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75 Years Strong: How SMH Leads with Culture and Community (Sara Giles)

Author
Sue Tetzlaff / Sara Giles
Published
Wed 06 Aug 2025
Episode Link
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A positive organizational culture is reflected in employee interactions with the community.

In this episode of Culture Change RX, Sue Tetzlaff speaks with Sara Giles, the marketing director at Schoolcraft Memorial Hospital, about the evolution of community engagement and employee relations within the organization. They discuss the importance of building relationships, the impact of employee contributions, and the strategic alignment of community events with local needs. Sara shares insights on the SMH Cares program, which incentivizes employee participation in community initiatives, and highlights the hospital's commitment to fostering a positive organizational culture. The conversation culminates in a celebration of the hospital's 75th anniversary and its ongoing commitment to engaging with the community. 

  • Community engagement is essential for building trust and market share.
  • Employee involvement in community initiatives enhances job satisfaction and retention.
  • The best hospital ambassadors are your people.
  • The SMH Cares program rewards employees for their community service efforts.
  • Strategic planning is crucial for aligning community events with local needs.
  • Building relationships with community partners is key to successful engagement.
  • Celebrating milestones, like the 75th anniversary, strengthens community ties.
  • Innovative events can revitalize traditional community engagement efforts.
  • Engaging employees in community marketing is proving to be more effective than traditional advertising.



Capstone helps rural hospitals be the provider- and employer-of-choice to keep care local and margins strong. Learn more via a complimentary consultation call. Schedule at:  CapstoneLeadership.net/Contact-Us


Learn more - and register - for an upcoming Capstone Leadership Summit:  CapstoneLeadership.net/Upcoming-Events

Hi! I’m Sue Tetzlaff. I’m a culture and execution strategist for small and rural healthcare organizations - helping them to be the provider and employer-of-choice so they can keep care local and margins strong.

For decades, I’ve worked with healthcare organizations to navigate the people-side of healthcare, the part that can make or break your results. What I’ve learned is this: culture is not a soft thing. It’s the hardest thing, and it determines everything.

When you’re ready to take your culture to the next level, here are three ways I can help you:

1. Listen to the Culture Change RX Podcast
Every week, I share conversations with leaders who are transforming healthcare workplaces and strategies for keeping teams engaged, patients loyal, and margins healthy.

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3. Break through to the next level of greatness in your organization with help from my team and me.
When you’re ready to be the provider and employer-of-choice, we’ll help you implement proven frameworks that strengthen culture, improve experience and ensure your organization thrives.
You can email me at [email protected] and put “BREAKTHROUGH” in the subject line and I’ll get you all the details.

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