Help Wanted: Let’s Do More to Help People Succeed in Leadership Roles

When I got my first promotion to be a clinical supervisor, I had no idea what to expect. I was a practicing clinician on a foster-care prevention team that worked with youth and families. At the time, I was happy to take this step forward. But there was just one problem. I wasn’t ready. 
 
So often, people in behavioral health advance because they have developed the appropriate technical skills, but over 50% of them never get formal leadership training.  
 
Does this sound familiar?  
 
Not having the appropriate leadership skills often puts the burden on the individual to develop those skills independently. It also puts them at a massive disadvantage. 
 
I stepped into leadership in an already demanding environment—behavioral health, and specifically child welfare—where clinicians are routinely exposed to trauma, crisis and the emotional weight of the work. Like many clinicians in the field, I was already navigating the risk of compassion fatigue and vicarious trauma.  
 
But now, on top of the demands of clinical work, I was responsible for leading and supporting others through that same difficult environment. I had been given the title and the responsibility of a leader, but not the training or preparation to truly lead. Without the tools to navigate the people-management, emotional and organizational demands of my new role, I increasingly felt overwhelmed and out of my depth. 
 
The result? I left that job and, for a brief period, I stepped away from the workforce altogether. I needed time to reflect on what I wanted next and whether I wanted to continue in a career I had spent years building. 
 
In the end, it worked out. But it didn’t have to be that way. It shouldn’t be so difficult to get the training to advance in our careers, no matter where you’re at in your organization. So, I’m trying to change that by helping you get on the right track through multiple initiatives. 
 
Over the past year, I’ve had the chance to do more for the leaders in our field. I’ve led the National Council’s effort to develop multiple curricula designed for people throughout the behavioral health field—no matter what you do at an organization, no matter how long you’ve been there and no matter where you are on your career journey. It’s called the Leadership Track, and it includes four interconnected training programs:  

• The Art of Management 
• Middle Management Academy 
• Advanced Management Academy 
• High Performance Leadership Academy 

This important new program addresses one of the most urgent issues we face in our field. Here’s the thing. Organizations face a massive workforce shortage. In addition to recruiting new people, organizations also need to retain their current workforce. 
 
Organizations can do so much more to train and retain their most important investment—their workers. 
 
But it’s not just about organizations. It’s about you. I know these trainings would have helped me feel more confident leading a team back when I was a clinical supervisor. Maybe things would have been different for me, for my staff and for my organization. 
 
Things can be different for you because we developed the resources to help you prepare for what’s ahead and get you on the right track. If you’ve wanted a clear path to the skills you need to become a manager, leader or executive in the mental health and substance use field, I hope you’ll give the Leadership Track a look. 
 
You can also check out our press release for more details.