Moving the Camera, Widening the Aperture
Like most of his colleagues at Boston Children's Hospital, Vincent Chiang was trained as a doctor and learned about management on the job. The Program for Leadership Development (PLD) delivered the formal training Dr. Chiang was looking for—along with a completely new outlook on the nature of leadership.
What stands out about your PLD experience?
I've attended five graduate schools at Harvard University, and my experience at HBS Executive Education was by far the most impressive. It was truly a transformative experience. In particular, the group's diversity expanded my horizons. Out of 150 people, only two others were physicians. It was freeing to talk with people who didn't think like doctors. Working together to solve problems helped me widen my personal aperture and view every situation from a broader perspective. I think I will be a better team member from now on.
How did PLD affect your view of leaders?
I'd always thought leadership was about the individual behaving in a leader-like and impressive way so that others would follow. But on the first night of PLD, faculty member Das Narayandas said, "The most important question in leadership is how do others perceive themselves in your presence?" A light bulb went off. I learned the importance of seeing through someone else’s eyes. To motivate people and advance the organization's goals, you must be able to see other people's points of view and realize how your actions affect them.
Why is Citizen Kane considered one of the greatest movies of all time? Orson Welles did something new. He moved the camera—changed the perspective—which is what I have to do to be a better leader. Now, when I measure my success, I focus less on what I did and more on how individuals on the team feel about their actions and accomplishments.
How is PLD impacting the way you approach leadership challenges?
Health care is under tremendous pressure today. People are asked to do more and more with less and less. While I'd always used words like "teamwork" and "collaboration," now they are not just words—they are primary drivers for doing what we need to do. Being able to sit down, have a discussion, and really get to know other people's point of view has made it easier to create processes that work and to accomplish more as a group.
Has your team noticed changes in your leadership?
They make fun of me sometimes, but I think they do see the change in me. I hope they feel that everyone is free to fully engage and to fail at times without repercussions, because that's the only way people will do their best work, think outside the box, and move the organization forward.
What advice would you give organizations considering sending people to PLD?
Do it! The return on investment is unbelievable. But you need to think about what the organization will do with the knowledge and perspective those people bring back. For individuals to be able to really change the culture, to execute on what they've learned and advance the agenda of the organization, they need top executive support—from the boardroom on down.