1. Communicate effectively. It is absolutely essential for CEOs to have exceptional communicating talent to get their messages across and to motivate and inspire employees. Too many leaders depend on staff to do the communicating for them, but that doesn’t impress most employees. CEOs should be able to communicate effectively with team members and employees in all departments. This includes providing personal notes of encouragement or congratulations on a job well done, giving talks at award ceremonies and hosting employee meetings.
2. See the big picture. Too often CEOs get bogged down with miscellaneous matters that aren't really that important to meet big goals like innovation and delivering quality medicine. Effective leaders have to be able to wade through all the trivia thrown at them and see the bigger picture.
3. Get involved on the front lines. Great CEOs are never afraid to "get their hands dirty" and spend some time working on the front lines with employees. For example, when "Erie" Chapman was CEO of Riverside Methodist Hospital in Columbus, Ohio, and later of Baptist Hospital in Nashville, he made a practice of working in various departments dressed in the appropriate attire once a month. It did wonders for morale and it made employees realize their jobs were as important as the CEO's.
4. Visit with patients. Too often CEOs make taking care of patients a secondary issue, even though that is what a hospital should be all about. An effective leader should be willing to make rounds and visit with patients. It isn't done much these days but patients are grateful and nurses and other staff are impressed that the CEO is fully engaged in their work.
5. Have an open door. CEOs should encourage visits from employee and offer confidentially and without retribution. Just knowing they can talk to the top person builds employee morale. The door should be open for anyone, from physicians to housekeepers. It really doesn't matter who they are.
6. Exhibit integrity. Great leaders never ever compromise their integrity by questionable behavior. They know they are leading sometimes thousands of people who look up to them for inspiration and authority. This means going out of your way to always, always behave with principles above the norm.
7. Pick effective staff. Effective CEOs surround themselves with strong people with strong convictions who they can turn loose to do their jobs. They realize that attaining excellence means finding top staff who are not only smart but have the intestinal fortitude to take risks and stand by their convictions. Great CEOs love to be challenged by others to make sure their decisions are right. They enjoy debate rather than gathering a bunch of yes-men around them.
8. Be transparent. Effective leaders don't play games with their employees, the press, board members or physicians. They make sure everyone knows the game plan and the goals of the institution. How can members of the team do what is necessary if they don't know the goals?
9. Keep educating yourself. Effective leaders should never stop learning and always be willing to change and learn new things that can help to make their institution more successful. They should take courses to make them more effective and learn new management tools to help the c-suite team be better executives.
10. Be altruistic. Top leaders make sure they cater to the needs of their people before they consider their own needs. In the Marine Corps, officers are told over and over that their troops needs come first before they even consider their own needs. Effective leaders let others take credit for success, allow staff to make mistakes and continually mentors people. Every leader must be willing to work with others to make them not only more successful but more effective.
Chuck Lauer ( chuckspeaking@aol.com ) was publisher of Modern Healthcare for more than 25 years. He is now an author, public speaker and career coach who is in demand for his motivational messages to top companies nationwide.
2. See the big picture. Too often CEOs get bogged down with miscellaneous matters that aren't really that important to meet big goals like innovation and delivering quality medicine. Effective leaders have to be able to wade through all the trivia thrown at them and see the bigger picture.
3. Get involved on the front lines. Great CEOs are never afraid to "get their hands dirty" and spend some time working on the front lines with employees. For example, when "Erie" Chapman was CEO of Riverside Methodist Hospital in Columbus, Ohio, and later of Baptist Hospital in Nashville, he made a practice of working in various departments dressed in the appropriate attire once a month. It did wonders for morale and it made employees realize their jobs were as important as the CEO's.
4. Visit with patients. Too often CEOs make taking care of patients a secondary issue, even though that is what a hospital should be all about. An effective leader should be willing to make rounds and visit with patients. It isn't done much these days but patients are grateful and nurses and other staff are impressed that the CEO is fully engaged in their work.
5. Have an open door. CEOs should encourage visits from employee and offer confidentially and without retribution. Just knowing they can talk to the top person builds employee morale. The door should be open for anyone, from physicians to housekeepers. It really doesn't matter who they are.
6. Exhibit integrity. Great leaders never ever compromise their integrity by questionable behavior. They know they are leading sometimes thousands of people who look up to them for inspiration and authority. This means going out of your way to always, always behave with principles above the norm.
7. Pick effective staff. Effective CEOs surround themselves with strong people with strong convictions who they can turn loose to do their jobs. They realize that attaining excellence means finding top staff who are not only smart but have the intestinal fortitude to take risks and stand by their convictions. Great CEOs love to be challenged by others to make sure their decisions are right. They enjoy debate rather than gathering a bunch of yes-men around them.
8. Be transparent. Effective leaders don't play games with their employees, the press, board members or physicians. They make sure everyone knows the game plan and the goals of the institution. How can members of the team do what is necessary if they don't know the goals?
9. Keep educating yourself. Effective leaders should never stop learning and always be willing to change and learn new things that can help to make their institution more successful. They should take courses to make them more effective and learn new management tools to help the c-suite team be better executives.
10. Be altruistic. Top leaders make sure they cater to the needs of their people before they consider their own needs. In the Marine Corps, officers are told over and over that their troops needs come first before they even consider their own needs. Effective leaders let others take credit for success, allow staff to make mistakes and continually mentors people. Every leader must be willing to work with others to make them not only more successful but more effective.
Chuck Lauer ( chuckspeaking@aol.com ) was publisher of Modern Healthcare for more than 25 years. He is now an author, public speaker and career coach who is in demand for his motivational messages to top companies nationwide.