Hospital President Traci Bernard: “Recruit People Smarter Than You!”

with Dan Nielsen dan@americashealthcareleaders.com

 

In preparation for a video series featuring some of America’s most successful healthcare leaders, I recently conducted and filmed a one-hour live interview with Traci Bernard. Traci, who started her healthcare career as a nurse, is now president of Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital in Southlake, Texas. The thriving city of Southlake is in the heart of the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex.

 

I don’t know of another hospital or healthcare organization president or CEO who has a closer, more open and trusting relationship with staff throughout an organization than Traci Bernard. I have had the opportunity to meet and interview some of her staff, including medical staff. Each of these individuals has open and sincere admiration, respect, and an amazing level of trust in Traci. She is, by any measure, a highly successful leader.

 

In response to one of my questions, Traci responded as follows:

 

“Don’t be afraid to surround yourself with people smarter than you. My personal observation has been that most leaders who fail and do not grow are leaders who were and are afraid, for various reasons, to surround themselves with smarter people. Strong, smart people not only lift you up, they cause the entire boat, the entire team, the entire organization to rise to the next level. Don’t be intimidated by smarter people. Recruit them, welcome them, embrace them, and make them a strategic part of your team!”

 

Recruit people smarter than you. We read and hear that philosophy and leadership principle a lot in healthcare and throughout other sectors of our society. We actually see and experience far, far less than we read and hear!

 

If you want to take your career and your organization to the next level, “RECRUIT PEOPLE SMARTER THAN YOU!”

 

You can watch short segments from my live, videotaped interview with Traci Bernard by clicking here. Six segments have been published thus far, and many more are to come. There is no cost whatsoever to view these and scores of other video segments with some of the best and brightest of America’s healthcare leaders.

 

Copyright © 2016 by Dan Nielsen – www.americashealthcareleaders.com