Kicking off Leadership Maxim series 2.0

September 23, 2018 | (94) Comments

“Leadership always influences or determines outcomes, not some of the time, but all of the time.”

Over the course of many years of dedicated effort and thoughtful consideration, I have refined and developed a list of ten leadership maxims. You hear me share them often, in person, Connect stories and on this blog. These maxims guide me daily and represent my leadership philosophy, and they are the core of our leadership culture.

Every day, I see employees bring these maxims to life. Whether or not you have a formal leadership title, I see you discovering ways to make Texas Children’s better every day. You take personal accountability for making sure our patients and their families have the best possible care and an exceptional experience. When you see a problem, you work collaboratively and thoughtfully to identify solutions. There are so many moments, where I have seen you challenge yourselves and others to think bigger and address situations, sometimes before they even happen.

You are the leaders who have made Texas Children’s successful for so many decades, and you are the reason we will continue to thrive and find ways to provide the highest quality care for our patients, when and where they need it for years to come.

It is immeasurably rewarding to hear about employees who boldly and deliberately embrace leadership at Texas Children’s. So for the next few weeks, I want to share just a few of the countless stories of shining leadership at Texas Children’s.

When we posted this series last year, we focused on Maxims 1-5. This year, we are focusing on Maxims 6-10. These posts are especially exciting to share because they give us a chance to highlight the outstanding teamwork we have across our system.

Thank you for taking every opportunity to improve the experiences and outcomes at Texas Children’s and for playing such a vital role in enhancing the lives of our patients and families.

Take the leadership challenge, and score a spot at a Houston Texans event!

Over the next few weeks, Mark Wallace’s blog will highlight employees who demonstrate his Maxims of Leadership. Each blog post will pose a leadership question that you may respond to in the comments section.

In October, the Corporate Communications team will randomly select 75 people from the comments to attend a private event with the Houston Texans, including a behind-the-scenes tour of NRG Stadium, an autograph session with two Houston Texans football players and photos with the Texans cheerleaders.

94 Responses to “Kicking off Leadership Maxim series 2.0”

    • Cynthia Garcia

      Leadership is being able to have good communication with staff and building a relation ship with patients. If the patient is happy and we are happy. It is being able to lead with direction and respect, to be able to work as a team and always put patient first

  1. Jo McDonald

    Proud to be a part of a unique team who inspire others daily, placing patients first, and turning dreams into reality. It is through Texas Children’s leadership that dreams do come true. Blessed beyond measure!

  2. Christopher Demerson

    Being a leader means doing what it takes to improve yourself , your organization and your community. Not only in public when everyone is watching, but also when no one is around to see. True leadership comes to light long after your shift ends.

  3. Amber Woods

    A leader is someone that is willing to step up and help all people. Someone that is motivated and kind. Someone that thinks of others before their self. A leader goes
    ABOVE AND BEYOND to help all people.

  4. Ella Goldsmith

    Great Leadership is shown by someone who knows when to follow and knows when to lead. He/She knows when to delegate and when to take on the assignment him/herself. Knows when to laugh and when to cry with your fellow employees Knows when to give a hug and when to dish out discipline. A great leader does not necessarily come from those in leadership roles.

  5. Dolores Metoyer

    A great Leaders puts others before himself/herself. A great leader leads his followers in serving our patients and families with best possible care and exceptional service. Leadership influences and determines outcomes.

  6. Shahara Henderson

    Leadership is not solely claiming the title and comes in many forms. It is in your actions, how you communicate, how you make others feel around you and how you handle the responsibilities of that day. The great thing about TCH is that at anytime you can step up and be a leader.

  7. Jeanette McMullen

    There is leadership in all of us. The great thing about leadership is it can be done anywhere – personally, professionally, spiritually. It just takes one of us to make a difference in someone else’s life. Lead by example. Lead tirelessly.

  8. Alisha B Lee (TCHP)

    Leadership is Serving the people that work for you by giving them the tools they need to succeed. The Clarity to know the right things to do, the Confidence to know when he/she is wrong, and the Courage to do the right things even when they are hard. Lastly, developing the team talent around them to be able to receive information, absorb information, and GROW into the Successful person they are destined to be.

    Stay Humble, Work Hard, and Be Kind!

