Insights into the ICM Leadership Council
Ultimately, a company’s success or failure is driven by the decisions it makes. Many organizations are structured so that a limited number of executives in the corporate office hold the keys to the kingdom.
ICM has taken a different approach and it is paying big dividends for everyone in the company. While we believe in strong leadership we do not make decisions in a vacuum. We are nimble enough for senior executives to be out in the field meeting with clients, prospects and staff and attending key conferences but their greatest insights come from a select group of team members representing various facets of ICM’s business.
The ICM Leadership Council is comprised of case managers, salespeople, human resources and senior executives and it is an integral part of the decision-making process. The purpose is to take a 360 degree approach to setting policies and creating programs so input and ideas from all aspects of the business are considered and carefully weighed.
The Council also plays a role keeping fellow team members informed of what’s going on behind the scenes so they have a better understanding when new programs or policies are introduced enabling them to intelligently execute them in the field.
We are purposely bold in recruiting talent, placing a call to leaders who want to make a difference within an organization. Visit our Case Manager page on our Web site and you’ll be greeted with this headline: ICM Empowers Its People To Manage Cases and Their Careers. We believe that empowerment can only happen when the case manager feels valued, has forums to share insights and remains informed.
In addition to driving key decisions, the Leadership Council mentors new recruits, helps resolve issues and keeps case managers in individual states up to speed on policies that might impact them or their patients.
The Best Ideas Come From Brainstorming Sessions
Great satisfaction comes from brainstorming sessions sparked by lively discussions involving the many different perspectives represented on the Council. A growing company like ICM can run the risk of losing some of the greatest qualities of a smaller organization—the feeling of family. When there are regular two-way discussions between the field and home office, that feeling of family remains strong. There are times when sparks fly, but without that type of energy a company can remain stagnant and that simply isn’t ICM’s style.
Council members, particularly case managers who have joined ICM from other organizations, are particularly enthusiastic about the group because they have never worked for an organization that listens directly to the field in this manner. As one member stated, “The Council enables us to incorporate an accurate perspective to the corporate/management level, and to ensure that management’s decisions can be applied to the daily process of managing each case and case load to improve the injured worker, referral source, and employer.”
But don’t let the seriousness of the above statement fool you. The Council is also a great deal of fun—as long as you don’t mind fending off creative pranks from time to time. We are absolutely serious about the services we perform and the trust placed in us by our clients, but we are also a group of connected people who enjoy working together to make ICM the best it can possibly be. And trust us when we say that we are only as good as our people. Remember, when it comes to the talent we seek, Only Leaders Need Apply.
