Michael Dowling, president and CEO of New Hyde Park, N.Y.-based Northwell Health, helms the largest healthcare provider and private employer in New York state.
He has earned praise for addressing societal issues such as gun violence and immigration, and recently received recognition for fostering meaningful human connections in healthcare. On June 10 in New York City, Mr. Dowling was honored with the 2024 National Humanism in Medicine Medal from The Arnold P. Gold Foundation.
Before the gala, Mr. Dowling spoke with Becker's about his leadership, his new book on geriatric care and his work in gun violence prevention, among other topics.
Here are three leadership takeaways from the discussion:
Invest in the incoming workforce. Mr. Dowling welcomes about 250 new employees to Northwell each week through the New Beginnings program, spending time introducing them to the organization's purpose and culture, and answering their questions. "It's a lot of people. Sometimes it's almost 300. It varies, but it's exciting," he said.
Build your core team with the right people. His core team includes leaders such as COO Mark Solazzo, some of whom have been with Northwell for decades. Mr. Dowling looks for people who care about helping others. "I don't want people who [only] want a job," he said. "I want people who see it as an obligation and responsibility. And I look for people with a perpetual sense of optimism that there is no dream too big." He also desires people who can navigate challenges and successes. And "when you hire a cohort of people like that, if you get it right and you let them hire others, they'll hire [and train other good people] like themselves," Mr. Dowling said.
Treat people well and with dignity. Since taking the helm of Northwell in 2002, Mr. Dowling has had to let employees go. In these instances, he strives to keep dignity at the forefront. "Some of the guys I let go are still friends. You don't have to make an enemy to part ways with somebody," he said. "You make the transition easy."