By Pablo Rajczyk
As a lifelong Chicagoan working from a foundational knowledge base earned through nearly two decades of education and work experience, Mary Jo is a seasoned professional.
After graduating from UIC, Mary Jo earned a Master’s degree in Organizational Leadership from Lewis University in suburban Romeoville. She arrived at UIC after spending the bulk of her career as the Human Resource Manager at Advocate Christ Medical Center.
As a mother of two young children, including a her son who has spent countless days in many hospitals in the Midwest, Mary Jo Smith has an intimate understanding of how quality care affects every patient and their family. It’s with that same resolve and determination to educate that she approaches her professional life.
Planning for the future of the hospital, she says. “It’s all built around patients. What we do has to result in exceptional patient care.” Her vision entails building a stronger HR infrastructure that’s integrated with the campus, and aligned with the goals of the hospital and health services system. To accomplish this, she says that HR has to “be a strategic business partner with the leadership team and the staff.”
Mary Jo sums up her personal philosophy succinctly: “Review, revise, improve.” This is seen in the newly revitalized recognition program in the hospital. She and the Employee Recognition Team took an existing program, and took steps to improve it--reevaluating how success is defined.
Mary Jo says that she gains information by sharing information, and she recognizes that there are as many learning styles as managerial styles. It’s during her daily interactions around the hospital and the campus that she gains the most knowledge. “No position is more important or less important; leader, doctor, student, everyone is here for one reason.”
When discussing how to overcome many of the challenges facing the organization, she sums up her answer in her usual succinct and efficient style: “Education.” She says, “A team-centered approach increases organizational development and efficiency. The best way to Increase employee organizational learning is by providing everyone with tools and resources.”
Within a dense and highly competitive Chicago market there’s a need to remain a vital part of the community in an increasingly competitive market. “Patients are consumers, and we want to be their choice.” In the words of one of the Hospital’s mottos “care about me, ease my journey, help my healing”. These are all multi-step processes that take place over time. Change will be incremental, she says, but consistent and, over time, substantial.
