NEWS FROM
CARF…THE REHABILITATION ACCREDITATION COMMISSION
Health Care Leadership in the Postpandemic Era Christine M. MacDonell, FACRM
A
s an international accreditation system, CARF has the unique opportunity to interact with and learn from many leaders. No one could dispute that in 2020 and 2021 we have been immersed in major challenges in health and human services. As case managers you have been on the front lines, and some of you have been in leadership roles. Recently we were able to listen to a group of Canadian leaders speak about what they learned during the pandemic, including lessons learned for the future. We also have done many surveys where we heard from our providers about what worked and what they will continue with after we get to our “new normal.” During any time of crisis (natural disasters, financial downturns, violence, pandemics), judgment, decision making, and leaders’ actions are displayed and influenced by their unique leadership style. In this recent pandemic, it appears that three distinct types of leaders emerged. The traditionalists controlled information and didn’t
Christine M. MacDonell, FACRM, is the Managing Director of Medical Rehabilitation and International Aging Services/Medical Rehabilitation in Tucson, Arizona. She is part of the medical rehabilitation team responsible for the training of CARF surveyors and for the development and revision of CARF standards. 10 CareManagement August/September 2021
Whether they are leaders on or the front lines, case managers need to be able to scale their services quickly, be innovative in meeting demands, embrace opportunities, and, very importantly, focus on their own self-care. embrace the science—eventually staff felt fearful, unsure, and panic stricken. The unknown became overwhelming. Luckily these leaders were in the minority in health and human services. The majority of leaders were what we might call integrators. They shared information on all levels and collaborated with cross-functional teams, and their teams focused on common goals. They worked within their organization and made everyone feel safe and secure during challenging times. You heard about command centers, leadership rounding, town hall meetings, daily newsletters with updates, and upgraded technology that allowed for immediate messaging to all. The integrators were there for their staff and those they served. The final group of leaders might be called pioneers. They worked on solving the immediate crisis but also looked at the long-term view: what we learned during the crisis, what can we enhance, and what lessons are worth not repeating. They usually display characteristics of being prepared,
adaptable, collaborative, trustworthy, and authentic. We all know this type of leader: they care about their staff, look to provide a brighter future, and put their needs last. Pioneers tend to learn from every experience and use these learnings to build organizational resilience. In these CARF columns we have addressed the importance of resilience for both individuals and organizations. Resilience as an organization means that the leaders of the organization can anticipate, prepare, respond, and adapt to change and sudden disruptions. Whether they are leaders on or the front lines, case managers need to be able to scale their services quickly, be innovative in meeting demands, embrace opportunities, and, very importantly, focus on their own selfcare. This last point, self-care, is critical to good leadership. When you abandon practices that bring you peace of mind and energy, you begin down a slippery slope that results in exhaustion, defensiveness, and an inability to lead others. Many organizations spoke about the opportunities that they were given to have space to reflect, exercise, and to keep a journal— to recenter themselves during crisis times. The last point that comes to mind is that pioneer leaders were transparent. Many organizations shared how their leaders listened to their needs and requests and adjustments were made. Flexibility and creativity were embraced to provide better and unique services. Frontline staff saw their leaders in a continues on page 36
