself with really good people. And I think some of them happen naturally, in that um, you know, one's my boss, my and he's been my boss the majority of the time. And um, and it that was kind of a natural thing. Um now I I'll say he's he's given me a lot of grace over the years because again, when I don't get it right, he tells me. Um, but he's we're willing to have those really raw and honest conversations with each other and not take it personal. Um the others, there's been others where I've sought them out like yourself. Um, I just remember seeing you multiple times. I think we've talked about this. Um, you know, after the third time I saw you in a two-week period, I'm like, I'm meant to know this man and he's gonna bring something. And and I and I do, it's a friendship, but I also see it as a mentorship or you know, um, in a way as well, because I always um joke that I feel like you're coaching me on the side, like uh it's it's like you need some help, but do you know you needed the help? Um, but again, that's where it comes from. So it just kind of it is natural, but I did seek you out in that respect. Um so I think it can it can come from a lot of different ways. I mean, you from folks who don't necessarily realize it. Um, I've had um others that now I'm helping and doing that for because I feel like the reason that I am successful and able to do some of the things I I can do is because I've had some really good mentors and teachers that invested time in me, and I really didn't realize how much time they invested in me until I started doing that for other people. And I thought to myself, wow, one, I need to go thank them again, but two, I need to give back and I need to do that. And if I can save someone from having some heartache, not not from going from the experience because they need to learn from it, but save them um from getting in this vicious cycle or circle of um you know leadership things that you really wish you you had somebody to kind of guide you through. And if I can do that for them, I want to do that. Um, I've got a couple different people that I do that with, some very um deliberate in that we meet monthly, some that I do it just naturally, again, as a as a friend or in a colleague. Um some that maybe are mentoring me and when I think I'm mentoring them, you know. Um, but all of that is important. You know, I I didn't I've always known that my mentors were a huge part of it, but I really started focusing on that when I like you mentioned we were when I was in school, and when I did my capstone, I did it on mentorship um because it felt like God, there's something there. This needs to be more, there needs to be some intentionality to this more than what there is. And I want to invest my time in that and understanding not only what people have done for me and continuing to gain that, but what I can do for other people.
SPEAKER_03:Yeah, I love it. I love that you're saying, you know, be intentional about it so that way you can lean in a little bit more. I mean, it definitely is valuable. And how do you how do you lean into it? So I would tell people be intentional, lean into it, and let people know. Um, you know, and then also be a mentor to other people uh so you can learn the skill set of how to be a phenomenal mentor. I'll just shift a little bit for you. You think about you know the culture in in a clinical hospital world. And oftentimes, you know, when I go into the Lexant Health, the service is phenomenal externally to all the patients. How do you guys do when it comes to internal creating the culture that that the people that are serving us doing a really, really good job? How do you manage and make sure you meet that same level of expectation to how you treat each other internally in the healthcare world?
SPEAKER_01:To me, it starts from day one. Um, the day that I I had the same feeling. I wanted to work at Lexington. Um, I I remember thinking that is a place I need to be. And I did everything I could. I had seven interviews before I got a job. Um, but it was it was because the the external culture was there. And so what really embedded it for me too was day one of orientation. Um it started from that day and it's never ended. And so it is a it is a purposeful, intentional, um something we talk about often kind of thing. Um, but we don't just talk about it, we do it. You know what I mean? And so it is, but we don't rest on our laurels that it just happens naturally. Now it'll morph and change over time. We always talk about our culture here, and sometimes it has you know it has changed. When you when you grow from probably 2,500 employees when I started to 9,000 today, it's going to change. But it is a at the core of it, we are here for our patients and our employees, period. And everything else just gravitates around that, right? We're here to provide really good service to our patients and treat our employees well so they can provide that good service for the patients. And we hopefully we're elevating the right leaders who understand that and who get that, and who again are intentional and very um forthcoming about that, and and and we talk about it. And if we don't get it right all the time, and when we don't, we have that conversation too. But we continuously have that as our our strategy for success, and and it works, and I and I'm grateful that I get to be a part of it. So, and that's what I tell people all the time. They're like, you know, you've worked your licensing a long time. Why? I'm like, I'm just grateful they let me stay. I'm just grateful that I get to be here because I believe in what we do, but I believe in how we do it and how we treat people because these are the the patients that we have are our friends, our neighbors, you know, our are people we go to church with, all of those things. And so we we got to be good partners and good caretakers for them.
