Fit For Success - Misericordia Invests in Staff Development 
by Barb Quaintance
We all know remarkable Misericordia staff; staff who are engaging, loving with the residents and leaders within their areas. These remarkable staff want to do even better, learn more, connect with other staff and, generally, make Misericordia an even better place.
Begun in 2021, Fit For Success is a staff development program, led by SD/HR staff Mary Ann Goode, Kristina Lipsey and Saul Hernandez. It not only provides staff with practical skills, it helps connect them to the Misericordia mission and their peers across campus. Open to all staff who have been employed for at least six months and with the approval of their Director, approximately 125 staff have completed the program. About fifteen staff--from DT Instructors to Housekeeping staff to Qs to DSPs—form a class and engage in two tiers of training. The focus of the tiers are:
- Tier One: Identity
- In this tier, staff explore topics such as how to be a better leader, how to be aware of their own judgements and biases, how to enhance their listening skills, how to communicate effectively and what their role can be in managing conflict.
- Tier Two: TeamworkBuilding on the skills explored in Tier One, participants examine—and practice--how to apply those skills with their teams.
At the end of Tier One, staff present a three minute reflection in front of their AVP, Director, Mary Pat O’Brien and Father Jack (among others). At the end of Tier Two, groups of 4-5 present group project in front of the Mis leadership.
Ken Gasch, a DSP at Mercy Glen, is nothing but enthusiastic about his Fit for Success experience. Ken reports that the program helped him reflect on what he wanted in his Misericordia career and gave him additional skills to help him meet his goals. Since completing the program, Ken has become a Lead Job Coach in Mercy Glen. Perhaps most important to Ken were the connections he made with other staff across campus. Because Ken works PMs, he doesn’t have the opportunity to meet many staff outside of Mercy Glen. Fit for Success gave him valuable connections which provide him with support and a peer group that spans many departments.
Nicole Williams, is a Marian Center DSP and now, after completing Fit for Success, an On the Job Trainer there. Nicole is effusive about her job, her residents and her desire to do more. Like Ken, Nicole says that the connections she made in the program have been invaluable. She describes how the program helped her become a more effective listener—with residents and colleagues alike. Nicole described in delightful detail her team’s Tier Two project, a puzzle in the shape of the Misericordia heart. And Nicole is eagerly awaiting a Tier Three!
As mentioned above, at the end of Fit for Success each participant shares their reflection with Misericordia leadership. Frankie Silva, a Fitness Instructor, shares what Fit For Success meant to him:
My experience at Misericordia has been like no other. Each season brings something new and no month is like the last. I have the privilege of working in a department where every day can differ from the last, and new faces are met almost weekly.
With this blessing comes a few challenges, ranging from memorizing the names of the staff and residents from all areas who visit us, to successfully planning and implementing new and exciting programming throughout the year.
I went into the Fit for Success experience out of curiosity and in the hopes of finding the answer or the secret to play my role and lead effectively. I also had plenty of encouragement from my supervisor, Mary Ann Zielke-Allen, to join early and get a spot!
This experience was truly unique. I was expecting a usual 2-hour presentation with a power point and maybe a quick review at the end of the session. What the universe gave me instead was two hours of deep discussion. Two hours of critical thinking and self-reflection. Two hours of hearing everyone’s stories and different perspectives and seeing their point of view.
With each session it became clearer to me that there is no secret, no one answer. There is no review packet or cheat sheet to read off of when you need a refresher. It is practice and a habit. To lead effectively and successfully you need to step back and realize your story, and everyone else’s story, are chapters in the bigger story at hand. Each chapter has its own theme, conflicts, and resolutions; each chapter needs to connect and keep the flow and stability of the story positive, strong and true.
The Fit for Success experience is one I will keep with me for the rest of the years at Misericordia.
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