Healthcare leadership comes in many forms

The healthcare system is very complex. From the frontlines to internal business transactions, it takes a village to keep the industry up and running. Many people think of a leader as a CEO or a head of a department, but in reality leaders are all around. Leadership can be a tricky thing to navigate, but it’s needed when there are a bunch of moving pieces. Healthcare leadership comes in many different forms, and it’s important to welcome peoples’ opinions, voices and experiences. Who knows you might just learn something.

One of the biggest challenges the healthcare system is facing is a lack of trust between employees and those leaders who make decisions. Survey results show that only 54% of healthcare employees actually trust their leaders. These results show that there is a gap in how leadership is perceived across the frontlines. Are healthcare executives really thinking of their employees’ best interests? Are their decisions coming from a financial standpoint? The values that the healthcare system has needs to be reflected by the sentiment of the workers who take care of patients. 

The great thing about the healthcare system is that there are leaders everywhere you look. They are on the frontlines, in the HR department, in customer service, communications and on the healthcare executive side. There is not one definition for a leader. Each person has different qualities that give them the capacity to lead. Why would we limit a leader down to only a certain set of characteristics? Instead, it’s important to be an active listener and embrace peoples’ voices around you. 

“Being a leader does not always mean telling people what to do. It means getting to know the people you work with and advocating for them when they need help. A true leader will give them a space to be heard, and encourages growth in the workplace. If you are not listening to the people around you, how can things get better in the workplace? You are not just leading for your own benefit, you are leading others in the direction of success,” says Brian White, Co-Founder of DoorSpace. 

Having an efficient path of leadership is necessary in the hospital system. Patients’ health is the biggest priority, and sometimes this means addressing things internally to ensure they are receiving the highest level of care possible. Being a leader means providing a safe space for your employees, and supporting them to advocate for themselves. This type of open communication fosters a healthy workplace, and gives people the confidence to address potential problems that could arise. Corporate issues are inevitable but it’s how you handle them that matters. Being a leader means being able to identify what’s going on internally and spring into action to work with others and find solutions. 

A leader will also stick up for people and work to make sure everyone is happy, not just those with the biggest wallets. Healthcare is a business, but you can’t have a business without your employees. They have a greater amount of insight than they get credit for, so it’s important to hear them out. Frontline workers might just be the best leaders there are in the healthcare system, and as a healthcare executive it’s necessary to recognize this. 

The healthcare system is constantly evolving and adapting to life changes. Being a true leader means working hard to hear all different perspectives, and finding solutions that benefit patients, frontline workers and other employees. Leadership should not center around numbers, but rather the internal growth of the organization. A leader is not necessarily someone with the highest title, but if you really take the time to look around you will see they are everywhere. Their opinions, experiences and voices deserve to be heard. Leadership is a collaboration and now is the time to foster this sentiment throughout the industry. Change is easier when people work together.