OR Manager November/December 2021 - 10

OR Business Management Conference
Not just leading, but leading well in a time of crisis
essons on leadership are the
staple of any leadership-focused
conference; but no conference
presents leadership lessons tailored
to the OR community quite like the OR
Business Management Conference.
After a 19-month hiatus, the OR
Business Management Conference
brought perioperative managers and
administrators back together in what
was described as an intimate ambiance
that offered quality opportunities
for networking. OR business leaders
got to learn from their peers firsthand
how they have fared with the challenges
brought by the pandemic. Issues ranging
from staffing shortage concerns
to cost-saving techniques in order to
survive budget cuts and cancelled surgeries
were discussed in the breakout
sessions.
L
First, here are some of the lessons
the keynote presentations on quality
leadership had to offer.
Leadership gold, effectiveness,
and everything in between
Ed Krow, SPHR, SHRM-SCP, CCP, talent
transformation expert and founder of Ed
Krow, LLC, kicked off the conference
by challenging attendees to consider
that when staff quit, they " quit people,
not companies. " In his presentation,
" Leadership gold: How to be a leader
worth following, " Krow urged attendees
to look inward for growth, to recognize
their support system, and empower
others to grow alongside them.
One of the stories Krow shared
described a former manager in his early
career, who he called " one of his worst
bosses. " The former boss advised
him not to give away all his knowledge
because " knowledge is what ensures
your value to the company. " Krow
urged leaders to recognize the foolishness
in those words. When leaders
do not share their knowledge or help
develop the people around them, they
are not letting themselves or their organizations
grow.
In the context of the OR, this sentiment
rings painfully true. Perioperative
leaders who are struggling with crippling
staffing shortages cannot afford to not
develop the nurse leaders of the future.
" If no one is following you, are you
a leader? " Krow asked. " Develop the
John Polikandriotis presenting " Leveraging
self awareness to maximize leadership
effectiveness.
followers that you need. We can't get to
our goals, both personal and organizational,
without other people. "
John Polikandriotis, PhD, MBA, MPH,
FACHE, FACMPE, CEO of Vail Summit
Orthopaedics & Neurosurgery, echoed
Krow's message in his talk, " Leveraging
self awareness to maximize leadership
effectiveness. " Most, if not all, OR leaders
are grappling with the question of
avoiding burnout, and how to empower
their teams in this prolonged time of
crisis. Polikandriotis admitted there is
no easy answer, but that great opportunities
are found when leaders engage
in self-awareness and invest in their
teams.
" Bridge the clarity gap between
expectation and reality, " said Polikandriotis.
Closing that gap starts with finding
purpose; when leaders understand
the why behind their choices and their
sacrifices, they " choose to stay all in. "
Perhaps the most poignant part of
Polikandriotis' presentation was when
he urged leaders to think in terms of
verbs and stop chasing after nouns
or titles. " Success is an action, " he
posed. " Become purpose-dependent,
not outcome-dependent. "
While this clarity is not the whole
answer to the many challenges perioperative
leaders are currently facing,
sometimes it takes a mindset or culture
change to bring about creative solutions
that could lead to more efficiency,
actionable results, and patient safety.
Ed Krow presenting " Leadership gold: How to be a leader worth following. "
10
OR Manager | Nov/Dec 2021
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OR Manager November/December 2021

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