Progress Is Happening – Don’t Miss It
Lately, I’ve found myself thinking about this more than ever: How do we stay motivated when the need feels endless? In healthcare, and especially in work rooted in improving systems, advancing inclusion, and strengthening communities, there is no shortage of problems to solve. Access gaps persist. Teams are stretched. Expectations continue to rise. And just…Read More
When Commitment Outpaces Infrastructure
Picture it: A health system announces a bold initiative to close disparities in surgical outcomes. There’s a press release. A town hall. A task force with an impressive name and a longer list of attendees. Twelve months later, the data hasn’t moved. The task force has met six times. The co-chairs have changed twice. And…Read More
Your Strategy Didn’t Fail – The Context Changed
There is a specific kind of doubt that sets in when something you built with care stops producing results. A quality improvement initiative that drove real, measurable change for two years suddenly meets resistance at the board level. A nationally recognized workforce development program quietly loses its internal funding line. A service line strategy built…Read More
In a Noisy System, the Edge Belongs to the Prepared
There is no shortage of information right now. Every day, there’s something new to process. A headline, a policy shift, a different take on where healthcare is headed. And if I’m being honest, I know many of you are feeling it too… that sense that even with all of this information, things don’t necessarily feel…Read More
Lead with What You Know – and Who You Know
Why sharpening your skills (and your circle) matters more than ever. One of the most important lessons I’ve learned over the past year is this: coalition building is more than collaboration—it’s a survival strategy. As a surgeon and senior health equity leader, I used to think strategic planning was mostly about aligning people around the…Read More
Courage Over Comfort
If there was ever a moment for courageous leadership, it’s now. Across hospitals, professional societies, and industry companies, I see a growing temptation to do what feels safest—wait, pause, hunker down until the storm passes. I call this the “frozen zone”—that place where uncertainty, risk, and fear can quietly stop progress in its tracks. The…Read More
The Final V.A.L.U.E.™ Move That Makes it Last (Part 5 of 5)
E: Embed and Engage Context is a Compass – Are You Reading It Right? Over the past few weeks, your messages, stories, and examples have poured in — demonstrating how ODLC members are not only learning these V.A.L.U.E. framework principles but also living them. We’ve entered this new phase of leadership with clarity, conviction, and…Read More
Leading with V.A.L.U.E.™ Requires Receipts (Part 4 of 5)
Recently, we introduced the ODLC V.A.L.U.E.™ Framework — a strategic lens to help leaders navigate today’s complex health equity landscape with purpose and clarity. This week’s V.A.L.U.E.™ Insight is about “U”: Understanding the Moment. In this season of complexity, change, and recalibration, this might be the most important step of all. U: Understand the Moment…Read More
The Leadership Move We Forget (Part 3 of 5)
Recently, we introduced the ODLC V.A.L.U.E.™ Framework — a strategic lens to help leaders navigate today’s complex health equity landscape with purpose and clarity. This week’s V.A.L.U.E.™ Insight is about “L”: Lead from Your Lane, a reminder that small steps from where you stand can have outsized ripple effects when rooted in intention and connected…Read More
Leading with V.A.L.U.E.™ Requires Receipts (Part 2 of 5)
Recently, we introduced the ODLC V.A.L.U.E.™ Framework — a strategic lens to help leaders navigate today’s complex health equity landscape with purpose and clarity. Each week, we’re unpacking a letter of the framework, offering real-world insights and tools to help you lead with greater alignment, evidence, and impact. A: ANCHOR YOUR EVIDENCE If you’re leading…Read More