Oct 24, 2024
Dr. Gloria Wu discusses the importance of leadership, particularly in the context of women in medicine and leadership roles. She reflects on lessons from failures in leadership, such as the Boeing crisis and J.C. Penney's CEO transition, emphasizing that leadership challenges are opportunities for growth. Wu quotes Eleanor Roosevelt to encourage doing one's best with available resources and highlights the significance of understanding external factors like politics, economics, and ethics (Pestle analysis) in decision-making. She contrasts the soft and hard sciences of leadership and MBA programs, noting that effective leadership is crucial for achieving organizational goals.
Dr. Wu references leadership models such as John Kotter's "Leading Change," which outlines eight steps for managing change: creating urgency, building a coalition, establishing a vision, empowering action, celebrating short-term wins, consolidating change, and embedding new approaches into organizational culture. She also mentions John Gordon's "The Energy Bus" as a metaphor for leadership, advising leaders to surround themselves with positive, supportive people. Wu encourages women to embrace these universal leadership principles and to focus on building a positive environment that fosters progress and success.