Healthcare is dynamic and ever-changing, testing those of us fortunate enough to serve as leaders in ways we often cannot anticipate and through events we cannot always fully control. It is up to us to find a way forward, even in the most challenging of circumstances.
What we can control is how we ready ourselves for the disruptions that can be just around the corner. Knowledge is the key to our preparation, achieved by consistently seeking new insights and expanding our professional competencies. This growth requires a personal commitment to lifelong learning, which can help us continuously evolve and become our very best selves as leaders. It also can help us achieve the ultimate goal of better serving our patients and communities, improving patient outcomes and advancing health for all.
I first discovered my passion for healthcare while working in another industry. Because I didn’t have a degree in healthcare management, I immersed myself in the field—becoming certified as an emergency medical technician. With that as my foundation, I took classes, read everything I could, observed hospital operations, and attended conferences within the healthcare field and in supporting industries.
Most importantly, I became board certified in healthcare management as a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives, a credential that requires recertifying every three years through healthcare management-related continuing education. ACHE is the trusted partner that I turned to for answers when I faced challenges. Networking with a community of healthcare leaders, while sharing victories and best practices, gave me the inspiration and guidance I needed to succeed. As the newly elected Chair of ACHE, I know I am a more effective leader today because of my relationship with ACHE—one with continuous learning at its core.
Lifelong learning is about more than just building the knowledge and competencies needed to fuel our organizations and our careers. It’s the very essence of leadership, an endeavor to grow and evolve into the leaders we know we can become. It requires a mindset that we alone are responsible for taking charge of our own professional development for the betterment of all those we serve. Our organizations can offer and provide support, but we need to be the drivers of our own destiny.
In today’s times of rapid change and complexities often beyond our control, staying ahead of trends and growing our competencies is even more imperative. Healthcare leadership has no room for complacency; the path to truly leading well is through continuous improvement.
As leaders, we also have a responsibility to support others’ professional development, which can benefit not only our organizations but the profession as a whole. At North Oaks Health System, where I serve as president and CEO, our management team undergoes periodic competency assessments, engages with our leadership academy and has quarterly management book club discussions; these are just few ways of giving managers multiple, mutual learning opportunities.
North Oaks also offers a career laddering program, in which employees who get a new certification can find career advancement opportunities. When our organization found an increased need for interpreters, we invested in language learning software. Today we have employees who speak multiple languages, which can go a long way toward providing improved care for all our patients.
Perhaps one of the most important things that somebody who is committed to lifelong learning can do is to admit what they don’t know. You don’t actually have to have all the answers at the outset. Having a little humility and not being afraid to ask questions can put you on the path to finding the answers. Good listening skills are crucial in understanding complex problems. As part of your continuous learning journey, sometimes it’s OK just to listen.
Michele K. Sutton, FACHE, is the 2025–2026 Chair of the American College of Healthcare Executives and president/CEO of North Oaks Health System in Hammond, La.
