From Competency to Connection in Healthcare

By Katie Owens, MHA, CPXP, CEO and Co-Founder, Healthcare Experience Foundation and Elisa Grace, MBA, VP of Coaching and Head of Patient Experience, Healthcare Experience Foundation

Healthcare organizations invest significant resources in developing leaders, improving culture, and advancing patient experience. New initiatives, leadership programs, standards of behavior, and strategic priorities are introduced every year with the hope of creating meaningful and lasting change.

Yet many organizations encounter the same challenge: information is shared, expectations are communicated, and training is delivered, but behavior change remains inconsistent.

The missing link is often not the content itself. It is the person facilitating learning.

As part of a recent Facilitator Development and Certification experience, Healthcare Experience Foundation worked with and polled 30 healthcare leaders selected as cultural champions were asked to reflect on a simple but powerful question:

Who was the best teacher you ever had, and what made them exceptional?

Participants reflected on influences that ranged from kindergarten teachers and college professors to clinical preceptors, coaches, parents, mentors, and former leaders. While the individuals varied significantly, the qualities that made them memorable were remarkably consistent.

Their responses offer valuable insight into what healthcare leaders can learn about teaching, coaching, and leading others through change.

Great Facilitators Meet People Where They Are

The most frequently cited characteristic was the ability to connect with learners at their level.

Participants described exceptional teachers as people who listened first, sought to understand, and adapted their approach to the needs of the individual. Rather than expecting learners to conform to a single teaching style, they adjusted their communication, examples, and coaching to support understanding.

In healthcare, where teams consist of individuals with different experiences, disciplines, and learning preferences, this adaptability is essential.

The best facilitators connect and acknowledge before they correct or respond.

Great Facilitators Create Psychological Safety

Many participants described learning environments where they felt comfortable asking questions, admitting uncertainty, and making mistakes without fear of embarrassment.

One participant recalled a surgeon who "knew I didn't know everything but never made me feel bad about it."

That statement reflects a critical leadership principle. People learn most effectively when they feel safe enough to acknowledge what they do not know.

In healthcare, where hierarchy and expertise can unintentionally silence questions or concerns, facilitators play an important role in creating environments where curiosity, learning, and speaking up are encouraged.

The absence of intimidation is often what makes learning possible.

Great Facilitators Simplify Complexity

Healthcare is inherently complex. Effective facilitators help others navigate that complexity without oversimplifying important concepts.

Participants described teachers who broke information into manageable pieces, explained concepts clearly, and layered learning over time.

Rather than overwhelming learners with information, they focused on helping people understand foundational concepts before introducing more advanced ideas.

This approach builds confidence and increases the likelihood that learning translates into practice.

Great Facilitators Bring Purpose and Energy

Participants frequently referenced passion, enthusiasm, and intentionality.

One leader described exceptional teachers as people who "walk with purpose."

Their energy was not performative. It reflected a genuine commitment to helping others succeed.

Whether teaching communication skills, leadership behaviors, clinical practices, or organizational standards, great facilitators model the engagement and accountability they hope to inspire in others.

They make learning meaningful — and often enjoyable.

Great Facilitators Explain the Why

Among all themes, understanding the "why" emerged repeatedly.

As one participant shared, "Anyone can do anything if you figure out and explain the why."

People are more likely to embrace change when they understand its purpose.

Exceptional facilitators connect expectations and behaviors to larger outcomes:

• Better patient care
• Stronger teamwork
• Improved safety
• Professional growth
• Organizational mission and values

When people understand why something matters, compliance becomes commitment.

Great Facilitators Invest in Growth

Participants consistently described facilitators who demonstrated patience and genuine investment in their success. These individuals encouraged goal setting, reinforced persistence, and understood that growth is rarely linear. Importantly, they focused on developing capability rather than exposing deficiencies.

Their mindset was not, "What's wrong with this person?" Instead, it was, "How can I help this person succeed?" This distinction creates an environment where learning can flourish.

Great Facilitators Model Integrity

Participants repeatedly referenced authenticity and consistency. They described teachers and mentors who followed through on commitments, demonstrated credibility, and aligned their actions with their words. Trust is built when leaders consistently model the behaviors, they ask others to adopt.

Facilitators who lead with integrity reinforce an important message: learning is not simply about acquiring knowledge. It is about becoming the type of leader, caregiver, and colleague others can depend upon.

Great Facilitators Foster Belonging

Many participants described the best teachers as individuals who made everyone feel valued.

Several used phrases such as "everyone is family” emphasized the importance of focusing on strengths rather than shortcomings.

Belonging has become a critical topic in healthcare leadership, particularly as organizations work to improve engagement, retention, and resilience. The most impactful facilitators understand that learning is not purely intellectual. It is relational. People learn best when they feel respected, supported, and connected to others.

What This Means for Healthcare Leaders

The lessons shared by these cultural champions extend far beyond training rooms and leadership development programs. The same qualities that define exceptional facilitators are the qualities that define exceptional leaders. Healthcare organizations seeking to strengthen culture, improve engagement, enhance patient experience, and advance safety outcomes should consider facilitation as a strategic leadership competency rather than a training function.

Technical and content expertise matters. But transformation occurs when leaders create environments where people feel safe, valued, challenged, and inspired to grow.

Moving From Competency to Connection

Too often, organizations select facilitators based primarily on subject matter expertise.

The findings from this experience suggest a broader set of criteria deserves attention.

Organizations should intentionally develop facilitators who:

• Create psychological safety
• Adapt to diverse learners
• Connect behaviors to purpose
• Demonstrate authenticity and integrity
• Foster belonging and engagement
• Inspire growth through encouragement and accountability

When these attributes are present, learning becomes more than knowledge transfer.

It becomes culture building.

The most memorable facilitators are not remembered because of what they taught. They are remembered because of how they made people feel, what they helped people become, and the confidence they instilled in others.

In healthcare, where every interaction influences the experiences of patients, families, colleagues, and communities, that may be the most important leadership skill of all. ♦

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Author bios:

Katie Owens, MHA, CPXP, is Healthcare Experience Foundation’s President and CEO. A decisive and experienced leader with a demonstrated ability to achieve outcomes across the continuum of care and create cultures of excellence. Dedicated to innovations to improve the healthcare experience for all: patients, caregivers and employees. Published author, coach, international speaker and advocate for creating environments where the best care possible can be achieved. 
Connect with Katie on LinkedIn

Elisa Grace, MBA, is Healthcare Experience Foundation’s VP of Coaching and Head of Patient Experience. Elisa is a passionate and innovative leader who strives to improve leader and team member engagement while positively impacting patient health and wellness. Accessing 30+ years of professional experience provides a foundation to address “now” challenges connecting people and building interdependencies for operational synergy, excellence in service delivery, innovation and financial performance.
Connect with Elisa on LinkedIn

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