WhatWorks: Sanford Health Develops Mission-Driven Leaders at All Levels
Dec 3, 2024
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Linda Kirchhevel, Director of Talent & Leadership Development at Sanford Health, discusses their innovative leadership framework aimed at nurturing mission-driven leaders. She reveals how Sanford Health adapted its leadership development amidst frequent mergers, resulting in a 13-point rise in employee engagement. The Sanford Leader Framework addresses behaviors and capabilities for all 45,000 employees through tailored development programs. Linda also highlights the new leader orientation focused on cohort learning and the establishment of a leadership academy for long-term care administrators.
Sanford Health's leadership development framework integrates the organization's mission into leadership practices, enhancing alignment and effectiveness across all levels of the workforce.
The implementation of cohort-based leadership training and personalized development plans has significantly improved employee engagement and satisfaction, driving retention amidst organizational changes.
Deep dives
Embedding Mission and Values in Leadership
The development of the Sanford Leader model emphasizes the importance of embedding the organization's mission and values into its leadership approach. This was done to ensure that leaders not only understand but also exemplify these core principles in their daily work. By focusing on leading self, leading others, and leading the mission, the framework encourages leaders to internalize and operate according to what is vital to Sanford Health's identity. This intentional integration enhances leadership effectiveness and aligns the behaviors of leaders with the overarching goals of the organization.
Innovative Leadership Development Programs
Sanford Health has designed comprehensive leadership development programs that cater to the diverse needs of its workforce, particularly following significant mergers. The new leader orientation is structured around the aforementioned model and includes cohort-based sessions focusing on the technical aspects of leadership, along with core principles of self-leadership and mission-oriented leadership. This cohort style fosters connection among leaders from various departments, enhancing their understanding of the organization as a whole. Furthermore, the introduction of tailored leadership development plans allows leaders to assess their strengths and weaknesses, leading to personalized growth trajectories.
Measurable Success and Future Plans
Since implementing the Sanford Leader model, the organization has seen a significant increase in employee engagement scores, reflecting the impactful nature of their leadership initiatives. Feedback from employee surveys has led to targeted interventions that address specific areas for improvement, showing a robust connection between leadership efforts and employee satisfaction. Looking ahead, Sanford Health is expanding its leadership offerings, including specialized programs for nursing leaders and a new Senior Leader Academy, which focuses on developing high-potential leaders. This strategic approach ensures a sustainable and positive organizational culture, with an ongoing commitment to the development and support of its leaders.
Linda Kirchhevel, Director, Talent & Leadership Development at Sanford Health talks with Kathi Enderes about their leadership development program. Linda discusses how the organization’s frequent mergers caused them to prioritize creating a unique leadership framework centered around the mission of the organization. (Sanford Health is the largest rural healthcare provider in the United States.)
The Sanford Leader Framework (“The Sanford Leader”) is applicable to anybody in the organization, focused on developing behaviors and capabilities at scale for all 45,000 employees. Built in collaboration with FranklinCovey, the leadership development model, assessment, orientation, and development plan delivers a customized leadership program at all levels. (Leading self, leading others, leading mission.)
As Linda explains, this program has driven a 13 point increase in employee engagement measured through NetPromoter. And the program continues to drive high levels of employee engagement, retention, and alignment during a series of acquisitions. It exemplifies the “Irresistible Leadership” model we highlight in our research.