1 Thomas C. Dolan, PhD, FACHE, CAE President and Chief Executive Officer American College of Healthcare Executives ache.org OBSERVATIONS FOR HEALTHCARE EXECUTIVES: A CATALYST FOR CONVERSATION

Observations for Healthcare Executives: A Catalyst for Conversation Observations About Our Healthcare System Observations About Our Healthcare Organizations Observations About Ourselves 2

3 Observations About Our Healthcare System

 One of our greatest challenges is the American public’s expectations of our healthcare system 4

Observations About Our Healthcare System  Our healthcare system is not the primary determinant of our health status 5

Observations About Our Healthcare System  Healthcare executives also need to protect the disadvantaged 6

Observations About Our Healthcare System  We need to reduce healthcare costs, not just control them 7

8 Observations About Our Healthcare Organizations

 Stakeholder service is Job 1 9

Observations About Our Healthcare Organizations  It is virtually impossible to over- communicate 10

Observations About Our Healthcare Organizations  Both high quality and cost effectiveness are important 11

Observations About Our Healthcare Organizations  Healthcare organizations and their leaders need to model ethics, diversity and collaboration 12

Observations About Our Healthcare Organizations  Invest heavily in board orientation and education 13

Observations About Our Healthcare Organizations  Provide board members with a continual flow of information designed for them 14

Observations About Our Healthcare Organizations  If staff are one of your organization’s most important assets, then act accordingly 15

Observations About Our Healthcare Organizations  Invest heavily in staff orientation and education 16

Observations About Our Healthcare Organizations  We usually delay terminating poor performers 17

Observations About Our Healthcare Organizations  When the time is right, help staff find their next position inside or outside your organization 18

19 Observations About Ourselves

 Those who fail to learn today often fail to earn tomorrow 20

Observations About Ourselves  EQ is more important than IQ 21

Observations About Ourselves  Network for your employer and yourself 22

Observations About Ourselves  Master both your internal and external environments 23

Observations About Ourselves  Effective leadership is often uncomfortable 24

Observations About Ourselves  Hubris will destroy your career 25

Observations About Ourselves  Self-evaluate, since others are always evaluating you 26

Observations About Ourselves  Be both a high-touch and a high-tech communicator 27

Observations About Ourselves  You can be anything, but not everything 28

Five Questions  What makes you personally and professionally happy?  What kind of work-life balance do you want now and in the future?  What do you want to be doing 5, 10, 15 and 20 years from now?  What do you want to do now and where?  What education and experience do you need? 29

Observations About Ourselves  Only you are responsible for your work/life balance 30

Observations About Ourselves  You must be a manager and a leader 31

32 Thomas C. Dolan, PhD, FACHE, CAE President and Chief Executive Officer American College of Healthcare Executives ache.org OBSERVATIONS FOR HEALTHCARE EXECUTIVES: A CATALYST FOR CONVERSATION