From Resistance to Results in a Payor Organization: Four Key Leadership Traits That Will Drive Your Success

By David Orbuch , a seasoned business advisor, is known for building a strong performance culture to achieve outstanding results.? David’s career journey started as a criminal prosecutor for the Department of Justice and continues today as a business advisor and leadership coach.? In between, David led both payer and provider businesses on three continents. These include Allina Hospitals and Clinics, United HealthCare, Optum in the UK, and Amil in Brazil.? David is now using these experiences to support organizations that are driven to improve healthcare. David’s passion is to strengthen the fabric of our community with his time, talent, and treasure.?

Proposing a new, innovative product in any organization, let alone a payor organization, is no small feat. Criticisms often arise from every corner:

• “We tried that before, and it didn’t work.”
• “That will cost too much money.”
• “How will it impact our quality scores?”
• “Our regulators will never approve this change.”
• “We will never be able to implement a solution like that.”

1. Passion – Be motivated and committed. Your intense belief in your success will set you apart.
2. Purpose – Understand not only the problem you’re solving but also why it needs solving and how your solution addresses it.
3. Planning – Set specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound objectives. A good idea is never enough without execution.
4. Perseverance – Keep moving forward despite failures and obstacles. Perseverance is the secret behind all triumphs.

These traits cannot simply remain words on a page—they must be brought to life through deliberate behaviors.

1. Establish Behaviors That Align With Your Attributes. You can’t just say you’re passionate about your solution; you must show it. Here’s how:

• Understand the People Affected: Meet with individuals impacted by the problem you’re solving. Learn their names and stories.
• Engage in Listening: Ask what solutions they’d like to see before sharing yours.
• Maintain Communication: Commit to keeping these individuals updated on your progress.

This approach will not only demonstrate your passion and purpose but also help build trust and momentum.

2. Build Relationships Across and Beyond Your Organization

Innovation thrives on collaboration. Spend part of every week engaging with colleagues and external stakeholders:

• Internally: Speak with peers across clinical, financial, and operational teams to understand their barriers and gain their buy-in.
• Externally: Engage with potential clients and industry leaders to gather feedback and uncover commercialization opportunities.
• Ask for Feedback: Always ask, “What more do you think I need to do to make this a success?”

Worry less about protecting your idea and more about refining it with input from others.

3. Assess Your Progress—Critically

Success doesn’t come without mistakes, but progress requires self-reflection:

• Set Clear Metrics: Track your objectives and measure outcomes at each stage.
• Evaluate Failures: Identify what went wrong, why, and how you can improve.
• Learn to Pivot: Use setbacks as opportunities to refine your strategy.

Adopting a “fail forward” mindset is essential. Remember, as the saying goes, “The only real mistake is the one from which we learn nothing.”

4.Confronting FOMU: Fear of Messing Up

FOMU is real, and it’s powerful. Research from the Harvard Business Review reveals that fear of failure stifles risk-taking in 45% of leaders, leading to inertia and missed opportunities. In healthcare innovation, FOMU often manifests as:

• Reluctance to pilot new treatments due to fear of financial loss.
• Hesitation to challenge established processes.
• Avoidance of bold ideas because of potential criticism or failure.

How to Overcome FOMU:

• Normalize Fear: Acknowledge that fear is natural but shouldn’t dictate decisions.
• Start Small: Pilot manageable projects that reduce risk while showcasing potential.
• Leverage Data: Use evidence to build confidence and counteract doubts.
• Foster a Safe Environment: Celebrate calculated risks and reframe failures as learning opportunities.

“True leaders don’t avoid resistance; they embrace it as part of the journey to meaningful results.”

The traits of passion, purpose, planning, and perseverance—combined with behaviors that align with these attributes—will enable you to navigate challenges and deliver transformative results.

So, you'll be ready when the next opportunity arises—a new service, treatment, or innovation. Push past the fear, build meaningful connections, and drive the change that improves outcomes for your organization, your team, and your community.

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