Martin Gurbin, Director Business Development & Innovation, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre

What is the key to successful communication with healthcare leaders?
Marty Gurbin led a group of 25 emerging leaders on the evening of Tuesday, October 27^th in the discussion of this question.

Communication

• Making a connection: Most great speeches are characterized by a moment when the speaker demonstrates a real ability to connect with the audience. This is best done through an honest observation or genuine call to action – but keep it real, people can tell when they are being sold.
• Physical stance: Before a speaker even opens his mouth, the audience is reacting to his/her stance. Is it open or closed? Relaxed or uptight? When speaking, most people tend to go to one extreme or another, coming off as too passive or aggressive.  Keeping your hands open and moving in the waist region conveys an “openness” that will make the audience more receptive to your message.
• Structural frameworks: A successful speech must contain a “so what?”  There are several structural frameworks that can introduce the main message. There is the direct approach – problem/solution/action – which is appropriate when an expert is making a recommendation. An alternate approach often used when speaking to a broad audience is fact/care/do, which can be useful in making implications personal to a group of people.

Healthcare environment

• Stakeholder assessment: The Healthcare system is highly complex with a long and ever-expanding list of stakeholders. Before presenting an argument, it’s important to know identify all stakeholders and their motivations.
• Stakeholders in the Ontario healthcare system: A partial list of stakeholders include: physicians, nurses, allied professionals, researchers, administrators, community, LHIN organizations, municipal health authorities, government, professional associations, corporations, foundations, supplies, media and the public. Ask yourself -who are your stakeholders and what do they care about?

Getting to “Yes”

• Developing relationships: Connecting with leaders is like connecting with anyone else – it begins with humanity. Know what drives you and what drives those you’re looking to build a relationship with, and build the relationship on common ground.
• Articulate ROI: Consider quantitative and qualitative measures to demonstrate impact. The best measures will vary by the issue as well as by the audience.

Related materials:

• Communicating Effectively in Healthcare presentation (PDF)
• Copy of the meeting summary (PDF)

Camille Orridge doesn’t think she fits the STEREOTYPE OF A LEADER.  That’s because she believes leadership has very little to do with what you look or sound like, and everything to do with what you are passionate about.

On the evening of Monday, November 9, 2009, Camille, the Executive Director of the Toronto Central Community Care Access Centre (TC CCAC), engaged in a conversation with thirty of Ontario’s emerging healthcare leaders in Yorkville at the Empire Lounge.

Camille immigrated to Canada from Jamaica in the 1960s.  She was hired as a ward maid, but was unable to work in the hospital’s private wards as an immigrant and person of colour.  After working in various positions, including health records, she realized that her passion was in community care.  There she feels she is able to make a different in the lives of patients and families.

Camille shared some of her insights on leadership

• Leaders have different styles and qualities — Leadership comes in many forms.  Some leaders have extroverted personalities and are able to inspire action in others through public speaking (think President Barack Obama).  Others are more introverted and assert their leadership through subtle actions (think Bill Gates).  Embrace your own style of leadership.
• Take risks — Progress is achieved as leaders take risks and resolve to accept the consequences.  People are not always going to agree with your decisions, but you shouldn’t let that stop you.
• Give up the idea that you need to be liked — Leaders should strive to be respected for their work; however, this will require decisions that are not always popular.  Explain your rationale, but don’t wait for everyone to agree.
• Live with and learn from your failures — Leaders need to accept that with risk, at times comes failure.  Deal with it, and don’t dwell on it — it’s part of the job.
• Build on the successes of prior leaders — Several strong and wise leaders have existed in the past.  We stand on their shoulders.  Take the time to learn from them and their ideas.
• Be open minded; mind the danger of a single voice — When you stay in your corner of the world, you risk missing the bigger picture.  Leaders should actively seek out alternative views and broaden their frame of reference.
• Surround yourself with diversity — Engage people with different points of view.  A blend of backgrounds will help you to construct creative solutions.
• Develop survival skills — Developing ’street smarts’ is important.  Don’t be naive.  Understand the repercussions of your decisions and have the courage to see your decisions through.

Question and Answer with the Audience

Q: What was your biggest mistake?
A: The CCAC invested in a communication technology that didn’t prove to be valuable.  The hardest decision was to know when to walk away and to take ownership for failure by reporting it to the board.

Q: How do you foster leadership in the people you work with?
A: My job is to give people the tools they need to be successful, and to not get in their way.  I look for people who are self-motivated and demonstrate their inner drive.  Don’t expect leaders to spot you; if you are a leader, voice your opinion and get yourself noticed.