SPEAKER_03:Yeah. I love that you're using the word partners because that's that's at the end of the day, that's what it is. Being that you guys work so hard on making sure that you you set a great culture and people feel respected, seeing and heard. What practices do you do you implement? Um, do you guys practice every day, honestly, when they're when conflict arises? How do how because oftentimes people feel like you know conflict and they think negative and they think like, oh, I don't want to deal with it. How do you guys you know train your leaders to, when it arises, to still live up to your core values?
SPEAKER_01:I think it it's a couple things. One, you've got to be very willing to have hard conversations, willing to lean in and step in, but you've also got to be willing to be humble and back up and realize that you may be the problem. And we do that a lot. I mean, I I you know, everybody has this initial right reaction in their head, right? It's always, oh my gosh, they that it must be the other person. It must be that. But when you take a step back and you don't let that come out of your mouth yet, and you take a step back and you really think about it, at the end of the day, being right or getting the right result are not always the right thing, or always the same thing, I should say. And it doesn't really matter about how we go about something differently or how we um, you know, how we're going to attack a problem. What matters is that we're doing it with respect, and it matters that we're doing it in a way that we're not trying to alienate and and shatter relationships. Now there are times when some of the some of that happens. Um, and again, you don't get it right, but if you built up enough trust in your team and you've built up enough trust through your reputation of how you handle things, um, hopefully you can live through one of those. Not always, but hopefully you can. Um so I think for for for me and for us, I think it's about really um leaning in to when there's an issue, being willing to solve it, and then just move on. Um you can't let it linger, you can't let it keep going, have the hard conversation, figure it out, work together, and then go forward. Because the worst thing a team can see is that there's a conflict and that the two leaders can't get along, or that they can't work through it. How can I expect them as team members to work through a problem if we can't?
SPEAKER_03:Exactly. Yes, yes. How do you guys, if you're on a team such as look at your team, you know, someone's not carrying their fair share of the weight? Um, how important is it for a leader to address that? Um, and what's the danger if they don't?
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, I mean, the danger is that another person ends up doing all the work, or you end up doing all the work and you burn people out and you erode a culture and you erode that trust that you had. Um, so you definitely have to you have to take that head on. You you gotta be honest with people. Um, if you're not honest, how do you expect them to get any better? And how do you expect, you know, if you want a different result, you've got to do something different. And that starts with telling them. Um, and you know, that's not that's not easy. Difficult conversations are, you know, you have to prepare them. Yeah, they are. I mean, they're by nature, that's just what they are. But again, you can't take it as this um, it's not always a negative. Sometimes what you're doing is actually telling somebody maybe they're not pulling their weight, they may not realize it. And what you're doing is doing them a favor and helping them and helping them in their career. Um, and there are gonna be times when everybody's gonna have something going on in their personal life or at work um that is gonna impact it. Give them people a little bit of time and space to have that every now and then, but you still hold them accountable and you still have conversations. Um, but sometimes that's maybe that's what they needed. They needed to know you cared and recognized it. Um, and you believed enough in them to give them a chance to fix it. Because if you didn't believe in them, you just either write them off or you don't help them and and and they don't they don't advance and you don't get anything else out of them. So I mean it did it it behooves you to actually have those conversations.
SPEAKER_03:Yes, yes. So I'm gonna um so Laura, when you when you guys think about healthcare right now, retaining top talent, you know, there's a crisis for making sure we have enough people in our healthcare system in on all positions. That's a national crisis within healthcare right now. What is the one thing the healthcare system is gonna have to abandon to make sure they don't lose their best talent? What's the change that have to be made within healthcare?
