There is a TV credit card commercial that states, "What's in your wallet?" A catchy phrase, but I cannot remember who the credit card represents. So, I thought I would modify the phrase to ask, "What's in Your Future?." After 40 years of healthcare experience including Premier (it was called SunHealth in early times), Novant Health, Central Piedmont Community College, Aramark, and now UNC Charlotte - I am hoping I can share some lessons learned about navigating your future healthcare career. So below are some investigative questions across several healthcare career seasons for your consideration.

Students:

• Do you know why you are choosing a career in healthcare?

• Have you developed at least a 'rough draft' of your personal mission (priorities), vision (passion), and values (principles)?

• Have your started your networking efforts? A sincere effort to build that network - bringing them information, contributing to their learning, bringing value to them when they need your assistance?

• Can you manage a career in an industry that is: huge, complex, and always changing?

Early Careerists:

• Does your personal mission, vision, and values match with your organization?

• Are you making more 'deposits than withdrawals' in your expanding networking efforts?

• Are you active in ACHE? In the local chapter? Do you have your FACHE?

• Are you engaged in giving back to your community? This could be numerous areas: schools, homeless, behavior health, church...

• Do you have a mentor?

• What are your priorities (those most significant) in your life?

• Are you balancing your work/life efforts?

• Do you know your strengths & weaknesses (including skill sets & values)?

Mid Careerists:

• Are you mentoring the early careerists?

• Are you involved in leadership positions within ACHE or your community? Do you have your FACHE?

• Are you considering your 'retirement' contributions to your industry, community, family?

• Are you living your priorities? 

• Are you balancing your work/life efforts?

• Do you have more deposits than withdrawals in your network?

• Have you renewing those strengths & correcting those weaknesses (including skill sets & values)?

• Do you know your deeply rooted values that guide your leadership style?

Senior Careerists:

• Are you mentoring the mid careerists and/or the early careerists?

• Do you have that 'retirement' plan identified, maybe already in practice? Ex. serving your church, serving on a nonprofit board, teaching, mentoring, tutoring, part-time work, etc. You can have an amazing 'encore' career giving back to those areas that mean so much to you.

• Are you appreciating (demonstrating thanks) your network?

• Are you encouraging your leadership staff to pursue their FACHE? Do your immediate reports have their FACHE or an equivalent credential for their profession?

• Are you finalizing your legacy?

• Do you support/endorse an active leadership development program for mid & senior careerists?

This is not meant to be an exhaustive list of investigative questions. I hope these get your head, heart, and hands engaged. I'm not saying my 40-year healthcare career has been perfect - far from it. Yet, I know my priorities, passion, and principles have been like a compass to help navigate my path. And what an amazing path it has been and still remains. As I've had the opportunity to live out a life of 'servant leadership,' I hope you discover your 3P's: priorities (mission), passion (vision) and principles (values). 

Later Y'all - after all, I'm still a southern boy at heart.