Tag: leadership perspecitives

The workforce is changing. Gallup estimates millennial turnover costs the U.S. economy $30.5 billion a year. But, is it really a millennial issue or simply a generational issue? And, regardless, as leaders, what we can do about it? How are companies “bridging the gap” in recruitment, employee engagement, and community engagement? These were issues vetted to a standing room only audience at the Charles F. Knight Executive Education Center for the kick-off the of 2017 Leadership Perspectives series.

The forum was moderated by Yemi Akande-Bartsch, Ph.D., president & CEO of FOCUS St. Louis, and panelists included David Karandish, co-founder and chairman, Equity.com; Ann Marr, vice president, Global Human Resources, World Wide Technology, Inc.; Mike Koehler vice president, Human Resources, Express Scripts; and Billie Bright, corporate consultant with Dale Carnegie Training.

“It’s not just the millennial mindset, it’s generational,” shared Koehler.  “Each generation has its share of young go-getters who are high achievers. What’s slightly different about this group of go-getters is the access to senior leadership they want, so creating internal forums where senior leaders are present and accessible has provided that opportunity.”

Billie Bright and Ann Marr concurred. And, Marr noted creating internal groups led by senior leaders has proven successful for World Wide Technology. “I chair the women’s group and through the outreach efforts, we’ve seen several women promoted to senior positions. The internal networks provide access to senior leaders and the opportunity to share across the business,” she shared.

Companies, too, are looking to urban areas to recruit and in some cases opening satellite offices. With technology today, working remotely is easier to more acceptable.

David Karandish, a millennial himself, shared millennials want to feel connected, they want meaning. At Answers.com the company he co-founded and successfully sold, millennials were not employees, but team members. “The feeling of belonging, of being part of something is important,” he noted. Now, he’s doing it again with Equity.com.

Join Olin’s Executive MBA program on April 4 for a discussion on the myths and realities of Managing Millennials, with a focus on practical principles for bridging generational divides.

“Healing is an art. Medicine is a profession. Healthcare is a business.” Nothing could be more true than that statement from Edie Varley that helped kick off the first session of the 2016 Leadership Perspective series that focused on doctors who transition into healthcare management positions. The “MD to VP” session was held Jan. 5 with more than 60 in attendance. Edie Varley is an Executive MBA alumna and director of discernment for Olin’s Executive MBA program.

Whether impacted by technology, views on patient care, or the political landscape, healthcare is changing before our eyes. As a result, gaining an understanding of the business impact of the changes in healthcare is becoming more vital. While leadership in healthcare has always been a focus, now more than ever, MDs are looking to balance clinical backgrounds with an understanding of business to ultimately impact the industry.

These three leaders are doing just that. Dr. Ken Yamaguchi, Dr. Mary Jo Gorman and Dr. Chuck Lucore are all trained physicians and while healing and caring for others is still central to their core, they all now serve in business roles: Ken as executive vice president and chief medical officer at Centene, Mary Jo as managing capital partner of Prosper, and Chuck as president & chief executive officer of St. John’s Hospital in Springfield, IL.

All three earned an MBA via WashU’s Executive MBA program.

An orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Yamaguchi still sees patients in addition to his duties at Centene. “Being a physician is what I am passionate about and my role as EVP and CMO at Centene is what I am most excited about,” he shared, finding a beautiful balance between healing and and his thirst to keep learning.

“For me, business provided the next puzzle to solve,” shared Dr. Mary Jo Gorman who is a serial entrepreneur.

“As an interventional cardiologist, I saw immediate results when seeing patients and as CEO the results take longer to see, although are equally rewarding as each day I know I am helping hundreds or thousands of people and not just the patients I used to see,” shared Dr. Chuck Lucore.

What does the future of healthcare hold? All three agreed they needed a crystal ball. And, all three agreed healthcare needs more doctors with MBAs.