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SKILLS FOR SUCCESS

January/February 2007

Lessons in Leadership

Reflecting on the HBA’s 30 years of exemplary contributions to women in healthcare, we thought it would be interesting to review previously published Skills for Success columns to gauge if the sage advice from the past still holds true today. Not surprisingly, many of the columns touch directly on the points discussed by HBA President Cathy Kerzner as well as by HBA CEO Laurie Cooke in their first columns of 2007: defining leadership, reflecting on what type of leader you want to become, developing the right skills to become a leader, and generating value from the HBA. Building on these core themes, including setting an agenda for change and taking action to achieve one’s goals, we are pleased to present excerpts from previously published Skills for Success columns that s succinctly address these issues.

Executive Success: Leadership from the Inside Out

Lelia O’Connor
Executive Coach/Leadership Consultant
Ngal So Consulting Group
Global Center for Authentic Leadership

• focused not only on increasing the bottom line but also using their financial resources to help people and to give back to the global community;
• willing to do the inner work to develop their integrity, character, strong human values and a commitment to improve the quality of life.

Most women are naturally interested in taking care of human relationships, nurturing families, improving the workplace and building better communities. Women make 90% of the health and well-being decisions for their families and are always looking for ways to improve the quality of life in the workplace, schools and the community at large.

That’s why women leaders in healthcare must spearhead efforts to adopt and teach the qualities of authentic leadership. We must challenge the status quo and lead our organizations with vision, integrity, and fiscal responsibility. Not only because this is desperately needed but also because we can. Women instinctively know how to make the world a better place. We know how to run businesses, increase profitability and focus on improving the quality of life.

We often times view leadership as the “act” of leadership split off from the person or as an external event. Leadership is not simply something we “do”—it is our “being” our “state of mind.” We lead by virtue of who we are. The more we can unleash our full human potential—mind, body and spirit—the more value we can create inside and outside of our organizations.

In my 15 years as an executive coach, I’ve worked with hundreds of leaders from many different industries. From this work I’ve identified the following qualities and actions for authentic leadership.

Leadership is not simply something we “do”— it is our “being” our “state of mind.” We lead by virtue of who we are.

7 Wining Leadership Strategies for Executive Success

• Leadership is the mirror image of your integrity and wisdom:
  Lead with humanism as, in the end, all is people and all is life. A strong sense of purpose and vision should be tantamount to integrity. Be clear about your values. Be adaptable and open to change.Successful leaderslearn from their mistakes, adopt new behaviors and become life long learners.Understand that this is real wisdom so cultivate this with strong intuition and
• Leadership expects material and financial betterment:
  Understand the financial realities of your business. “Keep your eye on the money,” not only to generate profitability but also to improve the quality of life. Use your money and your company’s money in a positive way, to benefit the employees, the community at large and to give back to those less fortunate.
• Leadership is joy and self-empowerment:
  Create an environment where people find joy and the best means to express their passion. Be positive and do what you love, but inspire and empower others in the process. Everyone must do something that’s a source of inner joy. Joy and empowerment are states of mind that you can bring to all of your jobs.
• Leadership demands total concentration towards the ultimate goal:
  Have clarity of purpose and a shared vision, and a concentrated mind to realize it. Understand what matters most and what will make the biggest difference to you and your organization. Be selective so that the ultimate goal is attained effectively. Don’t be sidelined by the unimportant. Develop inner concentration to always stay focused on the positive.
• Leadership walks on the road of patience and tolerance:
  Take a long-term view. Practice patience so that you don’t sidestep important stages within your path and understand the roads others are traveling with you. View your career as a holistic life long journey and view your organization as an essential vehicle to benefit many generations.
• Leadership blooms out of your integrity and compassion:
  The key factor of integrity is “non-harming.” Don’t harm people with your thoughts, actions and words. Don’t harm the environment. Help and be of benefit to others. Create businesses that improve the quality of life for all its shareholders and stakeholders. Set an example: have your actions match your values. Take the high road.
• Leadership brings your corporate and world vision closer to the heart:
  Keep your attention on human relationships. Be committed to the whole person and not just their results. Be willing to accept and act upon criticism and suggestions. Listen to the people

Building Resilience For Leadership Success

Barbara Eiser, MA, MC.P
President, Leading Impact, Inc.–Executive Coaching

Mindy Mazer
Senior Client Manager, Salveson Stetson Group, Inc.–Executive Search

Resilience, the ability to rebound quickly from adversity, is a critical leadership competency. It is a key success factor underlying the courage to make decisions, take appropriate risks and deal with constant change in today’s corporate world. Particularly for women, who often internalize failure, building resilience is necessary for leadership success.

Fortunately, increasing resilience is a skill that can be learned. In fact, leadership development programs that incorporate “stretch assignments” found in job rotations, serving on task forces and other challenges can be excellent means to help a manager increase her flexibility, broaden her perspective and build confidence in her ability to deal with complexity and unanticipated situations.

Four major aspects of building resilience include: 1) facing internal and external reality; 2) being willing to learn; 3) becoming clear about deeplyheld values; 4) creating meaning from adversity. Facing reality about a specific situation—such as being passed over for promotion or failing at an assignment— can be painful. However, analyzing the factors that caused the situation, including possible shortcomings or errors, is essential to growth. Men can often more easily distance themselves from problems, acknowledge them within the overall context of the circumstances, learn lessons and then move on. It is necessary for women to do this as well.

