Becker's Hospital Review

48 48 CEO/STRATEGY 4 Things Leaders Can Learn About Resigning From MD Anderson President Dr. Ron DePinho By Tamara Rosin R on A. DePinho, MD, president of e University of Texas MD Anderson Can- cer Center in Houston, resigned from his post on March 8. In addition to submitting a formal letter of resignation, Dr. DePinho, who became the institution's fourth president on Sept. 1, 2011, also prepared an unusually forth- right video explaining his choice to step down. e move concludes a tenure wrought with financial struggles, a large layoff and an audit that brought into question Dr. DePinho's in- vestment and management practices. Resigning from a top leadership role is a diffi- cult task. ough there are many reasons one might resign, it's hard to dispel the implication that the decision resulted from shortcomings that were impossible to overcome. Dr. DePin- ho did not attempt to do that. Instead, he was honest, candid and sincere about his decision and took responsibility for many of the organi- zation's difficulties. e manner in which Dr. DePinho resigned can serve as an example for any other leader who might find him or herself in such circum- stances. Here are four key lessons on resigna- tion from Dr. DePinho. 1. Take accountability. e tenets of a grace- ful resignation are the same as those of strong leadership. One of the main ones is accountabil- ity. When an organization is experiencing trou- ble, no one wants to hear excuses or see a leader point fingers of blame at others. Instead, a mark of true leadership — even within a resignation — is having the courage to take responsibility for the organization's shortcomings. While still touting the accomplishments MD Anderson made while he was at the helm, Dr. DePinho states in his address, "I could have done a better job administratively, a better job listening, a better job communicating. Forgive me for my shortcomings." 2. Be honest. Leaders are not infallible — they are human, and like all other humans, they're not perfect. It's important to be honest and straightforward about this and not try to deny weaknesses. In addition to admitting where he could have done a better job as a leader, Dr. DePinho is hon- est about personal challenges in his life, such as the loss of his "hero" — his father — to colon cancer. Dr. DePinho doesn't bring up this personal information as an excuse; instead, he suggests the tragedy fortified his commitment to defeat cancer. He said his father's suffering "ignited and defined the intensity of my fight" against cancer, and added, "Every life lost reminds me of my fa- ther and instills an even greater sense of urgency and, admittedly, anger. I simply hate cancer." Being honest and showing authentic emotion is not a signal of weakness. To the contrary, it is courageous and also makes one more relatable to the people he or she is addressing. 3. Have gratitude. e ability to express gen- uine gratitude amid negative circumstances does not go unnoticed. "Being president of MD Ander- son is an honor I will carry with me for the rest of my life," Dr. DePinho said in the video. He also demonstrates pride in the many achieve- ments of his staff, including enhancing MD Anderson's research competitiveness, elevating the reputation of its graduate school program, expanding clinical trials, transforming its trans- lational research infrastructure and launching MD Anderson's Cancer Moon Shots Program, among other successes. 4. Demonstrate continued commitment to the mission. Dr. DePinho's choice to re- sign is grounded in his belief that the organiza- tion needs a new leader to achieve its goals and live out its mission. He says a new president will help MD Anderson "forge ahead on its mission of compassionate care for patients and the discovery of scientific advances that, I believe, lie at the heart of ultimately defeating cancer." His resignation doesn't sever his commitment to the organization — it reinforces it. Dr. DePinho plans to continue to fight cancer by returning to his "passion of conducting trans- lational science and helping others doing great science — to drive ideas to clinical impact that matter for patients." "I truly believe that this decision will allow me to better serve cancer patients here, at MD An- derson, and nationally," he said. n CEO Confidence at Highest Point Since Recession: 6 Fast Facts By Tamara Rosin C EOs are more optimistic about the economy this year, with greater plans for hiring and investment and higher expectations for sales over the next six months, according to the Business Roundtable first quarter 2017 CEO Economic Outlook Survey. The latest Business Roundtable CEO Economic Index — an aggregation of CEO projections for sales and plans for capital investment and hiring for the upcoming six months — saw the largest growth since the fourth quarter of 2009. The survey was conducted between Feb. 8 and March 1 among 141 member CEOs across a variety of industries. Here are six findings from the 2017 CEO Economic Outlook Survey. 1. The index surged 19.1 points from 74.2 in the fourth quarter of 2016 to 93.3 in the current quarter. 2. The latest score represents the first time in seven quarters the index has ris- en above its historical average of 79.8. The highest level the index reached in the past decade was 113 in the first quarter of 2011. 3. CEOs' plans for hiring are 18 points higher in the current quarter than in the fourth quarter of 2016. 4. Expectations for sales and capital spending increased by 21 points and 18.4 points, respectively, from the previous quarter. 5. CEOs project the gross domestic product will rise 2.2 percent in 2017, a 0.2 percent increase over the projec- tion they made for 2017 in December. 6. In a new question included on the lat- est survey, 52 percent of CEOs identified tax reform and 27 percent pointed to reg- ulatory reforms as the two best ways to improve their company's growth. Fifteen percent of responding CEOs identified infrastructure as a priority. n

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