"You want to be a leader? Then you must be a sponge." Virginia Mason Franciscan Health CEO Ketul Patel told the audience at the Albers Executive Speaker Series that learning is core to leadership success, along with building relationships and leaning into change. Healthcare continues to face challenges, among them workforce shortages and the entry of Wall Street, but he is optimistic about growing and scaling the only health system covering the entire Puget Sound. He is committed to rebuilding the workforce and culture, exploring partnerships, and continuing to learn from everyone. A wise mentor once told him that to be successful, "you have to live on an elevator. What he meant was you must connect with people at all levels of the organization, not just make it to the boardroom.

Hosted by Joseph M. Phillips, dean of Seattle University’s Albers School of Business and Economics, The Leadership Playbook asks top executives from the business world's most recognizable brands and companies about the stories behind their success, their leadership secrets, and the biggest obstacles they've faced and overcome. 

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