M. Barbara Balik, RN, principal of Common Fire Healthcare Consulting in Albuquerque, N.M., is co-author with Jack A. Gilbert
of "Heart of Leadership," a new book from AHA Press on attributes of highly regarded healthcare leaders. To find these attributes, the authors selected 10 leaders of healthcare organizations, based on recommendations from an array of professionals. Then they interviewed colleagues who reported to them and those whom they reported to, asking what characteristics made these leaders admirable.
1. Insiders to the organization. CEOs are often hired from outside the organization to bring in "new blood," but all of these leaders came to their posts from inside the organization. Their shortest tenure at the company was seven years and some were there for two or three decades. "These people knew the strengths and weaknesses of their organization," Ms. Balik says. "They knew what had to change and could honor what must stay."
2. Personality matters. "What is most important about leaders is not so much what they do as it is who they are," Ms. Balik says. "It's not the recipe, it's the cook."
3. Not workaholics. These were not people who worked incredibly long hours. "They worked hard but they didn’t work any harder than the average CEO," Ms. Balik says.
4. Working closely with others. They spent a great deal of time working with individuals in small groups and listening to people. "They were close to the action rather than delegating," Ms. Balik says. They did not spend much time in their own offices.
5. Caring about others. They were not necessarily gregarious people. While some were very outgoing, some were quite shy, but they all paid attention to "growing" others," Ms. Balik says. "They were very good at engaging everyone," she says.
6. True to their word. Their words and actions matched. "They were authentic," Ms. Balik says. Also, they were wise but not cynical.
7. Showing humility. One of them said, "This is not about me; this is all about team." Three of them suggested if their example did not contribute to the book, they should be dropped. "They tended not to believe their own press," Ms. Balik says. "Although they got a lot of accolades, they never felt they were doing enough."
8. Passion for patient care. "They really cared about the patient," Ms. Balik says. "It was clear this was a life's commitment." Five of them were clinicians — either physicians or nurses. Two of them spent time with improvement teams. One was an accountant.
9. Always looking for more. They were intelligent, hungry for learning and reflective. They could learn from anyone, from a front-line staff member to reading a book. "They were never satisfied with how things are," Ms. Balik says. "They were always aiming higher.
10. Positive view of the future. When confronted with adversity, they would say, "We are going to get through this." Ms. Balik adds: "This is the kind of attitude healthcare organizations to navigate through these tough financial times."
Find out more about "Heart of Leadership" from AHA Press.
1. Insiders to the organization. CEOs are often hired from outside the organization to bring in "new blood," but all of these leaders came to their posts from inside the organization. Their shortest tenure at the company was seven years and some were there for two or three decades. "These people knew the strengths and weaknesses of their organization," Ms. Balik says. "They knew what had to change and could honor what must stay."
2. Personality matters. "What is most important about leaders is not so much what they do as it is who they are," Ms. Balik says. "It's not the recipe, it's the cook."
3. Not workaholics. These were not people who worked incredibly long hours. "They worked hard but they didn’t work any harder than the average CEO," Ms. Balik says.
4. Working closely with others. They spent a great deal of time working with individuals in small groups and listening to people. "They were close to the action rather than delegating," Ms. Balik says. They did not spend much time in their own offices.
5. Caring about others. They were not necessarily gregarious people. While some were very outgoing, some were quite shy, but they all paid attention to "growing" others," Ms. Balik says. "They were very good at engaging everyone," she says.
6. True to their word. Their words and actions matched. "They were authentic," Ms. Balik says. Also, they were wise but not cynical.
7. Showing humility. One of them said, "This is not about me; this is all about team." Three of them suggested if their example did not contribute to the book, they should be dropped. "They tended not to believe their own press," Ms. Balik says. "Although they got a lot of accolades, they never felt they were doing enough."
8. Passion for patient care. "They really cared about the patient," Ms. Balik says. "It was clear this was a life's commitment." Five of them were clinicians — either physicians or nurses. Two of them spent time with improvement teams. One was an accountant.
9. Always looking for more. They were intelligent, hungry for learning and reflective. They could learn from anyone, from a front-line staff member to reading a book. "They were never satisfied with how things are," Ms. Balik says. "They were always aiming higher.
10. Positive view of the future. When confronted with adversity, they would say, "We are going to get through this." Ms. Balik adds: "This is the kind of attitude healthcare organizations to navigate through these tough financial times."
Find out more about "Heart of Leadership" from AHA Press.