DaVita Leadership Insights

  To recognize mental health awareness month in May this episode explores how to lead with mental health. Our guest, Spencer Westcott shares the importance of leading with mental health while addressing the stigma attached to mental health in the workplace. Spencer shares his personal experience with mental health in his life, how it affected his leadership in the workplace, and how he worked thro...

How would you define a diverse team? What opportunities and challenges come with having diverse teams? Join our guests Simone Wheeler and Julian Gordon as they share insights on what it means to lead diverse teams. From race, gender, age, nationality, skillset and even personality type; teammates within an organization come from all walks of life. In this episode, Julian and Simone share their per...

In our first episode of 2021 we gain insight from Valerie Lyeder on how to stay true to your core through difficult times while being an adaptive leader. Valerie explains the importance of authenticity in being an adaptive, confident, and innovative leader by sharing stories from her own journey in learning to embrace her leadership style. In this episode, you’ll come to realize that at the heart...

For the first insight of 2021 Amber Dassow, a Facility Administrator from Wisconsin shares a helpful tip on how to better receive feedback and manage gossip that isn’t always easy to hear.     Mini-insights come from our teammates far and wide around the Village. This bi-weekly listener mail showcasing is a fantastic way to hear from our listening leaders. SUBMIT YOUR LISTENER MAIL! Share your lea...

This week, our former Chief Wisdom Officer, Stacey Irving, shares her belief that personal and professional growth comes down to safety and genuine trust. Trusting environments allow for teams and individuals to reach their greatest potential, and in this episode, Stacey shares feedback she has received to become more authentic and trustworthy, and times she has coached others towards trust. “Don’...

This week, two teammates from our Nurse Advisor Team, Denise Latham-Lee and Angus Power, dive into one of the five elements of belonging: voice. They share stories about times they have empowered teammates to have a voice, through demonstrating care, trust, and deep listening. Denise and Angus also reflect on times they have not led as strongly, and how this impacted their teammates experience and...

  Making a decision as a leader can be tough, especially when you don’t always have data that points to the “right” answer. This week, Dr. Jeff Giullian, DaVita’s Chief Medical Officer, discusses how important it is to have an internal compass – your core values – to help make these decisions. Dr. G shares about the tough feedback he received in medical school that showcased how important it is to...

  Have you ever felt like you had to make a choice between getting stuff done and leading with empathy? Chakilla Robinson-White, Group Vice President of our Galaxy team, shares stories and tips that can help you do both! Chakilla shares a story about the impact of our most senior leadership at DaVita demonstrating empathy through actionable response to the murder of George Floyd. She also shares s...

  This week, two of our Facility Administrators, Jenna Mortenson and Jason Pham, offer insights for motivating your team. They both share their definition of motivation, and practical tips for connecting to the motivation of your team and teammates. Jason’s one tip is to be intentional about recognition, and Jenna’s one tip is to challenge your teammates to take personal responsibility for their a...

  This week, Sara Brady, a senior director of Clinical Services from our Polaris team, opens our ninth season by diving into the topic of leading with joy and laughter. In her opinion, the best leaders “grab hold of your heart, and teach you something in your head.” How has she done this herself? Storytelling, vulnerability, empathetic listening, and learnings from her daughter. Tune-in for her fu...

  This week, Stephanie shares advice she got from her dad early in her career: “no one cares about your career as much as you do.” She describes how she has partnered with her past managers (successfully and less successfully), to get to know them and their leadership and communication styles. Her one tip? Track your biggest accomplishments and challenges throughout year, in real time, so that you...

Jamie Bolster, a Group Facilitator in the Greater Boston Area, shares what belonging means to her and how the Village welcomes new teammates. What have you recently done to create belonging for current or new teammates?     Mini-insights come from our teammates far and wide around the Village. This bi-weekly listener mail showcasing is a fantastic way to hear from our listening leaders. SUBMIT YOU...

  This week, Anthony Okpara, a Facility Administrator from Bridgeton, New Jersey, shares an analogy his preceptor (trainer) gave him when he first started that helped him build his confidence as a leader. Mini-insights come from our teammates far and wide around the Village. This bi-weekly listener mail showcasing is a fantastic way to hear from our listening leaders. SUBMIT YOUR LISTENER MAIL! Sh...

