In 2024, leaders said they are focused on improving their adaptability and connection in order to build stronger teams.
Becker's asked leaders what is one thing they are going to do differently as a leader in 2024. Here, seven leaders share their priorities:
Editor's note: Responses have been lightly edited for clarity and length.
Donna Berizzi, DNP, RN. Associate Chief Nursing Officer of Oncology at Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins (Baltimore): It's so important that all clinical staff have opportunities to grow to advance clinical and leadership roles. We should be sharing those job opportunities with staff across the system to keep people with us and so they can still grow in whatever track they want. When we know we have advanced practitioner positions open, we ask our nurse leaders for names of who graduated with an NP and what they specialize in and work to place them in their next position and provide mentorship and support.
Nicole Berwald, MD. Medical Director at Staten Island University Hospital (New York City): 2024 is a year where so much is changing in the work environment. As a leader, I think my focus is on creating an open mind adaptive approach to our teams, where we want them to go and what we want them to do and accomplish. For me that is creating a purpose-driven leadership model, such that our organizational goals, or more local goals, are aligned with people's personal goals. It brings so much meaning to our team members to feel that what they do is successful professionally, but they feel tied to the work. That motivates everyone to collaborate and maintain the buy-in along the way.
Adam Groshans. Market President for Mercy Health-Springfield (Ohio): It's become clear the challenges of the past few years (as a result of the pandemic) are not going away, and that requires a more creative approach to continue enhancing care and providing patients with more access to that care. So, this year, I'm excited for Mercy Health-Springfield to embark upon some incredibly innovative collaborations with partners we have not historically worked with — some who share aligned healthcare goals, others that are new to healthcare, and even some that are not traditionally found in the healthcare sector at all.
I also believe leadership visibility is key in 2024. My leadership team has to show up for our workforce, being both present and approachable to help facilitate conversations about what's ahead and help others see the vision we're casting. I think doing that even with those who are not in healthcare is critical as many of the steps we are taking as an organization include delicate tasks that have a great deal of importance. While this is a long-standing practice in the market, I believe being fully engaged in the conversation about where we're headed and what we envision is going to be more important than ever.
Alec King. Chief Financial Officer of Memorial Hermann Health System (Houston): In 2024, innovation will be central to our focus on creating value for patients and ecosystems by reducing cost while delivering high-quality care. Central to this strategy is further leveraging AI and other advanced digital tools. For example, this year, we are prioritizing the integration of AI in predictive analytics for patient care, which will enable us to offer more personalized and preemptive health interventions and to support systemwide improvements. Finally, we will build capability by identifying new and strengthening existing partnerships to bring innovative models of care to our system and patients. These collaborations bring new perspectives and expertise, help extend our reach and capabilities in healthcare delivery, and drive value for stakeholders.
My commitment is to ensure these programs translate into real value for our patients, employees, providers, and communities and enable transformative healthcare solutions.
Cherie Smith, PhD, RN. Chief Nursing Officer and Vice President, Patient Care Services of OhioHealth (Columbus): As a leader, my top priority is recruiting and retaining top talent. A key strategy involves fostering enthusiasm in the workplace. One of our strongest organizational attributes is the positive, close-knit relationships shared by our associates; however, the intensity of our work can occasionally overshadow these relationships. Recently, we’ve added a well-being consultant to the team whose primary role is to generate innovative opportunities for collaboration and networking away from the care environment. Moreover, we aim to elevate and empower our associates by involving them in decisions that impact their work through shared decision-making.
Matt Timmons. Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Children's Hospital New Orleans: In 2024, my leadership will be defined by a singular focus on connection. I really want to foster a deeper engagement with our front-line staff and physicians, ensuring that I am not just hearing their voices but actively responding to their needs. This approach is aimed at creating a work environment characterized by high engagement, safety and positivity. By establishing stronger connections with our team on the ground, I aim to build a culture of trust and collaboration, essential for driving forward our shared goals.
I also want to connect various processes, departments and individuals to enhance operational efficiency and excellence. This will involve breaking down silos, fostering interdepartmental collaboration and streamlining processes for better synergy. By ensuring that different parts of our organization are effectively interconnected, we can achieve greater operational fluidity and responsiveness, crucial for adapting to the rapidly evolving healthcare landscape.
And finally, I want to strive for personal connections as I align my personal time management with organizational priorities, ensuring that my actions and efforts are directly contributing to our collective goals. This alignment will ensure that my leadership is not just about guiding others but also about setting a personal example of dedication and focus.
Patricia Toole. Chief Hospital Executive and President of Hackensack Meridian Carrier Clinic (Belle Mead, N.J.): The biggest things for me is focusing on being nimble, looking at roles and responsibilities of the organization and that we move quickly to make decisions. Those priorities are setting a compass for me this year. We're at a critical time to build our staff and patient population back up, and focusing on my leadership group and making sure that we're resilient will be important this year as we continue to build morale.