Today we’d like to introduce you to Traci Bernard.
Traci, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I grew up in a small farm town in Illinois where everybody farmed or had a business supported by farming. I drove tractors, detasseled corn, walked beans, and bailed hay. I work in the drive-thru with my sister at Mcdonald’s. I was voted most studious of my high school class when I would have given anything to be the most popular, best dressed, and most likely to succeed. But most studious got me academic scholarships that helped me pay my own way through school. I studied nursing, was VP of my sorority and for the next 9 years after graduating from college with my nursing degree I lived in 5 states as I met and was mentored in various leadership roles. Finally landing in Dallas Texas at 30 years old. I am often asked to meet and mentor young men and women. The first question is how a nurse from a small town in Illinois ends up in Texas as a Hospital Vice President at 30 years old and ultimately a Hospital President at 40 years old. Surprisingly the first time I was asked I was not sure how to answer the question.
The obvious answers were:
1. Hard work- growing up in a farming community and working in the fields fosters not only a work ethic but taught me many life skills and leadership skills.
2. Loyalty-both to myself and to others and never burning a bridge. To me, jobs were like boyfriends. Just because it did not work out or it was time to move was not bad it was just not the right fit anymore.
3. Cooperation- sacrifices personal interest for the welfare of all.
4. Passion and enthusiasm-having a love for what I am doing.
5. Self-discipline- As a leader, we live in a fishbowl and everyone is watching us for direction and organizations values.
6. Lifelong learner- the organization will outgrow you, grow with you, or you may outgrow the organization it’s your choice.
7. Courage to take risk-mistakes and failed attempts are part of progress. I was never afraid to take risks and try new things. Success requires getting out of your comfort zone.
8. And finally, determination and confidence.
Though these were the obvious answers they are still part of the story. I continued on my journey looking for that ah ha moments of self-reflection by peeling back the next obvious layer of the onion. We all experience many biases in our workplaces and communities. Being blonde female, I had a boss that would tell me a blonde joke every morning. At times we may feel as though we are walking uphill and fighting a battle: and maybe we are. I am not an advocate of wallowing in the reality, but instead banding together to create new ways of thinking. We have to break the habits that are holding us back.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Reluctance to claim our achievements, Expectation that others will spontaneously notice and reward our contributions
Building rather than leveraging relationships, Failing to enlist allies from day one, The perfection trap, Perfection is not about hard work or striving for excellence…it is about fear. Fear of blame or shame… trying to rise above judgment… which is impossible.
The diseases to please, Minimizing our work and value.
We learn to “fit in” and at the same time often lose ourselves in the process. We started defining our success based on others’ perceptions and reactions. I believe to be successful and stay on a positive path we need to think differently and begin embracing our own uniqueness and our own versions of success.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
As a registered nurse, I have made it my mission to take my passion for improving healthcare to various health systems. Prior to my seventeen years in my current position, I served nine years as the Vice President of Operations for Baylor Regional Medical Center of Grapevine. My role of change agent has fostered success by maintaining a balanced focus on improving operations, and financial and satisfaction initiatives. I have been recognized for my ability to assist organizations in achieving desired results by engaging people and changing behaviors in the workplace. By implementing a proven approach to excellence, I have helped my organizations create a culture that is built on the foundation of leadership and is focused on excellence in service, people, quality, finance, and growth. I have a proven record of accomplishment in increasing employee retention and creating cultures where staff and management work cooperatively for the good of the patient. With a broad background, including hospital operational responsibilities, finance, quality management, and strategic planning; I have a results-oriented philosophy and passion for employee, physician, and patient satisfaction, leadership development, and organizational culture change. I contribute more than 37 years of clinical and management experience to the ability to bring a practical, hands-on management approach to organizations. I am especially comfortable working with senior leaders, physicians, leadership teams, and staff to align their goals with behavior to achieve operational excellence.
The crisis has affected us all in different ways. How has it affected you and any important lessons or epiphanies you can share with us?
I learn how valuable personal interaction and touch is to an organization and the people that make it special. The distance and virtual meeting solution created a gap in relationships that had negative impacts on organization’s success. Culture is driven by relational people and there is value to being in a room together.
