On April 7th, Dr. Larson will give a presentation on “Starting a Leadership Development Program from Scratch: Triumphs and Tribulations” at Becker’s Hospital Review 11th Annual Meeting. As part of an ongoing series, Becker’s is talking to healthcare leaders who plan to speak at the conference, which will take place on April 6-9, 2020 in Chicago.
To learn more about the conference and Dr. Larson’s session, click here.
Question: What, from your perspective, is the biggest challenge about the future of work for hospitals, and what can they do about it? (i.e. automation, desire for more flexibility, clinician shortages, etc.)?
Jean Ann Larson: We have many challenges in healthcare and most are not new. Developing strong capable leaders will help us learn and transform our practices and patient care delivery models. These leaders can create and enable environments where it is safe to take risks and where change can occur. In an article in Time Magazine, Barbara Sutton of Johns Hopkins was quoted as saying that resolving patient safety errors is not a medical issue, it is a problem to be solved by psychology and engineering. Leaders must create cultures where it is psychologically safe to speak up and where we can learn to be systems thinkers who fully embrace the philosophy of continuous improvement. This environment also makes it safe to share innovative ideas and to bring our best selves to work. In order to make sure we have capable leaders, we must invest in them and help them develop the necessary skills to be both managers and leaders. I am convinced that where there are strong leaders, any challenges can be met creatively and effectively.
Q: What’s one lesson you learned early in your career that has helped you lead in healthcare?
JAL: I’ve learned to always assume positive intent when dealing with others. It is easy to interpret others’ actions and words in a very negative manner. The act of assuming positive intent causes me to proactively challenge my own assumptions and be able to learn and contribute more. I recall early in my career there was a VP who many felt was not helpful and almost hostile. At the very least, she was quite intimidating. At some point, I realized that I needed to work with her. So I made it my mission to learn something about her and find out if I could find common ground. It was a bit of reach. We came together over recipes for a traditional Colombian dish. She warmed up to me to the point that at a company event, she made a point to introduce me to all of her extended family. I made the effort to trust her and the investment paid off. This particular individual turned out to be a lovely person. Once in a while, the data shows me that “assuming positive intent” is a naïve approach. However, that is usually the exception.
Q: Where do you go for inspiration and fresh ideas?
JAL: I read non-work related books such as biographies of inspirational individuals preferably from different cultures and backgrounds than mine. Also, I love to read nonfiction in the areas of science, psychology, linguistics, and anthropology. These types of books are not only purely educational. They also provide entirely different ways of seeing the world. I also love traveling to “off the beaten path” places and countries as well as spending time hiking in local parks.
Q: Healthcare has had calls for disruption, innovation and transformation for years now. Do you feel we are seeing that change? Why or why not?
JAL: I wish I could be more optimistic. There has been talk of innovation and transformation for years. We struggle to make even incremental changes. I believe that there are too many vested interests in the industry today who feel that their profits and livelihoods would be impacted by fundamental, transformational change. I think that there will need to be solutions from collaborative efforts between communities, providers, insurers, pharmaceutical companies, IT and medical equipment vendors, the government and other key stakeholders.
At Becker's 4th Annual CEO + CFO Roundtable, taking place November 2–5 in Chicago, more than 1,500 hospital and health system executives tackle decisions that determine whether organizations thrive or merely survive: protecting margins under cost pressure, choosing where to grow, renegotiating payer relationships, stabilizing the workforce and proving real ROI on technology. This is where leaders work through them together, face-to-face. Apply for complimentary registration now.
