Lead With Vision & Values
Leadership in behavioral health is about more than managing. Leadership shapes the soul of an organization. High turnover and burnout aren’t just about pay or paperwork. Often, people leave because the work environment feels unsafe, uninspired, or disconnected (NWIC, 2024; National Council for Mental Wellbeing, 2025).
On the other hand, strong leadership, backed by a lived vision and healthy culture, helps people feel valued, connected, and committed.
Why Vision Matters
A clear, consistent vision gives meaning to day-to-day work. When leaders speak and live the mission, it helps:
- Connect individual roles to the bigger picture
- Boost engagement and retention
- Create shared purpose across teams
Spotlight: Arrowleaf
Arrowleaf builds a people-first culture that celebrates connection and meaning.
Key strategies include:
- New hire “graduation” ceremonies after orientation
- Appreciation events for staff and their families
- Wellness stipends for all employees
- History and site tours led by the CEO
- Reset events focused on learning and reflection
Arrowleaf’s commitment to grounding leadership in mission helps staff feel seen, celebrated, and aligned.
Why Culture Matters
Vision without culture falls flat. Culture is how values show up in practice, especially during stress or conflict.
Healthy workplace culture looks like:
- Respectful team interactions
- Supportive, present supervisors
- Leaders who model feedback, care, and humility
- Environments where people feel emotionally safe
The Role of Leadership
To build culture, leaders must:
- Examine “how things are done”
- Break down barriers to feedback
- Invest in staff development
- Follow through with transparency and humility
Trust keeps people connected, which can keep them from leaving.
Spotlight: Thresholds
Thresholds, one of the oldest and largest providers of recovery services for people with mental illness and substance use conditions in Illinois, built a Leadership Development Program that supports both new and experienced staff.
Why they did it:
- Many current supervisors were new to the role
- Others were nearing retirement
- The organization needed consistent, future-ready leadership
Key program components:
- Emotional intelligence
- Conflict resolution
- Crisis leadership
- Communication and change management
- Team building and performance coaching
A cross-department committee shaped the content to ensure not just buy-in, but also relevance and inclusivity.
It’s about identifying where we can grow and building a strong bench for the future.
– Sterling Haukom Anderson, Director of Workforce Development
Tips for Implementation
Actionable ways to strengthen vision and culture:
- Leadership workshops on trauma-informed values
- Taskforces with diverse staff (frontline, peer, admin) to shape change
- Culture audits to assess alignment with TIC principles
- Pilot small changes, evaluate, and scale what works
- Share data and stories to build momentum and community
Sources
- National Council for Mental Wellbeing, Health Management Associates, & The College for Behavioral Health Leadership. (2025). Call to action to build a sustainable behavioral health workforce
- Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2014). Trauma‐informed care in behavioral health services (TIP 57)
- National Wraparound Implementation Center. (2024). Addressing the behavioral health workforce crisis
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