"Thank you. Thank you for being inquisitive, for asking questions, for making me want to think more deeply about X, Y, and Z. I am so grateful."
This message came from a colleague (a leader at another healthcare organization) late last fall, and it told me far more about my colleague than it ever did about me.
This leader showed gratitude and vulnerability. She led with an open mind and heart, and based on the content of our discussion, lived the traits of a servant leader--the exact opposite of an egocentric leader. And it's exactly what we need to truly adapt, innovate and improve the healthcare system to better serve our patients, families and communities.
Once I hung up the phone, I sat back, looked up, and gave thanks for leaders such as this: Leaders who are not so set in their ways, not so stuck in their own dogma or their own ego that they are open to considering new ways, new perspectives, new options, all in an effort to better their organization and those they serve.
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