Leadership Skill Building

Why Great Leaders Think Like Editors

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January is in full force, and some of us are still in resolution mode. I’m going to join a gym. I’m going to start cooking a healthy meal three days a week. I’m going to get that new certification. I’m going to introduce a new process for my department. Healthcare people are doers by nature, and that’s great. Doers make things happen. But the reality is, we all have limited hours and limited energy. We…
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The Brain Can Change—and So Can We

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Have you ever heard or read a word that’s either new to you or that you’ve not encountered, and suddenly it starts cropping up everywhere? This is true for me with the word neuroplasticity.  It describes the brain’s ability to change and adapt by forming new neural connections and reorganizing existing ones in response to experiences, learning, or injury. It is the process of allowing new skills and/or changes in skills and abilities, as well…
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What Being a Good Mentee Looks Like (and Why It Matters)

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People need mentors now more than ever. Career paths are more uncertain. AI, technology, and economic shifts are creating cultures of uncertainty; working with a mentor (or serving as one) can make a huge difference. A mentor is an experienced person who provides guidance, support, and advice and serves as a role model for someone else. This person is often called a mentee. There are formal mentor/mentee relationships as well as informal ones. The tremendous value…
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Human-Centered Leadership Joins HPSG: How Three Nurse Leaders Turned Evidence Into a Movement

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When the founders of uLeadership—Kay Kennedy, Lucy Leclerc, and Susan Campis—met in 2019, they were seasoned nurse executives who had spent years working all day and night to serve teams and patients. Then they hit a wall. “We were at a point in our career where, quite honestly, we felt a little burned out,” says Leclerc. “We were high level, overachieving work all day and night type leaders, and that’s probably part of why we…
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My Word of the Year (drumroll please…): Genfluencer

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With 2026 bearing down on us, everyone is coming up with their Word of the Year. Merriam-Webster chose “slop.” Oxford University Press chose “rage bait.” Dictionary.com chose “67”—and yes, I am one of those who is “too old” (by design) to get it! Speaking of generation gaps…I’d like to propose a Word of the Year that connects to that theme. It’s one that captures both the reality leaders are facing and the shift that leadership now demands. My word of…
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Become a World-Class Noticer

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We can get so caught up in just doing our job that we stop noticing opportunities to make things better for our patients, our coworkers—even ourselves. Maybe there is something right under our nose that could be improved. Maybe it’s been that way for a long time, so it doesn’t really register. Or if it does, we might think, It’s just how we do things here. Or we assume it’s somebody else’s job. Sometimes it…
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Authenticity and Vulnerability: The New Currency of Trust

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Authentic and vulnerable are two words I am hearing often when I ask people what they like about the person they report to and the people in the top leadership roles. My experience is that these words are mentioned more today than in the past. While they do not mean the same thing, together they are critical in developing relationships. They are vital for self-awareness and building trust. A couple of quick definitions: Authenticity is being genuine and…
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Reach Out: Why Brave Connections Matter for the Human-Centered Leader

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A quiet truth runs beneath every meaningful career moment in healthcare: Relationships—not transactions—move us forward. I was reminded of this recently when a physician leader reached out to me on LinkedIn in response to uLeadership’s “BIG announcement” about joining Healthcare Plus Solutions Group®. Turns out, we connected on a Zoom call, no agenda at all, just an engaging and inspiring conversation. Later, I mentioned our call to a colleague who knows this physician, Dr. Stephen Williams,…
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The Best Leaders Are Those Who Learn From Others

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When asked what characteristics the most successful people have, I often mention curiosity. This is what it takes to learn from others. In most organizations, there are usually some leaders who are achieving better results than others. This is a good thing. These days, very few travel dollars are needed to get help. What it takes is the willingness to ask the person achieving good results how they are doing it. One difference between a…
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We All Make a Difference in the Lives of Others

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In the first book I authored, Hardwiring Excellence, I used the metaphor of a flywheel to describe how consistent, values-driven actions create momentum in an organization. The idea of the flywheel initially came from author Jim Collins. A flywheel takes effort to start moving; however, once it gets going, the flywheel turns with less effort. The flywheel I outlined in my work has purpose, worthwhile work, and making a difference at the core. Leaders play a key role in helping…
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