Blazing Trails When Everything’s New

Covid-19 certainly put the healthcare business in the spotlight -- exposing challenges, gaps, and opportunities -- and that’s putting it mildly.?

Sure, for 20 years or more, the diagnostics sector had been an industry in transition, boldly -- though somewhat quietly -- forging new paths in companion diagnostics (which are used to match a patient to a specific drug or therapy) and other innovations. But while practitioners have always understood the need for accurate testing, “diagnostics” in general has largely flown under the average person’s radar.?

Then Covid-19 hit, and the moment happened: the value of diagnostics was on display. Even without a silver-bullet treatment available, a person could be tested and accurately diagnosed and begin adjusting behaviors to manage it.?

Before Covid-19, the business transition was slow and methodical, even somewhat myopic. We took actions to seek a new “what,” but the “how” never changed. Now, I believe we’re in a Golden Age of Diagnostics, a time when everything’s new and the “how” simply must change as a matter of survival. Meeting market demands in this new environment requires previously unheard-of levels of speed, flexibility, and innovation. And it requires changes in the way we, as leaders and as team members, show up.

These ultimately transferable skills and behaviors seem to work pretty well at times like now:

1. When everything is new, no one can declare that they “know” the way forward with a straight face. I’ve learned to be present, listen first, hold back the first opinion, and choose my responses intentionally.?????
2. As solutions evolve, there’s no need for perfection. Co-creation can be messy, but I’ve learned to encourage others to experiment without fear, and I’ve come to appreciate innovation through iteration.?
3. The best way to build trust can also feel the scariest. I’ve learned to share my story and try new things. But each new adventure involves at least some peril. The safety net is huge… far bigger than I’d ever realized.?

All hasn’t gone smoothly. For some, the old ways are intertwined with their very identities. Disruption can feel like a personal attack and give rise to a defensive response in turn. And this is exactly why you listen more and direct less. You choose to lead with compassion.?