Issue link: https://beckershealthcare.uberflip.com/i/1327468
22 POPULATION HEALTH 22 CEO / STRATEGY The art of briefing a senior executive: How to do it right By Molly Gamble W hether briefings occur in person or virtually, interpersonal dynamics determine how well one communicates the right message under pressure — whether to the president of the U.S., a C-level executive or any leader. Grant Harris, an adjunct professor of global management at Evanston, Ill.-based Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management, offered several pieces of guidance in a piece for Harvard Business Review. "e following tips are based on battle scars from serving twice in the White House and from years of briefing se- nior corporate, nonprofit, and government leaders, as well as teaching briefing skills in seminars around the country," he wrote. 1. Identify whose opinions the leader values most. Mr. Har- ris refers to these individuals as "crucial nodders," meaning their affirmation of a message is critical to how the boss re- ceives it. Before presenting an idea, figure out who these peo- ple are and consult them in advance. 2. Read the leader's body language. If familiar with the se- nior executive, one may already read cues telling whether they want more detail or information sped up. If not, consult people who regularly brief and interact with them and ask about the most important "tells." 3. Learn how the leader interacts with material. Under- standing how the leader absorbs information will help you effectively convey it and respond to pushback. 4. Once in the briefing, read the room versus your notes. "You should know your material cold by this point, so that you're not fumbling with your notes; your mental energy should be focused on reading the room, looking for openings and watching out for pitfalls," said Mr. Harris. 5. Be ready to get back on track. If the conversation some- how goes on a tangent, be prepared with several ways to redi- rect. "It's a rare talent to be dogged but de at the same time, and of course, you don't want to look like a stiff or a robot. In a fast-paced work environment, though, meetings oen get interrupted or cut short. Try not to deviate or raise unneces- sary details to reduce the chance that a briefing will be inter- rupted before your ask is addressed," said Mr. Harris. Carefully weigh opportunities to speak up versus remain si- lent. Not speaking at the wrong time is oen just as important as saying the right thing at the right time, advised Mr. Harris. Be strategic about whether and when to chime in. n 10 leadership strategies to maintain after COVID-19 By Mackenzie Bean T he first COVID-19 surge during the spring of 2020 forced healthcare leaders to abandon their traditional management and governance models for more inno- vative leadership styles that entailed quick decision-making and more access to senior leaders. Rather than returning to old leadership styles when the pandemic is over, healthcare organizations should consider making some of these strate- gies permanent, seven healthcare leaders wrote in an article for Harvard Business Review. "How can we preserve the recent energy and enthusiasm of distributed, team-based, rapid problem-solving — when many staff felt they were their best selves — and put it to work on the new problems that health systems are now facing?" the arti- cle's authors asked. "Most importantly, how can senior leaders free up staff creativity and support rapid learning while at the same [time] ensuring the quality and safety we expect?" To answer this question, the article's authors drew on their ex- periences leading two emergency field hospitals in London and Boston during the first virus surge. They identified 10 se- nior leadership behaviors that helped empower and support team members during the surge. "We believe these have ongoing applicability across care set- tings and should not be abandoned for historical and more conventional approaches," the authors said. The 10 leadership lessons are below. 1. Publicly acknowledge the uncertainty. 2. Clearly identify the most pressing uncertainties or priorities for the team to tackle. 3. Delegate authority based on expertise, not seniority. 4. Don't put off making difficult or unpopular decisions. 5. Shorten feedback loops through frequent multidisciplinary meetings and data communications. 6. Emphasize that it's easy to reverse a decision and adapt strategy as needed. 7. Set expectations that productive failures are OK, but incom- petence is not. 8. Include patients and families in the care process. 9. Protect staff members' physical, mental and spiritual safety. 10. Make yourself visible and available to team members. n