Inside leaders can also be effective disrupters

Regarding the Aug. 13 feature “As healthcare changes, systems need to broaden search to find disruptive CEOs” (p. 22), the comments by Korn Ferry’s Tom Giella offer perfect insight into correcting some of healthcare’s leadership problems: “With so much technological advancement causing disruption in the market, there is much more desire for people who are strategic, innovative, customerfocused, and can adapt quickly.”

But do not forget about senior leaders in the support services roles, who can be just as disruptive, strategic, innovative and customer-focused. They also know how to adapt quickly.

I have been in healthcare for over 30 years, through military medicine and 10 years as a senior executive in some pretty impressive healthcare organizations. Every job has brought about challenges that have called for massive overhauls under my purview. But what every recruiter tells me is that I “need more clinical.” It’s not from my lack of trying that I have not garnered that responsibility, it’s lack of sponsorship. I am strategic in nature, a team-oriented change agent, can manage clinical when afforded the opportunity, and know how to lead— that’s what I do.

Now I read that we need to bring those outside of healthcare to the CEO slot. While I understand the logic, can those of us inside healthcare on the support services side get some support and sponsorship for those opportunities as well? Let’s not forget about those in the system.

Ralph Turner Cleveland