Mary Haynes, president & CEO of Nazareth Home, has been nominated for a Hall Render Leadership in Healthcare Award.
A Quick Look
Mary Haynes has great fun with her granddaughters, blowing bubbles, making cookies and muffins! She also enjoys walking with our dog, Baxter, eating great food, drinking excellent wine and playing a fair game of golf.
Haynes volunteers with the American Heart Association and with the Kentucky Opera, both of these in event planning and recruitment of sponsors. The Mayor’s Give a Day program put her in touch with the Family Scholar House and she is reading this summer with young scholars. She also volunteers at Presentation Academy and the Coalition.
Mary Haynes
What leadership qualities do you possess?
I follow two theories of leadership, Covey and Kelleher. Both affirm a clarity of purpose and the importance of trust and fun at work. I have had a fair amount of testing and coaching that tell me my gifts are vision and strategic thinking, yet at the end of the day, moving an organization from where it is to another and perceived better place is all about communication, relationships and a shared sense of purpose. Shared vision is unifying. I can be rather tiresome in that I continually ask, who are we, why are we here, what are we doing and why does it matter! But, it works.
How have you made a difference in our healthcare community?
I’d like to think I have helped make it more personal. My first healthcare positions were in the hospital and I spent many years in mental health. In those environments, my hope was to place the person first and to engage with people around their strengths. My time in long term care has been the same pursuit. I think if we listen to why people do not want to use us, we can create better options. When I learned of the national organization, Pioneer Network, in 2001, I immediately signed on and worked to start a Coalition in Kentucky for Person Centered Care. As professionals if we can improve our listening, we can improve the lives and experience of those who need what we have to offer.
Please describe a specific result driven by your work.
In the years at Nazareth Home, we have strived to build community among the elders, patients, families and staff so to have an environment where living, working and learning takes place every day. The results we see from creating that sort of community is our 5 Star rating that says our quality metrics exceed the expected. Our customer service and retention are high. Our financial health is solid. I think we stack up fairly well in any measurement used to evaluate performing organizations.
How are you paving the way for future leaders?
Working with future leaders is my joy. I hope my mentorship helps future leaders to further develop themselves in their approaches built on both good research and good heart. I also hope that my attempts at creating space and credibility for long term care professionals will be helpful to those who come after. Leaving each situation better than we find it is a pretty good rule for living. I try to do that.
