Becker's Hospital Review

29 WOMEN'S LEADERSHIP International Women's Day spotlight: 14 thoughts on leadership from women in the healthcare industry By Mackenzie Bean and Morgan Haefner I n honor of International Women's Day March 8, Becker's Hospital Review asked women in the healthcare industry to share their insights on leadership. Below, 14 female leaders share insights: Note: Responses have been lightly edited for length and clarity. Karen Amezcua, Senior Director of Provider Partnerships at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota. "I am fortunate to find myself in a career that I truly believe in. When you're passionate about the work you do because you feel that it will ultimately help make your community a better place, others will see your drive as genuine. As a leader, appreciate that you don't have all of the attributes needed to meet your objectives. Surround yourself with a complementary team and empower them to find ways to carry the mission forward. Do not underestimate the importance of making time to share your appreciation of others. Most of all, try to not take things personally — assume positive intent, have fun and be kind." Marna Borgstrom, CEO of Yale New Haven (Conn.) Health. "Women are told this all the time, but it's vital, so I'll repeat it: Speak up. It took me a while to find my voice and, early in my career, I didn't volunteer my thoughts. I wanted to have the perfect thing to say, and if I didn't think I had it, I didn't say anything at all. is is still a common issue for many women — more so than for men — and I'd like to encourage them to find their voice. ey need to be part of the conversation." Sandra E. Brooks, MD, Senior Vice Presi- dent and CMO of omas Jefferson Univer- sity Hospitals Center City Division in Phil- adelphia. "I would encourage women seeking leadership roles to pursue opportunities that align with their personal values and to use that as a basis to project the authenticity es- sential to being a great leader." Mary Chatman, PhD, RN, Executive Vice President of Marietta, Ga.-based WellStar Health System, President of Wellstar Ken- nestone Hospital and Wellstar Windy Hill Hospital. "I consider myself not just a leader. I'm proud to represent multidiversity through gender, race, etc. I don't want to be the only or the first. I want women of color who are just starting their careers to see themselves in me and recognize that within Wellstar Health System — and any health system or compa- ny — there is a place for them in the C-suite. at means I'm intentional about taking steps to not only pave my way but also to make the path smoother for the people who are going to travel it next. A big part of that is providing counsel to my peers on how we can cultivate a more diverse workforce. I'm proud to work for a health system that continues to make diversity and inclusion a priority, especially in cultivating a diverse C-suite. e proof is in the numbers: 82 percent of employees at Wellstar are women; and 48 percent of Well- star's workforce is comprised of multicultural women. In addition to hiring women, we are also promoting them. We are not only talking the talk, we are walking the walk by fostering diversity and mirroring the populations we serve. It has a positive impact on how we op- erate, but — more importantly — it has a pos- itive impact on the consumer experience, on patient engagement and on the overall health of our communities." Trish Celano, MSN, RN, Senior Vice Pres- ident, Associate Chief Clinical Officer and Chief Nursing Executive for Altamonte Springs, Fla.-based AdventHealth. "Female leaders sometimes feel they have to fit into more masculine ideals of leadership. But the truth is, 'feminine' traits like empathy, sensitivity and emotional intelligence are exactly what makes women so great to work with and work for. We're at our best when we own who we are." Tracey Hoke, MD, Chief of Quality and Performance Improvement for the Univer- sity of Virginia Health System in Charlot- tesville. "e best leadership advice I ever re- ceived came from my father. He once told me to 'lead myself with my head, and others with my heart.' Over time, I have embraced this sentiment as a commitment to thoughtful, honest assessments of my own motivations and achievements, and a humble curiosity regarding the same in others. rough this approach, I have found that when you strip away the trappings and allow for others to surprise you, you find some amazing ideas." Nancy Howell Agee, President and CEO of Ro- anoke, Va.-based Carilion Clinic. "Women are particularly good at relationship building — that's a real strength — and we need to take full advan- tage of mentoring and networking to advance our careers and close the gap in women's health leadership. Having more women in leadership positions is important for the same reason any diversity initiative is important — organizations are more effective when they are representative of the community. And women add real, tangi- ble value to an organization. I consider myself a servant leader. It's a style that comes naturally to me. ere's a soness to that leadership style — that everyone else is more important than you are. What you believe is the most important thing. One day I'll write a book — Steel Magnolia Leadership. It's the paradox of being strong and uncompromising when it comes to your values and what you believe while at the same time be- ing flexible — being able to bend, to weather ad- versity and nurture relationships." Ronda Lehman, PharmD, Market President of Mercy Health-Lima (Ohio). "Recently, I was deeply moved by Melinda Gates' book Moment of Li, in which she articulates the importance of gender equality in our society and says that women can only be viewed as equals when men and women work together. Women's success need not (and should not) come at the expense of men or by trying to become superior to our male counterparts. Rather, together we do better when we raise each other up, whether male or female. is has been a constant theme in my life, as I have had equally impactful men and women men- toring me along my journey. I try to embrace the qualities that make me a uniquely female leader and avoid trying to conform to tradi- tion in my healthcare leadership role." Janice Nevin, MD, President and CEO of Wilmington, Del.-based ChristianaCare. "It's absolutely essential to have women in leader- ship roles. By building a healthcare workforce with diversity at every level, we are better able to make a positive impact on the health of ev- "Female leaders sometimes feel they have to fit into more masculine ideals of leadership. But the truth is, 'feminine' traits ... are exactly what makes women so great to work with and work for. " - Trish Celano, AdventHealth

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