never set out to be CEO of a hospital. I actually had aspirations of beauty school in my younger years, as I always liked helping people feel good about themselves.
I was not the kid who loved school, although good grades came easily. I wasn’t active in student government and was painfully shy in front of crowds. I was your classic “nerd” with a small circle of friends. I couldn’t wait to be finished with high school and take a year off to figure out what I wanted to do.
However, I had a scholarship that required starting college right away, so I enrolled under duress, taking a few basic classes and telling myself there was always next summer to slow down and make some decisions. But my heart was not in it and my grades showed, which is how a high school honor student ended up on academic probation her first semester in college.
I didn’t study for my psych final and didn’t show up for my sociology final because it was snowing. The bottom line was that I wasn’t ready to go to college. I knew it when I enrolled, and in doing so, I wasted time and money in the process.
The experience has turned into a life lesson that I share with others today. The choices we make along the way will always affect our future whether we realize it at the time or not. No effort is a waste as long as you are moving forward!
As the daughter of a nurse and a social worker, one would think my path into healthcare would have been clear. I loved working with people and enjoyed making things better for others. From closets to hair, the “before and after” transitions were something I really enjoyed, and I still do.
When I landed my first job as a nursing assistant in a nursing home and got to do all of these things, I was ecstatic. I loved taking care of the residents. Getting them cleaned up, taking them to their meals and fixing their hair was a great day for me, and I came to love each one of them. After a full summer as a nursing assistant, I decided what I wanted to do…beauty school!
Despite what others would see as obvious signs pointing to healthcare, I was oblivious. I was navigating the enrollment process for beauty school when I learned my best friend was going to LPN (Licensed Practical Nurse) school. I had never thought about that option, and had assumed I’d have to go to school for years to become a nurse. Yet here was a program I could complete in the same amount of time as beauty school. I enrolled and, by the end of the first week, I knew I had found my calling.
Julie Taylor says the very best part of her day is visiting with employees and patients all throughout the hospital.
Julie Taylor says the very best part of her day is visiting with employees and patients all throughout the hospital.
never set out to be CEO of a hospital. I actually had aspirations of beauty school in my younger years, as I always liked helping people feel good about themselves.
I was not the kid who loved school, although good grades came easily. I wasn’t active in student government and was painfully shy in front of crowds. I was your classic “nerd” with a small circle of friends. I couldn’t wait to be finished with high school and take a year off to figure out what I wanted to do.
However, I had a scholarship that required starting college right away, so I enrolled under duress, taking a few basic classes and telling myself there was always next summer to slow down and make some decisions. But my heart was not in it and my grades showed, which is how a high school honor student ended up on academic probation her first semester in college.
I didn’t study for my psych final and didn’t show up for my sociology final because it was snowing. The bottom line was that I wasn’t ready to go to college. I knew it when I enrolled, and in doing so, I wasted time and money in the process.
The experience has turned into a life lesson that I share with others today. The choices we make along the way will always affect our future whether we realize it at the time or not. No effort is a waste as long as you are moving forward!
As the daughter of a nurse and a social worker, one would think my path into healthcare would have been clear. I loved working with people and enjoyed making things better for others. From closets to hair, the “before and after” transitions were something I really enjoyed, and I still do.
When I landed my first job as a nursing assistant in a nursing home and got to do all of these things, I was ecstatic. I loved taking care of the residents. Getting them cleaned up, taking them to their meals and fixing their hair was a great day for me, and I came to love each one of them. After a full summer as a nursing assistant, I decided what I wanted to do…beauty school!
Despite what others would see as obvious signs pointing to healthcare, I was oblivious. I was navigating the enrollment process for beauty school when I learned my best friend was going to LPN (Licensed Practical Nurse) school. I had never thought about that option, and had assumed I’d have to go to school for years to become a nurse. Yet here was a program I could complete in the same amount of time as beauty school. I enrolled and, by the end of the first week, I knew I had found my calling.
Finding what you love to do makes it less like work, even in the toughest of times.
