• 25 Oct, 2024
• Shannon N. Knelsen

Mentorship, Leadership, and the Evolving Healthcare Landscape: Thought-Provoking Insights from Shannon N. Knelsen

Shannon N. Knelsen’s career journey is a testament to the power of small, consistent steps taken over time. Beginning in the laundry department of a long-term care home at 14, she has spent her life in healthcare, eventually becoming an executive leader, educator, and mentor. Her story isn’t about overnight success but about the compounding effect of dedication, lifelong learning, and genuine human connection. This interview reveals the insights she’s gained, offering a roadmap for anyone navigating the complexities of the modern workforce, particularly within healthcare.

Magazica: Dear viewers and readers, today we are honored to welcome Shannon N. Knelsen, a distinguished mentor at Olive Branch Mentorship Inc., a dedicated leader, and an enthusiast in professional development. With nearly 24 years of invaluable experience in healthcare, she brings a fresh, honest, and transparent perspective on navigating professional life in today’s dynamic workforce. With her evidence-based approach, transformational leadership, and passion for mentorship, Shannon continues to inspire and empower emerging professionals. Let’s dive into this enlightening conversation. Shannon, welcome.

Shannon N. Knelsen: Wow! Thank you. That was a great introduction. I appreciate that very much. Makes me sound like I’m way more important than I actually am.

Magazica: You are important because you are doing such a great job with the media you’re handling right now, your podcast, and more. So, to start, you have such a diverse background in healthcare. Can you share how your journey began and what has kept you motivated over the years?

Shannon N. Knelsen: That’s a really good question. My experience is somewhat unique because my career path was conveniently set up for me. My stepmother was an administrator in a long-term care home. In Ontario, we have something called “Take Your Kids to Work Day” in grade 9. My stepmother brought me to her workplace, and I spent the day observing her work and helping with small projects. I enjoyed it so much that she promised to get me a job there when I was old enough. At 14, I started working in long-term care.

When we say I have nearly 24 years of experience, it means my entire life has revolved around my growth and maturity in my career. I started in the laundry department, moved to housekeeping, then dietary, and eventually worked as a Personal Support Worker (PSW). Initially, I thought I would be a journalist or a writer, but healthcare clicked for me during my first year of university. I started my undergraduate degree as an English and creative writing major but changed to social work after realizing it offered a broader scope.

After a conversation with colleagues during a Christmas break, I decided to focus on healthcare. From 18 to 25, I pursued extensive education. I moved to Toronto in 2010, continued my education, and worked in a long-term care home. During a practicum placement, I met a mentor, Leslie, who guided me and helped me get my resume to a hiring manager at the University Health Network in Toronto, leading to an interview at Toronto Western Hospital.

It went so well, and I was offered the job within a day. Working at a world-renowned teaching institution like Toronto Western, part of the University Health Network (UHN), was incredible. I was surrounded by some of the most brilliant minds in healthcare. This initial job in acute care, after nearly 10 years in long-term care, sparked my fascination with patient flow and hospital operations. It became clear to me that I wanted to be a leader.

At 24 or 25, I didn’t realize I would become an executive leader, but sitting in meetings with other executives, I often thought, “I can do your job better.” This motivated me to pursue leadership positions. However, I was repeatedly told I lacked experience managing people. To address this, I took a Continuing Education program at the University of Toronto on leadership essentials, which focused on managing people and critical thinking. I even won a scholarship for my efforts.

My mentor, Leslie, was always supportive, but as I focused more on leadership, I needed additional guidance. I was advised to look for opportunities outside downtown Toronto due to fierce competition. I landed a clinical team lead position at Halton Healthcare and then moved to a leadership role in Brantford.

I realized that moving between organizations is often better for climbing the corporate ladder quickly. This approach allowed me to gain diverse experiences and perspectives, making me a more well-rounded leader. Over the past 13 years, I’ve worked in 13 hospitals, which has enriched my understanding of different healthcare systems.

Teaching became a part of my journey around 2017-2018 when I was invited to guest lecture at Sheridan College. This led to a faculty position, and now I teach at several colleges, including Conestoga, Fanshawe, George Brown, and Sheridan. I love teaching and fostering the growth of young professionals. Despite being in my late thirties, I still feel connected to my younger self and enjoy helping others see their professional development as a journey.

