August 16, 2022 – Kathryn Carpenter is the Vice President of Sourcing, Contracting, Clinical Strategy, and Implementation at CommonSpirit Health. Read an excerpt from The Journal of Healthcare Contracting’s “10 People to Watch in Healthcare Contracting” below.
What are the most important attributes of successful supply chain teams today?
First, being able to transform processes and adapt to a rapidly changing supply chain ecosystem. Second, having support from system leadership to create a vision of “systemness.” Finally, developing data systems that can support (the first two points) at scale.
How do you keep your team motivated despite conflicts and obstacles?
My team knows that I have an open-door policy at all times. I have weekly one-on-one meetings with my directors and monthly meetings as a group. This allows for any conflicts that arise to be dealt with in an expedient manner. Nothing is allowed to go unanswered and churn into dissatisfaction. In other words, I know my team’s business well.
We have hired people for whom success is the great motivator. I allow teams to be managed without my interference, and they can trust me to respond to any difficulties and roadblocks they may encounter. This has allowed them to knock their goals out of the park and the entire organization is aware of this success.
What qualities are lacking among today’s leaders?
The quality that I most find lacking is the willingness to wade into conflict and resolution. Most leaders are hesitant, especially in today’s healthcare environment, to stand for, or even entertain, solutions that require bold change.
So often the structure of an organization is the very thing that dictates outcomes, and there is a great reluctance to restructure. “The way we have always done it” is no longer going to be acceptable.
Keeping eyes on the wrong prize. So many leaders tend to speak in platitudes and generalities without focus. An organization’s goals should be able to be articulated in three sentences, not three words. Everyone in the organization should be able to repeat the three goals easily and without question of interpretation. Mission statements should remain that which was established at the beginning of an entity, not take the place of clear goals.
To see the rest of our 10 People to Watch in Healthcare Contracting list, click here.