Success System for Medical Leaders: One Road to the C-Suite

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Hello again friends and colleagues,

Making it to the C-Suite is not as elusive as we often perceive it to be. While there is no definitive formula or one-size-fits-all approach, I have found that a well-structured system, consistently followed, can pave the way to significant accomplishments and, ultimately, to the fulfillment of one's professional goals.

My journey has taught me valuable lessons. I've learned that success usually arrives on the back of consistent growth and impactful achievements, that opportunities are more abundant when competition is scarce, and that adequate resources can substantially enhance the odds of success. I spent the last 20 years translating and fine-tuning those insights into a replicable system.

The system I've devised, and which has served me well, operates on roughly three-year cycles, each cycle being one of three phases: Discovery, Implementation, and Consolidation & Transitioning, which I will describe below.

Discovery Phase

This initial phase involves scouting the terrain of opportunities by broad reading and exploration to identify topics in their early stages that have the potential to gain significant importance in the future. Looking outside of healthcare is very useful in this phase. The task is not easy, but it is achievable. It involves developing your understanding of 3-4 emerging trends, and networking with individuals who leaders in those areas, as evidenced by their writings or posts on social media and in journals.

After three years of learning, networking, and understanding, it is time to select one of these topics. The criteria for selection should be personal interest, acquired expertise, and potential for this trend to become a key area of importance in healthcare.

Implementation Phase

This second phase is all about action: taking the topic selected from the previous Discovery Phase and working to implement it. Given that it's a new area, there is little competition, making it a fertile ground for growth and thought leadership. Almost everyone else is either barely aware of such areas or prefer the comfort of tried and true ideas. This is where your extensive research during the Discovery phase pays off.

Leading the work in this newly charted territory, you can effectively make the case for resource allocation based on its perceived importance. The stage is set for success: you've done your homework, picked an important topic, secured resources for implementation, and are operating in an area with little competition. Success, under these conditions, is almost assured.

Consolidation & Transitioning Phase

The third phase of the system, Consolidation & Transition, presents unique challenges. You've spent three years implementing the new project you chose. You've worked diligently to lead and manage, to establish importance, and to carve out a new area of expertise. Now, it's time to optimize, simplify, and most challengingly, prepare to hand over the reins.

In this stage, the once new and risky area of focus has evolved into a well-defined domain. Its importance is recognized, and competition starts to rise, as others also see the value in the work you have pioneered. This could provoke your defensive response, and an urge to hold onto what you've built from the ground up. But this, as I've discovered, is usually a mistake.

The significant achievement of creating something new where nothing existed has already been accomplished. Now, the focus should be on consolidating the wins, not on fighting off competition. It's time to create systems to automate the work, to simplify processes, and to pass the leadership to a younger, less experienced leader who can continue the journey you initiated.

Managing the Pipeline of Success

But here's the most crucial insight: these three phases—Discovery, Implementation, and Consolidation & Transition—are not just sequential, they also run in parallel. At any given time, you are actively engaged in three separate but interconnected work streams.

The first is the Discovery phase for the next significant trend, a quest for the next area of focus that will impact the healthcare industry. Simultaneously, you are in the Implementation phase for the trend identified during the last Discovery phase from the previous 3-year cycle of learning and exploration. Lastly, you're in the Consolidation and Transition phase for the project that was implemented during the last cycle and discovered 2 cycles ago, transitioning it to a more operational leader while still maintaining its successful trajectory.

This system creates a pipeline of success that allows you to continually stay ahead of the curve, pioneering in new areas, and leaving a legacy of successful projects managed and handed over to emerging leaders. This pattern paves the way for growth, impact, and ultimately, the C-Suite, if that is your goal.

I invite you to reflect on the transformative potential of this success system, and the myriad of opportunities it opens.

The Success System and The Mission of NewHealthcare Platforms

Having navigated the journey and established a system that paves the way for success, it's now my mission to share these insights, not only as a roadmap for others but as a means to propel a significant shift in our healthcare system. My most recent Discovery Phase led me to a topic of vast importance: healthcare system transformation, particularly through the creation and scaling of healthcare platforms. This recognition fueled the launch of my NewHealthcare Platforms.

I firmly believe that transforming the healthcare system is not the job of a single individual or a single company. It is a collective endeavor that requires a coalition of healthcare leaders who can influence their organizations to adopt and create the next generation of healthcare delivery. In an effort to catalyze this movement, our first offering is the Chief Clinical Platform Officer (CCPO) Training Lab.

Over the course of this 10-week experiential learning program, I will collaborate with five innovative care delivery companies at the forefront of technology and services for healthcare platforms. This program aims to connect 10 selected clinical leaders with these innovative companies, enabling a rich exchange of ideas, strategies, and insights. I will share all my learning from my most recent Discovery Phase with the participants of our CCPO Lab Vanguard Session.

To ensure the highest quality of the program, the selection process and the design of the learning experience will be guided by an Advisory Board comprised of some of the best healthcare leaders. Individuals I've had the privilege to encounter throughout my career and who also believe in the need for transformation.

For those who are inspired to be a part of this program and to implement this success system, I extend an invitation to apply to the CCPO Lab Vanguard Session. I shared details in last week's newsletter https://lnkd.in/egmZhHsj and have already had great conversations with outstanding leaders who are interested and who have already contributed great ideas to improve the program!

Conclusion

I leave you with this thought: success is a never-ending cycle of learning, implementing, and leading. Whether you aspire to the C-Suite, or to create impactful change in any capacity, the key lies in continually evolving, learning, and contributing to improving the care we provide. I hope my journey and the system will help you navigate your journey towards achieving your professional goals. And if you're interested, I would love to share with you more information about the CCPO Lab Vanguard Session!

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See you next week,

Sam