Not many late 30-something-year-old women can say they have 24 years of experience. It’s almost like I should be gearing up for retirement at this point. But teaching felt like a natural progression for me. Now, seven years into this, I’ve discovered how passionate I am about fostering the growth and development of young professionals. While I may be in my late thirties, I still feel like I’m in my mid-twenties, interacting with young people and helping them see their professional development as a journey. It’s a marathon, not a sprint. Playing the long game is important. You can’t just see your career for what’s right in front of you; you have to imagine the kind of life and career you want and focus on the little things you can do every day to make that happen.

Magazica: That’s fascinating. You’ve mentioned leadership several times. Can you briefly share your key strategies for driving meaningful changes in the healthcare sector as a leader with our readers, listeners, or viewers?

Shannon N. Knelsen: Really good question. My mission is to be as transparent as possible. I’ve developed my leadership approach by observing leaders and identifying what I don’t respect about their methods. I try to emulate the opposite of those traits. Full transparency, I’ve had leaders in my professional life that I didn’t mesh with. If my direct report isn’t transparent or tries to pull the wool over my eyes, I struggle. I value transparent and forthcoming communication, and I believe the people who report to you value that too. The more honest you can be with your team about your vulnerabilities and struggles, the more they see you as human, not just a boss or professor.

Magazica: I like the idea of observing leaders you don’t align with and doing the opposite. It’s like chipping off the wood to make furniture out of a log, removing unnecessary traits, and making things better. Two things you said resonated with me. It’s emotional intelligence and connecting with people based on your intrinsic motivators. Such a powerful thought. I can easily connect with that.

Magazica: Yes, everything in life is a mixed package. Given your experience with patient flow and hospital operations, what do you think are the most pressing challenges? You can limit it to three if you want, and how can those be addressed?

Shannon N. Knelsen: There are definitely more than three, but I’ll give you the top three. Patient flow and hospital operations have been a huge part of my career since 2012-2013. I’ve observed how patient flow has evolved over the last decade. One major factor is our aging population. We don’t have enough infrastructure to support the aging population. People are living longer with multiple comorbidities due to surgical and pharmaceutical interventions, but the availability of beds and wait times are issues.

In North America, we institutionalize our elderly, which is a foreign concept in other cultures. You can’t just decide to put an elderly person in a home; it’s a complicated process that society doesn’t fully understand.

You have to apply, and there’s a wait time. Many families come in and say their loved one has to go to long-term care, but it’s not a straightforward process. If you have a lot of money, you can put your loved one in a retirement home, but who can afford $5,000 to $8,000 a month? I worked in a region where a husband and wife were living in a retirement home. The husband had a mild heart attack, and a day later, his wife, who had severe dementia, was also hospitalized. The husband was the primary caregiver. I asked their daughter how much they were paying for the retirement home, and she said $20,000 a month. They didn’t research other options and just chose the home down the street from where they had lived for 40 years. I explained to the daughter that they could have hired 24/7 personal support workers and saved $12,000 a month. This showed me how little information the general population has about caring for elderly loved ones. This lack of information contributes to challenges in hospital flow and patient flow. Elderly patients with mild or moderate cognitive impairments who decompensate during their hospital stay can’t return to their original homes. They end up living in the hospital while we come up with a plan. We refer to them as “bed blockers” because they occupy beds needed for other patients. The disconnect between community resources and the needs of elderly patients is a significant issue.

The Ontario Health Team (OHT) system is designed to bridge some of these issues by supporting smaller populations. Hopefully, the OHT model will address the alternate level of care (ALC) problem and provide the necessary services and supports for elderly people. By 2030, over 20% of our population will be over the age of 65, and many will have multiple diseases, comorbidities, and cognitive impairments. The complexity of our patients is increasing, and our infrastructure is not keeping up.

Mental health patients are another contributing factor. The patients we see in the emergency department are unlike anything you can imagine. The resources needed to manage drug addiction, substance abuse, and mental health issues are immense. Our hospitals were built decades ago and were not designed to accommodate the current patient volumes. Emergency departments built to accommodate 50 people are now seeing upwards of 150 to 175 patients a day.

Infectious disease is another challenge. With too many people in a hospital, it’s difficult to properly isolate and prevent hospital-acquired infections. COVID-19 has added another layer of complexity. We’ve had to factor COVID-19 into our day-to-day practices, and it’s become our new normal.