Q: How do you get your staff to deliver on strategies that they disagree with?
A: I try to be clear about the objectives of every initiative the CCAC undertakes.  I’m also flexible on how we achieve our objectives and I involve my team in coming up with the ‘how’.  Explain your rationale and the value in the bigger picture.  Show how you are improving patient care and tie your decision back to your common goals.

Q: How can small organizations be successful?
A: Focus on your core business.  Know how and when to make partnerships in non-core areas.  The CCAC recognized that IT was not one of its core businesses, so it developed a partnering agreement with SIMS.

Q: How do you prevent your workload from eroding your energy and passion?
A: Create a ’safe’ place where you get rejuvenated, whether it be with your family, through volunteering, by watching TV, or developing relationships with friends.  Develop a professional network of people that you trust and can vent to.

What you didn’t know about Camille – Rapid Fire Questions

Q: Do you prefer a convertible or SUV?
A: Convertible

Q: Are you a night owl or an early bird?
A: Early bird

Q: What was your first job in healthcare?
A: Ward maid at the Toronto General Hospital

Q: If you weren’t the CEO of the TC CCAC, what would you be?
A: Gallivanting across Africa

Q: What is your favourite weekend activity?
A: Watching TV

Q: If you could instantly fix one thing in healthcare, what would it be?
A: eHealth

For a PDF version of this Speaker Series summary, click here to download.

Thank you for those who were able to attend.  We look forward to seeing you at our next ELF event!

We are excited to announce the launch of a new pillar of leadership learning opportunities: the ELF Think Tank.  The Think Tank will launch with an information and feedback session on Wednesday, November 25, 2009.

The Think Tank will involve a subgroup of ELF members that will focus on finding a solution to a specific healthcare issue, with the guidance of an industry leader.  The output of the Think Tank may include a publication in an industry journal or presentation of your ideas to a healthcare system leader.  We’ll be providing you with more information about the Think Tank idea, but also asking for your input.

ELF would like to find out from you:
●       What topics are you interested in?
●       How often should the Think Tank meet?
●       What types of outputs would you like to see?

Join ELF to learn more about the Think Tank and provide your suggestions.

WHAT:  ELF Think Tank Information & Feedback Session
DATE: Wednesday, November 25, 2009
TIME: 5:30 -7:00pm
LOCATION: 150 King Street West, Suite 1300, Canada Health Infoway Offices, Canada Room

To RSVP to this event, please complete the registration form.

Participation is FREE for ELF members.

For more information about the event, please refer to the attached meeting details and please help us spread the word by passing this invitation on to anyone who might be interested.

We look forward to seeing you!

Please join us for our eleventh Emerging Leader Forum Speaker Series on Monday, November 9, 2009, as Camille Orridge, Executive Director of the Toronto Central Community Care Access Centre (CCAC), speaks candidly about leading community care into the future.

Date & Time:
Monday, November 9, 2009; 5:30 – 7:30 PM

Location:
Empire Grill & Lounge, 50 Cumberland Street, www.empiretoronto.com

About our Speaker:
Camille Orridge
Executive Director, Toronto Central CCAC

As Executive Director of the Toronto Central CCAC, Camille Orridge provides leadership to an organization that serves close to 19,000 clients monthly and has an annual budget of $172 million to coordinate and provide publicly funded home and community-based care and to facilitate placement in long-term care.

With a reputation as a passionate and vocal advocate for the needs of the community, Camille has taken leadership roles in major provincial initiatives involving e-health, ethics of care, health system performance measurement, chronic disease management, and health human resources.  She is also deeply involved in community work focused on AIDS prevention.

To RSVP to this event, please complete the registration form.  Participation is FREE for ELF members.

Click here for a PDF copy of this invitation, and please help us spread the word by passing this invitation on to anyone who might be interested.

Please join us for an Emerging Leader Forum Development Seminar on Tuesday, October 27, 2009, as Martin Gurbin, Director of business Development & Innovation at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, discusses what it means to communicate effectively in the healthcare sector, including:

• The impact of communication styles
• Appreciating the context of our healthcare environment
• Selling ideas & getting your message across to clinicians, administrators and government officials

Date & Time:
Tuesday, October 27, 2009; 6:00 – 8:00 PM

Location:
445 King St. W., 3rd Floor

About our Development Seminar Speaker:

Martin Gurbin
Director Business Development & Innovation Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre

Marty reflects upon his experience with the Ontario Hospital Association as Sr. Economist, as Director of the Ontario Hospital eHealth Council, and as Director of the Council of Academic Hospitals of Ontario, in the context of generating momentum for change in healthcare. More recently, he has been working with Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre as Director of Business Development and Innovation, where he works with the senior team, and a broad range of senior clinicians, researchers and entrepreneurs, to help Sunnybrook fulfill its quest to invent the Future of Healthcare.

