How has change readiness evolved for healthcare leaders?

The need to pivot and think differently isn’t new. Organizations have long had to adapt to staffing challenges and economic shifts. What’s different today is the pace of change, especially when it comes to technology. We’ve moved beyond viewing change readiness as something tied to major organizational projects. It’s now part of a leader’s day-to-day responsibility.

Diagnostic technology, for example, is evolving incredibly quickly. Solutions available a year from now may look very different from what’s available today. Leaders have to look beyond the horizon and think about how they’ll prepare the workforce, make investments, and incorporate new capabilities into the services they provide. Change has become constant, and organizations have to be prepared to adapt at the same speed to remain relevant.

What separates organizations that are prepared for disruption from those that simply react to it?

Organizations that navigate change well tend to be decisive about both what they pursue and how they prepare their workforce. Moving quickly means being selective. Leaders have to focus on the opportunities with the highest potential impact and be willing to pivot when something doesn't deliver the results they expected.

Part of being decisive is being clear about your mission, vision, and strategy. Those priorities help leaders sort through the noise and determine which opportunities truly advance the organization. If something doesn't support your long-term direction, even if it's innovative, it can become a distraction. When initiatives clearly connect back to the mission, leaders can build engagement and preparedness more easily. Employees can see how their work contributes to the bigger picture. For us, that bigger picture brings answers to patients.

What does a future-ready culture look like?

Curiosity is a critical part of a future-ready culture. Organizations don't just need employees who are open to change. They need people who ask questions, offer ideas, and sometimes challenge assumptions about what's being proposed.

That kind of bidirectional communication is essential because people at every level bring valuable perspectives. The best ideas don't always come from the top of the organization.

Education is equally important. Technologies like agentic AI are creating new skill requirements almost overnight. Organizations have to invest in helping employees learn and adapt. We try to proactively share what we're seeing across the industry, so employees understand both what's changing and what isn't. While the tools and approaches may evolve, our mission, values, and purpose remain constant. That foundation helps people navigate change without losing sight of why they're doing the work.

How can leaders manage change fatigue?

Change fatigue is real. You can see it even among high-performing teams. No matter how exciting new opportunities may be, adapting to them requires a significant amount of work.

Trust is an crucial part of addressing that fatigue. Employees need to know that leaders understand what they're experiencing and are committed to helping remove barriers along the way. Large organizations don't change overnight, so leaders have to break transformation into manageable pieces and help teams focus on achievable progress.

It's important to keep people connected to the purpose behind the change. If employees feel they're changing simply to do something new, it can be hard to stay engaged. But when they understand how that change could improve patient care, they're much more willing to invest the extra effort required to make it successful.

How can leaders build trust during periods of uncertainty?

The first thing to remember is that employees don't expect leaders to have all the answers. In fact, if leaders try to project certainty when uncertainty exists, they risk losing credibility.

I've found that transparency builds trust. Leaders should be honest about what they know, what they're still evaluating, and where there may be unanswered questions. That creates space for employees to contribute their own insights and helps build a culture where people feel comfortable speaking up.

In addition, leaders should utilize pilots to test ideas before making larger changes. Pilots allow organizations to gather feedback, identify issues, and make adjustments based on what frontline teams experience. Taking that iterative approach can strengthen both trust and decision-making.

How can organizations encourage employees to share ideas and feedback?

At Mayo, one strategy we employ regularly is to hold staff forums and dedicate nearly half of the agenda to taking and answering employees' questions. We also build structured feedback into pilots and major initiatives. Employees are often the first to identify barriers, workflow challenges, or opportunities for improvement. Leaders have to be prepared to listen and respond to that input.

Another important strategy is using multidisciplinary teams. When you bring together people from operations, finance, IT, clinical care, and leadership, you get a much richer perspective on problems and opportunities. Those different viewpoints often lead to stronger decisions and better outcomes.

How should leaders prepare for a new generation of tech-savvy employees?

Every generation brings different strengths and perspectives, and I believe the next generation of employees will do the same. The challenge for leaders is figuring out how to harness those strengths while ensuring employees continue developing the expertise needed to succeed.

AI is a major topic for every industry right now. While there are legitimate concerns about overreliance, I see tremendous potential when it's used appropriately. We use AI and agentic tools to help teams work more efficiently and reduce the burden of routine, lower-value tasks.

At the same time, we've been very deliberate about maintaining a human-in-the-loop approach. AI should support people, not replace them. Human judgment remains essential, particularly in healthcare, where nuance, expertise, and personal interaction have such an important impact on outcomes. The goal isn't to remove people from the process, but to free them to spend more time on the more fulfilling aspects of their work.

What advice would you give leaders building future-ready organizations?

This is going to be one of the most exciting periods many of us will experience in our careers. The pace of change can feel overwhelming at times, but it also creates incredible opportunities to improve care and advance what's possible.

My biggest piece of advice is not to focus solely on technology. Future-ready organizations aren't built by technology and strategy alone. They're built by strong cultures, engaged teams, and a clear connection to mission and purpose. Additionally, leaders should continue investing in communication, feedback, and employee development. As technologies evolve, organizations will need the expertise, creativity, and engagement of their workforce more than ever.

When employees feel trusted, valued, and connected to where the organization is headed, they become the drivers of change. Ultimately, that's what enables organizations to thrive in times of disruption and deliver better outcomes for patients.

Mayo Clinic Laboratories provides specialized laboratory testing for serious and complex conditions to advance patient care worldwide. For 55 years, Mayo Clinic Laboratories has helped physicians answer the toughest clinical questions with confidence and empowered hospitals to elevate care within their communities. Through an integrated diagnostics ecosystem powered by Mayo Clinic, the organization offers access to more than 4,000 tests and pathology services, delivering trusted, timely answers to clinicians and patients. Learn more here.

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