Dr. Stephen Klasko has had a long and successful career in healthcare, transitioning from a physician to become a leader in major healthcare systems. He is currently involved in venture capital with General Catalyst, he wrote a book called "Feeling All Right", and is working with the tenth highest ranked health system in the world.
Leadership Philosophy
When it comes to leading a healthcare system, advice given is to take a no-limits approach and hire the right people to operate the place. Additionally, having a vision and being comfortable with taking risks can lead to success.
Strategic Thinking
In order to cultivate the ability to think strategically, think boldly, and connect dots differently, it is important for leaders to take a step back and think about what will be obvious 10 years from now. Leaders should also look at how other sectors have been disrupted by technology and use those lessons to create strategies that utilize technology in order to stay ahead of the curve. Finally, it is important to cultivate creativity and innovation within the team by taking advantage of opportunities to learn improv, as this will help build better communication skills and foster collaboration.
The Importance of Trust
Mark and Dr. Klasko have both had transformative leadership roles at Jefferson Health, Intermountain Healthcare, and General Catalyst. They are both in the role of "horse whisperers" between the two entities and they are helping to bridge the gap between healthcare and technology. Dr. Klasko has emphasized the importance of trust and having a passion for the technology when looking at potential investments. He also believes that a CEO needs to be adaptable and be able to communicate clearly with their team, so he created a weekly playlist to connect with his 35,000 employees during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Leadership Traits
Dr. Steve Klasko talks about how CEOs are important for the success of a system, and how he believes it doesn't take a doctor or an academic to be a good leader - instead, one needs to be a great orchestra conductor and leader. He is excited about population health, social determinants, predictive analytics and health gaps coming together to make a difference in people's lives.