So here we go. As I embark on the last two weeks of my mandate, I’m really not sure what to say.
But let me start by saying how proud I am of what we have achieved with our staff, volunteers, members and health leaders across the country in the last six years, a time span that includes the pandemic.
Back in 2018, we were asked to adopt new directions and new practices for the College… and we did.
We were asked to set out a transformation agenda and to prepare our organization to better serve members now and into the future… and we did.
Unexpectedly, in 2020, we needed to respond to the pandemic, rethink some of our programming, virtualize our operations and remain nimble in the midst of uncertainty and chaos… and we did.
Since then, we’ve needed to re-balance our operations to a new reality with a mix of virtual and in-person programming and an evolving value proposition for our members and health leaders… and we are still doing that.
Even as we have accumulated record numbers in some of our key metrics in the past six years, I am most proud of how each individual member of our team, complemented by our chapter executives, our Board and all of our members, has responded to the challenge. We have built a high-responsiveness high-touch culture, and the College is in a good place, ready for the future and ready to hand off to my successor Sue Owen.
As one looks back on a 40-year career, you realize that if you are fortunate and adaptable, each new job or challenge builds on the skills, lessons and experience from all the previous moments. And that’s certainly the case for me. My 6-year tenure as CEO of the Canadian College of Health Leaders has been a rewarding and thrilling, and of course sometimes challenging, journey. I couldn’t have wished for a better opportunity, a better team, a better culture.
If I could, I would love to thank each individual or organization I have connected with in the last six years but of course that’s not possible. I do want to thank my Board, my past three Board chairs, Feisal, Marianne and Brenda, our committees, our chapter executives, our corporate partners and sponsors and all of you, our members, for your commitment to the College and to your leadership journey.
From day one, I would ask our staff “why are we here”? After a while, we all started answering with a common sense of purpose and focus. “We are here to develop, support and celebrate health leaders across the country, regardless of position or title, across the continuum in order to make sure that our friends, family and loved ones receive the care they need and deserve”. This was true then and continues to be our guiding purpose today. As the organization carries on, I hope this sense of purpose will get stronger and stronger.
To all the members of our national office team and our leadership team, I hope you see yourself in the journey of the past 6 years and in the exciting times ahead. Thank you for allowing me to be a part of your lives.
For those of you who might have the time and interest, you can check out a podcast I recorded recently that recaps my journey since 2018 and summarizes where I think we are at. I enjoyed chatting with Leah Wuitschik, one of our LEADS coaches and facilitators who is the founder of Tall Trees Leadership. You can find the podcast here.
Lastly, if you wish to stay in touch, please connect with me on LinkedIn or track me down through the College. If I can be of assistance to any of you, in any way, please don’t be shy and reach out. So long, stay in touch. Until then, take care.
