Precision Leader Development

Leadership Development: Healthcare’s Most Underused Advantage

Leadership Development: Healthcare’s Most Underused Advantage

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Every day, healthcare organizations promote some of their best people. Charge nurses become managers. Clinicians become department heads. Physicians step into administrative roles. These are people who’ve already proven they’re talented, trusted, and committed to the mission. But here’s the question: are they as equipped to lead people as they are to deliver care? The reality is, clinical and technical competency and leadership competency are entirely different skill sets. Organizations that recognize the difference, and…
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Who Is Really Responsible for Your Development?

Who Is Really Responsible for Your Development?

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I write more on personal and professional development than any other topic. In my book The Busy Leader’s Handbook: How to Lead People and Places That Thrive, the first chapter sets the foundation for a person’s development. The two main components are self-awareness and coachability.  Willingness is key to both: willingness to hold up the mirror to oneself and willingness to seek out coaches and coaching. Please think of the coach’s work in its broadest sense. A coach…
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Good Evaluations and Individualized Development: Two “Musts” That Drive Leader Performance

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Is it possible for a company to not achieve key goals while most if not all of those in leadership receive a positive yearly evaluation? I have seen this happen over the years. It brings up some questions: How can it be that there is such a disconnect between a leader’s evaluation and their actual performance? And why aren’t leaders moving the needle on organizational goals? The answer typically comes down to one of two issues…
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Lean Into Feedback, Tell on Yourself…and Don’t Quit Until the Miracle Happens

Lean Into Feedback, Tell on Yourself…and Don’t Quit Until the Miracle Happens

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Last week, I shared some insights from some of my favorite columns of 2024. My goal was to find some simple, yet impactful actions readers can work on to improve their leadership skills in 2025. This week I’d like to share a few more. With the holidays upon us and the end of the year almost here, I find myself feeling introspective. My observation is that when we share our most personal thoughts and feelings, we…
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Three Changes to Make in 2025 to Become a Better Leader

Three Changes to Make in 2025 to Become a Better Leader

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Hard to believe, but 2024 is almost over. A good way to wrap up the old year is by thinking about what we might do differently in the new one. How can we set ourselves up to be better, more successful leaders, employees, and human beings in the new year? In thinking how best to answer this question, I revisited some columns I’ve written over the past year. Here are a few actions to focus…
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Stop Doing Stupid Stuff…and Other Simple Leadership Advice

Stop Doing Stupid Stuff…and Other Simple Leadership Advice

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I recently had the pleasure of interviewing my longtime friend Dr. Thom Mayer for the Healthcare Plus Podcast.  Thom, who is a crisis management expert, has an incredible career. He is the medical director for the NFL Players Association, executive vice president of leadership for LogixHealth, founder of BestPractices Inc., clinical professor of emergency medicine at George Washington University, and senior lecturing fellow at Duke University. Thom has a new book out called Leadership Is Worthless…But…
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“If It’s Not Clear, Ask.” (Taking Ownership of Your Skill Building and Development)

“If It’s Not Clear, Ask.” (Taking Ownership of Your Skill Building and Development)

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In quick succession, three people approached me about their situations. While the situations were all different, there were similarities. Common themes I saw centered on the ability to be direct in conversations and to achieve clarity in each person’s circumstances. Let’s take a brief look at each situation. SITUATION 1. An early careerist approached me to share that the small company he works for does not do yearly evaluations (or any performance reviews), and does…
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Pointing Out Problems Is Good; Bringing Solutions Is Great

Pointing Out Problems Is Good; Bringing Solutions Is Great

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Some time back, I wrote, “When a person identifies a problem, they have a human responsibility to also help with a solution.” Are there times when it’s enough to only point out a problem? Yes. One example is when you see a situation that could be dangerous. I was at a baseball game a few weeks back, and as I walked past an area, I thought I smelled propane gas. I quickly found someone who…
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Feedback Is an Opportunity (Not a Reason for Fear)

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We are all students. I love the statement, “When the student is ready, the teacher will appear.” Being “ready” in this context means being self-aware and coachable. As I was researching The Busy Leader’s Handbook: How to Lead People and Places That Thrive, I interviewed Harry Gruner. Harry is the managing partner of JMI, a growth equity firm. He shared that each year they are approached by and look at hundreds of companies seeking investment. They then…
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How to Help Leaders Accurately Assess Their Own Performance

How to Help Leaders Accurately Assess Their Own Performance

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Do people in leadership rate themselves higher in ability than their results demonstrate? The answer is dependent on the individual; however, my experience is the general answer is yes.  I like objective measurement. Though we are not able to directly measure some items, measurement should help people see what they do well and identify areas that may need improvement. It is not easy to be a leader. With good skill development, they can learn to do…
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