Empower Your Team to Improve Resident Engagement
This transcript covers a webinar on empowering teams in senior living communities to improve resident engagement. The presenter, Marvell Adams Jr, is the CEO of the Caregiver Action Network and founder of W. Lawson (a consulting firm focused on equity in aging).
Key Points
Empowerment Mindset and Ownership
- True empowerment requires leadership to “seed power” – giving teams resources AND decision-making authority
- Teams need clarity in their charter, defined roles, and alignment of collective needs
- An ownership mentality is critical for staff engagement and retention
- Ownership mentality cannot exist without true empowerment
Inclusion and Belonging
- Inclusion requires welcoming everyone’s “whole self” to the team
- Creating belonging leads to better retention – staff who feel they belong are less likely to leave
- Participants identified key elements for belonging: respect, communication, transparency, being heard, and support
- If voices aren’t heard or understood, empowerment cannot truly exist (illustrated through “Donald Duck” example)
Building Trust
- Trust is foundational for empowered teams and must exist before other initiatives
- Without trust, team members won’t share their perspectives or bring their whole selves
- Many senior living organizations struggle with change despite industry challenges requiring adaptation
Industry Challenges
- Talent shortages in senior living and caregiving are critical
- Leadership transitions as many long-term leaders retire
- The ratio of family caregivers to individuals needing care has shrunk from 7:1 to 5:1 and is decreasing further
- Organizations cannot afford to leave talent untapped through lack of inclusion
Longevity Inclusion Alliance Fellows Program
- New initiative to develop inclusive leaders through five paths:
- Discovering reflection
- Each one teach one
- Wisdom and peace (becoming comfortable with discomfort)
- Creating opportunities
- Courageous leadership
- Program brings together leaders from different sectors for virtual sessions and an in-person retreat
The presenter emphasized that inclusion isn’t just the right thing to do—it’s essential for organizational survival given industry challenges. Creating environments where all voices are heard leads to better retention, improved leadership development, and more innovative solutions.
