Jonathan Harkey

Healthcare Leader Interview

ACTS Retirement-Life Communities (Sales Councilor)
Brooke Muller Tamburin

What aspects of your job call for great leadership qualities?

As a counselor helping retired couples and individuals, as well as their
families, many of whom are adult children, with a long term plan for
healthcare needs in a continuing care retirement community (CCRC), you are
the team leader through this entire process. This role also requires
participation in the communities leadership team, comprised of the
Executive Director, Healthcare Administrator (NHA), Dir. Of Nursing (DON),
Resident Services Director, Resident Clinic Director (RN), Dir. Of
Facilities/Maintenance, Chaplain, Business Office Coordinator, Dir. Of
Culinary.
What made you want to have a leadership position in the healthcare
industry?
My father is a Nursing Home Administrator/Executive Director/CEO and has
been in long term care for almost 40 years, soon to retire. Watching his
success made me want to be apart of sculpting healthcare reform, change and
implementing quality standards for seniors.
What skills do you believe an individual needs to gain to lead high
performing teams?
Strong interpersonal skills which create trust and stability-keyfor staff
relations and extended community relations
Effective written and verbal communication skills
Vision and ability to create change
Knowledge and respect for every department is critical in your business
The ability to hire the right people that will lead their own teams/staff for
overall success
When you consider the term professionalism, what does that mean to you?
Treat all you encounter with respect, especially your staff. Happy staff will
remain with an organization because the sense of purpose is concrete. This
affects the bottom line, decreases hiring turnover and overall
patient/resident satisfaction.
Direct and appropriate communication is important- never reacting
immediately due to extreme emotions. How others view you is everything.

Not having all the answers all the time is okay- people appreciate the fact
youve taken time to ponder, find the resources needed or doing the research
involved, etc. to provide solutions.
How does the pressure of others depending on your effect your job?
Did you always know that you wanted to be in the healthcare field?
Yes- again, having a parent in this field, being in the community was our way
of life. After school Id visit residents, attend lectures and sporting events,
and visit assisted and skilled care after church on Sundays. As a child, I
admired the nursing staff and thought I would like to pursue nursing as a
career- I quickly realized my strengths in English and history would better
suit me sales and marketing, hence a degree in Communications Minor in
Professional Sales & Marketing.
What has helped you formed your leadership skills?
Conscience and purposeful observation of other professionals and their
gleaning from their expertise
Participation in healthcare related groups, organizations, state associations
and constant networking
Learning from others mistakes, and also my own
Being hungry for knowledge and absorbing all you can everyday is a school
day.
Aggressive goals to be the best you can be
What community outreach programs have you been apart of?
Alzheimers Association
Leading Age- (nationally and state levels): Leading Age of South Carolina
Leading Age of North Carolina (leadingage.org)
NC Hospital Assoc. and SC Hospital Assoc.
What services did this outreach program provide?
N/A
Do you think leadership competencies are learned, or are instinct?
N/A
When it comes to networking with other healthcare individuals, what tips
would you recommend for me?
N/A
What are some good self and team assessments to engage in?
N/A

Summary:
Interviewing Brooke was helpful and made me think about different aspects
that leaders consist of. I have known Brooke for several years now and she is a great
example of a leader in my eyes. She has courage and respect for everyone that she
meets. Over this past summer, I had the privilege to do my internship with Brooke at
her previous job, Aldersgate CCRC, and it was a great experience. Throughout my
internship Brooke expressed how important teamwork was and how to lead a team
through everyday tasks.
In this interview, Brooke explains how she helps new residents and their
families through the process of determining their long-term health needs. This is a
huge responsibility for the residents and their families. I feel this would be a hard
position to take on and would require previous years of working with residents in a
healthcare setting. Also during my internship, I had the privilege of visiting The
Pines in Davidson North Carolina, which is another CCRC. During my visit with
Brookes father, Eddie Muller (CEO), he explained different leadership trait that an
executive leader needs to consume to be successful in the healthcare industry.
Brooke explains in the interview how she gets her inspiration from her father, which
I can definitely see how. Brooke has passion for the healthcare industry just as her
father does, which in my eyes is the number one trait that a leader must consume.
Brooke explains how one has to be hungry to absorb knowledge to be a successful
leader, and I feel this is very true and can be used for anything that someone is
passionate for. With Brookes comments on this interview, her comments can help
my leadership improvement plan by giving more credible traits that leaders should

focus on. On my leadership improvement plan, I could add how to be aggressive

towards wanting to improve an individuals skills. In conclusion, Brooke has helped
me in the past and helped explain what it takes to be a successful leader in the
healthcare industry.