Cutting-Edge Program Boosts Public Health Leadership Skills

ROBERT JOHNSON:
This is Public Health Review. I'm Robert Johnson.

On this episode, ASTHO pilots a new leadership training program that very soon will be available to anyone in public health.

AVIA MASON:
During COVID, a lot of staff were promoted to management and supervisory positions and did not receive the adequate training that they needed in order to be effective in those positions.

ELIZABETH ANDERSON-HOAGLAND:
It was about public health and it felt very relevant for me, it felt very useful.

SHANNAN ROME:
I've done some conferences and trainings and stuff like that, but not on this level of intensity.

JOHNSON:
Welcome to Public Health Review, a podcast brought to you by the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials. With each episode we explore what health departments are doing to tackle the most pressing public health issues facing our states and territories.

Today, a discussion about ASTHO's new Essentials of Leadership and Management initiative and the impact it's had on people in Kentucky who've been part of a pilot program.

Joining us today are Elizabeth Anderson-Hoagland and Shannan Rome. Both have leadership responsibilities, Anderson-Hoagland with the Kentucky Department for Public Health, Rome with the Franklin County Health Department. They also are graduates of the ELM program.

Later, we hear what they learned from the experience. But first we visit with Avia Mason, ASTHO's Vice President of Leadership and Learning about the reason for the program and the impact it could have on public health.

MASON:
The ELM program actually has been in the works since 2019. It was a pre-pandemic opportunity that we really wanted to take part in. And the need for it became even more clear during the COVID pandemic, when we saw large numbers of staff being promoted to supervisory roles without having received any training or support in order to function well in those positions.

We also learned during COVID, the amount of care that staff need within the public health agency to be valued and we know that there are a lot of staff that don't have access to professional development. So, that also led to us making sure that we can offer the ELM program to large numbers of people because we see the importance of leadership development training and support at the supervisory level within organizations.

JOHNSON:
What then is the ELM program? Tell us about it.

MASON:
ELM is an opportunity for public health practitioners to receive training and development without having to leave their agency. It incorporates case examples, networking, and coaching with timely and relevant resources and job aids that will help them be better supervisors and managers within their agency.

JOHNSON:
And many people working in public health have already gone through the program. Is that right?

MASON:
We have been fortunate to pilot the ELM program with the state of Kentucky for a program that payer state and local level public health practitioners.

We have also offered the ELM program internally for some ASTHO staff, and a third cohort with our Public Health HERO program, the Hope, Equity, Resilience, Opportunity Program. This past year had over 75 participants participate in the ELM program.

JOHNSON:
In the fall, you're planning to open this up to everyone.

MASON:
We're fortunate that this fall we will be able to offer the asynchronous content for the ELM program through our website and our learning management system that will be available to all participants, nationally.

There will also be cohort-based programs for ELM that'll be six months. This will be a hybrid option that will include live online presentations, discussion boards, and the opportunities for participants to actually be paired with the coach. This will help individualize the attention and maximize the participant experience.

ASTHO was pleased to be able to offer three cohorts per year so we will be doing a fall, winter, and summer version of the ELM program moving forward.

JOHNSON:
What has been the reaction so far from the people who've gone through it?

MASON:
Participants who have completed the ELM program speak very highly of the opportunity to enhance their individual skills, to really identify their leadership style and how it impacts their teams. But also really being able to expand their toolbox of productivity and communications tools that they say they use on a regular basis. We have done extensive evaluation and some process improvements based on the early runs of the ELM program, and participants continue to speak about how they wish they had had this information even sooner in their career.

JOHNSON:
How does it feel when you hear that kind of feedback?

MASON:
It's been great to receive the feedback that we have around the ELM program, because one, we know that public health agencies are stronger when we have strong supervisors and managers. We also know that we're able to reach and support the workforce within public health agencies, when their leaders have the skills that are necessary to support strong team dynamics and organizational culture.

So, when public health leaders are more effective, they do their jobs better, and communities actually benefit because they're more productive in the work that they set out to do.

ASTHO is committed to supporting the leadership and supervisory skill development within public health agencies, because we know that it will help the workforces functioning in those organizations. And having strong leaders helps to attract and retain the talent that we need in our public health agencies.

JOHNSON:
What kind of impact do you hope the ELM program will have on public health?

MASON:
We really hope that public health practitioners make use of the ELM training for their staff, so that the supervisors and managers are better equipped to do their jobs within public health agencies. This we know will include outreach to others who have not had the opportunity for some professional development in quite some time. And we're hoping that by making this available asynchronously and offering cohorts several times a year, that we will be able to reach larger numbers of public health practitioners across the country, no matter what jurisdiction they're in, or if their agency has funds to be able to support their professional development.

JOHNSON:
Elizabeth Anderson-Hoagland is a supervisor with Kentucky's health department. She began working in public health in 2009. Today, she appreciates the focus of the ELM curriculum.

