Leading Liberty with Charmaine R. Maddrey-Smith, Director of Employee Engagement Training at Liberty Lutheran

Liberty Lutheran is blessed to have a talented pool of team members who go above and beyond. One person who plays an integral role in preparing them for their career at Liberty is Charmaine R. Maddrey-Smith.

Liberty recently featured Charmaine in its At Liberty publication, asking her about her role and how Liberty is different. Here’s her response.

Q. How does Liberty Lutheran compare to other organizations, and what impact does that make for the people we serve?

A. I’ve had the opportunity to work for many types of organizations–corporate, academia, and Liberty is my first not-for profit environment.   I’ve learned invaluable lessons from all of the organizations but the one thing that stands out most to me about Liberty is the care for the employees, more so from our president & CEO of the organization.

While it would seem common practice to see a commitment to developing people, promoting their well-being, and valuing and caring for the caregivers, too often regrettably, that’s not always the case.

And, for me, personally, it’s enriching to see that up close and personal because it allows me to be a lot more enthusiastic about the job that I have.  At Liberty there is a sincere effort to espouse a culture that supports its doctrine.

Q. How do you see the work that you do inspire others in the community?

A. I often use this quote in the new hire orientations—“People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.” I love the fact that I have an opportunity to inspire hope by presenting Liberty as a caring organization.

When I talk to new hires, when I talk to any employee, I introduce and unpack our core competencies and customer service standards not just in words but also in deeds.

People need to see a live demonstration—basically leading by example.  I impress upon employees the importance of professionalism and good leadership.

The climate of the workspace is very different from a decade ago. To be in a position where, when I’m talking about leadership and what it should look and feel like, I can see I’m inspiring hope.

Good leaders inspire hope. I feel really good about inspiring others because that inspiration makes people much more productive. It makes them much more engaged. That’s why Liberty hired me.

Q. Tell us about an experience you have had with Liberty that impacted members and families.

A. I feel like I have an indirect impact because, of course, as I am introducing our core competencies, and explaining, and defining how we should espouse them throughout the organization, I don’t really get to see what people are doing, except via the thank-you notes and different messages that come back to Luanne and others about the level of care that residents receive. I feel like, in some way, it’s the result of what I’m offering the organization through the trainings.

More directly, I had an opportunity this year to participate in Artman’s Annual Golf Outing, so I know that directly has an impact because it benefits the Benevolent Care Fund.