Rebuilding the Leadership Pipeline: A Framework for Advancing Leadership Competencies and Operational iNtegration (FALCON) for Health System Resilience

The purpose of this article is to propose practical, evidence-informed design principles for rebuilding healthcare leadership pipelines weakened by systemic disruptions. A systematic search in November 2025 used PubMed and Google Scholar of English-language healthcare literature (2015-2025) examining leadership development, succession planning, equity, and institutional continuity. Narrative synthesis integrated the evidence in a structured approach to rebuilding leadership pipelines. The findings are synthesized into the Framework for Advancing Leadership Competencies and Operational iNtegration (FALCON). This framework relies on four pillars: building capability in daily work, managing succession as an active pipeline, governing equity through formal metrics, and standardizing knowledge transfer. Treating leadership transitions as core operational infrastructure (rather than episodic projects) protects institutional memory and addresses the predictable symptoms of chronic leadership stress.