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, I mean, I think we've got to think differently. Um, we have to, you can the old days of posting a job and people replying, and then you interviewing and then you hiring these great people, that is over. You uh this is about having a great place to be and a great place to work, and and then showcasing that, right? But where it's genuine and it's real, and you're not having a recruiter out there talking about how great an environment is, um, that that you can't live up to when they get here, right? Um and then thinking differently. I mean, we do uh we talked about partnerships earlier. A lot of it is partnering. I mean, we've partnered with USD um for the School of Nursing. We knew there was gonna be a nursing shortage. We've partnered with them to help them expand um their class size, which in turn gets more people coming um here for their clinicals. Um, we've got to do on-the-job training. You know, in the past, I would have never in imaging said, Oh, you want to go to school? Let me help you, let me help you pay for it, and let me let me um let me teach you um while you're on the clock, let me do all of these things, and then let me help you have a job when you're done. But what better way to do it, right? Um, if you've got people that are already vested interest, um, and they see that we're investing in them, they're more likely to stay with you. You know, you've got to build that loyalty because it's different. Um, the days again of people coming here and being here for 30, 40, 50 years just because they love this place and they're hard workers, um, that doesn't happen as much anymore. We want it to, but times change and what the expectations change. So you've got to have a different approach in doing it. You cannot just accept the status quo and say, you know, this training program that's really intense, that's you know, three years long is the only way to do it. Is it? You know, is it it it probably is a gold standard and it and it works, but can you do it differently? And can you do more on the job training? And I think you can. Um, and again, it doesn't supersede any kind of educational requirements. I don't mean that, but on the job training and and and working in an environment and exposing people to an environment early helps.
SPEAKER_03:Yeah, I love that you're you've been open-minded, adaptable, and and what other way can you do it? You know, so you can stop the bleeding. You know, I mean, I think you guys are being interviewed just as much as you're interviewing. So people are interviewing you now, you know. So you can walk into a room before we would talk. Well, have at least one question at the interview. No, you better be prepared to answer like five questions if you're the company that's trying to hire me now because they're interviewing you just as much as you're interviewing them. Is that happening for Lex to Health as well?
SPEAKER_01:Oh, without a doubt. It's funny you say that because I interviewed someone yesterday and I know now to leave extra time, right? Um, but and I always do because I just think that's the right thing to do. But they she had a list of uh three pages for me. Now, granted, a lot of it we had talked about throughout, but it was what their questions were. But so I mean, yeah, it happens every day. And and there is a lot, I feel like I'm selling more now than I ever did before. And some of that's okay. I mean, it it that is a hard thing to transition to, but and and but I also don't want it to be, I'm still, no matter how you know, short we may be in an area, we're still not going to hire the wrong people. And by the wrong people, I mean people who are not willing to come here and be um a part of the change, a part of who we are as a culture, a part of taking care of those patients, like we talked about earlier, that it's all about the patients, you know, and it's about making their experience good. So people who don't understand that we're not willing to compromise when it comes to that. When it comes to training and other things, you know, we'll figure that out. But we need to know that you're going to be here for the right reasons and that you're going to come here and take good care of our patients. And so I think it's just figuring out what your your priorities are and and and and rolling through that, but definitely being prepared to answer some hard questions.
SPEAKER_03:Yeah. And I think that's for everyone. So if you listen, whether healthcare or not, we we got to be prepared as an interviewer now to to to um answer some hard questions.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah.
SPEAKER_03:I want to move to future-proofing leadership. Um, so three to five years from now, what what scares you more in the role that you're in? Is it you know technology disruption? Is it uh healthcare models? Is it declining workforce pipelines, uh, erosion of public trust? What stands out the most to you three to five years from now for Lexan Health to be what it wants to be and what you can be? What scares you the most about those those topics?
SPEAKER_01:All of the things that you mentioned.
SPEAKER_03:All of it's around all of it.
SPEAKER_01:We got the I mean they're all important, but I think you said it earlier. For us, it's it's um it's the culture, right? And the larger you grow, the harder it is to maintain, right? Um, we've been very blessed and very lucky that um for many years we've been able to grow in this community and um continue to hire people who work in this community, lived here their whole lives, who want to be there, and that's harder. You're gonna have to, you gotta go out, you've got to get um new talent, more talent. I mean, there's just never enough, right? Um, so I think that that's that's always a scary thing because what's typically set us apart is is our culture. Yes, and so maintaining that while also thinking out differently and getting new people. Um, I mean, then there's you know, as as the landscape changes and how um how things are gonna be um compensated or how you're going to um payers are gonna pay for certain things. I mean, that always scares all of us. But if it's gonna be a focus on quality and you're providing quality, it's you know, there's a I get it, you know, it's a good way to do it. Um, it's just are those that are judging your quality, are we judging it and doing it in a way that makes sense? So you always get to think about that. Um, I mean, there's there's a ton of things out there. I mean, AI, I mean, you know, I think AI in a healthcare setting, though, um can be amazing. Um, you know, we've dabbled into it a little bit and I feel like uh doing some good things. Um, but that's scary to all of us, you know. I think in our personal lives too, you know, of what AI can be some really great things, but it can also be some very um really hard things that feel like you're replacing people. And and and for us to be so focused on our people, I don't want technology to completely replace it, I want it to enhance it, if that makes sense.
