Harnessing authentic leadership to transform an academic health system: Tampa General Hospital case study

The US healthcare industry is changing faster than ever before, and its evolution should be expected to continue — and at an even more accelerated rate. Research shows that to adapt and thrive in this ever-changing landscape and best meet the needs of patients, healthcare leaders must be prepared to navigate present-day challenges, including unprecedented levels of burnout and turnover, talent shortages and cost pressures while simultaneously anticipating future needs such as digital transformation, new care models and strategic growth initiatives. To act on this framework, healthcare leaders must also lead their organisations with authenticity, transparency, kindness and vulnerability to unite and activate their teams around a common vision and realistic expectations for how it will be achieved. This paper, in case study format, defines the enterprise leadership and AKTiVe leadership models; details how this authentic leadership framework was deployed at Tampa General Hospital to accelerate growth and innovation; and provides an overview of outcomes, influence and lessons learned through implementation.