Different Styles of Senior Care Leadership

The business landscape in every industry, including senior living, is rapidly evolving. This evolution has led to a shift in the approaches to leadership. Old school leadership styles that have been prevalent for decades such as autocratic and power-driven, have weakened. They’ve given way to new leadership style trends that resonate with Millennials and Gen Z working in senior living and long-term care.

7 Senior Living Leadership Styles

Today’s effective senior care leadership is not a static concept. It must adapt to the ever-changing workplace and workforce within Assisted Living, Continuing Care Retirement Community, Skilled Nursing, Nursing Home and Memory Care.

If you’re at the C-Suite, Vice President, Regional, Director, or Community Level role such as a Nursing Home Administrator, Assisted Living Administrator, Executive Director, Director of Nursing, etc., here are 7 leadership trends that pertain to you and are transforming the old school leadership styles:

–Servant Leadership

Servant leadership is people-first leadership. It prioritizes growth, well-being, and empowerment of employees. It promotes the idea that everyone in an organization can thrive and be their authentic self. Within the senior living industry, servant leaders place their focus on the well-being of their community, from residents to employees. It’s about putting others first. According the Entrepreneur.com, there are four main principles of servant leadership which include encouraging diversity of thought, creating an environment of trust and empathy, having an unselfish mindset, and fostering leadership in others.

–Agile Leadership

While agile leadership has been around for over 20 years, the pandemic brought it back to the forefront. During that time, it became necessary for leaders, especially in senior living / long term care, to pivot and navigate through uncertainty. For this reason, agile leadership is now trending. These leaders expect the unexpected and empower their teams to adapt and survive in changing environments.  They foster a culture of flexibility and readiness to enable their organizations to stay ahead of the curve and face any challenges that lie ahead.

–Democratic Leadership

Democratic leadership is also known as participative leadership. This style is when leaders involve their team in decision making processes, encouraging input and collaboration. This style values the contributions of all team members which results in a more engaged and committed staff. Why is this style so important? Given the nature of personal care in senior living, involving staff in the decision making process can lead to more effective and tailored care solutions for improved resident care.

–Purpose-Driven Leadership

People seek purpose in their lives and that includes their work. Today’s employees expect deeper relationships, a strong sense of community, and purpose in their work. Purpose-driven leaders share these values and treat their workers as individuals and not just as employees. They prioritize people over profits and greatness over growth. Younger generations in the workforce are very conscious about global issues, contributing where they can, and devoting their life’s work to something greater than themselves. They want to join organizations that do the same.

As senior living recruiters, we feel our industry is a place where you can use your talents and reach your goals while enriching the lives of others. Careers in senior living / long term care definitely have purpose and meaning.

–Inclusive Leadership

Inclusion and diversity aren’t just buzzwords. They have become critical elements in leadership. We live in a very diverse business world and inclusive leaders recognize that everyone needs to feel valued and heard no matter their background. These leaders have the capacity to manage and lead a diverse group of people efficiently, while respecting their uniqueness in a bias-free way. They promote fairness, equality, and opportunities for individuals within their organizations. The result has been higher performing teams with more collaboration.

–Authentic Leadership

Authentic leadership is one leadership style that emphasizes self-awareness, transparency, genuineness, and honesty.  Authentic leaders know how to build strong relationships with their staff to foster a culture of trust, ethics, and positivity. These leaders promote open communication and feedback from their teams. Authentic leadership can increase employee morale, accomplish company goals, and reinforce trust and sincerity.

-Transformational Leadership

Transformational leaders go beyond managing day-to-day operations. The focus is on transforming their people into leaders, fostering a culture of continuous improvement and personal development. Key elements include visionary influence, inspirational motivation, intellectual stimulation, individualized growth, and ethical standards.

Old school senior care leadership styles are making way for more democratic and collaborative styles! The future of work demands a new breed of senior living leaders who are more connected to their employees and open to change. As the senior living and long-term care environment evolves, so will leadership styles in order to meet the ever-changing needs.

ABOUT JULIE RUPENSKI

Julie Rupenski is the Founder & CEO of MedBest Recruiting. Since opening its doors in 2001, Julie has grown MedBest into an award winning, multimillion-dollar national firm, garnering impressive awards including INC 5000 2021 and Tampa Bay Fast 50 2021!  This year, Julie was named as one of the “Top 100 Women Leaders in Tampa 2022″ by Women We Admire.

MedBest has gained national recognition due to Julie’s industry expertise and high level of success. Julie has an in-depth knowledge of the senior living industry.  She previously worked in operations for both senior housing and senior living prior to founding MedBest. Today, Julie and her industry-savvy team of recruiters, make it their mission to place exceptional industry executives in senior living positions where they have the greatest impact.

Julie’s industry articles and interviews have been published in Provider Magazine, Argentum Quarterly, LeadingAge Magazine, McKnight’s Senior Living, Florida Senior Living Association, Florida Health Care Association, Florida Assisted Living Association, LeadingAge Florida, LeadingAge Indiana, LeadingAge Oregon, Virginia Assisted Living Association and the Pennsylvania Health Care Association.

Julie earned her degree in Gerontology at the University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida and continues to cultivate her career through senior living conferences, forums, trade shows, and expos.

ABOUT MEDBEST
MedBest is an award-winning national Executive Search Firm exclusive to the Senior Living Industry. For more than two decades, we have connected senior living organizations with exceptional senior living executive talent for both permanent and interim roles. MedBest was named as one of American’s top companies by Inc.5000 plus we are a Tampa Fast 50 Company!