Brian Cunningham, CEO of Wahiawa General Hospital and author of The Leadership Revolution, joins the show this week. Brian shares the story of his fascinating background from working as a parking lot attendant at a hospital, to gaining a position in leadership, all with the mission to serve as many people as possible. Brian talks about what life is like in Hawaii, how he works to create a culture where everyone in the organization is clear on values, and how the quality of service is everything when working in the healthcare industry.

Key Takeaways

[5:46] Great leaders know what the right thing to do is, intellectually but they also follow through with it in times of frustration and crisis.

[7:33] Brian witnessed how the healthcare industry is one where emotions are magnified and he realized how important it was to infuse service and care with every interaction. He started as a parking attendant and worked his way up until he was pulled into a leadership role.

[8:46] No matter what role he is in, Brian is always focused on the goal of serving as many people as he can.

[13:30] Quality of service is the number one priority for Brian and his team at Wahiawa General Hospital. They get clear about what they need to do and then do it the best they can. They delegate things they know they can't be exemplary at and do not try to be all things to all people.

[15:40] Brian is committed to always be growing and embrace new experiences and adventure. His move to Hawaii has worked out very well and loves serving the people on the island.

[17:43] Brian wrote The Leadership Revolution as he explored his own self and saw how internal exploration started to mirror the possibilities of leadership. He started to look at the reality of the environment he was in and built a body of knowledge that could help other leaders grow and to contribute to the dialogue from a reality-based perspective.

[31:17] To create a sustainable culture of leadership, the elements of both being and doing must be clear. Leaders must clarify the purpose of the organization and make sure everyone understands the fundamentals of how to demonstrate it daily.

[33:08] Brian explains the difference between challenging and marginalizing, and the importance of giving constructive criticism.

Resources:

Purchase Bring Your Whole Self to Work and gain access to bonus material

Mike Robbins Website

Mike Robbins Podcast

Mike Robbins on Facebook

Mike Robbins on Twitter

Mike Robbins on Instagram

The Four Agreements: A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom (A Toltec Wisdom Book), by Don Miguel Ruiz

The Leadership Revolution: Because Evolution Takes Too Long, by Brian Cunningham

Awareness Quotient Leadership