ANDERSON-HOAGLAND:
I think anyone who has been a public health for a while will tell you that the way we do public health has fundamentally shifted. We used to be almost much more clinically based, where we were providing services, clinical services, we had a lot of clinics at the local level.

And now, you know, we're much more shifting to this public health 2.0 and this public health 3.0, which is much more policy systems and environment focused. And so the type of projects that we as staff are doing has really changed in public health, the types of skills that are needed have fundamentally changed, and the way we manage and supervise has fundamentally changed.

We are no longer necessarily looking at metrics, like how many patients came into the clinic, how many immunizations did we disseminate to this one period of time and it's much more broader in focus. So, are you able to plan a project? Are you able to execute that project? Are you able to evaluate that project? And those are, in some ways, much more amorphous skills, they can be somewhat more difficult. You can't look at someone sitting at a desk and say is that person accomplishing what they need to do? It really relies upon honest feedback and honest conversations with the people that you are working with, and helping them almost brainstorm solutions to their challenges, rather than just saying you need to be in the office, you know, 40 hours per week. It's just a fundamentally different way of looking at supervision.

JOHNSON:
I think we could all agree that public health has evolved. But what about the training? Do you think training has kept pace?

ANDERSON-HOAGLAND:
You know, I am maybe somewhat biased because I find a lot of leadership and supervisory training programs overly broad, and not necessarily useful for me specifically, as a supervisor.

The fundamentals of management doesn't necessarily help me have a difficult conversation with someone who's not able to move forward on this particular project. Maybe that does for other people, it doesn't really help me.

So, one thing that I really appreciate about this leadership program from ASTHO is that we really got into some specifics. We got into like, you know, the DISC personality profiles, where it's like, well, this is someone who really appreciates this type of information, presented in this sort of way so that I, as a supervisor, can look at the people I'm working with and saying, How can I be the most useful supervisor possible for this particular person? And we had leadership cohorts where we're talking with other supervisors in public health across the state. And so I could go to my fellow supervisors and my fellow managers and say, I'm having this problem, how would you address that? Like, what success have you had when dealing with this particular problem that maybe I could try and maybe I would find useful?

JOHNSON:
Why did Kentucky decide to give ELM a try?

ANDERSON-HOAGLAND:
I think one thing we have really focused on at the Kentucky Department for Public Health over the past couple of years is capacity development, and that includes capacity development of the people in the department.

And I've really appreciated that opportunity for training and leadership training in the department. And so this is a continuation of, you know, really that process here at the state.

I really appreciated the opportunity to talk to my fellow supervisors, the managers across the state, to really get into the specifics about how we would handle certain situations about brainstorming projects and issues that come up over time. It's not looking at a broad principle of management, it's like, how would you handle the person in front of you to make sure that you can help them be successful?

JOHNSON:
Why do you think the ELM program is better or different than other training programs that you've been a part of?

ANDERSON-HOAGLAND:
I think, one is the breadth of topics that we looked at, it was, you know, as I call it, like an academic year, so we were in the course for a good eight months.

We had a variety of different learning formats where we had small group work, where we're talking with other supervisors, we had independent reading, we had like virtual classroom sessions, but we also had a series of three in-person retreats, where you really got to spend time. Like, I got to spend time with our new chief of staff here at the department where I hadn't been able to do that before. Where I got to spend time with my manager, where I got to spend time with other managers and supervisors across the state, and really have that opportunity for, you know, more casual conversation that can then lead into deeper conversation and problem solving.

JOHNSON:
You liked this one a little better, because it focused on public health.

ANDERSON-HOAGLAND:
It was about public health. And it felt very relevant for me, it felt very useful. I felt like I came out of it with actionable items that I could use with the people that I work with.

JOHNSON:
Is that what your colleagues had to say about the program as well?

ANDERSON-HOAGLAND:
Yeah, everyone I've talked to has really enjoyed the program. I think we did really like the opportunity to talk to each other. We liked the opportunity to have that informal networking time with each other. We appreciated that the people we're talking with, were going through the same things that we were going through.

And of course, when this program started, we were just coming out of the other side of COVID, as much as you can come out the other side of COVID. And so, things in public health and things in this country just fundamentally changed over the course of COVID. And so, talking to people about how had we changed their approaches through that whole pandemic, was also really useful.

JOHNSON:
Have you been able to use the things that you've learned?

ANDERSON-HOAGLAND:
I have, I have. I mentioned the DISC personality profiles, and we all took our own, you know, personality profile. But it was really interesting to think about how those profiles would fit the different people that I supervise and manage. And really think about how each person that I supervise approaches work a little bit differently, the way they absorb information is a little bit different, the way they prefer communications is a little bit different.

And so, I feel like it really allowed me to tailor how I interact with the people I supervise, to make sure that I was being useful and helpful and giving them information in a way that worked for them best. Because, the worst thing you want to have is inconsistent communication with your supervisor or inconsistent direction from your supervisor where you're not really sure what you're supposed to do or what the expectations are. That is a really difficult environment to be successful in.

JOHNSON:
Did you feel like the ELM training was responsive to what was going on in Kentucky?

