When Dr. Christopher T. Olivia arrived at West Penn Allegheny Health System, the organization was bleeding money. Nearly $100 million was lost in 2008, the year Olivia was named president and CEO.
The trained ophthalmologist and surgeon was hired to stitch closed the spewing cash flow and provide a clear vision for the system to prosper.
“The broader challenge is, like in any organization, you have to motivate people to change, because particularly in distressed organizations, people stay committed to what they know as being comfortable,” Olivia says. “One of the advantages you have is that you have a burning platform — if you don’t change, you may not survive. Still, people are committed to the familiar, to what they know. You have to show the organization why it needs to change, and then you have to show the organization what it may need to change to.”
Olivia did just that as he began what continues to be a turnaround situation. To get nearly 13,000 employees and six hospitals to buy in to an organizational overhaul, he started by keeping the lines of communication open and collaborating with employees to define the West Penn Allegheny of the future.
“The key is to really show them what’s going on today and explain very clearly why the organization needs to change,” Olivia says. “Then get them to help develop that future collectively with you.”