  9. Sara Hightower

    Being a leader is not just about the big fancy title. Being a leader is empowering others on your team to strive and be the best version they can be, to show their team what is possible!
    “The most powerful leadership tool you can have is your own personal example” John Wooden.

  10. Alysha T. Grant

    That is a great question .. how do you define Leadership?.. there is no one answer. But it is the sacrifice of true commitment to others. Being able to step back and give respect to all views and perspectives to work together on a common goal. Also, developing those around you to become better at the skills that have already been displayed by way of opportunity.
    To Lead is to be humble and empathetic while standing with confidence.

  11. Lacherie Green

    What does Leadership mean to me? It is setting direction, motivating and inspiring people to become leaders. While coaching and building a team so we are more effective at achieving the vision at hand.

  12. Leadership is leading people to be the very best they can be by setting direction and helping others to do the right thing to move forward together as a team. Leadership to me is leading your team to the finish line and leaving a great example others to follow.

  13. Miguel Chavez

    Leadership is built not handed down or given. In my opinion, you have to be willing to adjust yourself, be willing to listen, and take corrective actions to meet the goals of any organization starting with oneself. I believe leaders lead the way, and should never lead from the rear. Lastly, I believe being a great leader is a character that comes from the ability to serve others. The ability to serve your colleagues, friends, family, and even strangers will give you the knowledge to lead. Reference from “The Serving Leader” by Kenneth Jennings John Stahl-Wert.

  14. Kat Peterson

    Integrity first. Continue to be coachable. Allow your subordinates to teach YOU. Promote morale by reiterating the importance of internal customer service: If we value each other and treat one another with respect, we make a cohesive unit that will naturally provide superior service to patients.

  15. Heather Eppelheimer

    You lead through your actions and the way you treat patients, families and coworkers. I truly enjoys this quote on leadership:
    “Leadership is not about a title or a designation. It’s about impact, influence and inspiration. Impact involves getting results, influence is about spreading the passion you have for your work, and you have to inspire team-mates and customers.”- Robin S. Sharma

  16. A good leader will always lead by example. A good leader will also show or do the following:
    •Honesty and Integrity
    •Inspire Others
    •Commitment and Passion
    •Good Communicator
    •Decision-Making Capabilities
    •Accountability
    •Delegation and Empowerment
    •Creativity and Innovation

    Mr. Wallace is proof of all of these for TCH!

  17. Connie Woitena

    TCH leader maxim 6 promotes leaders not managers. A leader is the person the team looks to for guidance, development, and success. Great leaders promote individual growth which in turn builds a strong team.

  18. Deb Burke

    I think a good leader is someone who knows when to lead, when to listen and when to follow his/her team. A leader should be willing to walk out in front to lead the team, found on the sidelines letting his/her team shine or perhaps in the trenches with his/her team.

  19. Benjamin Price

    Being a leader is all about doing what’s best for the team no matter what’s going on. True leaders never let those around them see their struggle or worry, they just make things work and keep everyone going strong. Being respected for doing what they say, encourages people to trust their leadership even more. Great leaders have people wanting to follow them and organize their efforts.

  20. A leader leads by example and offers guidance when necessary. I leader realizes that he/she is helping shape the attitudes and mind-set of future leaders. A leader offers constructive criticism, but can also receive it and learn from it.

  21. Megha Patel

    A leader is one who understands the needs for his team in order to drive positive outcomes. In our case this would be positive outcomes for our patients. There are 7 C’s to follow to build a winning team here at Texas Children’s and that is..
    1) Coaching
    2) Character
    3) Communication
    4) Commitment
    5) Contagious energy
    6) Caring
    7) Consistency
    A leader is one who understands and has the skill set to teach and enforce these 7 principles to his team to foster and promote positive outcomes for our patients.

  22. Being a great leader doesn’t just mean being over everyone else. It means you lead by example, you lead by getting your hands dirty with everyone else, it means you have heart to see the best in all of your team, and you help them go above and beyond and so much further than what they ever could imagine doing themselves being able to do.

  23. Thomesa Wilson

    This maxim applies even in negative situations when it can be extremely hard to take the high road or to see a vision through to the end. This is when it matters the most to lead by example and to not allow your thoughts our actions to be dictated by the situation or what appears to be happening at the time. Positive leadership has the power to change the game!

