Issue link: https://beckershealthcare.uberflip.com/i/1179082
35 35 CEO/STRATEGY become critical to me being able to endure the challenges and opportunities of leading in a rapidly changing healthcare environment. My mind feels clearer to make the tough decisions, and I have the presence of mind to be fully available to my team. For me, these things re- ally matter. I have peace of mind knowing that not only have I been able to care for myself, but that I've been able to give 100 percent to my work while still caring for my team, and ultimately coming home to spend quality time with my family. I encourage my team to always practice self- care too. You cannot pour from an empty cup. Adam Levy, MD Medical director of pediatric ambulatory subspecialty services at the Children's Hospi- tal at Montefiore (New York City) As a pediatric oncologist, I can think of no greater honor than parents trusting us to care for their children. Just as I appreciate that trust, I appreciate everyone's role in that care. As a physician-leader I make it a habit to demon- strate that appreciation as oen as possible. More and more, I start each interaction with appreciation — for a job well done, for ac- knowledging that we can and will do better, for simply listening and being present. My ap- preciation is authentic. All of our colleagues in healthcare deserve praise for choosing to work in the service of others. Everyone in the build- ing, every person within the institution, shares our mission to care for our patients, their fam- ilies and the community. Appreciating a colleague focuses attention back to the patient and the important role the colleague plays. Appreciation shows that on this day, the colleague is contributing to mak- ing someone's life better. is is true for those interacting with patients, colleagues with roles behind the scenes, colleagues managing and maintaining the facilities, administrative team members who are working to make sure the health system is operating well and financially healthy — all are helping improve the lives of others. How awesome is that? It should be easy for a leader to appreciate team members — we define the roles, we have in- fluence on staffing and choosing personnel. Leaders know how much we all rely on each other to perform our best. Sharing our au- thentic appreciation is the right thing to do as a matter of common decency. Appreciation is infectious. And from a leadership perspective, it also happens to be a most compelling mo- tivator. eresa Madaline, MD Healthcare epidemiologist at Montefiore Health System (New York City) In my role as hospital epidemiologist at Monte- fiore Health System, I'm tasked with navigating a large, complex organization in order to safe- guard the hospital and its patients against in- fectious diseases. Healthcare is a fast-paced industry in which many different people must work in concert to improve the health of pa- tients. is year, I've focused on how my team and I react to barriers or indecision. By tak- ing a step back and reframing the problem, I have been able to encourage my team to return their focus to what is most important: the pa- tient. Once we've examined a problem through the human lens and unite around the common goal of providing the best possible care to those we serve, the way forward comes into clearer focus and a sense of urgency and engagement emerges. Reframing in difficult moments is crucial to fostering a growth mindset, building consensus among members of a care team, cre- ating space for innovative solutions and pro- moting a patient-centered culture of safety. Daniel Morissette CFO of CommonSpirit Health (Chicago) is year, CommonSpirit Health came togeth- er as a new health system as the result of the merger between [San Francisco-based] Digni- ty Health and [Englewood, Colo.-based] CHI [Catholic Health Initiatives]. What is exciting to me as a leader is that our people are embrac- ing our vision to transform healthcare. While our mission and values remain the same, our enterprise is evolving rapidly to meet the needs of our patients today and into the future. at's why it is so important that we as lead- ers communicate more transparently — and more effectively — than ever before. In times of change, I believe the best thing I can do is to communicate, providing timely information to preempt questions and dispel any feelings of uncertainty. Now, what we may think of as over-commu- nication is anything but that. We send regular email updates to our employees, hold regular team calls and town halls, and make a point to have meetings in person. I believe inspiration is a two-way street — when times call for innovations in the way things have always been done, you never know where a good idea will come from. Common- Spirit has a unique opportunity to enhance the delivery of healthcare in communities across the country, and we want every person in our organizationto be inspired to provide the best possible care to every patient, and to each oth- er, every single day. It is my hope that every person in CommonSpirit is inspired along our journey. Lori C. Pickens Senior vice president of oncology services and executive director of Yale New Haven (Conn.) Health's Smilow Cancer Hospital Over a year ago I transitioned to a new orga- nization aer 14 years of leadership at a peer institution. As I reflect on my first year, the most prevalent habit I practiced was the age- old art of listening to the many people around me, processing what I heard and saw and ask- ing, hopefully thoughtful, questions. I know it seems so basic, and while it's not a new habit, it is a practice I've cultivated over several years. I believe there is an art to active listening and engaging, and it is important to me because it generally produces innumerable long-term, meaningful results. Kristin Ramsey, MSN, RN Chief nurse executive of Northwestern Me- morial Hospital (Chicago) One of the skills I've tried to honed over the past year, year and a half is reflection. It has been something I've done over my career. But if you don't stick to it on a daily basis and carve out that time to think about decisions you've made, situations you've been in, that time of re- flection before you go onto your next day, that can kind of get pushed aside. Folks can do it in different ways — journaling or just personal reflection or maybe some type of meditation. I like to journal. at way I can go back and see if over the year I've really grown. We did work here two years ago on [a book called] e Happiness Advantage, and reflec- tion is one of the techniques that can help you create a positive attitude and create your own happiness. So for the past year I've tried to en- sure that I have time each day — whether it's at the beginning of my day or at the end of the day — to reflect on what occurred previously, the previous day or the previous week and how might it change what I'm going to do this week. Bernard J. Tyson, Chairman and CEO of Kaiser Permanente (Oakland, Calif.) I continue to set aside on a quarterly basis a special recognition to someone in the compa- ny who is doing extraordinary work. I call it the CEO Hero Award. ey are invited to my meetings and they receive a certificate to use for a charity of their choice. Chris Waugh Chief innovation officer of Sutter Health (Sacramento, Calif.) Maintaining agility. Healthcare is shiing quickly. In our team we operate on 90-day cycles. is allows us to confirm, every quar- ter, that our product development, innovation strategy and metrics are high- performing. By maintaining flexibility, we can evolve with the needs of the organization, make small shis in products as needed and drop work (if neces- sary) without feeling overburdened. n