For example, a VP of Launch Management Marketing for a pharmaceutical consulting firm led her team for two years to prepare for a key product launch. When the product eventually failed to be successful, team morale fell. The VP recognized the need to face reality so she and the team could overcome the adversity of the situation and learn from their mistakes. Today, her re-motivated team is creating a new product launch with positive signs of success.

When a challenge occurs, focusing on one’s essential values is critical to building a foundation for self-confidence. Some of the greatest growth opportunities occur as a result of what Warren Bennis calls “crucibles of leadership,” which are “experiences…that cause a point of deep self-reflection that [executives]... to question who they were and what mattered to them.” *

Creating meaning is a process by which one builds an understanding of a difficult situation and how the experience could be used positively in the future. This creation process can be transformational, including benefits such as gaining perspective, honing judgment and using more imaginative solutions.

For example, a Senior Manager of Regulatory Affairs worked for a medium size pharmaceutical company where she established a solid reputation over her 10-year career. When the company was acquired by a larger entity, the woman’s new boss and team members were skeptical of her ability to work effectively in a larger and more complex environment. She knew of their concerns, but did not let them affect her performance. By focusing on her deeply held ethical values and achievement orientation, she was able to demonstrate small successes over time. As a result, the woman was able to eliminate skepticism and was eventually promoted.

An important aspect of resilience is the building of a deep foundation of self-confidence which provides one with the ability to cope with adverse circumstances whenever they arise. It is not currently known why some people seem naturally to overcome obstacles with ease while others are derailed by those same challenges. However, the good news is that everyone can improve their own level of resilience. The Center for Creative Leadership makes several specific suggestions that can help hone this skill.

SUGGESTIONS FOR BUILDING RESILIENCY**

• Accept the fact that change is inevitable. When a change occurs, find ways to work with it instead of resisting it.
• Be a continuous learner.
• Practice flexibility by thinking in terms of “and” rather than “either/or.”
• Learn to recognize situations that are out of your control; when these occur, practice letting go.
• Make reflection a habit, in both positive and negative situations, to increase your ability to learn, understand and take new perspectives.
• Build a network of personal and professional relationships that can be mutually supportive.
• Clarify your most deeply held values, and connect them to a broader purpose.
• Define your self identity as a whole human being. Remember that your job and career comprise just one facet of who you are.

* Warren Bennis, “Crucibles of Leadership,” Harvard Business Review, September 2002.
** Center for Creative Leadership, Leading Effectively, December 2003 and August 2004.

Notes from the Diary of an Avid HBA Volunteer

Britta Herlitz
President, Herlitz HealthCare: A Communications Co.
Former Editor, HBA Bulletin

In keeping with the HBA’s mission of furthering the advancement of women in the healthcare industry, I’d like to share some of the wisdom I’ve gained as an HBA volunteer since 1997, when I started as Promotions Committee Chair.

● Getting Involved is Easy:
The HBA welcomes all those eager to contribute. Pick up the phone, reach out to a committee chair and take advantage of the opportunity to mix, mingle, work with and learn from the best.

● Volunteerism is Fun, but it’s a Job:
Think of this as a “volunteer career” instead of as “just a volunteer thing.” Diminishing the importance of your volunteer work will naturally diminish your commitment to it and could even detract from your professional reputation if you do a lackluster job. Commit to excellence in your volunteer career just as you have in your profession.

● Do More, Get More (But Don’t Over Promise):
The more you put into your volunteer career, the more you’ll get out of it (and the more things you’ll be asked to do!) So, go for it but be REALISTIC about what you can do and don’t over promise.

● Seize the Opportunity to Network and Mentor:
Volunteering with the HBA allowed me to meet many women with great insight, experience and high-level connections. I used these wisely and well. Don’t abuse the privilege, but do recognize it. You can give back by mentoring those individuals who seek your help and guidance.

● Vive la Difference!
Just as in business, your volunteer encounters can be rife with personality differences and politics (not all bad). Remember this rule of thumb: Don’t take it personally; do take it professionally. Behave appropriately rather than emotionally (try not to “vent”). Respond in a way that best supports the organization as a whole and, rather than stressing about them, enjoy the differences you find and learn from the discussions.

● Respect the Hierarchy: Any well run volunteer group has a defined hierarchy. Respect the chain of command. Don’t circumvent it because it is a volunteer-based group.

● Teamwork is the Only Way:
Acting as a mutually supportive teammate, rather than holding too tightly to your volunteer turf is more productive and fun in the long-run. Just as in business, shortsightedness and a closed mind lead to deadlock, squash productivity and put a damper on the creative, giving, eager spirit that fuels most volunteers.

● Recognize Burnout and Speak Up:
Volunteer burnout is very common. Don’t despair. Decide what you need to do to re-energize (get help; switch committees; take a break…) and then act on it via the appropriate channels.

● Moving on Doesn’t Mean Moving Out:
Even if you decide to stop volunteering for a while, try to remain at least peripherally involved/ supportive.

● Transition in a Professional Manner:
Again, think of this as a career— don’t just leave without a clear transition plan and support for your successor.

● Enjoy the Best Times:
Some of my favorite memories are from working with the HBA. I had the opportunity to interview such amazing women.