Despite gains in other professions, women’s presence in the C-suite of American healthcare has lagged behind, with women serving as only 15% of industry CEOs, according to the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Elevating women into higher-profile roles in healthcare leadership requires a mixture of mentorship, specialized career development and a focus on developing interpersonal skills that can better mesh with those of their male counterparts.
As part of the Women in Healthcare podcast, MGMA contributor Adrienne Lloyd spoke with Kripa Krishnan, Vice President of Operations at Chicago’s Northwestern Memorial Healthcare. Lloyd, a healthcare consultant with Optimize Healthcare, also worked at the executive level for more than 20 years with both the Mayo Clinic and Duke Health System.
The duo, who both participated in fellowship programs at the Mayo Clinic, spoke in depth about the pathways women require to succeed in making their way to the top level in healthcare.
The Power of Sponsorship
Krishnan says a key factor to women’s early career success is found in seeking out the guidance and support of more well-established leaders. Unlike a mentorship, a sponsorship offers opportunities for upward exposure for skilled female candidates, with trusted sources acting as career advocates.
“A sponsor is someone who knows your work, who knows your strengths and skills, and most importantly, is going to be saying your name in the room when you’re not there,” she says. “When it comes to advocating for a person to get that job or that next-level role, that’s where you really need a sponsor.”
Krishnan emphasizes that mentors are still important, and that personal growth also requires surrounding yourself with friends and supporters who can offer advice and inspiration during the leadership journey.
Developing Authentic Leadership
Women’s personalities and leadership styles are often different than their male peers. But rather than shying away from personality, understanding and building on one’s own strengths remains a key factor in establishing an authentic leadership persona.
“We all have our own communication styles and personality types that we’re most comfortable in, and we have to adapt when we’re working with different teams and individuals,” Krishnan says. “But the things that will give you more confidence and show your value within your organization is when you lean into those strengths.”
Overcoming Barriers for Women of Color
In addition to the challenges of being a female executive, Krishnan says she still faces other challenges as a South Asian, with many people mistaking her for a physician, or counterparts dismissively talking with her about issues such as offshoring opportunities or foreign call centers.
When navigating similar encounters, she says it’s important to have a support network to help understand the impact of such prejudices. Rather than laughing off such statements, she’s used them as a chance to show the level of discomfort everyone on a team can feel due to prejudicial banter and instead focus on education.
Mastering Physician Partnerships
Similarly, Krishnan says working effectively and establishing partnerships with a broad range of physician leaders daily takes a special touch. Recognizing the skills and strengths of individual physicians while adapting to their communication styles and balancing empathy with challenging decision-making can help foster those relationships.
“I’ve worked with physician leaders who really don’t like to have difficult conversations, and I’ve had to be the one to come in and give them the hard news or be direct. And I’ve also worked with leaders who will run towards conflict, and then my role is coming in and being a bit softer, soothing the things we need to shift.”
Advice for Early Career Professionals
For those women just starting their healthcare careers, Krishnan emphasizes the need to stay grounded while focusing on intentionality in job performance and building connections.
“If I were to look back at myself and talk to myself, I would say, ‘it will all work out.’ That’s true for careers too. Be good at the job you’re doing, be confident in your own authentic leadership style, and find those people who are going to be in your corner.”
Resources:
JAMA Study: Representation of Women in the Leadership Structure of the US Health Care System
To see other episodes of the Women in Healthcare Podcast, watch the video versions on YouTube, or apply to be on an upcoming episode, please visit https://bit.ly/womeninhealthcarepodcast
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