The Arizona Healthcare CEO Forum is a group of Phoenix-area healthcare CEOs, leaders and business owners who meet in a confidential setting to explore professional and personal leadership challenges. Importantly, it provides an opportunity for discussion of healthcare policy and business strategy at a time of major industry change. The CEO Forum provides the foundation, structure and environment to support self-improvement in healthcare business and work-life balance. Our success requires participants in the group to be committed (one 2-3 hour meeting per month), curious (about principles of strategy, leadership, self-improvement), candid (honest exchange of ideas) and confidential (views stay inside the group).
Participation — each CEO Forum session includes 10-12 invited CEOs, leaders and business owners from the community representing a broad range of healthcare and related-industry services and products. To encourage candor and confidentiality, the CEO Forum generally includes leaders from only one organization in each line of business, subject to group consensus. Individuals commit to attend regularly, as the CEO Forum’s value comes primarily through interpersonal exchange with peers.
Meetings — the CEO Forum holds ten group meetings per year, one each month with a break in July-August to accommodate vacations. Meetings are facilitated, with an emphasis on group discussion around key topics identified in advance and supported by homework assignments, selected reading materials and outside speakers. Invited speakers make presentations and lead discussions on key topics. To limit disruption to work schedules, meetings start at 7:30am and finish by 10:00am, to include coffee, juice and refreshments. Meetings are held in Scottsdale, currently at the Scottsdale Place offices at 5635 N. Scottsdale Road near Hilton Village.
Discussion Themes — the CEO Forum emphasizes discussion primarily around professional and personal development, though other topics emerge. Each meeting begins with a discussion of a key business or professional topic, based upon a prior homework assignment. Business themes include innovation, strategy, organization, leadership, culture, vision, etc. Next, we discuss individual goals set by each participant. Individuals develop and commit to achieve six MITs (Most Important Things), three professional and three personal goals. We seek professional growth and work-life balance as important CEO Forum goals. Both progress and failure are shared during meetings. Invited speakers generally speak following our group discussions.