SPEAKER_03:Yes, and I think that makes sense. You know, AI will, you know, you think about you know, horse and buggy days, and when cars came along, I can only imagine what they were saying. Yeah, you know, for people that you know, now we got you know cars, and then when the telephone came along, oh my goodness, we're gonna not talk to each other more because we got this device we can. So I think there's always this thing of the unknown that scares humans, um, but also that we figured out and it enhances the quality of life. I think you know, putting some some some gateways up or some barriers, if you will, you know, to guard us will be important. But I'll tell most people now with technology, if you don't use it, you won't be around because it's it's not going anywhere. So you got to figure out how to leverage it. Like now, you know, I've you know, I can do three interviews, you know, um, you know, a lot faster than if I had to drive or you had to drive, you know, to get it done. You probably only get one of those or two of those in per day. So when you start thinking about the work that you're doing and and with public trust being really low for everybody across the industry, what are you guys doing really, really well? Because I don't hear that there that public trust is low for Lex and Hill. I mean, I don't it's not even a conversation I hear in our community. What do y'all do so that y'all maintain public trust?
SPEAKER_01:Well, again, I think it's just being completely transparent and open. I mean, we put everything out there. We try to um, if there's gonna be something that because everything's not positive. I mean, as much as we want it to be, I mean, things happen, um, but we try to be open about it and and we're not hiding anything. Like there's no like something happening over here that that we're trying to hide in any way. We're trying to do the best we can. Circumstances don't always work out. I mean, you know, I think there's always this this this fear that there's um, is it really a great place? Or, you know, we we did a new bonus thing recently um for a hard-to-recruit area. And one of the things that someone told me um that the way it could be taken was like, it must be a really bad place to work if they're offering that much money to work there. I'm like, no, we just believe in it that much. So it's it's it's just a um, it's a hard thing. Some of the trust comes from not necessarily us, but from the industry or from experiences maybe even they've had other places. Um, and that's hard to overcome. But again, I think if we can continue to be who we are and continue to hold our leaders and our team accountable for producing that really good experience, um, then you know, word of mouth is everything. It'll make or break you, one way or the other. It's gonna it's gonna happen. And don't get me wrong, we have gotten it wrong before. We uh made some decisions where people didn't understand them or why we were doing them. Um, and we've had to back up pivot and explain again um or or rethink our message, but we have a really good um team that we use that that does help us with our message. And it's not like I don't want to call it crafting a message to um to mislead someone, but it's crafting a message to make it relevant to the folks that we are trying to get to. Does that make sense? Like you want, yeah.
SPEAKER_03:I mean, it's authentic, it's real, you know. So when you think about like, you know, for the for the healthcare and building trust, I mean, you constantly up front, and and that doesn't mean you're perfect, but when you're not you on a foot. Here's what we're trying to do, and you can do everything right and it still doesn't go doesn't go right, you know. So I think that's important. When you when you think of the role that you're currently in and and where we are now, if you had a chance to to make one major change uh for leaders, what would you do if you had a magic wand to make something better? What would you do?
SPEAKER_01:That's a good question, Ron. Oh um one thing to make it better for everybody. Um you know, I think I would remind people that it's okay to make mistakes, it is okay to not be the leader that you are want to be at all times um or think you are, but be honest enough with those that you work with and yourself to say, you know what, I can do that better, and then actually go and do it better, you know. But remind people that it's okay to to to get it wrong and to fail. I you know, I hate to say that, but otherwise you've got the these perfectionists out there, right? I'm I'm I'm one. And it is and you beat yourself up so badly um when those around you aren't beating you up, you know, and so it it's giving yourself grace, giving yourself some um some, I don't know, a little bit of space to figure it out. What makes you a better leader is having gone through it and experienced something and thinking, hey, I'm gonna make that better next time. Not you know, wallow in this too long. I mean, you can wallow a little bit, but don't wallow too long about the first time.
