Leadership Lesson – March 2023: Leadership Lessons From the Super Bowl
Words of advice from leaders on the front lines.
This month’s leadership lesson is from Carolyn Kazdan, Aim Lead of partnerships for community health and nursing homes.
Leadership Lessons From the Super Bowl
Fifty years after women were first allowed to be pilots in the U.S. Navy, another glass ceiling was broken when, for the first time ever, the pre-game flyover before Super Bowl LVII on Feb. 12 was conducted by an all-female crew. I had the privilege of meeting the crew on the field after the game. Their successful flyover only lasted seconds but required a lot of behind-the-scenes teamwork and constant communication between each other and their on-field logistics team.
Witnessing these amazing women and their teams make history reminds us of the importance of communication, teamwork and trust. Just as the Navy pilots relied on these skills to execute an exciting Super Bowl flyover, we must also use the same skills to create successful experiences and outcomes for our patients, residents, care partners and employees.
Like the Super Bowl, health care requires a massive behind-the-scenes team to create positive experiences for our customers and staff. These teams include clinicians, maintenance, housekeeping, dietary, therapists, staff educators, patient experience officers, and patient and family advisors—to name a few!
As health care leaders, our job is to:
- Foster teamwork and create an environment that sets up our teams for success.
- Ensure a laser focus on communication throughout our organizations and with our partners across the continuum of care.
- Plan for daily operations and the unexpected
- Trust and verify.
Like the women who flew over Phoenix’s State Farm Stadium, find your glass ceiling and break it. And remember to find joy in your work.