Healthcare’s Imperative for Long-Game Leadership

Among today’s leaders in healthcare, few health system executives have the fortitude and patience to stand by a long-term investment until it pays dividends. CommonSpirit Health CEO Lloyd Dean, who announced that he is retiring in 2022, is someone whom we should all aspire to model.

While his accomplishments are too numerous to list, his devotion to improving equitable access to care is unwavering. At this crucial time for health equity, does Dean’s retirement this year pose a risk for the success of this movement? I’m confident it does not. The once-in-a-generation leadership demonstrated by Dean cannot end with his tenure at a single company. Together, we must look to his example to inspire companies, industries, and multiple generations to take up the common cause in pursuit of health equity. 

Intergenerational leaders like Dean act with the future in mind. Putting aside short-term gains, they focus on creating a culture and community of inclusiveness and adaptation. They are passionate stewards of resources, sharers of knowledge, and guardians of organizational values.