The Gary Bisbee Show

Meet Mindy Mount:

Mindy Mount currently serves on a variety of boards of directors including Cerner Corporation, Technicolor, The Learning Care Group, Group 9 Acquisition Corp., and Zayo. She has experience in public, private, and non-profit governance. She has a diverse background in finance and technology, having worked for Microsoft, Time Warner, and on Wall Street. She received an MBA from Harvard, and has a degree in Actuarial Sciences from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Key Insights:

Mindy Mount started her career with a strong analytical background. She has a passion for business and making businesses better. This led to her ample experience in governance. 

• Qualities of a Good Board Member. Mindy describes the qualities that make good board members, including expertise, courage, and listening. (27:20) 
• Management vs Governance. It’s easy to be a board member when things are going well, the line between management and governance may become blurred during a crisis. (33:24)
• Difficult Decisions. The most difficult, and often most emotional, decisions are around people. (45:50)
• Pathway to the Boardroom. Mindy discusses how professionals can gain the knowledge they need to become board members. (47:34)

In Episode 24: 

For this special mash-up episode we dive into interpersonal skills: what they are and how they can make you a better leader. We hear clips from four speakers who hold unique leadership backgrounds across health and other industries. This episode focuses on the particular skills of listening, communication, and teamwork. These skills are necessary for up-and-coming leaders, and they can be further developed at any leadership stage. 

Key Insights: 

• Listening as an Art Form. Kevin Sharer, former Chairman and CEO, Amgen and co-author of “The CEO Test,” describes how he learned that he needed to be a better listener. (2:45) 
• Hearing the Team. Dr. Shantanu Agrawal, Chief Health Officer, Anthem, touches on how listening guides leaders when they take on new roles. (5:07) 
• Simplifying the complex. Listen to Adam Bryant, journalist, Managing Director, The ExCo group and co-author of “The CEO Test,” discuss how to be a better communicator. (6:42) 
•  Empowering Yourself and Others. Marisa Porges, Ph.D., Head of School, The Baldwin School and author of “What Girls Need,” discusses how leadership principles influence teamwork. (8:41)

Meet Ruth Williams-Brinkley:

Ruth Williams-Brinkley is Regional President, Kaiser Permanente, Mid-Atlantic. In this role, Ruth oversees all of Kaiser Permanente’s care delivery and health plan operations in Washington, D.C., and suburban Maryland, Baltimore, and Northern Virginia. Previously, Ruth served as CEO for multiple health systems, including Kentucky’s largest integrated health system, KentuckyOne. She began her career as a nurse, earning a MS in Nursing Administration from DePaul University.

Key Insights:

Ruth’s experience spans from direct patient care, to operations management across four states and districts. She is well-versed in Kaiser Permanente’s unique patient care and payment model, and oversees the building of healthy ecosystems around the patient.

• Filling Gaps with Technology. Ruth discusses the platform developed by Unite Us and how it addresses social-determinants of health. (32:27)
• Leading People. Healthcare is full of promising technology, but at its core, patient care and leadership are about people. (10:10)
• Problem Solving. Ruth explains how her background influenced her career and developed her ability to problem-solve. (34:49)
• Mentorship. Mentors can provide powerful, early-career advice. And once you are established, you can return the favor to others. (37:58)

Meet Kevin Sharer:

Kevin Sharer led Amgen for 20 years, first as President and then as CEO. He also co-authored The CEO Test: Master the Challenges That Make or Break All Leaders. Kevin served on several boards of directors and on the faculty of Harvard Business School. Kevin received a Bachelor of Science in aeronautical engineering from the U.S. Naval Academy, an MS in aeronautical engineering from the US Naval Postgraduate School, and an MBA from the University of Pittsburgh's Joseph M. Katz Graduate School of Business.

Key Insights: 

Kevin began his leadership journey in Navy submarines, translating his technical skills and interest in personal growth to his roles as President and eventually CEO of Amgen. He shares timeless knowledge about improving oneself and the skills necessary to be a successful CEO or board member.

• Governance. It’s not enough to just show up. Being a good board member means balance, building relationships, and making the tough calls. (46:09)
• Passing the CEO Test. Kevin discusses what selecting a quality CEO entails, including asking all the right questions and trusting your gut. (24:14)
• Asking the Right Question. Diving deep and asking the right people questions will give you all the information you need to make quality judgements. (15;59)
• Listening as an Art Form. The biggest revelation in Kevin’s career was the importance of listening, and how he needed to be a better listener. (28:21)

Meet Jeff Immelt:

Jeff Immelt served as CEO of General Electric (GE) for 16 years and CEO of GE Healthcare for four years. The leadership lessons that he learned during his time as CEO of GE are told in Hot Seat: What I Learned Leading A Great American Company. He also chaired the President’s Council on Jobs and Competitiveness under the Obama administration. He is a currently a Venture Partner at New Enterprise Associates (NEA). Jeff has a B.A. degree in applied mathematics from Dartmouth College and an M.B.A. from Harvard University.

Key Insights:

During his first week as CEO of GE, Jeff was faced with the 9/11 terrorist attacks followed seven years later by the Great Recession. Jeff shares how he managed GE through these crises.

• Why Join GE? I wanted to be an operator. Unlike many in my Harvard Business School class, I did not want to be a consultant or an investment banker.  (10:01)
• How Did You Assess the Response to 9/11? All business leaders were asked to provide a snapshot of what still works, what does not work, and how we should anticipate and respond to change. (21:39)
• Healthcare Lessons Learned.  Jeff learned that there are many terrific people in healthcare working to help others. Healthcare is behind other industries in application of business principles. (12:33)
• Governance. Size of boards is important.  At one time, GE had 18 board members and it was just too big because it’s easy to lose connectivity and focus. (34:43)

Meet Our Guest:

Dr. Marisa Porges is Head of School of The Baldwin School, a private school for girls with 500 students. Dr. Porges was a Fellow in the Obama White House, a visiting fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School and the Council on Foreign Relations, and served in the U.S. Navy as a naval flight officer. She is the author of What Girls Need: How to Raise Bold, Courageous, and Resilient Women. She received her B.A. from Harvard University, an M.Sc. from the London School of Economics, and a doctorate from King’s College London.

Key Insights:

Dr. Marisa Porges left Harvard to fly jets in the U.S. Navy during a time when there were few women in naval aviation. She shares real-life stories and leadership lessons gained from her time as a Navy pilot. As part of a research project, Dr. Porges interviewed Al-Qaeda military personnel in the field and discusses the risks involved and the leadership profile for a Jewish-American woman in that situation.

• Flying Jets. Leadership lessons are inherent from her aviation career in the U.S. Navy including with small teams, big teams in moments of true physician risk, emotional risk and under lots of pressure. (13:19)
• Cultivating Competitive Spirit. Sports nurture a competitive drive that transfers into professional careers. By the end of high school, two-thirds of girls will have stopped playing sports because of social norms and peer pressure. (36:45)
• Collaborative Problem-Solving. Studies show that girls have an edge. We should figure out how to make this core skill a competitive advantage. (37:57)
• Adaptability. Adaptability is a skill, a talent and a superpower that should be routinely practiced. (46:47)