Becker's Hospital Review

18 CEO / STRATEGY 5 lessons from women CEOs on leading under pressure: McKinsey By Kristin Kuchno T he CEO role is widely seen as one of the most demanding positions in business, oen marked by isolation and constant pressure. For women, those challenges can be more pronounced due to underrepresentation, heightened scrutiny and narrower room for missteps, according to a March 20 McKinsey article. In healthcare, the growth rate of women in CEO roles has risen steadily over the past decade but still lags behind other industries, according to a summer 2025 report from executive search firm Crist Kolder Associates. Women hold most entry-level positions in healthcare, but comprised just 35% of C-suite leaders in 2024, up from 29% in 2020. Hospital and health system leaders told Becker's in October that boosting women's representation in the C-suite requires greater focus and investment in succession planning, sponsorship opportunities and affinity groups. Drawing on conversations with experienced women CEOs across industries, McKinsey identified five leadership principles that help sustain performance over time: anchoring decisions in purpose, demonstrating principled courage, building strong support systems, understanding organizational dynamics and designing a sustainable approach to the role. 1. Anchor decisions in purpose, not pressure. Effective CEOs prioritize mission over optics or personal positioning. Leaders emphasized using their authority to advance what the organization truly needs — even when those decisions are difficult or unpopular. A clear sense of purpose helps reduce ambiguity, align teams and sustain momentum over time, McKinsey wrote. 2. Demonstrate courage grounded in principles. Leaders highlighted the importance of making difficult calls when values and evidence are clear. is form of courage strengthens trust and decision-making quality. By contrast, surface-level displays of boldness may appear decisive but can erode credibility if not rooted in conviction, according to McKinsey. 3. Build and rely on support systems. Rather than operating in isolation, successful CEOs actively seek input and surround themselves with advisers, mentors and coaches. Expanding perspectives — and being willing to ask for help — enables stronger decision-making and reduces the risks of overreliance on individual judgment, the leaders said. 4. Understand and navigate the full system. Top leaders look beyond individual outcomes to see the broader organizational and stakeholder landscape. is includes anticipating resistance, recognizing competing priorities and approaching challenges with curiosity rather than defensiveness. 5. Make the role sustainable. Sustained performance requires intentional management of time and energy. CEOs described treating energy as a finite resource, focusing it where it makes the greatest difference and avoiding a constant state of intensity. Designing the role in a way that supports longevity — not just short-term performance — is critical to staying effective, according to the report. n IU Health CEO's 'what-not-to-do' takeaways from 'The Pitt' By Kristin Kuchno A roughly 30-second clip of a hospital CEO on "The Pitt" left Dennis Murphy, president and CEO of Indianapolis-based Indiana University Health, with two key takeaways on what leaders should avoid. During the medical drama's second season, hospital CEO Trent Norris enters the emergency department to inform staff of a cyberattack and subsequent systems shutdown, Mr. Murphy wrote in an April 9 LinkedIn post. For one, the CEO addresses the attending physician as, "Hey, Rockstar!" Mr. Murphy said he is conscious in any clinical setting to call people by their profession title as a sign of respect. "But also, I've learned employees and patients alike watch how the CEO acts. Like it or not, people look to leaders to see how they treat others and how they acknowledge their skills," Mr. Murphy said. "Is Dr. Robinavitch a rockstar? Sure. But more importantly, he's an expert physician and leader of an incredibly high-stakes department." Further, in a situation like a cyberattack, a hospital CEO would not make department-by-department announcements, he said. "In every crisis, the single most important thing is to communicate well. Imagine the huge information gaps Mr. Norris is creating with this method," Mr. Murphy said. "Successful organizations need plans in case of emergencies, and those plans need to include how to cascade essential information quickly across all departments." n

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