Meghan Locklair’s Post

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Chief Operating Officer at This Week Health

The diary of a leader on a Monday. One of the heaviest moments I’ve ever felt as a leader among leaders happened about ten years ago. At an all-staff retreat. On this island off the coast of Orange County, Catalina Island. One evening there was a meeting where only the directors met together. About 50 of us. I remember the VP leading the evening started with sharing that he was going to focus the night on healthy leadership. At the time I was two years out of college, 25 years old, and wondering how to even start that big of a conversation. What I assumed would be a vague discussion turned into a very focused conversation very quickly. A conversation on leadership I will never forget. The VP leading the session opened up with a question. He said: I want you all to take a minute and think about this question and respond honestly. He went on to ask: Anyone in this room . . . who has let their work life . . . become a higher priority than their home life . . . please stand up. What happened next is a moment I will never forget. The entire room went still. A room with 50 leaders. Doing great work. For an amazing company. With a healthy profit margin. And a high retention on employees. A room that most likely could be viewed as a team full of healthy leaders. That room . . . when asked if your work life has become a higher priority than your home life . . . slowly shifted . . . . . . as a majority of the leaders stood up. Not half. Not three quarters. A majority of the room. As a 25 year old observing this response, I received two gifts. The first gift was to be around leaders with humility. The second gift was the paradigm shift: the foundation of healthy leadership doesn't start with looking at execution or performance in the office. It starts from the home. I still have a lot to learn, but what I’ve learned so far are these realities: 1. Health in the home . . . doesn’t happen on accident. 2. Health in the home . . . easy to talk about but a challenge to execute. (Can I get an amen? 🙌) 3. Health in the home . . . is sometimes harder than health for the office team. (Can I get another? 🙌) 4. Health in the home . . . will always be worth it. Now I know why my Dad always taught us “Keep the main thing the main thing.” Leadership really seems to be something that starts from the inside and slowly makes its way outward, doesn't it? So Cheers! Cheers to every leader in that room ten years ago who stood up.

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Bill Russell

Transforming Healthcare, One connection at a time.

1mo

Another way to get to that discussion is, do you make more sacrifices for work or home. What you sacrifice for what you prioritize.

Christina Lepri, RDCS, CDH-P

Director of Partner Success, Board Member Northern Ohio HIMSS, Communications Chair, WiCys Healthcare

4w

The timing on this was perfect reinforcement for me today ❤️

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