To RSVP to this event, please complete the registration form.  Participation is FREE for ELF members, but please note that registration will be limited to 25 participants only.

Click here for the PDF copy of the invitation, and please help us spread the word by passing this invitation on to anyone who might be interested.

Empire Lounge in Yorkville was the venue for the 2^nd annual Emerging Leader Forum (ELF) Summer Social, on Friday, August 14^th, 2009.  Over thirty members, from a variety of organizations including West Park Healthcare Centre, St. Michael’s Hospital, the MOHLTC Critical Care Secretariat, Canada Health Infoway and Courtyard Group, gathered for some drinks, appetizers and dynamic conversation.

Our 2008/09 Accomplishments

The event celebrated the accomplishments of ELF during the 2008/09 year, which included various events with prominent healthcare leaders including Dr. Catherine Zahn, Richard Alvarez, Michael Kirby, Ken Deane, and Dr. Michael Guerriere to name a few.

New Committee Members

At the event two new ELF Committee members were formally welcomed to the ELF community.  Maxine Hynes joins the team as the new Development Seminar Lead, as Beth Dewitt goes on maternity leave.  Most recently, Maxine has been working with Bain and Company strategic consulting and has decided to make a formal career shift into healthcare.  Christine Gordon joins the committee as the Lead for the ELF Think Tank, a new pillar that is being launched this year (stay tuned for how you can get involved!).  She currently works at St. Michael’s Hospital leading its capital planning initiative.  Both Maxine and Christine bring a great deal of energy and intelligence to the committee and share a passion for developing the capabilities of young healthcare leaders.

ELF Scholarship Winners

This year ELF members were given the opportunity to apply for an ELF scholarship which entitled them to attend a one-day leadership workshop focused on a topic of their choice.  The two winners were Janet Law, currently working at Scarborough Hospital, and Sweeny Chhabra, currently working at Siemens Canada.  Both recipients demonstrated their commitment and passion for developing their healthcare leadership skills and knowledge.

Thank you to all those who attended and made the event such a success!  We look forward to your participation in our exciting list of 2009/10 events.  If you have any questions or comments about ELF, feel free to contact us at elf@emergingleaderforum.com.

Come meet some of your fellow ELF members!

There are four essential ingredients to ELF’s Summer Social:

1. Patio weather
2. Drinks
3. Food
4. Emerging healthcare leaders!

Over the past year ELF has held several successful events.  There was the Guided Leadership Session in January where members had the chance to speak candidly with Dr. Matthew Morgan, Dr. Catherine Zahn, Ken Deane and Richard Alvarez about leadership, mentorship and career development; the Speakers Series events with Michael Kirby and Matt Anderson; and a Development Seminar on strategic thinking with Dr. Michael Guerriere.   Come help us celebrate 2008/09 and plan for 2009/10.

EVENT: ELF Summer Social
DATE & TIME: August 14, 2009, 5:30 – 7:30pm
LOCATION: Empire Grill & Lounge, 50 Cumberland Street, www.empiretoronto.com

Please RSVP to attend!

Committee Member Recruitment

ELF is continuing to grow, learn and expand in 2009/10!  We wish to expand on the successful launch of ELF’s four pillars this past year.

Last August we welcomed three new members to the ELF Committee to lead the Speaker Series, Guided Leadership Sessions and Development Seminars.  This year we are recruiting for two positions:

1. Development Seminar Lead – Beth Dewitt has done an exceptional job this year, but will be on maternity leave next year.  We are looking for a passionate and driven ELF member to fill her shoes.
2. Think Tank Lead – Next year we are hoping to establish a Think Tank, consisting of a small group of ELF members, that will meet regularly to discuss selected topics of interest in healthcare.  The output of the Think Tank could potentially be a whitepaper suitable for publication!

Application Process

All ELF members are welcome to apply. Click to download the application form that provides more information about the roles available and the time commitment required. If you are interested in joining the ELF Committee, fill out the application form and email it to ELF@emergingleaderforum.com by Friday, July 31, 2009.

The applications will be reviewed by the Committee, and a short list of applicants will be asked to participate in a brief teleconference to finalize members by Friday, August 7, 2009.

The new Committee members will be introduced at the ELF Summer Social!

LEADERS SCHOLARSHIPS: New for Summer 2009

In the spirit of continued learning and ongoing career development for ELF members, the ELF Committee is introducing its Leaders Scholarship Program.  This summer, the ELF committee will award two ‘scholarships’ valued at $450 each, to a one-day workshop focused on the development of leadership skills. Successful applicants may subscribe to one of the below listed workshops or suggest a workshop to the committee that is better suited to their learning objectives.

