The Leadership Academy at LeadingAge Southeast is a premier program designed to develop transformative leaders in aging services. This year-long initiative not only builds critical leadership skills but also provides a rich and collaborative learning experience with a focus on self-reflection. It draws participants from various roles within LeadingAge Southeast member organizations, emphasizing potential over position.
Westminster Communities of Florida is celebrating the achievements of two team members who completed the 2023-2024 Leadership Academy, with another currently participating. Ariana Pallotta, Administrator at College Arms Towers in DeLand, and Rocco Voglio, Director of Dining Services at Westminster St. Augustine, both just completed the program. In addition, Justin Yelken, Health Services Administrator at the Baldwin Park neighborhood of Westminster Winter Park, is engaged in this year’s program.
Each year, the program hosts just 15-20 participants who are future leaders in the field of senior living and commit 10-15 hours monthly to the program. To enter, candidates must submit an application, commitment statement, reference letter, resume and leadership essay for consideration and acceptance. They meet quarterly and makea visit to Tallahassee to engage with state legislators on industry trends, plus attend smaller groups meetings and site visits.
Emphasizing Personal Development in Leadership Training
The personal development aspect of the program is a critical component, as highlighted by Ariana. She reflects on her experience, noting, “It is about leadership but there’s so much personal growth and self-awareness and just being present and vulnerable.”
Similarly, Rocco, who leads the Dining Services team at his community, joined the program to broaden his knowledge and enhance his leadership skills. He shares, “What I got out of it was a self-awareness of being a better leader, things to look for and how I can improve myself and my team around me.”Justin’s motivation for joining the 2024-2025 Leadership Academy stems from the high praise and positive feedback from colleagues at Westminster Communities of Florida and other organizations who have benefited from the program. He explains, “I think it gave every person a different perspective on leadership, and the ability to network and connect with colleagues outside of Westminster in developing best practices.”
Through these experiences, the Leadership Academy nurtures a culture of growth and excellence, equipping its participants with the skills to lead successfully in the senior living field.
Balancing the Pace of Leadership with Presence
Ariana shared how the Academy profoundly enhanced her leadership approach. “The Academy really deepened my understanding of the importance of empathy and inclusivity and collaboration within my leadership style. It has inspired me to lead with more compassion and focus on the well-being of my team and the organization,” she noted.
Justin highlighted the program’s focus on mindfulness. “They’re big on making sure that we’re present, which is something I think all leaders can benefit from. Sometimes we just need to slow down to be the best leaders,” he said.
Rocco agreed that since completing the leadership program, he inserts intentional pauses throughout his workday. He describes how taking a few seconds to think before responding, and incorporating brief periods of rest, significantly aids in regaining mental composure, especially during high-stress situations like a busy dinner service, and guides his team to do the same to refocus.
Ariana, Justin, and Rocco’s experiences highlight the transformative impact of the program’s focus on self-reflection to enhance leadership effectiveness and improve workplace dynamics.
Positive Impact on Team Members and Residents
Ariana’s experience at the leadership academy was profoundly shaped by her action learning plan, a pivotal project that participants present to senior living industry leaders from across LeadingAge Southeast’s region. The presentation focused on her goal to foster greater community engagement, specifically, developing a partnership between College Arms Towers and nearby Stetson University in DeLand.
Ariana, who has been dedicated to forming the partnership since finishing the leadership academy, explained, “We want to create a partnership so that we can provide more activities, learning opportunities and events for the residents. I put in the time and dedication and it’s really nice to see that come to fruition.”
Similarly, Rocco’s project aimed at improving the quality of life for residents, with a particular focus on dining services. “I did my action learning project on enhancing dining services through artificial intelligence,” Rocco shared.
He described how his project outlined the use of AI to optimize dining operations, illustrating how the technology enhances efficiency, streamlines processes and benefits both residents and team members.
Enhancing Skills for Broader Impact in the Senior Living Industry
Reflecting on her experience in the academy, Ariana shared, “It’s about you as a leader and as a person. I went in thinking that it was more about leadership and how to manage people. Although it touches on that, it’s not about that. It’s about self-growth, committing to the personal growth and self-awareness and being present and intentional.”
Rocco discussed how the academy expanded his view beyond food service in the senior living sector, emphasizing a team-oriented approach to achieving goals. “It’s more a matter of ‘how we can accomplish a goal?’ Instead of ‘what can I do to drive the outcome?’ it’s ‘what can we do to drive the outcome?’”
Similarly, Justin highlighted his goal of using the academy to enhance his skills for a broader impact. “For me, it’s just furthering my skills so that I can provide the greatest and largest impact for the industry,” he said. “I want to make a positive impact here with Westminster, not only for our organization or on my community campus. A lot of the other fellows look to make an imprint and an impact outside of just our communities.”
If you are interested in making an impact on the lives of older adults and tapping into exceptional leadership growth opportunities, discover the career paths available at our website and consider joining the team at Westminster Communities of Florida today!