SPEAKER_03:I think a lot of people expect for it to be perfect the first time. Yeah, you know, if you have you know, my wife and I have three kids, I think we were better parents with the third kid. Yeah, because you you learn. I mean, um, because you got what your parents did, uh, or you got what you saw on television, or you got from some show or from your friends or from your church, whatever you picked up those parenting skills, and then you have your own all of a sudden, and you're figuring out and navigating how to be effective. Um, because the days of hey, I'm the parent, I pay all the bills, that worked. I mean, our parents led more by intimidation and fear, and today you know, you learn to be more effective as a parent.
SPEAKER_01:You know, there's nothing more humbling than having a kid and watching their reactions to things and seeing how, and you and I've talked about this, and seeing how um how they're developing to go, wait, I don't that there's something going on there, and realizing it's because they're emulating you. Yes, and it is a that is a that's a hard thing to watch. Um, but it you know, I think being a parent is gonna teach me how to be a better leader. I hope.
SPEAKER_03:They are watching, whether they tell you they're watching or not. They are watching everything we do.
SPEAKER_01:The words that come out of my son's mouth who is six, um, I'm like, where do you hear that? And I'm like, oh, he heard that from me. Um, you know, I mean, you told me the other day I was bossy, and I said, Well, not really bossy, but I am your boss right now. So, but I mean, just you know, hearing those kinds of things, but realizing maybe the tone in which I'm saying something or the expectation that I think a six-year-old's gonna get it right every single time. And I'm like, I'm telling myself to give myself space, but am I giving my team enough space to make it these errors or or you know, learning opportunities, missteps, whatever you want to call them? And I'm expecting a six-year-old, I live and die by this phone in the app that this kid's there telling me how his how he reacted today. And if he has one moment where he's unkind, I'm like, buddy, what happened? Why'd you have such a bad day? And it was like, and for him, it was a blip on the radar. And I think if somebody was doing that to me, saying, You reacted really badly four hours ago to something. Did you have a bad day? I'm like, no, that was a blip. And so remembering that, uh, that's easier said than done, but there's nothing wrong with the problem.
SPEAKER_03:It's amazing. I mean, and what I reflected on when you said it, you know, I do this workshop and I and I tell people, you know, almost ask the question, hey, when's the last time you had a bad day? And you walk through this activity with them, and it can happen at six o'clock in the morning, but they'll they'll carry it for the rest of the day. I say, You had a bad moment in the day. Yeah, you allowed it to absorb your day, and it's amazing how many people something can happen for 30 seconds and they'll let it suck up the other 23 hours of their day.
SPEAKER_01:You know, I'm very guilty of it. Um, I've tried to be more intentional about it now. I'm the sad part is I'm better about it at work than I am at home. Um, because I think it's all day I've tried to be like, nope, we're gonna be good, we're gonna be good. And then I get home and I'm like, oh, and then I'm done.
SPEAKER_00:Yes.
SPEAKER_01:And then and then my husband wants to talk to me, and I'm like, no. He's like, was it a bad day? I'm like, I don't know, I don't want to talk about it. And and it really probably wasn't. I'm just done at that point. And I hate it for it because I think he gets the worst of me. Um we've been talking about that over coffee.
SPEAKER_03:So if y'all are listening to it, this is this is our coffee talks. This is this is behind the curtain, unpack. Yes, right.
SPEAKER_01:My husband can always tell when I've been talking to you, Ron, because then I always usually have a better day.
SPEAKER_03:So I'm gonna do some, I'm gonna do some uh I'm gonna do a light around with you. I'm gonna ask you just some some pretty funny questions. Um so uh beach or the mountains.
SPEAKER_01:Ooh, mountains.
SPEAKER_03:The mountains, really? Okay, I saw you as a beach woman. Okay, I got that one.
SPEAKER_01:I like both, but I don't want to be hot wrong.
unknown:Okay.
SPEAKER_03:So uh uh sit down, find dining, or burgers of pizza.
SPEAKER_01:I like both, but probably burgers and pizza.
SPEAKER_03:If you had an opportunity to donate a million dollars to an organization, what organization would it be?
SPEAKER_01:Oh, that's I that for me is um an easy one. Um anything that deals with domestic violence or um victims of assault, um, especially women, um, that is where I would spend my time. Either it and the only other thing I would add to it is um homelessness because there are so many people out there that don't um ask for that situation to happen. It can happen to anybody right now. So both of those, because you there's there's less control in a lot of those situations. Yeah. And I always want to help people do you know things that that they didn't control what happened to them.