I found LPN school to be surprisingly enjoyable and easy. I was naturally inquisitive and found the topics interesting, so I had no problem investing time and energy in studying. The information was relevant to my areas of interest, which turned out to be people rather than their hair. As soon as I finished my LPN degree, I immediately went back for my Associate’s degree in nursing. Several years later, I knocked out my BSN and two Master’s degrees with that same passion — even while busy with a newborn baby and a more than full-time executive role.
If you want to progress, you have to finish your education.
Interestingly, several of my promotions came before I completed my degrees. I was a hard worker, had decent people skills and was able to take projects to completion consistently, giving my supervisors confidence in my abilities. In a matter of a few years, I went from being responsible for one department to multiple departments, demonstrating an ability to work across department lines and finding ways to create synergy from even the most disparate of areas.
My next promotion came with a gift: I was able to go back to school at age 39 while pregnant with my daughter. For the next 36 months I gave up sleep, personal time and some sanity to do what I should have done years prior.
Sometimes the truth hurts, but you need to hear it!
Julie Taylor toured U.S. Surgeon General Jerome Adams, M.D., M.P.H, through Alaska Regional Hospital’s Neonatal Abstinence Evaluation Support & Treatment (NEST) unit. It’s a specialized neonatal intensive care unit where newborns addicted to substances (and their families) receive treatment. It is the only program of its kind in Alaska.
Every encounter contributes something.
Leaders without followers are just out on a walk.
When I heard this for the first time, it struck me like a bolt of lightning. It didn’t matter how smart or right I thought I was. If no one bought into what I was saying, it wouldn’t be possible, much less sustainable. Period. The “why” is the foundation of the “what” that drives the “how,” so if you want to inspire followership, you need to figure this part out fast!
Life isn’t fair, and people’s perception of what is fair are different. No matter how you try, you can’t make everyone happy. This is a hard one for me in particular, as I always think there must be a middle ground somewhere.
Everything happens for a reason. I believe our decisions are largely made for us and the path is usually obvious, but this doesn’t mean that the path will be easy nor will we necessarily achieve a desired outcome.
The more you give the more you get, and the “give” is better if it is NOT money!
Alaska Regional’s “I Promise campaign” invited employees to get their photo taken and communicate their commitment to caring for patients and one another. Nearly 200 large posters with photos and promises adorn the walls throughout the hospital.
It’s all about the “how.” You need to read your audience and be thoughtful about how your message, action or effort will be received if you want buy-in or support.
I represent an industry that has an impact on people’s lives and wallets. Healthcare is intensely personal and conversations invoke an incredible amount of passion, especially when life and death consequences are a part of the dialogue. We have to find a middle ground between “I can’t afford it” and “I want it when I need it.” Everyone has a different answer as to what that middle ground looks like.
I feel the same pain. I am a mom, wife, sister, friend, neighbor and tax payer in addition to my role as a hospital administrator. It’s hard on all of us in every state of the union, not just Alaska.
There are no right answers, but there are plenty of choices, some of which people don’t want to hear. Finding a way to lay out the options in a politically correct manner and getting people to think things through objectively is definitely a challenge. It’s easy to take a position until that position impacts one of your most cherished loved ones.
I remain in my sweet spot, working with people and finding joy in “fixing” things. I still love the before-and-after and take pride in being part of an industry that makes a difference in people’s lives. More than anything, I enjoy mentoring others and encouraging young leaders to take a chance on themselves so they can help lift others.
Your path can start in the most unlikely places. If you fall off the trail, get back on. Look back only to learn so you can move on and keep going forward. If you are upright and moving, you are lapping the person on the couch!
With healthcare experience ranging from the bedside to the boardroom, Taylor brings a unique perspective to viewing today’s challenges. Taylor serves on numerous boards, including First National Bank of Alaska, Anchorage Economic Development Council and Anchorage Chamber of Commerce. She is a 2016 inductee into the ATHENA Society and a fellow with the American College of Healthcare Executives.
With healthcare experience ranging from the bedside to the boardroom, Taylor brings a unique perspective to viewing today’s challenges. Taylor serves on numerous boards, including First National Bank of Alaska, Anchorage Economic Development Council and Anchorage Chamber of Commerce. She is a 2016 inductee into the ATHENA Society and a fellow with the American College of Healthcare Executives.