HPA 430: Healthcare Leadership

Short Case Assignment #3: Cornerstone 3: Casey Miller’s Real Way with PeopleProcedure
Read the case study below and write a 2-3 page essay (double-spaced, 12 point, Times New Roman) summarizing the problems in and suggesting possible solutions to the listening, feedback and mentoring relationship between Casey and Parker. Apply the material you see as important from the textbook, readings, and other sources on listening, feedback, mentoring, developing teams and energizing staff.
Casey Miller, manager of support services for City Medical Center, dreaded completing the monthly statistical report for his department. Miller was responsible for services supporting the efforts of the Medical Center, including laundry and linen services, housekeeping, and more. At one time, the report was relatively simple, but as the administration requested more and more detail to be able to deal with budget and quality issues, the report had become a giant headache. As the complications grew, Miller had simply modified the methods for preparing the report, so there was no detailed documentation of how to complete the increasingly complex tables and spreadsheets.
Faced with the monthly deadline next week, and confronting the usual problems always present in support services, Casey Miller decided it was time to delegate the preparation of the report to assistant manager, Parker Curtis. This would be a great learning opportunity for Parker, a chance to demonstrate future leadership ability in the department.
Miller called Curtis into the office, handed over a copy of the previous two months’ reports and a thumb drive with the blank templates for the next report. Casey said, “I know you’ve seen these before, and I’ve decided that it’s time for you to get some experience doing it. It’s been getting to be a real pain, and I’ve got more important things to do than be tied up in some routine report some C-suite jerk is going to use for a Powerpoint show.”
Curtis looked over the information, and said, “I’m sure I can do it. I’ve certainly looked over your final reports plenty of times. It looks complicated, but if I get off on the right foot, I can figure it out. How about if you walk me through it, and we do this first one together so I can get the hang of it?”
Miller grimaced. “Look, Parker, my objective here is to free up my time. If I have to hold your hand, I may as well do it myself.” Grinning, Casey added, “Besides, if I can do it without any management education, than anyone with half a brain and an MHA like you ought to be able to do it.”
Parker nodded, and left the office without further comment.
At the end of the next day, Curtis stopped Miller in the hallway as they were headed in different directions. “Casey,” he said, “I’m glad I found you. I have a few questions about that report, mostly concerning how you come up with some of the totals and percentages in a few of those spreadsheets.”
Miller barely even broke stride. “Sorry, Parker, I can’t take the time. You’ll just have to figure it out yourself. I had to do the same thing. You have all weekend. I need it first thing Monday morning.”
On Monday, Miller found the report and thumb drive sitting in the chair in the office with a note about an all-day committee meeting that Parker would be attending . Casey flipped through the charts and tables, and was about to sign the report, when a number in one table seemed odd. Looking at the previous month’s chart for comparison, Miller saw that Parker’s report had to be way out of line. Looking more closely now, Casey did a line-by-line comparison. The mistake went back to an error Parker made on the very first page, which now made the charts and tables on every page incorrect. Casey was going to have to re-do the entire thing. Still working at 4:30 PM, Casey threw down his pencil when Parker stopped by and asked, “What are you up to, Casey?”