LEADERSHIP CHARACTERISTICS OF ... - Drake University

needs of the present. Research funded by an Eastman Kodak grant,
"Bridging the Leadership Gap in Healthcare," was completed in 1992 as
400 hospital CEOs created a common health care vision for the future.
The CEOs wanted a "new civilization in healthcare with greater emphasis
on the continuum of care, disease prevention, and the healing of
communities as well as patients" and "a resource-sensitive system
transformed by science, technology and government policy, with basic
healthcare access to all" (Eastman-Kodak, 1992, p. 4). The CEOs defined
six competencies and values needed for leading the 21 century
healthcare organization. Those included mastering change, systems
thinking, shared vision, continuous quality improvement, redefining
healthcare, and serving public and community (Eastman-Kodak, 1992).
Research findings suggest that while the healthcare CEOs are
aware of the needs, they offen struggle with acting on them. A 1998
collaborative study with Arthur Andersen LLP and DYG, Inc. addressed
consumer and executive attitudes about health care. The study,
"Leadership for a Healthy 21 Century," involved interviews with 250
CEOs inside and outside of healthcare. The healthcare leaders indicated
that customer satisfaction and employee retention are essential to their
success. They also agreed that they fail to invest adequately in either
area. On the consumer side, they most significantly valued the integrity of
the healthcare leaders, followed by a desire for the CEO to pay genuine
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