This week on IAW’s podcast Unlimited HERizons our host and president, Megan Bozzuto, chatted with a member, Sharon Johnson, who immersed herself in the IAW community in the midst of the pandemic.
She is a healthcare consultant who specializes in quality accreditation, practice transformation solutions, and population health management. “I am able to see an organization and help them in the way of operations, financial, revenue cycle, and now clinical pathways in terms of population health, care transformation, and disease management,” explained Sharon. The pandemic was a time for her to reflect upon her next chapter as an empty nester and business owner.
Since joining in 2020, Sharon went from limited resources and networking to a vast amount of support and connections. Her conversation with Megan included advice on developing relationships with other members to become your mentor or accountability pattern.
Test drive relationships
When it comes to mentors or accountability partners, you might be looking for one person who fits your needs when you actually need a community of resources.“You don’t necessarily have to commit to a particular mentor in this space and time,” says Sharon. “It’s not the end all be all relationship. Sometimes it does organically break away, but then you also have to seek out others. You don’t have to have one mentor. You can have several mentors in several different areas. It’s more how you curate that into your roadmap and who is going to be the person who will see it through?”
Find mentors with experience
Sharon noted that she sought out mentors with more experience than her to help build her business. “What is crucial in the mentorship is not only a friendship that develops, but it’s also the wisdom that you get that you may not see the objectivity of it sometimes because they have been there.” However, the path a mentor took does not have to be the same one you take. “It’s that knowledge of knowing they themselves have gone through that process and you’re walking a similar trajectory but not necessarily the same path,” said Sharon.
An accountable partner should push you
Getting the drive to pursue your dreams can be difficult to maintain every day. Accountability partners push you to keep moving forward. “Having that person allow you to set a path and reach a milestone is more like a partnership of someone nudging you along,” says Sharon. “On the days I don’t feel like it, it’s like ‘hey, come on you still got to do this.’”
Want to listen to Sharon Johnson’s full story and get more advice? Listen to Unlimited Herizons updated weekly with different amazing professional women telling their stories. All IAW members can connect with Sharon in the IAW Community!
