At the Becker's Hospital Review Annual Meeting in Chicago on May 18, acclaimed business journalist and author Suzy Welch moderated a panel session of four healthcare leaders on what makes "great leadership."
Teri Fontenot, president and CEO of Woman's Hospital in Baton Rouge, La., said as the healthcare paradigm shifts toward a multidisciplinary, team-based care model, hospital executives have to establish and "own the right culture." "It's such a service- and people-oriented sector, you have to own the culture," Ms. Fontenot said. "A leader also has to be inspiring, energetic and hands-on with the nose out."
Kristen Murtos, president of Skokie (Ill.) Hospital, added that a great hospital leader in today's age will instill a presence of calm when things often seem calamitous. "We don't know what the healthcare environment is going to look like five years from now," Ms. Murtos said. "As people are struggling with that uncertainty, it's important to be out there communicating and providing some semblance of stability and assurance that regardless of what the future holds, our organization has what it takes to be sustainable."
Ms. Welch also asked the panelists what some of their biggest mistakes were as healthcare leaders, and for Pamela Stoyanoff, executive vice president and COO of Dallas-based Methodist Health System, she found out that some of her shortcomings were becoming habitual traits. For example, she found out from others that she interrupted others while talking, and her listening skills needed honing.
"We are so excited to say what we want to say that we sometimes don't let people finish their sentence," Ms. Stoyanoff said. "[When I interrupted], people had the impression that I made my mind up, so why ask them? I learned very clearly that those were mistakes I was making every single day. It was preventing people from feeling like they could contribute."
Melissa Szabad, JD, partner at McGuireWoods, reiterated that point, saying people need to feel as though their thoughts and opinions matter. She added that healthcare leaders need to foster a cohesive environment that eliminates any sort of "tunnel vision." "Healthcare doesn't ever really seem to slow down," Ms. Szabad said. "Don't let the urgent crowd out the important, and think big picture."
Teri Fontenot, president and CEO of Woman's Hospital in Baton Rouge, La., said as the healthcare paradigm shifts toward a multidisciplinary, team-based care model, hospital executives have to establish and "own the right culture." "It's such a service- and people-oriented sector, you have to own the culture," Ms. Fontenot said. "A leader also has to be inspiring, energetic and hands-on with the nose out."
Kristen Murtos, president of Skokie (Ill.) Hospital, added that a great hospital leader in today's age will instill a presence of calm when things often seem calamitous. "We don't know what the healthcare environment is going to look like five years from now," Ms. Murtos said. "As people are struggling with that uncertainty, it's important to be out there communicating and providing some semblance of stability and assurance that regardless of what the future holds, our organization has what it takes to be sustainable."
Ms. Welch also asked the panelists what some of their biggest mistakes were as healthcare leaders, and for Pamela Stoyanoff, executive vice president and COO of Dallas-based Methodist Health System, she found out that some of her shortcomings were becoming habitual traits. For example, she found out from others that she interrupted others while talking, and her listening skills needed honing.
"We are so excited to say what we want to say that we sometimes don't let people finish their sentence," Ms. Stoyanoff said. "[When I interrupted], people had the impression that I made my mind up, so why ask them? I learned very clearly that those were mistakes I was making every single day. It was preventing people from feeling like they could contribute."
Melissa Szabad, JD, partner at McGuireWoods, reiterated that point, saying people need to feel as though their thoughts and opinions matter. She added that healthcare leaders need to foster a cohesive environment that eliminates any sort of "tunnel vision." "Healthcare doesn't ever really seem to slow down," Ms. Szabad said. "Don't let the urgent crowd out the important, and think big picture."
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