Some examples of available workshop topics include:

• Habits of Highly Effective People
• How to Achieve Organizational Greatness Through Knowledge Leadership
• How to Achieve Your Highest Priorities

All ELF members are welcome to apply.

Application Process:

If you are interested in applying for the ELF Leaders Scholarship, please fill out the application form and email it to elf@emergingleaderforum.com by Friday, July 31, 2009.

The applications will be reviewed by the Committee, and the winners of the scholarships will be announced at the ELF Summer Social on Friday, August 14, 2009.

If you have any questions or comments regarding this process, please email the ELF Committee at elf@emergingleaderforum.com.

What makes a good strategy?

This is the fundamental question that Dr. Michael Guerriere dissected with 25 emerging leaders on the evening of Thursday, June 4th, 2009.  ‘Strategic thinking’ is a skill that is difficult to develop by reading a book.  Demand for the seminar was high; learning from the experience of seasoned healthcare strategist is a rare opportunity for young professionals in this industry.

It makes intuitive sense that the first step to deciding on a strategy would be to outline all potential options and assess the merit of each. Yet, Dr. Guerriere remarked how surprisingly common it is for leaders to skip this step and choose a ‘good enough’ option.

Many strategies may lead you to the desired outcome.  That doesn’t necessarily mean they are all good strategies. There are various factors that should be considered when assessing the merit of a strategy:

• Uncertainty – There is an element of luck and unpredictability to every strategy.  This is a result of uncontrollable environmental factors.  However, some strategies have a greater probability of success.   Purchasing a lottery ticket may not be the best strategy for gaining a million dollars!
• The ability to execute – A brilliant strategy is worthless if the people in the organization are incapable of executing it.
• Self-sustainability – The best strategies are those that are self-perpetuating.  Once the strategy is put into motion, the cascade of subsequent events helps to propagate the desired outcome.   The Wal-Mart strategy is a great example; the more Wal-Mart stores that are opened, the greater the pressure on weak competitors and the eventual closure of competing stores.  The Wait Time Strategy in Ontario is also an excellent example of a self-sustaining strategy.  By starting with five high-volume service areas, linking funding to results, and reporting the results to the public, the strategy developed momentum.  Soon other service areas demanded to be included.
• Simplicity and clarity – Complicated strategies risk being misinterpreted.  When a strategy is simple and clear, the ability to execute it is enhanced.
• Direction of action – The purpose of a strategy is to direct action.  It delineates between acceptable and unacceptable courses of action.  Without this specificity, the likelihood of individuals taking on activities that are not aligned with the strategy is high. The General Electric strategy defined by Jack Welsh dictates that each business within the GE conglomerate must be one of the top three companies in the respective industry.  This clearly directs the company’s decisions to sell or maintain businesses within the GE portfolio.

In most industries, a company’s strategy is vital to its ability to survive. Market forces dictate the success of a strategy. Similar to Darwin’s theory of evolution, advancements in each industry are dependent on the dissolution of companies with weak strategies and the propagation of those that leverage innovation.

Is an organization’s strategy vital in healthcare?

It seems that healthcare organizations continue to exist regardless of the strength of their strategies. Why is that? In healthcare there is little true competition, thus the process of ‘creative destruction’ that is present in most other industries is inhibited. Many leaders have theorized that the introduction of market forces in healthcare would help to drive competition, and thus innovation and efficiency in the industry. However, there are a few fundamental characteristics of healthcare that prohibit it from functioning like most other market driven industries:

1. Healthcare lacks informed consumers

The direction of market forces are dictated by the choices of consumers. Healthcare services are far more complex than the commodities offered to consumers in other industries.  As a result, it is extremely difficult for the public to make informed choices.

2. Healthcare is heavily regulated

To balance the public’s inability to choose ‘correctly’ amongst the healthcare services provided, systems are heavily regulated. Regulation also helps to balance the tendency towards activity. In healthcare, more activity is usually regarded as better by patients.

Within a heavily regulated environment it is very difficult for an organization to truly fail.  When is the last time you heard about a hospital going out of business?  When was the last time you heard about the government rescuing a hospital financially? Herein lays the answer to the question regarding the importance of a healthcare organization’s strategy to its existence. In healthcare, the viability of an organization is not nearly as dependent on its strategy as in other industries. However, the strategy of a healthcare organization has other valuable purposes. It helps to define the culture of an organization, it sends a message to the public and it instills confidence in the staff and governors.

Closing Quote :: Sir Winston Churchill reminds us:

“However beautiful the strategy, you should occasionally look at the results.”

For a copy of this meeting summary, click here to download the pdf file.