Organizational Leadership in LTC with Reed VanderSlik, President and CEO of Baptist Retirement Homes

Communication as an LTC Leader

On this episode of the LTC Heroes podcast, Reed VanderSlik,
President and CEO of Baptist Retirement Homes, sits down with us
to discuss what effective organizational leadership looks like in
our industry.


Reed talks about his unique transition from working in the
manufacturing industry to entering LTC, and touches on the
challenges of understanding regulations and reimbursement as a
newcomer to the industry.


He shares the details of a tragic story involving coworkers, and
what he learned by navigating that experience. He notes that the
frequency and clarity of communication make all the difference
when working through a crisis situation.
Seeking out New LTC Leadership

Reed provides some great insight on how to seek out emerging
leaders in your organization. He highlights the importance of
looking at where results are manifesting within your
organization, and then finding the face behind those results.


To close the episode, Reed gives us some tips for how to look
outside your organization for support, and shares examples of the
partnerships Baptist Retirement Homes have been a part of.


Learn more and sign up to be notified about future episodes at
LTCHeroes.com.
Rapid Fire Q/A

What valuable or actionable advice will we chat about that might
be helpful for someone else in our industry?


I think a big part of our conversation will be about the dos and
don'ts of crisis management.


What is one lesser-known book, newsletter, or industry resource
that you would send me to understand long-term care?


It may seem kind of strange, but it's a children's book called
The Giving Tree. I've used it in leadership development with my
team. But, I reflect on it a lot too, because I think oftentimes
in our industry we're the tree. And you know, we keep giving and
we keep giving and we keep giving, and that's part of what makes
us wonderful in the industry. But, we also have to realize the
effect that has on us, and we have to be sensitive to that and
support each other so that there are still limbs left for the
future.


Name one mentor that has influenced the way that you deliver care
in our industry?


I think of Dr. Thomas, and I'm sure you're familiar with him. I
was at an organization that developed Greenhouse Homes fairly
early on. I really listened to what he had to say about the
approach, about his belief in Greenhouse Homes, and the changes
that really benefit the residents that we served.


What advice would you give to your younger self?


I certainly wish I had started on my journey of developing future
leaders because the industry needs it, and it brings such joy to
see individuals grow.
Resources:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/reed-vanderslik-786a227/

https://www.brh.org/

“The Giving Tree”