Last week, Paul Levy revealed the details of his resignation as CEO of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston through a hospital-wide e-mail. While there may be different styles available to CEOs when announcing their resignation, the following best practices ensure a smooth announcement so hospitals and CEOs can avoid uncertainty, retain trust and meet community expectations.
1. Prevent news leaks. Letting hints of the CEO’s — or the board’s —dissatisfaction trickle out before the formal announcement is corrosive to employee morale and will result in distraction and disengagement. Jason Mudd, principal of AXIA Public Relations, considers a leak the worst blunder possible when a CEO is on his or her way out.
2. Do not burn bridges. When it comes to hospital leadership, it’s a small world. While the moments of resignation are often clouded in finality, CEOs should be wise to not say things they may later regret. “It is best to maintain composure at these times, as one never knows when those relationships will matter down the road,” says Daniel Crosby, PhD, of Crosby Performance Consulting.
3. The medium is the message. The form of a CEO’s resignation embeds itself in the decision being announced. Before announcing their decision in an e-mail, on Twitter or on camera, CEOs need to formally announce their decision to the stakeholders within the hospital. “A smart, savvy and sensitive CEO will go through right channels and give their board a fair and opportune time to prepare for the succession,” says Mr. Mudd. A poorly handled announcement can taint not only the CEO’s reputation, but the hospital’s as well, leaving the community with perceptions of an unstable environment.
4. Hospitals should tailor alert strategies for individual CEOs. Some hospital CEOs are more visible than others and will need a rigorous communication plan. Additionally, longtime CEOs may require a more proactive strategy whereas a CEO that was at a hospital for a year may not. Also, the climate of the CEO’s departure should play a factor in how it is communicated — it goes without saying that a CEO retiring for health-related reasons will trigger a much different reaction that one retiring due to scandal.
5. Anticipate community reactions and tackle them head-on. The community should remain engaged after the CEO’s resignation has been finalized and announced. Of the many avenues available for this, hospitals should take those most appropriate for the hospital climate and culture at the time. Whether through employee or donor newsletters, meet-and-greets, social media, parties — hospitals can avoid moments of uncertainty by recognizing the previous CEO’s accomplishments while ushering in the new executive and introducing him to the community.
Read more about CEOs and resignations:
– 4 Ways to Transition Between CEOs When the Outgoing CEO is Leaving on Bad Terms
– 3 Ways to Transition Between CEOs When the Outgoing CEO is Leaving on Good Terms
