Two from Johnston Health Complete UNC Health Care Advanced Leadership Academy

Greg McClain, director of spiritual care and volunteer services, and Casey Nunnery, nurse manager at Johnston Health Clayton, were among the 32 recent graduates of the year-long UNC Health Care Advanced Leader Academy.

The students met once or twice every month for lectures, tours of other hospitals within the system, and with hospital executives.

McClain has been with Johnston Health for 11 years, and Nunnery, for more than 14. After graduating on Sept. 15, they shared the following insights about their experience.

Q: WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE PART OF THE ACADEMY?

Nunnery: My favorite material was about how to negotiate without haggling by Noah Eisenkraft, an assistant professor of organizational behavior at the UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School. The focus was on figuring out what you want and then going for it.

McClain: I most enjoyed learning and net-working with colleagues throughout the system.

Q: WHAT WERE YOUR FAVORITE TAKEAWAYS?

Nunnery: Learning how to enable others to act, letting staff grow, and encouraging their hearts. A simple thank you for a job well done goes a long way.

McClain: Understanding how my personality impacts how I lead, and learning how to lead change and innovation.

Q: HOW ARE YOU USING WHAT YOU’VE LEARNED?

Nunnery: I’m talking with staff about our goals, aligning them with the hospital’s goals, and trying to share a vision of where I see Clayton going in the future.

McClain: As my leadership project, I up-dated the volunteer handbook, revised volunteer orientation, and measured the results before and after interventions. Tim Hays, vice president of human resources, was my mentor. Any leader can use a good understanding of human resource management.

Congratulations to both Greg and Casey on this accomplishment!