Do You Want to Be a Leader?

My passion for the health technology field has put me on a path to help improve the treatment and care of patients. This same drive led me to set professional and personal goals throughout my career, including growth in technical and leadership skills along with an increased knowledge of the industry.

The following eight items are my personal suggestions for those wanting to make a difference, have an impact, and become a health technology leader.

1. Never lose your passion for the field. Remember it is all about the patients and caregivers. Sometimes, being a leader requires the ability to separate individuals from positions and doing what is best for the patient and the healthcare industry.
2. Take ownership of your career. Do not depend on or allow others to set your course. Many times, we allow others to have too much of an impact on our development and career path.
3. Learn from your previous leaders and from other leaders in the industry. Take the good things you see and include them in your bag of tools. Learn from the bad things you encounter and do not make the same mistakes. Never settle for doing only the minimum things associated with the job, as this can lead to acceptance of mediocre performance.
4. Find a mentor. Do not limit yourself to individuals within your own organization. There are tremendous leaders in health technology and the business world. Learn as much as possible and be willing to accept constructive criticism.
5. Step outside of your comfort zone. Volunteer to lead projects, or at least be a member of the project team, in areas impacting your organization or healthcare. Be a proactive problem solver and team player.
6. Look to outside local and national organizations for opportunities to be involved. Doing this can provide opportunities to lead, learn from effective leaders, and utilize tools to evaluate leadership attributes.
7. Put together a career plan. This includes setting achievable goals, identifying milestones, continuing to follow-up, and adjusting where necessary. Enlist the help of your mentor in this process.
8. Never stop learning. Be flexible with your style, approach conflict head-on, and ensure others know your career aspirations.

For those who are already leaders, it is your responsibility to identify those individuals with a desire to be leaders and develop them.

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