Taking on the Mantle of Leadership for Health Equity 

As the leaves fall from the trees, we may mourn the warm days of summer. But autumn can be a time of renewal. For me, renewal often means spending time reflecting upon the experiences that have shaped me during the year and looking forward with optimism to the future.   

Recently, I’ve had the opportunity to reflect upon the importance of renewing my commitment to being an effective leader. I’d like to share my thoughts about three important characteristics that are required for leadership: vision, values, and vitality.  

How do leaders demonstrate vision? A visionary leader can inspire, mobilize, and unify individuals and groups toward a common purpose or goal. Building vision requires self-reflection and communication skills that engage and motivate others to work collaboratively.  

In September, faculty, staff, and community partners from the Mid Atlantic Center for Cardiometabolic Health Equity (MACCHE) joined colleagues at the second annual Health Equity Action Network Community and Scientific Meeting. This consortium of researchers across the country are refining the vision of health equity for all through the elevation of community voices. Read more about what we learned in this article.  

In September, MACCHE also welcomed seven scholars to its Investigator Development Core. This cohort will be developing innovative research related to cardiometabolic disease disparities. Meet these future leaders in biomedical research here.  

Leaders also need articulated values. They establish their credibility through evidence that they live and work in alignment with these core values. Many of the Center for Health Equity’s core values mirror my own personal values - respect, integrity, trustworthiness, and social responsibility.   

Leaders need vitality to act in service of their goals. Why? Because advancing health equity is complex and challenging, and it requires strength and stamina. Leaders must draw upon motivation, courage, determination, and discipline, to fuel their vitality.  

Dr. Deidra Crews, our Center’s Deputy Director, embodies our values and exudes vitality! Dr. Crews was just elected to the National Academy of Medicine! Discover more on her Research Gate profile here.  

We can all lead. In addition to vision, values, and vitality, a leader at any level in an organization should possess:  

• Relationship-Centeredness: A leader should be able self-aware and to connect with and understand the needs and concerns of those they are leading, whether it’s patients, colleagues, or community members. 

• Collaborativeness: Solving complex healthcare and public health problems requires interdisciplinary and cross-sector collaboration. A leader should be skilled at fostering cooperation and teamwork among diverse individuals and groups. 

Dr. Chidinma Ibe, our Center’s Associate Director for Patient and Community Engagement, knows that leadership in health equity requires strong relationships and does not rest on the shoulders of one person or position alone. She explored these dimensions of leadership with her photovoice study on the experiences of Baltimore’s Community Health Workers published this month in the journal Health Affairs. Learn more about this innovative and important study in this interview here or listen to Dr. Ibe on A Health Podyessy podcast.  

Facing present and future challenges 

Advancing health equity requires addressing the numerous present and future challenges. These challenges include social injustices and human rights violations, an aging population, rising rates of non-communicable diseases, negative climate change influences on health, civil unrest, interpersonal violence, and declining public trust in science and medicine. To face these challenges, we need informed leadership.  

That’s why my work as a member of the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST) continues to remain vital. PCAST advises the President of the United States on policy matters where the understanding of science, technology, and innovation is key. This summer, the PCAST released a letter to the President outlining recommendations that urge federal agencies to make science and technology communication and public engagement a top priority. An informed population makes wiser decisions. Additionally, PCAST issued a report with recommendations for the nation to commit to supporting robust safety solutions for patients and healthcare workers, with a specific recommendation on partnering and collaborating with patients, families, and communities disproportionately impacted by unsafe care. I encourage you to read both documents and support policy that reflects these ideals.  

Each of us must assume a mantle of leadership, whether we hold an official title of leadership or not. No matter who you are, being a leader means developing and using your skills to inspire and influence others to bring about positive change in the world. If your time to lead is not now, it will surely come one day, so prepare yourself! 

I’ll leave you with two of my favorite quotes about leadership.  

“If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader.”  

―John Quincy Adams 

You can’t lead the people if you don’t love the people. You can’t save the people if you don’t serve the people.” 

― Cornel West