Health care systems across the United States have unsustainable, ballooning costs, outcomes no better than countries that spend half as much, and a workforce with burnout rates of 50%. Despite years of effort, healthcare systems remain broken. We believe one of the most important contributing factors is the absence of leaders equipped to guide transformational change. With this project, we aim to develop, implement and disseminate a leadership framework that is grounded in evidence and unified by one simple moral concept: love.
Borrowing from the Greek concept agape, we define love as a deep and unconditional regard for others, characterized by three components:
• Seeing others unconditionally as capable and worthy
• Ensuring that everyone has the opportunity to contribute
• Sharing feedback honestly and transparently
Over the past five years at University Hospitals, we have implemented our leadership framework - Leading with Love - and have seen transformational results. In this project, we will define the key components of our framework and identify the conditions necessary for individuals and organizations to adopt it. We will study its impact, further test its viability by expanding the model across our health system, test its effectiveness in settings beyond our institution, and develop a practical toolkit for spreading this model to other organizations nationwide.
By the end of the project, we will have published our findings in multiple reputable journals, presented at international conferences, and produced compelling proof points demonstrating the model’s impact and viability. We will be positioned to help other systems adopt this framework. Our healthcare systems must change. Positive change cannot happen without great leadership. And great leadership can elevate the world. If we execute this well, we believe it will unlock the full potential of the healthcare workforce, ensuring that everyone has the opportunity to live their best possible life.