To summarize, the elderly population lacks the necessary resources for effective discharge, the complexity and severity of illnesses are increasing, and our hospital infrastructure is not designed to manage the current volume of patients. Additionally, the healthcare system has experienced a mass exodus of professionals, leading to younger clinicians being promoted to leadership positions without adequate support or guidance. Middle management is particularly challenging, with high responsibility and accountability, leading to burnout and stress leave.

Comprehensive employee well-being practices are crucial. Organizations need to value their employees beyond just being numbers on a payroll sheet. Recognition and support are essential. During the pandemic, there was resentment about the “healthcare heroes” narrative, as it often felt like empty praise without meaningful support.

We need a better understanding of the needs of our population from a patient perspective and how to celebrate and support dedicated healthcare professionals. It’s a complex issue that requires resources and thoughtful solutions.

Magazica: Everything you said about leadership, dealing with the aging population, and the influx of new patient patterns resonate deeply. Middle management is indeed a global phenomenon, not just a North American one, it’s a global phenomenon. I’ve seen Asian, European, and North American workplaces, and it’s clear that middle management challenges are universal. Let’s root back to mentorship because you also work in the education sector. You’ve seen leaders in practical life and now in educational settings. Mentorship is clearly a passion for you, and your classrooms must be incredibly engaging. What are some common challenges faced by young professionals, especially Gen Z and Gen Alpha? Half of my team is Gen Z, and I’ve seen your team photos. How do you see the hurdles they face in educational institutions, and how can they overcome them? What qualities do they need to survive in the future?

Shannon N. Knelsen: I’ll answer your question, but first, I have to laugh. Someone recently said they felt like they were watching a TED talk during my lecture. I don’t even realize it, but I hardly use the slide decks. I relate the theory on the slides to real-world stories. Your job is to learn the theory; my job is to illustrate how theory connects to the real world.

For international students, who make up 95% of my classes, a common challenge is the notion of “Canadian experience.” When I was applying for management positions, I was told I didn’t have experience managing people. Similarly, students are told they lack Canadian experience. Young people need to understand that they won’t come out of a two-year college diploma making six figures. They need to latch onto people who can help them create meaningful experiences.

Olive Branch Mentorship is still a startup, despite being incorporated in April 2024. We’re working behind the scenes to create impactful experiences for young people. We want to align young professionals with inspiring and empowering mentors. It’s important for young people to understand their transferable skills. When I ask students about their transferable skills, many don’t know.

I ask them, “Are you comfortable on the computer? How quickly can you adapt to learning new skills? What previous education and work experience do you bring to the table?” Someone might say, “I just work at Subway. I’m just a sandwich maker.” I tell them, “You’re not just anything. You could be the CEO of sandwich making.” We discuss all the skills involved in their job, like critical thinking, planning, customer service, and time management. They need to see themselves as the best sandwich maker Subway has to offer.

Many young people struggle to identify what makes them special or employable. Having a mentor can boost their self-confidence, ego, and motivation. Applying to jobs online can feel like a black hole, but networking and personal connections are crucial. HR and hiring managers face challenges with AI-generated resumes and cover letters. I encourage people to put themselves out there in unique ways, like making a video on LinkedIn to showcase their skills.

Mentorship, stepping outside your comfort zone, and identifying transferable skills are key. Never say you’re “just” anything. Convince yourself you’re the CEO of your job. Confidence is important, even if you have to fake it till you make it. Networking and building your brand are essential. Effective communication and connecting with people are vital, even for introverts. Figure out what makes you special and celebrate it.

Magazica: Our resume is not a mechanical document; it’s an organic document.

Magazica: Connect meaningfully with people. I always tell students to focus on learning before earning and to have reflections, not just reactions. You are not just anything; you are the CEO of your job. Be proactive, not reactive.

Shannon N. Knelsen: I’ve been in executive leadership and made it to the director level, but I realized I still couldn’t create the change I wanted. So, I started my own company and made myself the CEO. If you want to create change, make it happen for yourself. Be the proactive driver of your own journey. Like Michael Scott from “The Office,” if one thing doesn’t work out, try another. There are many avenues and options for your career.

Magazica: The way this conversation is going, I really request you find some time to write a book. In the book publishing world, there’s a saying: “Your book is your new visiting card.”

A book is your new business card. Many people we’ve talked to for the magazine have written books, and it’s a great conversation starter. Regarding “The Office,” I always suggest people watch “The Office” and “The Pursuit of Happiness” together. One provides the lighter side, and the other offers motivation.

