Photo courtesy of MercyAccording to a press release, Nicki Gamet has been serving Mercy in southwest Missouri for 23 years, most recently as administrator for both Mercy Hospital Cassville and Mercy Hospital Aurora.
Women in Business
Four Leadership Tips From Nicki Gamet
Gamet took over as Mercy Lebanon’s hospital administrator mid-pandemic. These are her top tips for building a strong team—no matter the circumstances.
By Lillian Stone
Feb 08 2021 at 2:30 p.m.
Tip #1: Treat others with dignity and respect.
“When I was first starting out, the leaders I admired were the ones who weren’t afraid to walk beside us—to ask where we needed help and how they could support us. Treating everyone with the same level of respect also involves giving them your full attention. For example, if I’m speaking with someone, I don’t answer my phone and I don’t look at my email. They’re the most important person to me at that moment.”
Tip #2: Welcome different points of view.
“Even if you think your way is the best, meeting with others and listening to their perspectives usually makes any idea a hundred times better.”
Tip #3: Prioritize community.
“Coming into a new community in the middle of a pandemic, I had to ask myself, ‘How am I going to build confidence in this leadership team and have them get to know me when we can’t even gather as a group?’ To start, I made one-on-one time with every team leader as an opportunity to tour their area of focus and really learn more about them as people. I also had to seek out people out in the community—the county commissioner, the mayor, members of the local Chamber of Commerce—and be very intentional about networking with them during such an unusual time.
Tip #4: Choose an organization that inspires you.
“If you work for an organization that you believe in—an organization that will support you and your leadership—that’s key. You need that support to make sure you’re successful. Ultimately, you can’t just be a leader for the sake of being a leader. You have to love what you’re doing and the organization you’re working for.”
