Generation next and the female brand in healthcare management.

IN JUST THE PAST TWO DAYS, I have been interviewed by two young, bright female healthcare administration fellows seeking advice and direction about how to reach the C-suite and the role of chief executive officer. Because I'm relatively new to the C-suite myself, I find it almost impossible to avoid doing a double take and asking, "Are you talking to me?" However, there is no doubting the sage advice given by Alyson Pitman Giles and Ten Fontenot in their features. Having moved up the ranks from clinician and accountant, respectively, to their current roles as the leaders of complex, dynamic healthcare institutions, they share invaluable insights into precisely what it takes to be successful. Both authors provide important information in areas such as the characteristics and behaviors that can be attributed to top female leaders, how women shape organizational culture, and bringing the female brand to leadership. Who better to provide suggestions for women who aspire to leadership positions than those who have already traveled the path? The feature authors highlight their clear commitment to empowering future generations of successful women in leadership through strong mentorship. THE MUST-HAVES: CHARACTERISTICS AND BEHAVIORS FOR SUCCESS Strength, independence, fearlessness, and intelligence are just a few characteristics of a successful female leader. The list of critical characteristics for great leaders is long: * Tenacity * Political savvy * The ability to walk the walk * Approachability * Intuition * Organizational skills * An action orientation * Passion * Personableness * A talent for listening and communicating Ultimately, I have found that a key characteristic of individuals who successfully lead, not just manage, is the ability to learn from every interaction It is sometimes easier to learn from getting it wrong than from Setting it right. Be the continuous student and be the leader you would most like to follow The most important characteristic of a successful healthcare leader is the understanding that health is personal. Healthcare is a service field, and its members should be focused on providing the very best care and service to the patients we are privileged to serve. Those who feel differently should pursue other career paths. SHAPING ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE WITH THE FEMALE BRAND If the phrase "female brand" bothers you a bit, don't worry. It bothered me as well, but I eventually found that it perfectly reflects the nurturing skills many female leaders bring to healthcare. As Fontenot suggests, with the natural progression of the healthcare landscape toward greater inclusion, mutual respect, and transparency, the field is becoming more aligned with traditionally feminine traits. Diversity in thought, race, age, experience, and gender brings benefits to any organization. Fontenot states it perfectly when she highlights the benefits of the soft skills of balancing competing priorities, transparency, inclusivity, collaboration, communication, and multitasking. Soft skills can produce hard results. Incoming leaders should be conscious of the immense challenge that culture change can pose. Organizational culture will eat strategy for lunch any day, and those who walk into an organization with the notion that the culture can be changed overnight are doomed to fail. However, over time, through hundreds of decisions and interactions and the natural course of the healthcare market, soft skills gradually affect the culture of an organization. ASPIRATIONS: THE CHIHULY EFFECT The most common reaction of patients who enter the main lobby of Sutter Health's Palo Alto Medical Foundation Mountain View Center is, "Wow." They are greeted by a huge, donated Dale Chihuly glass sculpture that hangs from the ceiling full of color, life, and imagination. (The sculpture may be viewed at www.pamf . …