Article

The data is clear—loneliness is rampant among healthcare leaders, and it’s costly.

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Up to 97% of executives report feeling lonely at the top, with 63% feeling this way sometimes and nearly 20% feeling isolated all the time. 

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The downstream impacts of this loneliness are staggering.

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The Cigna Loneliness Study estimates a whopping $154 billion in costs annually linked to absenteeism and diminished productivity.

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Beyond a loss in productivity, leader loneliness can lead to a languishing culture, the results of which can be disastrous, including system failure, financial collapse, and even loss of life.

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Leadership loneliness severely compromises decision-making capabilities and morale, with lonely leaders getting stuck in analysis paralysis, resignation, and ineffective choices. Yet many healthcare organizations still subscribe to outdated paradigms of leadership, expecting leaders to work in isolation. 

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The issues of patient harm, burnout among clinicians, and now leaders feeling lonely expose a deeper problem in healthcare—a disconnection from our human side. When the focus is only on tasks and outcomes in a transactional culture, it creates a gap between what the organization values and what leaders personally believe in. Simply being efficient and empathetic isn't cutting it anymore. Today's healthcare leaders need a lasting wellspring of energy to keep up with the increasing demands. 

The solutions to healthcare’s mounting pressures will never arise from isolated, exhausted leaders. More than ever healthcare needs courageous, connected leaders focused on transforming systems into environments where patients, clinicians, and administrators alike can thrive. The cost has become too high to ignore leadership loneliness. The time for human-centered cultures is now. 

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Seize the opportunity for change

Delve into the intricacies of loneliness among leaders and uncover valuable insights and solutions for transforming systems into environments where ALL people can thrive.

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Download the Institute for Healthcare Excellence white paper here:

The Power of Connected Leadership

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