Shannon N. Knelsen: I do very much want to write a book. I was an English and creative writing major, remember? I was the product of a teenage pregnancy and was adopted. The system—social workers, counselors, judges, therapists, firefighters, ambulance drivers—played a huge role in my safety as a child. My early childhood was traumatic and tumultuous, but I leaned into teachers, camp counselors, and other adult figures for support and encouragement. Overcoming all of that and still being a positive light would make a good book. If anyone knows a publisher interested in helping me make that happen, let me know. I know you can self-publish on Amazon.

We have a fascinating advertising tool in our hand with the podcast. We haven’t talked much about the podcast, but next month we have an ER nurse who has written a book. Her book will be released in November. Part of my connection with her was about writing a book and ghostwriting. We have a lot to share in terms of our experiences working in healthcare. There is a book, or rather, a few books, all up in my brain.

While I am very busy, I make time for the things that are important to me. You have to identify what motivates and inspires you. If you lose sight of your passions and only serve others, you may resent your position. You need your own passions and interests. Sharing my story and discussing these concepts is something I’m passionate about. I’ll leave this conversation feeling like my cup is full because I’m getting an important message out there.

Magazica: Busy people are passionate about multiple things. CEOs and executive leaders are multi-dimensional and multi-faceted. Life is like that.

Shannon N. Knelsen: Life is multifaceted and multi-dimensional. If you’re truly aligned with your intrinsic values and passions, you have to be multifaceted too. It’s been an honor to be part of your podcast. We’re both new voices in a huge crowd, and it’s great to support each other.

Magazica: Looking ahead, with your vast experience, what are your hopes for future healthcare and professional development? How do you see your role in it?

Shannon N. Knelsen: A very easy answer for me. A few weeks ago, a close friend and colleague brought her four little girls onto the podcast. That episode will air at the end of November or beginning of December. The girls are around 12, 10, 8, and 7 years old. I made a concerted effort to ensure we had an episode with young minds. These girls are incredible, involved in multiple extracurricular activities. I’ve seen them grow over the last 5-6 years.

We need to start with younger generations and understand what they’re passionate about. We need to stop asking young people, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” Instead, we should ask, “What kind of problems do you want to solve? What kind of people do you want to work with?” The jobs we have today might not exist in 10-15 years, or they may be adapted versions due to AI.

I have an invested interest in understanding what would motivate and inspire young people to choose a career in healthcare. We can’t have TikTok dancers running our hospitals and communities in 10 years. We need to identify what problems young people want to solve and foster their growth and development. This means creating positive experiences for young people, like bringing kids in grade 6, 7, and 8 into hospitals.

We need more dynamic outreach and positive experiences so young people see healthcare differently. Social media often shows the highlight reel of people’s lives, not the hard work behind it. Many young people think they can become millionaires with YouTube channels or as influencers. We need to show them the value of careers in healthcare.

The first solution for the future of healthcare is identifying young people who want to be nurses or doctors and creating alternative ways of educating them. There’s a company based in Texas called 2H Education that might be doing something similar.

There’s a woman, a Stanford graduate and mother, who has completely reframed education through her institution. She has young people, as young as 7 to 11 years old, taking college courses. I’ve been following her for a few months, and many people want to adapt her model. I believe the education landscape will change, and we need to foster the growth and development of young people differently. Our public school system is one-dimensional and doesn’t account for the various ways people learn. Many young people struggle with online learning, so we need to adapt and evolve it to make it meaningful.

We need to research young people’s intrinsic motivators. It’s not obvious for young people to choose healthcare careers. One of the girls I spoke with wants to be the Prime Minister, and I believe she can be. We need to foster and celebrate young people’s strengths and confidence. Parents should be involved in identifying their children’s strengths and creating experiences for them. The future of healthcare lies with young people. If they don’t choose healthcare careers, who will care for the aging population?

We need to rebirth the career of healthcare and celebrate it like being a TikTok dancer. We must create a system that fosters young people’s growth and development in healthcare.

Magazica: Shannon N. Knelsen, we can’t thank you enough for such an engaging conversation. We hope this isn’t the last installment and look forward to future conversations with you. Your messages need to reach our readers. Thank you very much for today’s conversation.

Shannon N. Knelsen: Thank you. I appreciate it so much and look forward to the next time.

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Keywords: Healthcare Leadership; Mentorship; Professional Development; Patient Flow; Future of Healthcare