“I Am!—Somebody!”
On leadership, dignity, and shared purpose in senior living
By L. Helton
Having spent nearly sixteen years in the senior living industry, serving in leadership roles across both local and national organizations, I can say with confidence that a senior living community is, in many ways, like a small city—full of moving parts.
There are leaders accountable for infrastructure and maintenance, housekeeping, grounds, culinary, marketing and leasing, life enrichment… and that’s just the beginning. Layer in budgets, corporate pressures, regulatory requirements—and, most importantly, the needs of residents—and the complexity multiplies.
In my most recent role as Executive Director of an independent living retirement community, all of those moving parts were present. But something essential was missing. People were operating without a shared objective or direction. And—most concerning—I couldn’t detect any real sense of trust or commitment to collective success.
The community was struggling. Occupancy was low. Morale—among both staff and residents—had eroded. Some leaders seemed uncertain about where to go next. Others, I feared, had stopped caring altogether.
It wasn’t an ideal place to begin. But having been entrusted with the role, there was no sensible alternative but to work with the realities in front of me.
I was reminded of a story my father has told many times. A paratroop commander was briefing his soldiers on a new mission.
“Men, I have some good news and some bad news. I like to start with the bad news first. The bad news is that we’ll be jumping behind enemy lines.”
The soldiers groaned.
Unfazed, and with a big, toothy grin, the commander continued: “But the good news—the really positive news—is that there’ll be targets all around us in every direction.”
So it was for me when I accepted the new E.D. role. The facility, with all of its challenges, was now my responsibility.
My early observations confirmed siloed operations, limited collaboration among the leadership team, and a lack of shared understanding around purpose, roles, and outcomes. In simple terms: people were working hard, but not together.
The turnaround was neither quick nor easy. It took a couple of hard-won years, often requiring difficult conversations and tough decisions. We parted ways with a number of people who were not contributing to the future of the community.
At the same time, we began to do a few things differently—and consistently. We clarified what success looked like, not just in metrics like occupancy, but in how we worked together day to day. We spent time aligning on roles and expectations. We made space for leaders to talk with one another, not just report upward.
Slowly, something began to shift.
Engagement increased. Trust started to form. The leadership team began to work together. Over time, a shared vision emerged. And with that alignment came renewed energy and commitment to building occupancy and strengthening the community as a whole.
For the past year and a half, the difference has been clear. Staff and residents are happier. Occupancy has remained consistently strong.
What I’ve learned is that leadership isn’t about keeping people busy—or even looking busy. And it’s not just about focusing on the numbers.
It’s about helping people make sense of the work they’re doing—eight, ten, twelve hours a day. It’s about helping residents feel seen, appreciated, and cared for.
It’s about creating an environment where everyone knows they matter.
That idea—that people matter—is not abstract. It has to be felt. It has to be made real in the day-to-day experience of a place.
The Reverend Jesse Jackson often reminded the people in his audiences of exactly that. In his famous and moving call-and-response chant, he would proclaim, “I am!” and the people would respond, “Somebody!”
“I am! Somebody!”
And to that, I would add: we all are.
At its best, leadership makes that real—every day, for everyone in my community—and yours.
Lance Helton is an Executive Director of Senior Living & Co-Founder of the Co-Creative Leadership Alliance