Three Jobs Every Leader Must Do

Over the course of five months, Council Fellows engage in nine experiential learning sessions on topics ranging from cost of care and health equity to innovation and market segments. The program culminates in a two-day, future-forward planning intensive where cohort members discern collective opportunities to achieve impact at scale. 

Day one’s deep dive into leadership development continued with a guided three-part exercise on becoming your best self both personally and professionally, facilitated by Council Fellows Chair Dr. Michael Burcham. As Chief of Strategy and Talent Development for Shore Capital Partners, Burcham has mastered the art of helping executives and organizations achieve clarity of direction. 

Burcham advised Fellows that as leaders, their role ultimately boils down to three key jobs: 

1. Crafting a strategic vision, or plan, that motivates people and makes them excited to be part of something greater than themselves. “If you don’t create that feeling, it’s just a job,” says Burcham. Leaders must have a crystal-clear strategic vision of where the market is headed and pick a path that positions their organization to compete in that changing market. 
2. Building team alignment, which entails getting everyone on the team to both understand, and commit to, a single direction. As the most people-centered part of a leader’s role, building alignment is grounded in communicating with and listening to others, and involves helping everyone understand their individual role in achieving the company’s vision. Because misalignment erodes overall enterprise value, Burcham advised Fellows to:
   1. Continually communicate your organization’s North Star and strategic vision Consistently invest in your team members’ personal and professional development 
   2. Consistently invest in your team members’ personal and professional development 
3. Championing execution, or ensuring that the resources and structures are in place to make the strategic vision a reality. Asserting that execution begins with trust, Burcham stated that “the #1 predictor of trust is your consistency as a leader” and coached Fellows on tactics to help establish personal, organizational and strategic trust with their teams. He also cautioned the class against the four drivers that disrupt execution of a strategic vision:
   1. Misalignment with role, if individuals don’t understand expectations and/or how their position contributes to the greater organization
   2. Misalignment with manager, especially when promoting individuals into leadership positions without equipping them with the tools and training to lead effectively
   3. Misalignment with team, if team members lack clarity and/or directional agreement around a company’s mission, vision and values
   4. Misalignment with culture, when team members experience feelings of isolation, burnout and/or do not feel a sense of belonging within the organization 

Circling back to the critical importance of discretionary effort, or that willingness on the part of employees to go the extra mile for the greater good, Burcham concluded part one of his presentation by reminding Fellows that to effect the massive changes necessary to reimagine healthcare in America, they cannot do the work alone.  

“The degree to which healthcare organizations move toward connecting with consumers and meeting their needs as individuals, not patients, will largely determine whether they become the leaders in the new economy,” stressed Burcham. “Each of you needs a committed team around you who will embrace change and help you execute the strategies you choose to pursue.” 

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