Unlocking leadership potential: How stretch assignments drive diversity and growth in healthcare

Unlocking leadership potential: How stretch assignments drive diversity and growth in healthcare 
American College of Healthcare Executives; by Britany McElry, FACHE, and Jordan Roloff; 11/20/24 
In the dynamic world of healthcare, nurturing internal talent for leadership roles isn't just a smart strategy—it's essential for the ongoing success and growth of organizations. As we tackle complex challenges and strive for excellence in patient care, it's clear that the leaders of tomorrow are already among us. ... At Mayo Clinic, we've launched two groundbreaking programs to foster internal talent: the Stretch Assignment Program and Mayo Clinic Rising. ... The Stretch Assignment Program, spearheaded by the eMERGing Leaders Mayo Employee Resource Group, features a blinded application process open to all staff seeking growth and professional development. It offers projects in areas like quality improvement, time management, project management, financial analysis, change management, networking and public speaking that are submitted by leaders needing assistance on key projects. ... The program has already shown impressive results, with 20 participants across Arizona and Northwest Wisconsin, nine of whom have been promoted since participation—a 45% promotion rate.