Sergio Vincenti, FACHE works as the Service Line Executive for Medical and Surgical Specialties at Sutter Health in Sacramento, CA. He is an accomplished leader with health system strategy and operations. Mr. Vincenti has been a member of the American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE) since 2008.
Moderated by Michael O’Connell. This Q&A has been condensed and lightly edited for clarity. Hear the full audio on the CAHL YouTube channel.
CAHL/Mr. O’Connell: Tell us how you became involved in healthcare.
Vincenti: I recall running the halls at UCSF when I was very young, waiting for my Dad to finish working for the day. He is a doctor in transplant nephrology. From a young age, I was awed by what I saw. I decided to take the administrative path as it allows me to better apply my skills set as I enjoy with interdisciplinary teams to achieve outcomes.
CAHL/Mr. O’Connell: What does being an authentic leader mean to you?
Vincenti: I define an authentic leader as one that is transparent, humble and communicative. These pieces are critical for any leader to be authentic and it allows them to show their teams their true vulnerability. This builds trust and trust builds speed of execution. These qualities help achieve success and that is why I strive to exemplify these qualities so that my teams can achieve success.
CAHL/Mr. O’Connell: Can you share with us an example?
Vincenti: Previously, I had a supportive manager who was humble and communicative. When I discussed issues of concern, she trusted me. For me, those qualities were important to me. She demonstrated qualities of being an authentic leader and I was appreciative.
CAHL/Mr. O’Connell: In healthcare, as you know, it’s not only what you say and how you say it, but also when you say it. Sometimes, it’s necessary for someone else to deliver a message. Can you provide an example where you had to sort out to be an authentic leader, to communicate effectively in a different manner?
Vincenti: Absolutely. A recent example is a significant change in the manner the ambulatory group was managing referrals. We had to implement a change that was going to be significant in how referrals were going to be processed. Thus, we recognized we had to incorporate the assistance of the medical leaders when making the announcement and to ensure that the front-line physicians had their questions answered.
CAHL/Mr. O’Connell: Please explain dyad partnerships work and how they can contribute to individuals being authentic in the work they do?
Vincenti: My humble definition of a dyad partnership is where an administrative leader and clinical leader are paired to support a clinical service initiative to achieve anything. To answer the second part of your question, it’s really about bringing 2 different skill sets to the table. It drives authentic leadership by creating an effective partnership. It’s a great model as it brings complimentary skills sets to the table and it’s been very effective in my experience. It’s also an opportunity for role-modelling authentic leadership behaviors that we want in our organization.
Michael O’Connell, MHA, FACMPE, FACHE, CAHL , past CAHL president. Mr. O’Connell provides team-based leadership and oversight to strategic operational initiatives in both medical practice and hospital operations. He has over 35 years of experience in the healthcare industry, serving in various executive roles at RWJBarnabas Health, Stanford Medicine, Cleveland Clinic, and other leading organizations.