b'| EDUCATION GUIDEWhat Do You Look For in a Leader?How COVID-19 has highlighted some of the softer skillsleaders need to truly thriveBy Mark McGrawE veryone has, at some point in theirto have in healthcare going forward.they are just dipping a toe in or [are] fully professional life, worked for a jerk.invested in at-risk financial models, orga-That jerk might have been brilliant,IDENTIFYING THE LESS TANGIBLE nizations need to identify leaders who can and really good at the technical aspects ofAs a healthcare executive, Heather Traftoneffectively manage populations and drive his or her job, but sorely lacked the peoplehas always looked for professionals whoclinical transformation across complex skills necessary to really excel as a leader.think strategically, and are data-driven asnetworks.Then there are leaders who have certainwell as empathetic.The majority of organizations continue attributessome of which arent always soThe healthcare landscape is constantlyin the fee-for-service model and the newer easy to define or quantifythat bring outevolving, and successful leaders need topayment models, continues Trafton. This the best in the employees on their teams.be agile and innovative in the way theycomplexity requires healthcare leaders to And then there are leaders who have it all approach solutions, says Trafton, chiefmake data-driven decisions with a collab-the technical know-how and the innateoperating officer at Arcadia, and formerorative and coordinated approach between knack for leading people. chief operating officer and senior vice pres- business and clinical leaders and analytical Spotting those within your organizationident of national public health at Stewardstaff. with leadership potential is crucial to yourHealth Care Network.Regardless of the specific role, these lead-healthcare systems future success. WithThe shift toward risk-based paymenters should possess a blend of hard and soft this in mind, a few experts weigh in on themodels allows for a focus on populationskills, says Laura Kreovsky, vice president qualities that leaders must possess to thrivehealth and delivering high-quality care atof advisory at Pivot Point Consulting, a in the healthcare environmentand howlower cost to larger populations, she says.Brentwood, Tenn.-based offering strategy ISTOCKCOVID-19 will shape the skills leaders needIn these new models of care, whetherand consulting services for provider and www.elitecme.com |2020| EDUCATION GUIDE 21'