Healthcare Leadership Trends for 2025
They were supplanted by a distinct technology focus in the form of IT positions (33%), Cybersecurity (32%), and Artificial Intelligence (32%). Notably, the latter two categories rose 17 and 10 points respectively, while IT made a strong survey debut. This dominance shows the urgency to advance digital infrastructure, protect organizations from debilitating cyber-attacks, and harness the major opportunities offered by AI. Many existing roles are also undergoing change. One prominent example is the CFO. Rapidly expanding responsibilities are creating an “exponential CFO” driving value creation, operational excellence, and culture shaping. 1 Role of interim leadership Figure 12 captures the leadership roles respondents identified as growing most in importance during the coming year. Several important takeaways are worth noting. A versatile strategy in leadership development that should not be overlooked is external interim leadership (IL). Outside interim executives were engaged by 28% of respondents over the past twelve months. Only 18% of smaller hospitals cited recent usage. More organizations appear ready to tap IL’s benefits: 40% expressed definite or possible use in 2025. Over 8 in 10 deployed interims for their traditional and valuable role buttressing the recruiting effort by filling a temporary executive vacancy (Figure 13) . But 20% — double the prior year — enlisted IL to fulfill a specific project independent of an executive vacancy. B.E. Smith terms this option adaptive leadership. It provides cost-effective leadership augmentation, enabling internal executives to focus on strategic priorities and devote time to professional development.
REASONS FOR USING INTERIM LEADERSHIP
83%
15%
5%
20%
OTHER
TACKLE A INDEPENDENT PROJECT OUTSIDE OF AN EXSECUTIVE VACANCY
FILL A TEMPORARY EXSECUTIVE VACANCY
MENTOR AN EXECUTIVE FOR PROMOTION
Figure 13
Figure 13 highlights another important use of IL in development. Fifteen percent of the respondents relied on an external interim to mentor an inside executive in anticipation of a promotion. Interims bring extensive experience that adds value to the mentoring effort.
1 Deloitte, The Exponential CFO, June 2024.
© B.E. Smith 2025
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