ANDERSON-HOAGLAND:
I really do. We've had some pretty significant changes in how public health has administered in the state. And I feel like this program did a good job of addressing some of those changes.

As we talk about moving to public health 2.0 and public health 3.0, I really feel like the ASTHO training was responsive to those types of changes and about how we as supervisors need to adjust with that.

JOHNSON:
It sounds like you like the program and that you would be willing to recommend it to others but tell us why that is.

ANDERSON-HOAGLAND:
I think this was a great program, because it not only had the basics and introductions to leadership, it also went more in depth about some of the skills and resources that you could use as an individual supervisor and manager of your employees. And it was a wonderful way to really network and get to know people who are in the same position as you. And I really feel like I came out of it a better supervisor and a better manager.

JOHNSON:
Shannan Rome is a social worker at the Franklin County Health Department, also in Kentucky. She says the ELM program is a game changer.

ROME:
Well, I have, in my career as a social worker have had various leadership positions and I never had any training with leadership. And that's really something that was brought up in our time together in this leadership program, was that how often that happens to people. That you become a leader, because you have certain, maybe, get recognized for doing your job well, or whatever leads you to that. You know, you have certain skills or do a good job of what you do and then you become a leader from that. But there's not specific training really, unless you seek it out on your own to do leadership.

So, I found that to be really true. And I've never had it before this, this experience, and so that was really a good thing for me. I've done some conferences and trainings and stuff like that, but not on this level of intensity.

So, to be a part of a group like this was really helpful for me, especially because I got to meet other people who did similar work in public health around the state, and we got to bounce ideas off each other, and share our experiences, and learn from each other that way. I really enjoyed that part of it.

JOHNSON:
What did you find most interesting about the ELM program?

ROME:
You know, it was interesting, because some of the focus of the group had a little bit of a business background, instead of my particular experiences more dealing with families and people. But, you know, as far as supervising staff, I think that really carries over. And so, for example, one of my issues and we were all asked to sort of identify what our own feelings of where we needed more strength. And one of mine was really dealing with conflict. And that that was similar for a lot of people. But for that particular example, I had dealt with conflict without any training, poorly.

You know, being a part of this process really made me think about how I could do certain things differently. So having that knowledge and all the information, the reading, and the discussion, and tips and suggestions, really helped to refine what I would want to do in the future. If something you know, came up again, big things and little things.

JOHNSON:
You said earlier, the ELM training program felt more intense, why is that?

ROME:
This experience was definitely a more of a time commitment. You know, so in the past, we might have done, you know, we have quarterly staff meetings, we might have done a two hour personality inventory, you know, or something like that at a staff meeting. Or a conference session or, you know, things of that nature. But this was more consistent, you know, and regular. So we had monthly interactions, either in person or on Zoom calls. And then outside work as well, through an online system that involves a lot of reading. And then also, it was a system that would present little videos, and then ask you questions and ask you to, you know, think about different topics.

So, there was kind of different components to it, as far as I guess, maybe to help with different learning styles and so forth. But it was very regular, and consistent in a way that I hadn't had before.

JOHNSON:
Now that you've completed the program, do you find that you've been able to apply what you've learned?

ROME:
You know, and one example I can give you of that is we did some deeper work on that personality inventory kind of stuff. Like we're a couple of different times where we were really figuring out our own styles. And so that was very applicable, because then you can see, like, what do I tend to, you know, focus on, what do I tend to ignore? Where's my comfort level? How can I adjust that? Or, you know, pay attention to not only my style, but the style of other people I work with.

So that when you are more aware of that, you are able to communicate better, be more patient, find ways to problem solve, you know, all those things because you're paying attention to people's comfort levels and styles and interaction.

JOHNSON:
Do you feel more confident about your leadership approach now that you've gone through the curriculum?

ROME:
Yeah, I think there is a feeling of you know, when you, information is power, right? So when you, you have some of that background a little bit stronger, and you understand some of the concepts a little bit more then, you know, makes you feel like you're better equipped.

JOHNSON:
Would you encourage other people in the field to take the time to do the program?

ROME:
I would do that. And I would say, you know, it's hard sometimes to think about taking a big chunk of your time, especially if you already feel very busy, then it's kind of a leap of faith to say, well, I'm going to invest so many hours, you know, and sometimes several days in a row, where you're out of the office. That can be intimidating to take on, but it's an investment in yourself, and your team, and your work.

So, if you can give yourself that gift of investing in your own skills, then you will benefit from that and so will the people that you work with.

JOHNSON:
Are you glad that you did this?

ROME:
I'm definitely glad that I participated in a program, and I feel like I personally grew from the experience and professionally grew from the experience, and my relationships and connections grew from the experience. So, I feel like even though it was a commitment to make, that took me away from some other things that I am responsible for.

Overall, it was a really good experience to build up my own leadership skills and management skills in a way that I hadn't had before.

JOHNSON:
Thank you for listening to Public Health Review.

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For Public Health Review, I'm Robert Johnson. Be well.