Karsten Randolph on Leadership Development

Located in the Kansas City metropolitan area, Shawnee Mission Health is a network of health care facilities and providers working to improve the health and wellness of the Kansas City community. As a member of Adventist Health System, its mission is at the core of everything it does. Every team member is wholly aligned in efforts to provide unsurpassed quality and compassionate care for the whole person. For the most part, their work occurs quietly in the background. In a recent series of videos, Shawnee Mission Health aims to turn some attention back onto the people and programs that help the organization run smoothly.

This leadership video features the organization’s Chief Financial Officer Karsten Randolph as he reflects on the ways Shawnee Mission Health works to grow those in managerial and directorial roles. In the interview, he stresses the value of individuality and personal style - reflecting on how leaders don’t necessarily need to adhere to any single, cookie-cutter approach to leadership.

“There are different types of leaders,” he explains. “Some are a little more charismatic, and some lead more by example - quite honestly, any organization might need a little bit of both. There’s more than one way to get from Point A to Point B. Sometimes a different approach is more effective in a certain situation.”

Randolph also notes that personal style preferences or skills are important to refine and excel in.

“First and foremost, leaders need to be competent in whatever skill set they need for their jobs,” he notes firmly.

With that foundation at hand, Randolph frames his approach to leadership within a context of empowerment and individually-driven, albeit organizationally-supported, growth. As he notes, “[Developing leaders] is really about giving opportunities and seeing what the leader’s strengths are - and seeing if they’re comfortable in a leadership role.”

When asked what he considers the most important traits a leader can have, he takes a moment to think. “You know, integrity is most important,” he answers, “I would say transparency, being consistent, being fair.”

For Randolph, being a part of Shawnee Mission Health’s diverse team of leaders has been one of the most fulfilling aspects of his role as CFO. “You know, you spend a lot of time with other team members,” he reflects, “and you understand that we all have weaknesses - but it’s about bringing out the best.”

For more on the leadership team at Shawnee Mission Health, please visit the organization’s website.