Investing in Your Team

One of the best things a leader can do is identify a supervisor who is ready to grow and support them.

Earlier this year I created a learning plan for one of my supervisors. A structured path toward her Certified Health Care Environmental Services Professional certification. Weeks of material. Study guides. Checkpoints. Real investment of time that neither of us had to spare.

People ask me why I do that.

A certified supervisor does not just know more. She sees differently. She asks better questions. She holds a higher standard because she understands why the standard exists. She becomes someone her staff trusts not just because she is their supervisor, but because she has earned it.

That matters on the floor every single day. When she walks into a room, her team already knows she has done the work. They see it in how she explains a protocol, how she handles a complaint, how she responds when something goes wrong at two in the morning and there is no leader available to call.

That is the version of leadership that scales. Not a leader who has to be present for things to run well, but a team of supervisors who carry the mission in every room, on every shift, whether or not anyone is watching.

You cannot build a department on your own presence. At some point you need people who carry the mission when you are not in the room.

Invest in those people before you need them. You always need them sooner than you think.

#EVSLeadership #HealthcareLeadership #CHESP #StaffDevelopment #MultiCare #EnvironmentalServices

With over 27 years in Healthcare Environmental Services (ES), I lead with a belief that attitude drives outcomes. As a Regional Director at MultiCare Health System, I oversee multi-site ES operations with a focus on people-first leadership, infection control, and operational excellence. I champion a Positive Mental Attitude (PMA) not as a slogan, but as a leadership principle. I believe positivity is contagious, and as a leader, I set the tone. Through consistent, uplifting communication, I create environments where ES teams feel empowered to be helpful, proactive, and proud of their impact. For me, development is a choice, and I invest in training, huddles, and coaching that energize teams, helping them thrive in their current roles and grow toward what’s next. My approach to high standards isn't theoretical, it's practical. Just like we notice when a hotel room is clean and fresh, patients and families immediately sense a space that’s been cared for. Through standardized protocols, team accountability, and a shared mission, I help create clean, safe, and healing environments that directly enhance patient experience and staff well-being. It's a privilege to lead teams that play such a vital role in the patient journey, and to help elevate the perception and performance of ES professionals across our system.

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