The following blog is adapted from an internal email sent from our founder and CEO, Tripp Johnson, to the entire Advaita Collective, which includes Advaita Integrated Medicine and Green Hill Recovery.
Spotlighting Transparency as a Core Value
Leading an organization should be a very philosophical endeavor, and for me, it starts with a set of core values. When I took over as CEO, Nick and I worked together to develop a set of values that would apply to the recovery process and to the entire human development project. In a sense, we were trying to encapsulate some sort of universal, perennial values. One of those values is transparency. But what does transparency really mean?
Transparency is not about being exposed; it’s about being honest. As a company, we aspire to that level of transparency where we have a compensation process that is so fair and meritocratic that everyone is comfortable with each person knowing how much they’re paid, and we feel like everyone else is paid their worth. At Bridgewater, a company known for a rigorous, values-based management style, they record all meetings and post them to a shared repository. That means anyone in the company could watch any meeting you’re a part of – what does that do to gossip? We’re not installing cameras, nor will we publish pay details, but let’s focus on transparency in our individual interactions through radical candor (caring personally + challenging directly).
Welcome to Armond, Katie, and Michael!
I’m thrilled to have Armond Hendrick and Katie Hancock on the team! Armond and Katie come to the team with awesome experiences that will add valuable insight and new perspectives to our managed care programs. Now that Corey has largely established her clinical team, we’ll probably hear rumblings of PHP and additional groups starting soon. If you haven’t gotten the chance to connect with Armond or Katie, shoot them a welcome note.
Who’s been in this organization the longest? If you guessed Nick, you’d be wrong. Technically, Michael O’Sullivan has been the longest-serving member of the Advaita Collective. Michael first joined the team in 2017 as a program facilitator. Since then, he’s been accepted into Duke’s law school and MBA programs, served as an analyst for the company, and pitched in on innumerable projects over the years. Michael graduates with his MBA from Duke’s Fuqua School of Business this Saturday, and I’m excited to welcome him back as the interim chief financial officer!
Balancing Financial Realities and Aspirational Visions
In healthcare, balancing financial realities and aspirational visions often leads to one being paid only in lip service. It’s not fun for anyone involved. At times, we’ve been way too financially motivated, and sometimes we’ve ignored reality. We need a team of professionals, and we need a professionally run finance department. I know we didn’t get off to the smoothest start with integrating folks from Willow, but I believe it’s smooth sailing now that we’ve got someone dedicated to building and maintaining complex financial systems.
Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) Continuing Education Event
I’ve always wanted us to develop a reputation as thought leaders and educators. To that end, I’m excited to kick things off this year with a continuing education opportunity, “Intro to DBT,” featuring Corey + Krista. This dynamic duo has already revamped our internal training calendar. Now they’re taking their show on the road or down the street to New Waters Recovery, where, unsurprisingly, attendance for the in-person event is already maxed out. However, you can still register for an online spot here.
Program Team Leads the Way!
If you’re unfamiliar with our transitional living and intensive outpatient programs, you may not know how large of a role the “program team,” aka recovery coaches, peer support, and case managers, play. We have never had as impressive and cohesive a team as we do now. A huge shout out to the entire team. If you don’t know Alex, Elliot, Josh, Reilly, Jake, Pete, Troy, and anyone else, I forgot – I know we’ve got a few folks in flux as school starts and finishes – you should, because they’re the backbone of our programs. They keep our clients safe, accountable, and focused on their goals. They are the ones who interact with our clients the most, and who help clients achieve their goals. So please, show them some love! They deserve it.
In conclusion, I want to reiterate the importance of transparency as a core value for the Advaita Collective. As leaders in the healthcare industry, we must strive to be honest and forthright in our interactions with clients, colleagues, and the public. By doing so, we build trust and credibility, which are essential for our continued success. I am proud to be part of this team, and I look forward to seeing us grow and thrive in the years to come.
– Tripp Johnson, CEO & Founder
