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The Importance Of Identifying & Nurturing Leaders
Before I joined Desir Group, I had the pleasure of working for six years at General Electric, a company that has been #1 on Fortune Magazine's list of the Most
Admired Companies In America and has been on that list at least six times in the past decade. Why does America love GE so much? Perhaps because practically everyone in business recognizes that GE's
most important product is not its light bulbs but its managerial talent.
In my opinion, healthcare needs to take a lesson from GE.
When you work at GE, you understand why the company has such a great reputation for developing leaders, an approach that could work just as well in a healthcare setting. GE's strategy -- which is very Six Sigma -- starts with creating … at the very highest managerial level … a very clear statement of the company's values. These values then trickle down throughout the company's businesses creating a culture of excellence.
But, more importantly, GE believes it's not enough to list values; there need to be measurable traits that enable management to identify its high-potential people and then nurture those future leaders, people who will help GE grow its businesses. These are those traits:
- Externally focused. A leader needs to look outside the organization for best practices in related and unrelated industries.
- Clear thinker. A leader needs to be intelligent and capable of understanding all aspects of the business for which they are responsible.
- Imaginative. A leader needs to be able to take a creative approach to problem-solving.
- Inclusive leadership. A leader needs to be able to show diversity in their team.
- Expertise. A leader needs to continue developing their knowledge about their area of responsibility which includes ongoing training.
Each GE employee knows they will be measured against these traits and is encouraged to receive a high rating in each of the five areas.
But this is certainly not the case in the healthcare sector, which is why it has struggled and why it frequently looks externally for new talent. Sure, that is great for Desir Group Executive Search, a search firm with an excellent reputation for helping healthcare diversify its leadership teams to meet the needs of its constituents. However, I believe healthcare is missing a great opportunity to develop a culture of excellence which is critical to the succession-planning process. Healthcare organizations must establish a culture that rewards the identification, mentoring, and promotion of high-potential individuals.
While a goal statement that reflects corporate values is important, "accountability" is what brings it to fruition. GE holds its leaders accountable for identifying and developing the best and the brightest employees. Its leaders are encouraged to identify candidates with diverse backgrounds, race and ethnicity, gender, and personality types. The employees are measured for intelligence and the performance of assigned tasks. This strategy has been highly successful and has lead to GE's reputation as a leader in the succession-planning process.
Hospitals are highly compartmentalized and hierarchical. Each leader, from the department manager to the CEO, must be engaged in identifying those associates who demonstrate the values of the organization. Most importantly, each leader must be held accountable for the development of their "high potentials." Each leader must be evaluated on their efforts to identify and mentor those individuals. In some cases, that means taking a hands-on approach to navigating the political landscape, providing high-profile assignments to encourage growth and garner exposure for the "high potential."
Yes, it may be easier to go outside to locate your next leaders but that may not lead to finding individuals who possess all the values and traits your organization requires. However, if you have grown and nurtured your next leaders, they will understand the mission of your organization. Not to mention that if you intend to provide the best patient care, you need to have the best employees, and there is a very strong correlation between employee satisfaction and patient satisfaction. When people know they are recognized internally, they are excited, there will be less turnover, and they will be encouraged to do well.
If each hospital manager, director, and VP identifies two or three diverse, high-potential individuals, and executes a measurable plan to grow its own leaders, they will be well on their way to creating a culture of excellence and, in the end, meet the needs of their diverse constituents. |