SPEAKER_03:Awesome, awesome. Yeah, take a nice flight to wherever you wish, or would you take a cruise?
SPEAKER_01:Ooh, you know, I've never been on a cruise, strangely enough. Um, as claustrophobic as I am, I'm probably flying somewhere because I want to make sure it's over quickly and I need to see land, and I need to make sure that um it's the control freak in me that yeah. Yeah, I'm gonna definitely fly.
SPEAKER_03:And your favorite holiday of the year and why?
SPEAKER_01:Oh, it's oh, it's it's Christmas just because there's you know family time and all the things we get to do, um, especially now. Um my husband and my son are both obsessed. Um, they're obsessed with Halloween too, but uh, but with Christmas, and I think it's just the joy and seeing what it brings to other people. Um, it's there's something magical about it.
SPEAKER_03:Yes, yes. Well, well, thank you. You've been fun. It's been great.
SPEAKER_00:Always great, Ron.
SPEAKER_03:Yeah, it's always fun to talk to you. Is there anything that we did not talk about that that you will share with the up-and-coming leader as a Laura's tip? What's something you would share with someone, the younger version of you? What would you tell yourself?
SPEAKER_01:You know, I've had this conversation lately with a couple of people. Is if you think that elevation as a leader means that you're going to have more control, you're sadly mistaken. Yes, is about the higher you go, the less control you have. It is more about influence, hands down, every day, all day. Um, you know, people are always like, I want this promotion because I want to have a seat at the table and all that. And that is true, you know, in some ways. However, again, you are not ultimately controlling what's happening, you're helping influence what it is. So the sooner you realize that, the better off you're gonna be.
SPEAKER_03:You won't be so disappointed when you get the promotion.
SPEAKER_01:It's not all as cracked up to me. It's great. No, it really is great, but it again, it is it's not if you're doing it for control, you're doing it for the wrong reasons.
SPEAKER_03:Just just have a kid, you'll find out real quick you're not in control.
SPEAKER_01:Okay, and realize you are zero control.
SPEAKER_03:Become a parent. You'll watch how how much you don't have control. You're like only thing I can do is influence this little kid because they'll boss me around every day. I want this to eat, I want to dress like this, I don't want to wear that, I want to go to bed at this time. You know, this six-year-old.
SPEAKER_01:Yes, this child tells me what to do every day, and I'm telling you, I'm living it down. Like, I'm gonna, as soon as we're done, I'm checking to see did how did he act today? You know, dictate the rest of it.
SPEAKER_03:Well, it's been fun. What's the best way to reach what's the best way to reach you if someone wants to reach out to you? I mean, because I think people will listen to the podcast and looking for a mentor or looking for a leader or looking for an executive, you know, what's the best way to reach you?
SPEAKER_01:Um, my email is always the easiest, just because I'm I'm constantly checking it, probably when I shouldn't be. Um, it's L lot, L L O T T more, M-O-O-R-E at Lexhealth.org. Always the easiest way to reach me.
SPEAKER_03:Yes. Thank you. Thank you so much. And for everyone, thank y'all for joining us. Um, we ask that you share the link with someone um that's that's looking to grow um to become more effective as a leader. Um we appreciate you staying with us again, Ron Harvey with Global Course Strategies and Consulting. The two best places to find me is always going to be LinkedIn um or go to our company's webpage. All the other stuff, I don't do a bunch of social media, um, so I'm not on all those platforms, but you can always find me on LinkedIn and you can always go to my company website and send me an email. And I do personally respond to all the emails I get. So uh feel free. Um, until next time, the Laura and I will sign off and tell everyone have a great day, be safe, um, and get ready for the holiday season. I don't know if it's Thanksgiving, Halloween, or Christmas right now, because when I go to Home Depot, they got it all in the store. They got it all. I'm not sure what holiday we're in. I know we're all spending money on that stuff. So thank y'all. Have a great day.
SPEAKER_01:Thank you.
SPEAKER_02:Well, we hope you enjoy this edition of Unpack Podcast with leadership consultant Ron Harvey. Remember to join us every Monday as Ron Unpacks Sound Advice, providing real answers for real leadership challenges. Until next time, remember to add value and make a difference where you are for the people you serve. Because people always matter.
