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Douglas Flora: The 19 Words I’m Learning to Embrace as a Leader in 2025

Douglas Flora/LinkedIn

Dec 21, 2024, 19:21

Douglas Flora: The 19 Words I’m Learning to Embrace as a Leader in 2025

Douglas Flora, Executive Medical Director of Oncology Services at St. Elizabeth Healthcare, shared a post on LinkedIn:

“The 19 Words I’m Learning to Embrace as a Leader in 2025.

I’m giving you these comments because I have very high expectations, and I’m confident that you can reach them.

Adam Grant calls these the 19 words every leader should use when giving feedback. Simple?

Yes. But implementing them has been a challenge for me.

As someone who deeply values building supportive, trusting relationships with my team, I’ve always been focused on showing my appreciation and commitment to their growth.

Yet, I’ve hesitated when it comes to delivering truly candid feedback. Why?

Because I worry:

Will my feedback discourage them?
• Will it unintentionally bruise their confidence?

But here’s what I’ve realized: my hesitation isn’t helping—it’s holding them back.

My team deserves feedback that both inspires and challenges them to grow into their full potential.

I’m heading into an extended holiday vacation, and this is the first book I’m tackling next to the fireplace.

Thanks for the recommendation, Debra Patt, MD PhD MBA.

Looking forward to finishing it, and if I don’t like it, I’ll still be better prepared to tell you that honestly while still showing you that I care lol.

To my network: How do you navigate the challenge of delivering feedback with honesty and empathy?

Teach me how to get better at this myself?”

Douglas Flora

Douglas Flora is the Executive Medical Director of Oncology Services at St. Elizabeth Healthcare, overseeing clinical operations, strategic planning, and the expansion of cancer programs. He is also the co-founder of the Center for Precision Medicine; Genomic Health and the Leader of the AI and HealthCare Team for the Cincinnati AI Catalyst (CaiC).

As the Editor-in-Chief of ‘AI in Precision Oncology,’ the first peer-reviewed academic journal dedicated to this field, he plays a pivotal role in advancing research. He is also an active board member of the American Cancer Society and ACCC, where he contributes to advocacy, education, and innovation within the cancer community.

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