Jamie Dabal on Leadership at Children’s of Alabama

Jamie Dabal has been part of the Children’s of Alabama family since 2008. After moving back home to Birmingham to find an organization to grow with, she was hired as the Business Administrator for Surgical Services at Children’s of Alabama. After several years in this position, Jamie took on a different leadership role by leading a new software system implementation at the hospital. This opportunity and experience led Jamie into the world of healthcare supply chain.

Because of this growth and Children’s of Alabama’s leaders, Jamie has been able to continue learning and working on new initiatives that she wasn’t able to in previous positions.

A decade later, Jamie serves as the Divisional Director of Supply Chain and Operational Support. Although this position doesn’t provide immediate patient care, the work her team performs – providing supplies and services needed to take care of patients – is critical to the overall operation of the hospital.

Now, she’s here to share what it takes to be a successful leader and a terrific teammate at Children’s of Alabama.

What does it take to be a good leader? 

“A good leader has the ability to be a visionary and see past day-to-day issues and steer toward a long-term goal. I believe a good leader has the ability to build and retain strong relationships with other leaders across the organization beyond their level of influence, because that’s how you’re able to progress forward. I think those two things are critical when you’re leading a large area or areas within an organization.”

What does it take to be a good teammate?

“Not everyone can be the captain, sometimes you have to be the crew, and recognizing that collaboration is important. Being a team member isn’t necessarily always getting exactly what you want, but understanding that there are other needs out there too and you have to be able to compromise to get a win-win situation.

Can you describe the ideal candidate for your team?

“When I’m recruiting for a team member, I’m looking for someone who is willing to walk into COA and have an open mind when it comes to learning. I don’t think you will be successful if you enter into a job and say, ‘okay I think I know what needs to be done.’” You have to spend a significant amount of time listening and understanding the culture and the situation before you’re really able to give productive input. I’m looking for lifelong learners and people who can adapt to change. I’m also looking for someone who has an idea of their desired career path, so I can help develop them and potentially advance their career, so someone looking for opportunities for growth.”

Why do you love your job?

“I love my job because I get to come in every day and see firsthand the effects of what I do and how it impacts patient care. I get to see our children in the red wagons coming in to the hospital going into the clinics, and I know the work that my team is doing is directly impacting their care and experience. That to me is invaluable.

If you have an open mind and a willingness to learn, apply today to join our supply chain team!