Bronson Healthcare’s inaugural Leadership Development Academy (LDA) program trained 70 leaders from Bronson Battle Creek, representing approximately 14 percent of Bronson’s 518 organizational leaders in clinical and non-clinical roles across 15 diverse business units. By engaging leaders across Bronson Battle Creek, the LDA fostered a unified leadership culture, ensuring consistent application of newly developed skills and principles throughout Bronson Battle Creek.
Program Details
The 12-month LDA program merges the Bronson Management System (BMS) with John Maxwell’s 5 Levels of Leadership. This integration combines Lean Six Sigma practices with proven leadership principles, creating a robust curriculum tailored to Bronson Battle Creek’s needs.
Key features include:
- Monthly four-hour in-person sessions
- Blend of theoretical learning and practical application
- Year-long projects addressing real organizational challenges
The program’s extended duration enables deep exploration of leadership concepts and immediate application in participants’ roles. The tiered approach ensures continuous growth and skill adaptation to meet evolving organizational needs.
Evaluation encompasses:
- Tracking of organizational key performance indicators (KPIs)
- Participant feedback and testimonials
- Case study analyses
- Observed improvements in leadership capabilities and organizational performance
Reinforcement includes:
- Daily Gemba rounds supporting leaders’ initiatives and learning
- Embedded learning during monthly leadership meetings
- Development of an advanced program level focusing on deepening expertise in Lean Six Sigma within the Bronson Management System and further enhancing leadership competencies
Results
The LDA program exceeded all of the organization’s goals:
- The employee engagement score increased to 66 percent.
- The “likelihood to recommend” mean score rose to 91.4 percent.
- The number of Emergency Department patients who leave before initiation of medical screening examination decreased to 2.0 percent last October.
- Operating margins improved by 2.35 percent last October.
The success of the LDA at Bronson Battle Creek led to plans for expansion across the Bronson system in 2025.
