Leaders: Be Absolutely Sure That You Are Relevant

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I recently conducted and filmed an interesting, in-depth interview with Glen Hall, Senior Vice President of Sales at MD Buyline.

During our discussion, Glen made this important point: “Be absolutely sure that you, as a leader, and that you and your colleagues, as an organization, are truly relevant!”

Are you truly relevant? Are you truly meeting the needs and desires of your customers?

As a healthcare leader, you have many customers. Obviously you want to meet or exceed the needs and desires of the patients and the communities you serve. But you also have other “customers” you serve and to whom you are accountable. Examples may include your colleagues, the person or board to whom you report, the teams you lead or are a member of, and certainly all of the individuals you lead.

All of the people you desire to serve or to whom you are accountable are your customers.

So think about those “customers.” Are you asking the right questions, and are you truly listening to the answers? Are you making mental, physical, and digital notes regarding exactly what your customers and your centers of influence really want and need? Do you frequently refresh on what those you serve most need and want? Do you purposefully and consistently ask key questions, and then carefully listen in order to remain up-to-date regarding the current and potential future needs and desires of those you serve?

Let me make this very real. Ask yourself this question and write your answer—don’t just think in generalities, write a specific answer: “Within the last 90 days, what have I specifically learned that is very important in order to better serve the most important needs and desires of the different individuals, groups, and communities I serve?”

If you cannot easily answer that question with specificity, I respectfully submit that you are probably not focused enough on one of the most basic and critical elements of personal, professional, and organizational success.

Glen Hall is exactly right!  “Be absolutely sure that you, as a leader, and that you and your colleagues, as an organization, are truly relevant!”