Listen to stories shared by Kathleen Waters, DaVita’s Chief Legal Officer, about growing up with a working mother, succeeding in a male-dominated profession, and her “tricks of the trade” as a working mom herself. She shares why it is so important to have different perspectives around the table, whether that table is an interview panel or a weekly team meeting, as well as practical tips for how to...

Amanda Foschini, a Facility Administrator from Philadelphia, reminds us that leadership takes practice! As leaders, we have to be able to give feedback that works best for your teammate, and then ask for feedback on your feedback. How have you recently adjusted your leadership style?     Mini-insights come from our teammates far and wide around the Village. This bi-weekly listener mail showcasing...

  This week we welcome Janae James and Jamie Hein, Group Facility Administers in Colorado, who share their best practices and feedback they have received over the years that have helped them create belonging for new teammates. Whether it is posting signs welcoming a new teammate, ordering lunch for the first day, or decorating their locker or workspace, Janae’s one tip is to do whatever you can to...

  This week, our very special guest, Lana Berman, host Grace Berman’s 9 year-old daughter, shares a time she found it hard to get along with someone who seemed different from her. Hosts Grace and Doug tie this back to DaVita’s Diversity and Belonging efforts, and how sometimes all it takes is a little intentionality to discover that there is more that unites us than divides us.   Mini-insights com...

  As DaVita’s Chief Nursing Officer, Mandy Hale has had a lot of experience leading teams and her family through the uncertainty of COVID-19. She has accepted this challenge as an opportunity to lead, navigate, shine, and inspire others. “As leaders, we are also navigators. We owe it to those we lead to navigate through times of both certainty and uncertainty.” In this episode, Mandy shares storie...

This week we hear from Seth Miller, a Division Vice President in Pacific Gold. His tip to get more comfortable with having conversations on race is to make it personal. He tells a story of how he reached out to a friend after the murder of George Floyd, and how it motivated him to act, and speak up with his team, rather than remain silent. Mini-insights come from our teammates far and wide around...

  In response to the national dialogue on racial injustice and prejudice, brought to the forefront by the senseless killing of George Floyd, as well as Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and too many others, DaVita leaders are stepping up to lead conversations around race and take action against the systemic racism that affects our teammates and patients. DaVita leaders Akosua Kankam and Asher Royal j...

At DaVita, we like to say, "One cannot pour from an empty cup." During times of uncertainty and stress, we can sometimes forget to practice self-care and give ourselves permission to refill our cups, so that we have the mental and emotional energy to take care of others. To help our teammates fill their cups, please enjoy our guided mindfulness series. Each episode will be will be 2 to 15 minutes...

At DaVita, we like to say, "One cannot pour from an empty cup." During times of uncertainty and stress, we can sometimes forget to practice self-care and give ourselves permission to refill our cups, so that we have the mental and emotional energy to take care of others. To help our teammates fill their cups, please enjoy our guided mindfulness series. Each episode will be will be 2 to 15 minutes...

At DaVita, we like to say, "One cannot pour from an empty cup." During times of uncertainty and stress, we can sometimes forget to practice self-care and give ourselves permission to refill our cups, so that we have the mental and emotional energy to take care of others. To help our teammates fill their cups, please enjoy our guided mindfulness series. Each episode will be will be 2 to 15 minutes...

At DaVita, we like to say, "One cannot pour from an empty cup." During times of uncertainty and stress, we can sometimes forget to practice self-care and give ourselves permission to refill our cups, so that we have the mental and emotional energy to take care of others. To help our teammates fill their cups, please enjoy our guided mindfulness series. Each episode will be will be 2 to 15 minutes...

At DaVita, we like to say, "One cannot pour from an empty cup." During times of uncertainty and stress, we can sometimes forget to practice self-care and give ourselves permission to refill our cups, so that we have the mental and emotional energy to take care of others. To help our teammates fill their cups, please enjoy our guided mindfulness series. Each episode will be will be 2 to 15 minutes...