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In this episode, Heather speaks to Sheryl Simmons, CHRO at Maestro Health about her leadership style, her experience with some bumps along her journey, her mission to create psychologically safe workplaces and the secret that makes her leadership really stand out.

Key takeaways:

  • Remember that we all have a hot ‘mic’.
  • Always do the right thing.
  • Step back and tap into your emotional intelligence.
  • Set your ego aside and get out of your own head
  • Humans are craving for in-person, face-to-face interaction, so spend time with your people.
  • When we don’t believe that we make mistakes anymore, we cease to become good leaders.

Her emotional intelligence is worth emulating! Listen in!

 

Sheryl Simmons is the Chief Human Resources Officer and Chief Compliance Officer at Maestro Health. With nearly 20 years of experience in human resources, Sheryl leads Maestro Health’s HR and talent management efforts across the U.S., focusing on Maestro Health’s biggest assets: its people. 

Featured in “Catalysts of Culture – How Visionary Leaders Activate the Employee Experience”, Sheryl is a leading resource for fellow HR leaders on how to invest in people and effectively communicate the value of HR to the C-suite. She regularly speaks at top industry conferences including SHRM Annual Conference and Exposition, HR Technology Conference and Exposition, HR Southwest, Illinois SHRM and North Carolina SHRM.   

Sheryl joined Maestro Health as part of an acquisition of Group Associates, where she served as Vice President of Human Resources. Prior to that position, Sheryl led HR services at a fast-growing property management company with nearly 1,000 full-time employees. 

In Synchrony

As a leader, no matter where you are, your “mic” is always hot. Everything that you’re trying to be, your messages and your interactions are getting out there. Your people are hearing it and they are absorbing it. 

If you are trying to come up with a duality where what you’re trying to present is not who you are internally, somebody is going to catch on your hot mic. What you present to your people and who you are internally should be in sync. 

If you’re not there yet, you have a lot of work to do. Well, that’s terrific if you’ll be reflective enough to realize that you will always have work to do.

I am firmly planted in human relationships. – @sherylsimmons_ #leadershipwithheart Share on X

Do the Right Thing

Take the time to create a place of safety and an emotional bank where you make the deposits so that your people feel secure coming in and having open conversations. – @sherylsimmons_ #leadershipwithheart Share on X

My desire to connect, coach and empower people stems from my focus on people and the trust from my support system. My parents had lived a life of giving and serving that I emulated. My husband is my greatest cheerleader and my emotional and professional sounding board.

My personal motto, “Always do the right thing,” falls in line with my absolute requirement of transparency and accountability. It’s in my DNA. I’ve had wonderful experiences and I’ve had pretty serious life challenges. In truth, I have intentionally curated a life that reflects my values as a person and as a leader.

Sounding Boards

My experiences in HR taught me that a trust relationship happens between an employer and an employee. The relationship is protected by each other’s commitments that carry significant impacts to the employer’s company and to the employee’s career. Non-fulfillment of those commitments brings devastating consequences.

Part of the uniqueness that resonates with me is from my company’s absolute desire and intent for our employees to bring their whole selves to work. We have such a diverse ecosystem but it was unintentionally created because that’s just who we are.

We don’t care about the package. We care about the content and the ability. How do you resonate with our culture? True enough, the psychologically-safe culture and the welcoming messages we are sending across to our employees come back to the management, in full circle.

At some point, you’re going to screw up and it’s going to be glorious. – @sherylsimmons_ #leadershipwithheart Share on X

Invest in your relationships and get to know your people. – @sherylsimmons_ #leadershipwithheart Share on X

Everybody is going to screw up, big or small. – @sherylsimmons_ #leadershipwithheart Share on X

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