We Polled 55 OR Leaders on the Future Skills of Surgical Leadership
This week, we’re eyeing the next wave of OR leaders and the skills they’ll need.
With Baby Boomers retiring and budgets tightening, younger talent is rising fast. Last week, Rachel K. Butt polled our community asking:
“What’s the next ‘must-have’ skill for perioperative leaders?”
Results:
- Data Analytics: 20%
- Change Management: 27%
- Surgeon Engagement: 24%
- Retention Strategy: 29%
I asked perioperative leaders to weigh in on the results and to think beyond the options. Their insights clustered into two unlisted but dominant themes:
1. Financial Acumen
- “With reimbursement cuts squeezing EBITDA, tomorrow’s OR leader must master financial mechanics and surgeon profitability,” said Sheila Waddle.
- Jennifer Misajet MHA RN CNOR CSSM nails it: “Not all surgeries are created equal. Leaders need to analyze margins to optimize block allocation and protect profitability.”
- Reduced revenues will force ruthless cost discipline to fund reinvestment elsewhere.
2. Change Communication
- Deborah Marie Ebert, MSN, RN, NEA-BC, CNOR, CPAN, CAPA: “Future OR leaders will live or die by change management.”
- This hinges on emotional intelligence—“framing shifts as meaningful, not political,” noted Noelle Diesfeld.
One sharp aside
- Theresa Noble: “Leaders must own a credible social media presence to recruit and retain Gen Z, who vet reputations and job opportunities online.”
- Fish where the fish are.
Bottom line: Today’s OR managers are tomorrow’s leaders. They’re being thrust into tougher roles with thinner margins and shifting ground. The cycle is brutal.
Thanks to Sheila Waddle, Jennifer Misajet MHA RN CNOR CSSM, Deborah Marie Ebert, MSN, RN, NEA-BC, CNOR, CPAN, CAPA, Noelle Diesfeld, and Theresa Noble for their insights.
