Listening Well and Learning to Work With Ambiguity
Listen and Learn with CEO Beth Chase
CEO, board director, strategic advisor and entrepreneur Beth R. Chase, counseled Fellows on the importance of aligning around a shared purpose within their organizations, but from there, accepting the differing approaches and opposing perspectives various members may bring to the team.
“Really good leaders and teams accept the ambiguity and learn how to work within that,” Chase said. “A lot of times we try to get to one right answer and get there quickly, when long-term impact more often comes when we wallow around in the question, stay with the ambiguity and have the courage to really figure things out.”
Asked what insights she might share from her years as an entrepreneur, Chase immediately extolled the value of listening, even (and especially) when you feel convinced of what’s right.
“Never quit listening to your team members on the inside, and never quit listening to the outside world,” coached Chase. “A lot of leaders get so insular that they stop listening to the market.”
Reminding Fellows that their six character traits will likely differ from her own, Chase encouraged cohort participants to map out their own purpose statements as a starting point and reflect on the six traits that feel most foundational to their everyday life and experiences in leadership.
“Spend some time thinking about who you are, and what your core tenets of being are, and then drive your leadership through that lens,” advised Chase. “Think of three or four characteristics that ground you, and then, let them ground you in your approach to leadership as you move forward.”
About Council Fellows
Building on Nashville’s legacy as the Healthcare City, the Council Fellows program connects the healthcare industry’s brightest minds, most influential leaders and top drivers of change. Each year, the highly competitive program convenes a cohort of 30 top executive leaders for a curriculum specifically designed to build new perspectives and generate new ideas for addressing the industry’s most pressing challenges. This prestigious cohort-based program is shaping the future of healthcare.
Applications for Council Fellows open in the fall and a new class is seated in December for the following year’s cohort. If you’re interested in learning more about the Council Fellows program, sign up here to receive ongoing updates. For more information, contact fellows@healthcarecouncil.com.