  24. Great leaders have great communication and leadership skills. They make sure they provide the right resources and training staff need to do their job very well. Great leaders have positive attitudes and build strong teams in the workplace, after all “Team work makes the DREAM work”…

  25. Euphemia Rogers

    A good leader inspires there staff to put forth their best effort.
    A god leader is someone who the staff can trust
    A good leader have there staff best interest in mind when making decision for the department
    A good leader is someone who is very compassionate and sincere
    Most of all a good leader encourage there staff to have work life balance

  26. A great leader is not afraid to put others in the forefront because his leadership examples and visions are replicated. They are not afraid to think outside the box and they surround themselves with people who will push and challenge them while encouraging them as well

  27. Being a leader takes courage. When taking leadership, no matter what your role, you must be honest, consistent, and comfortable with being uncomfortable. Many people dislike change but how do you expect to move forward without making progressive changes?! A leader must stay humble yet uplifting to those around them. You must keep a positive attitude to help make the team great as a WHOLE! One outstanding worker is no match against a whole team of outstanding workers going above and beyond. BE THE CHANGE! Others will follow.

  28. Christina Joseph

    Surrounded by some fantastic leaders, while also currently taking a leadership course, the definition of leadership entails more than just one characteristic. Leaders are individuals who have a vision and share it with everyone around them. These individuals motivate others by serving and supporting their team members. Leaders must empathize and be open to learning from others, despite what their role is. Leaders should also be learners who first have a vision, and next communicate it to others who can be apart of the vision. At TCH, leaders are spread throughout the organization and serve as great role models. This inspiration makes me look forward to growing as a leader myself!

  29. Duane Boudreaux

    Leadership requires traits that extend beyond management duties. To be effective, a leader certainly has to manage the resources at her disposal. But leadership also involves communicating, inspiring and supervising – just to name three more of the primary skills a leader has to have to be successful.

  30. Bhavana Babber, MD

    I am a site leader for my office. Leadership is key to our success. I seek input regular from our staff on how we are doing and ways to improve. We also seek comments from our patients. We have made great strides by asking “how can we do better?”

  31. Cheryl Kelly

    Leadership is not about being the best, but making those around you better. We have recently shared this quote with our charge nurses as informal leaders. It takes everyone to build a strong team!

  32. Contrary to popular belief, taking on a leadership role is not the easiest task. Yet, being an effective leader is quite rewarding for all parties involved ! To be a leader, you must be strong, diligent, and most importantly.. understanding.

    A leader must take charge in situations without being too overbearing.
    A good leader should direct a team while still being a proactive team member as well.
    A leader is caring, supportive and readily available for all team members, including themselves.

    *Being a new employee at TCH, I have seen the most exemplary examples of leadership in different Departments. Go TCH !

  33. Chuweey Tsai-Weinberg. MD

    Leaders inspire others to improve and to cause change for improvement when there is room for improvement. I agree with everyone, being a leader is not necessarily a title.

  34. Dajia Bennett

    We paint a picture, we create ideas, we make history. We as a team, leading examples and paths to the possibilities to have a better future for the children for them to have the abilities to do the same for the next generation and the next.
    “Leadership is the art of giving people a platform for spreading ideas that work.” –Seth Godin

  35. Dawn Flesher

    I have come across great leaders within TCH. Some of them are managers and some are not. Leadership is the ability to guide, educate, and inform without mandates or direct control. Whatever your title, you should always strive to lead.

  36. Exemplary leader I’ve noticed for the past 15yrs.= Mark Wallace
    Leadership Maxims displayed= Mark Wallace
    It is important for me to take pride in my job day in and day out and gain new knowledge. Too many times we tend to get complacent and lose sight of the future, we become the past.

  37. Yesenia Cisneros

    Leaders are those who motivate and inspire others by setting an example of commitment, perseverance, integrity, and accountability. It takes consistency and dedication to become a good leader.

  38. Catherine

    A great leader is one that will get in the trenches when need be and do the work. A great leader has to lead by example. A great leader motivates you into wanting to become a better person. Great leaders are hard to find.

  39. Parth Bhateja

    I think leadership encompasses a large number of important qualities that take into consideration the priorities of today and the direction of tomorrow. leading without direction leads to employees who are simply going through the motions that the leader indicates and not being proactive to be their best.

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