Page 165 - The Way to the Top

Herbert PARDES, MD

President and CEO of New York–Presbyterian Hospital

I was told to always bring your superiors good news. The fact that you
bring good developments and outcomes to the people to whom you report
serves both your interests and theirs. Implicit in this advice is that a good

leader takes vicarious pleasure in the successes of his or her staff. Staff,
for their part, then feel a generosity on the part of the people to whom they
report, which encourages them to do good things that will be appreciated
by their superiors. Leaders who conduct themselves in this way gather

around them people who are successful and strong rather than people who
are weak and threatened.

Also, I was encouraged to welcome criticism and suggestions for ways
of improving, to look at them as opportunities to inform me and expand

my perspective on issues. This advice served me well—what might be
seen as critical or unpleasant can often be turned around to be highly
constructive. For example, complaints from people are often dismissed on
the assumption that the complainers will be unreasonable or vitriolic if
contacted directly. I have found just the opposite. When the senior leader

of an institution responds to people who are complaining often, it
impresses other people and turns critics into friends.

Share with your superiors and learn from criticism