UMMC GRENADA Is Pleased to Announce Madison Staten, SLP

We are thrilled to announce the hiring of our new, full-time Speech Language Pathologist, Madison Staten, SLP.

Madison, a long-time Grenada resident, has been working for Mid South as a PRN at UMMC Grenada. We are so glad to have her transition to full-time. She has an impressive, well-rounded background beginning with a solid High School educational foundation from Winona Christian School. She received her Bachelor of Science in Speech-Language Pathology from Mississippi University for Women in Columbus and her Master of Science in Communication Science and Disorders from the University of Mississippi in Oxford. In addition, Madison is Lee Silverman Voice Treatment Certified. This is a behavioral treatment geared towards creating neurobiological changes associated with therapy for people with Parkinson’s. She has a special interest in Dysphagia, Autism Spectrum Disorder, Cognitive Communication Disorders as part of her field of study. We know that Madison is ready to take on the speech therapy needs of the community, and we cannot wait to see her patients’ recovery journeys.

Madison is married and has two dogs named Bailey and Luke. She chose to pursue a career in Speech Therapy to improve the quality of life for others by helping patients successfully communicate their wants and needs and to help patients re-habilitate their swallow so they can enjoy some of their favorite foods. When she’s not helping patients recover, she enjoys hunting with her husband, going to the beach, and spending time outdoors with their dogs.

UMMC Grenada and Mid South Rehab value continuing education and promoting exceptional leaders. We are excited to have Madison as a partner. We look forward to her progress and know she will have opportunities to improve our patients in her new role.

We are Pleased to Announce the Hiring of Brittany Crane, SLP

We are thrilled to announce the hiring of our new, full-time Speech Language Pathologist, Brittany Crane, SLP at Magee and Simpson General Hospitals.

Brittany has an impressive, well-rounded background in her field, beginning with a solid education foundation from The University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg. There she received her Bachelor of Science in Communication Science and Disorders and her Master’s in Speech-Language Pathology. In addition, Brittany has a special interest in dysphagia, cognitive communication, and expressive/receptive language as part of her field of study. Brittany loves making a difference in people’s lives. We cannot wait to see her patients’ recovery journeys. We know she is prepared to take on the speech therapy needs of the community. Mid South values continuing education and promoting exceptional leaders. We are excited to have Brittany as a partner. We look forward to her progress and know she will have opportunities to improve our patients in her new role.

To Help

We have made it back to the end of our second journey through the Mid South Pillars of Culture. Our final Pillar is TO HELP. As I continue to look at the Employee Engagement survey results, it appears that we are doing a really good job with this. The feedback says we are a group of teammates who are always ready to help each other. The responses also indicate that we are providing great service and care to our patients. Despite the positive results, “helping” is always an area we can continue to grow. I suppose I am targeting our leaders in this message, but when we think about it, we should all be leaders in some way.

I think one of the most empowering things that we can do for others is “to help” them reach their goals. Many times, the goals we set for ourselves, and others are not reached. As a 360-degree leader, you may play an important role in setting goals for employees. However, we can all acknowledge that goals can be very challenging to stick with. Goals don’t have to be daunting, cumbersome or confusing. Armed with the right coaching and supportive techniques, you can guide your team to achieve their goals and enjoy all the rewards that follow.

Here are some tips “to help” you with coaching employees to reach their goals:

1. Begin with the end in mind – Clearly articulate the goal, set timelines, define what success looks like, the goal's priority level, and the potential reward for reaching the goal.

2. Give them “the why” – Effective leaders emphasize why a goal makes a difference to the company as a whole. After all, people are driven by a larger cause and purpose.

3. Communicate frequently – If goals need to change, let your team members know immediately – along with the reason why a change has occurred. People appreciate transparency. But this is a two-way dialogue.

4. Solicit feedback from team members – When setting goals for employees, good leaders involve their employees in the process. If you want them to be motivated and passionate about the goal, you need to obtain their buy-in, build their sense of ownership and give them empowerment to get it done their way.

5. Break goals into smaller pieces – Goals can fail when they seem too big and overwhelming. Mentally, it’s easier for people to achieve goals if they’re broken down into smaller, more manageable parts.

6. Celebrate along the way - People need confirmation that they’re on the right track and moving in the desired direction – it can be a boost to their confidence, interest level, and engagement. And most people like to have their contributions and achievements acknowledged. So, provide encouragement and positive reinforcement along the way at each milestone toward a goal – don’t wait until the end to celebrate successes. “When Moses’ hands grew tired, they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held his hands up—one on one side, one on the other—so that his hands remained steady till sunset.” Exodus 17:12