Jan Malcolm

Well, first of all, thank you for inviting me to join you and Clarence in this conversation. I think it's a critically important topic, leadership in general, but leadership in health, leadership in public health, particularly now, given what we've just been through and the time that we're in, there is so much we need to learn.

Well, first of all, thank you for inviting me to join you and Clarence in this conversation. I think it's a critically important topic, leadership in general, but leadership in health, leadership in public health, particularly now, given what we've just been through and the time that we're in, there is so much we need to learn.

from what we've just been through and figure out how to take those very hard won lessons through the COVID-19 pandemic and apply them not only to being more ready for the next health emergency, but how do we improve what we do every day to serve the people that we serve, which is everybody.

from what we've just been through and figure out how to take those very hard won lessons through the COVID-19 pandemic and apply them not only to being more ready for the next health emergency, but how do we improve what we do every day to serve the people that we serve, which is everybody.

And I think too, that, you know, the one thing I know for sure is that it is not true that leaders are born and not made. I think there needs to be intentionality to to thinking about what is leadership? How do you get better at it? Nobody just, you know, kind of comes fully formed as a leader, no matter your training or your experience. I think there are always ways to get better.

And I think too, that, you know, the one thing I know for sure is that it is not true that leaders are born and not made. I think there needs to be intentionality to to thinking about what is leadership? How do you get better at it? Nobody just, you know, kind of comes fully formed as a leader, no matter your training or your experience. I think there are always ways to get better.

I do think that there are certain characteristics that help one to be a better leader, but the characteristics alone don't make you a good leader. And by characteristics, I guess I mean things like, I think actually there are values and there are personality traits, if you will, or styles, and then there are skills. And I think those are three different things.

I do think that there are certain characteristics that help one to be a better leader, but the characteristics alone don't make you a good leader. And by characteristics, I guess I mean things like, I think actually there are values and there are personality traits, if you will, or styles, and then there are skills. And I think those are three different things.

But how you marry them together, how you take advantage of any, how you, first of all, I think it's a lot easier to lead and to lead authentically, which is a key word, I think, authentic leadership. People can sense it if it's there and if it's not. But what makes an authentic leader, I think, is somebody whose work is aligned with their values.

But how you marry them together, how you take advantage of any, how you, first of all, I think it's a lot easier to lead and to lead authentically, which is a key word, I think, authentic leadership. People can sense it if it's there and if it's not. But what makes an authentic leader, I think, is somebody whose work is aligned with their values.

And who who kind of is intentional about how you how you use the traits that you either naturally have or that you learn over time and then being being really attentive to where, you know, where your skills are the strongest and where they're not. So I think, you know, kind of on that front of values to me and I feel so lucky to have had a career in health policy and public health.

And who who kind of is intentional about how you how you use the traits that you either naturally have or that you learn over time and then being being really attentive to where, you know, where your skills are the strongest and where they're not. So I think, you know, kind of on that front of values to me and I feel so lucky to have had a career in health policy and public health.

because that is just an exceptionally well aligned with my personal values, especially the field of public health, what we're all about really just resonates with me and makes it easy to love this field and the people in it because we do share this deep values connection about social justice, about thinking at a very kind of ethically driven

because that is just an exceptionally well aligned with my personal values, especially the field of public health, what we're all about really just resonates with me and makes it easy to love this field and the people in it because we do share this deep values connection about social justice, about thinking at a very kind of ethically driven

equity-driven look at how society is either helping or harming people's ability to be healthy. I just have always felt so at home, actually, in this field and with these incredible colleagues that I've had. I think some of the traits that are important, again, I think top of my list is authenticity

equity-driven look at how society is either helping or harming people's ability to be healthy. I just have always felt so at home, actually, in this field and with these incredible colleagues that I've had. I think some of the traits that are important, again, I think top of my list is authenticity

and empathy, really genuinely caring about the work that you're doing and the people that you're doing it for and the people you're doing it with. And I think another trait that I would call out, probably especially from the last few years, is persistence. Because nothing that we do in public health is necessarily easy.

and empathy, really genuinely caring about the work that you're doing and the people that you're doing it for and the people you're doing it with. And I think another trait that I would call out, probably especially from the last few years, is persistence. Because nothing that we do in public health is necessarily easy.

And nothing, I think we've learned this the hard way, even when we make great progress, that progress isn't, it's not a given that that's always going to last. You sort of have to keep remaking the progress and building on it. So I could go on and on about values and about traits, and we can go any way you want on that.

And nothing, I think we've learned this the hard way, even when we make great progress, that progress isn't, it's not a given that that's always going to last. You sort of have to keep remaking the progress and building on it. So I could go on and on about values and about traits, and we can go any way you want on that.