Every leader receives critique. Some leaders appreciate it, some dread it, and some resent it – but every good leader needs it. In order to truly achieve leadership excellence, you need to learn, grow, mature, develop, and improve as a leader, and one of the best tools for accomplishing this is critique.   Without

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December 17, 2012

I was recently honored to conduct an in-depth, one-on-one interview with Joel Allison, President and CEO of Baylor Health Care System based in Dallas, Texas. I asked Allison to describe some of the major healthcare industry trends he sees within the communities and areas served by Baylor.   Allison shared eleven trends he believes are

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  As Christmas approaches, I am reminded more than ever that there are only 24 hours in each day. As lovely as the holidays are, this time of year can also prove to be full of busyness, stress, and endless to-do lists. There just doesn’t seem to be enough time to get everything done –

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December 10, 2012

I was recently honored to conduct an in-depth, one-on-one interview with Joel Allison, President and CEO of Baylor Health Care System based in Dallas, Texas. I asked Allison to describe some of the major healthcare industry trends he sees within the communities and areas served by Baylor.   Allison shared eleven trends he believes are

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  I firmly believe in the power of effective leadership, and I know that leadership excellence is the ultimate strategy for personal, professional and organizational success! I also believe that in order to achieve leadership excellence, you must sharpen your focus as a leader in order to be most effective.   A few years ago

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I was recently privileged to conduct an extensive, one-on-on live interview with Mike Williams, President and CEO of Community Hospital Corporation (CHC). Based in Plano, Texas, CHC offers practical solutions for community hospitals to help improve effectiveness, efficiency, quality, and financial stability, while preserving and protecting community control of the hospital.   In response to a

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For some people, making connections and building relationships comes naturally. But for others, building and maintaining great relationships can be difficult and often feels like a chore. Relationships – even the most enjoyable ones – require a lot of work. For those not sure exactly how to go about it or even where to start,

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Mike Williams has served as the President and CEO of Community Hospital Corporation (CHC) since its inception in 1996. Based in Plano, Texas, CHC offers practical solutions for community hospitals to help improve effectiveness, efficiency, quality, and financial stability, while preserving and protecting community control of the hospital.   During a recent in-depth interview, Williams’

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Persian poet and mystic Jalal ad-Din Rumi, who lived in the 13th century, is credited with first writing,   “Yesterday I was clever, so I wanted to change the world. Today I am wise, so I am changing myself.”   Though they may be listed as synonyms in a thesaurus, there is a significant difference between

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Virtually all “leadership experts and gurus,” having studied countless leadership traits, qualities and characteristics as well as having examined countless real-life examples of leadership strengths and weaknesses, come to the conclusion that integrity is one of those foundational leadership qualities that other important traits are built upon. If an individual lacks integrity – if they lack

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Life and leadership seems to become more demanding every day. We are expected to go above and beyond in every area. Many leaders are expected to take on more responsibility and work longer hours, often with fewer resources. We are expected to carefully prioritize our family and our health, but still be superstars at work.

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October 23, 2012

I am attending the 2012 Healthcare Supply Chain EXPO in Orlando, Florida.  The meeting is co-hosted by the Healthcare Supply Chain Association and the Healthcare Industry Supply Chain Institute.   Thus far, the sessions have been excellent and highly relevant to healthcare leadership today and into the future.   If you have the opportunity to

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In a brief audio clip featured by Success Video, John Maxwell shares two practices leaders should enact in order to make themselves more effective and productive: Stop making excuses. Understand the secret of your success is determined by your daily agenda. Maxwell is passionate about the importance of eliminating excuses. While he acknowledges that in

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October 16, 2012

I recently conducted a fascinating hour and a half one-on-one interview with Peter Fine, President and CEO of Banner Health. Peter Fine has been in the healthcare business since 1977 and has made his share of tough personal and professional choices. When asked to reflect on key decisions and turning points in his career, Fine recalled

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I recently conducted a fascinating hour and a half one-on-one interview with Peter Fine, President and CEO of Banner Health. Peter Fine has been in the healthcare business since 1977 and has few regrets. He’s come a long way since his first ‘real’ job – driving a taxi just outside of New York City in

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You’ve likely heard it said, “Leadership is all about influence.” I have always agreed with this statement, and have said it myself countless times! I have also said, “Everybody is a leader.” I truly believe that. Think about it – everybody, no matter who they are, influences other people. Whether it’s a CEO with a

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In a recent blog post, Michael Hyatt shared five characteristics that he considers to be marks of authentic leadership. Michael Hyatt has practiced and written about authentic leadership for many years, and I’ve come to admire and respect his insights and perspectives.   According to Hyatt, authentic leaders:   Have Insight Demonstrate Initiative Exert Influence Have Impact Exercise Integrity   Hyatt

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Author and motivational speaker Vivian Greene coined the famous phrase, “Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass. It’s about learning how to dance in the rain.” This phrase is particularly appropriate for healthcare leaders in this time of dramatic and unchartered “storms” and change.   The phrase brings to mind a whimsical image and has

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September 18, 2012

Ben McKibbens led Valley Baptist Health System in southern Texas, for twenty-five remarkable years. During that time the health system experienced unprecedented growth, guided by the servant leadership of McKibbens, whom I am privileged to call my friend and colleague. Though now retired, timeless insights and wisdom for current and future healthcare leaders can still

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Many virtues mark the life of a great leader. Integrity, ambition, vision, and empathy are just a few. But perhaps most important of all virtues is courage, because without the courage to hold fast, the demonstration of these other virtues is sporadic at best. Author, poet and performer Maya Angelou expressed this conviction when she

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