From Nurse to Nursing Management and Beyond – the Inspiring Story of Lamont Yoder – Episode #2

Nursing Management is a position many nurses attain in time, but to move from nursing to the position of CEO is not very common at all. Today’s guest is Lamont Yoder, CEO at Banner Health at Banner Gateway & Banner MD Anderson Cancer Center. Though Lamont’s path from nurse to CEO is uncommon it’s one he feels more and more nurses should strive to follow. He believes that having nurses at the highest levels of healthcare administration is one of the best ways to improve the quality of healthcare overall. On this episode Brian asks all the questions you’d want to hear about an intriguing journey like Lamont’s, so be sure you set aside time to listen. How Lamont Yoder set his sights higher and moved up the ranks. It as in the natural course of events in his career as a nurse that Lamont Yoder discovered that he had gifts and abilities that suited him for leadership roles. He naturally gravitated toward the positions of responsibility and through his contributions in those roles he was recognized and tapped for other, more weighty roles over time. On this episode, Brian asks Lamont to share how he moved from nurse, to nursing management, to CEO and what made him feel it was a good fit for him. And Lamont not only shares his personal story but also how new or experienced nurses could set the stage so that they could follow in his footsteps if they so chose. I want mentors who are two levels above me. One of the practices Lamont intuitively adopted when he first got into nursing management roles was to find mentors he could learn from. But beyond that he realized that those mentors should not only be people who were at the next level he wanted to attain but people who were one level above that. By learning from people two levels above him he was able not only to see the role he would move into next with greater clarity, he’d also be able to learn what was ahead so he could position himself to move even higher over time. If you’re eager to build a career of upward mobility into nursing management and executive leadership. Lamont has a lot of great advice for you in this episode. Being part of building a state of the art healthcare facility from scratch. One of the most memorable accomplishments during Lamont’s career was the ground floor to grand opening creation of a brand new, state of the art healthcare center. Lamont remembers the time with fondness not only because of what was achieved but also because of the challenges and innovation that were part of the process. Lamont shares the story on this episode and gives a bit of vision to upcoming nurses relating to what they can shoot for in the ever expanding nursing field. How to maintain work life balance in a medical career.   With a job as demanding as nursing can be one of the most difficult things to attain as an individual or as a team is work-life balance. Brian asked Lamont how he maintains his own work life balance on this episode and Lamont shared how everyone on their team, from nursing management to executive management are expected to maintain their own work-life balance in a way that sets the example for the rest of the staff. You’ll enjoy hearing some of the practical ways Lamont’s teams accomplish that, on this episode. Outline of this great episode [1:41] Lamont’s first nursing job and why he chose nursing as a career. [2:30] Why Lamont moved into hospital leadership. [4:43] Mentors and coaching Lamont received over the years. [7:00] The roles Lamont has enjoyed the most and where he’s grown the most professionally. [9:19] What Lamont looks for in a CNO position. [11:24] How Lamont made the decision to move from CNO to CEO. [12:57] Why Lamont stays very involved in nursing as a CEO. [15:43] What successful leaders in nursing need to understand to be successful. [17:40] How to move from a nursing position to an executive leadership position. [19:06] The task of work/life balance and how it has to be exampled from the top. [21:37] What will nursing look like in 10 to 15 years. [22:15] Those who are heroes to Lamont. [23:10] What Lamont would tell his 25 year old self. [23:35] The best read for healthcare leaders. [26:04] How to connect with Lamont. Resources & Links mentioned in this episode Author Daniel Pink - the book Drive Lamont on LinkedIN - on Facebook - and on Twitter and LamontYoder(at)gmail.com Connect with Brian Twitter @BrianWeirichRN BrianWeirichRN@gmail(dot)com