A Successful Mentoring Partnership
Greg D'Adamo, Vice President, Support Services at Capital Health System and Adam Mace, Manager, Cardiology Operations at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, recently reported on their positive experience participating in the HLNDV Mentorship Program. Greg and Adam were introduced in 2007 as a result of the work done by members of the Career Development Committee.
Greg D'Adamo – The Mentor Perspective
"Participating in the HLNDV mentorship program was not my first venture into this area. At Capital Health System we participate in The Academy Fellowship offered though The Advisory Board Company. Members of Senior Management are assigned potential future leaders in the organization who participate in the Fellowship. Throughout the Fellowship we act as a 'Coach' to the participants assessing their progress and maintaining their momentum. The training I received from this experience along with the mentorship guide provided by the ACHE helped me with being a mentor in the HLNDV program.
I was first contacted by John Kiernan to determine my interest in participating in the HLNDV mentorship program. When asked my preference for a mentee I felt it was more appropriate to accept someone currently working in a hospital setting. I was assigned Adam Mace, who at the time was working at Kennedy Health System in Stratford, New Jersey as a Supervisor in Cardiopulmonary Services. Adam was completing his MHA from St. Joseph's University and was identified as being sincerely motivated. He expressed as his objective to eventually progress toward directing a service line and was seeking mentorship support on building budgets and general leadership.
After exchanging several phone calls we decided to have a face-to-face meeting. We met on a Saturday morning in May 2007 at a diner in South Jersey. We exchanged background information and discussed our expectations from the mentorship arrangement. We established goals and set an informal timeline of when these goals might be met. I was happy to hear that Adam was pursuing his Master's and expected to earn his degree within a year. He was a member in the American College of Healthcare Executives with the eventual goal of becoming a Fellow. I shared my goals and explained how I became a Fellow.
Since then we have exchanged phone calls on a number of occasions and had dinner with our wives. We discuss issues related to our careers and our progress toward achieving our goals. Getting to know Adam more and his qualifications gave me an advantage to identify opportunities for him within the industry. Although the expectation of a mentor should not be to deliver a new job as part of the experience; if a position becomes available that may be appropriate, the mentor can always bring it to the attention of the mentee for follow up. In addition, I introduced Adam to a local search firm and when opportunities become available they too contact him.
Overall the mentorship program has been very rewarding for both Adam and me. We have learned much and have developed a trust and confidence in one another. Adam is well on his way to becoming a service line leader and I too have strengthened my leadership skills. I have learned to listen attentively, pose thought provoking questions and offer challenges."
Adam Mace – The Mentee Perspective
"Throughout my career I have always believed it was necessary to seek out professional, knowledgeable and experienced individuals that can offer positive guidance to my professional development. There were two reasons why I originally sought out the HLNDV mentor program; (1) I felt a need for improving my awareness of how healthcare organizations and their administrators strategically develop and implement new programs and (2) I needed to collaborate with a seasoned veteran in the healthcare industry with regards to developing my own career path.
John Kiernan of Management Pathways provided me with Greg DAdamo's profile outlining his skill sets and experience. In May 2007, Greg and I had elected to meet face-to-face at a local South Jersey diner to discuss what our goals were for our mentorship experience. Since that time we have developed a friendship and mutual respect of one another, often exchanging phone conversations discussing our present experiences and monitoring my career path progress. Very recently we met for dinner with our wives. Every interaction I have with Greg has proven to be a positive experience. In the short time I have known him, my career has moved in a more focused and positive direction. The focused instruction and encouragement I have received from Greg has already bared fruit. I have recently accepted a new position with Children's Hospital of Philadelphia; serving in the role of Manager of Cardiology Operations. I will be completing my MHA from Saint Joseph's University this May and am currently enrolled in the Corazon Heart and Vascular Academy. My goal is to bring the education I achieved from SJU in line with a cardiovascular leadership role.
The mentor program has proven to be a rewarding experience for me, exceeded all of my expectations. I hope to one day have the ability to pass on what I have learned in my career to an individual in search of their own professional growth and development."
For information on the Mentorship Program, contact the CDC cochairs, Chuck Walczak and John Kiernan, or visit www.hlndv.org.
