Watch the full conversation with Jim Skogsberg below.
Where does a leader’s success really come from? For Jim Skogsbergh, former Co-CEO of Advocate Health, the answer is the team. “I don’t know that I’ve ever accomplished anything by myself,” he said. “I don’t think we ever do.”
Jim spoke with Bob Clarke, Chairman of Furst Group and NuBrick Partners, for a special edition of Conversations in Leadership featuring past recipients of the Gail L. Warden Leadership Excellence Award. His reflections center on humility, the ongoing work of assessing an executive team, the value of debate on a strong team, and the clarity of purpose behind Advocate’s North Star. His perspective comes from healthcare, but the lessons apply to leaders and leadership teams in any organization.
In 2023, Jim received the Gail L. Warden Leadership Excellence Award from the National Center for Healthcare Leadership (NCHL), sharing the honor with Dr. Melinda L. Estes.
Humility as a Leadership Behavior
Bob asked Jim what trait he most hopes to see in the leaders coming up behind him. Jim said it was “hard to pick just one,” but one word came to mind.
“Humility comes to mind, and I’m talking about the kind of humility that makes sure that you respect others’ opinions, the kind of humility that causes you to seek out wisdom and advice and guidance from others, and the kind of humility that causes you to surround yourself with people that are smarter than you are,” he said. “So, if I had to pick one, I’d say humility.”
Hear Jim Skogsbergh explains the kind of humility he hopes to see in emerging leaders.Â
At NuBrick Partners, we read that answer as a description of behavior more than personality. Humility, defined this way, is something a leader does in plain view of the people around them, which also means it can be observed, discussed, and developed.
Why Assessing the Executive Team Never Stops
When Bob asked for one piece of advice for emerging leaders, Jim’s attention moved from the individual leader to the executive team.
“You have to make sure that your team, your executive team, is comprised of A players, and I mean the letter A. That requires a continuous assessment because the environment changes and the demands change, and the challenges are simply too great to settle for B players or individuals that are really not at the top of their game.”
Hear Jim Skogsbergh share his advice on building an executive team of A players.Â
From our perspective, the word that carries the most weight for teams in any industry is “continuous.” A team that was well matched to one set of demands will face different ones as conditions shift. That makes regular, honest assessment of how the team is performing, and where each member can grow, part of the ongoing work of leading it.
How Humility Makes Room for Healthy Debate
Bob observed that building an A team “also opens the door for a lot of healthy debate and shared experiences.” Jim connected that directly to humility.
“That’s where that humility comes in, right?” He said. “That willingness to engage in debate and discussion, to be challenged in your thinking, and to welcome that challenge so you’re getting the very best advice that you can get.”
For NuBrick Partners, this is where Jim’s two answers meet. A strong team is most valuable when its leader wants to hear it push back. In our view, a leadership team’s willingness to disagree openly often depends on whether the leader has shown, repeatedly, that disagreement is welcome.
Clarity of Purpose as a Team’s North Star
Asked what stands out as his greatest accomplishment as a leader, Jim credited others first. “Whatever success we enjoy, it’s because of a team of great people,” he said. He then named a decision about purpose.
“I thought at Advocate Health Care we planted our flag in the early 2000s that quality and safety were our North Star,” Jim said. “I think that clarity of purpose was very, very important for the organization. I think as a result, we served our patients extremely well, and I think we became a great place to work for our team members.”
Hear Jim Skogsbergh describe how quality and safety became Advocate’s North Star.Â
Every organization’s North Star will reflect its own work. What carries across industries, in our view, is the discipline of naming one clear priority and holding to it, so that people throughout the organization share the same answer to the question of what matters most.
Leaving the Organization Stronger Than You Found It
The second accomplishment Jim named was, in his words, “maybe even more simple.” “What comes to mind is leaving the organization in a stronger, better place than you found it,” he said. “And I really believe that we can say we did that.”
“It’s got the kind of strength that’s going to allow it to endure, and that means it’ll serve patients and communities for a long, long time in the future,” he added.
Hear Jim Skogsbergh describe what he considers his proudest accomplishment as a leader.Â
We see this as a test worth applying long before a leader’s tenure ends. Is the team becoming stronger each year, and could it endure without the person currently leading it?
Rising Demands and a Hope for the Leaders of Tomorrow
Bob noted that in his 40 years in the field, every year has felt like an interesting time, but “right now it feels even more interesting and challenging.” Jim agreed. “The industry is just getting more and more difficult,” he said. He added, “I think that the need for excellent leadership has never been greater, and that need continues to rise every year.”
Asked about the future of healthcare, Jim hoped for “better health outcomes at a lower cost,” a goal he called “elusive,” and placed that hope with the next generation. He hopes “the leaders of tomorrow are able to… make that happen for the good of our country.”
Hear Jim Skogsbergh describe the one thing he would love to see happen in healthcare in this country.Â
What Leaders and Leadership Teams Can Take From Jim’s Approach
We see Jim’s reflections as a path from the individual leader to the team: humility that respects others’ opinions and seeks out advice, an executive team assessed continuously as demands change, a leader who welcomes challenge, and a North Star the whole organization shares.
Leadership teams in any industry can test themselves against it with three questions. Does our leader’s behavior invite advice and challenges? Do we assess how the team is performing as our environment changes, or only when something goes wrong? And does everyone on the team give the same answer when asked what matters most?
Access the Full Conversation
Bob Clarke, Chairman of Furst Group and NuBrick Partners, in conversation with Jim Skogsbergh, former Co-CEO of Advocate Health.
About
James H. (Jim) Skogsbergh: Jim Skogsbergh is the former Co-CEO of Advocate Health. He joined Advocate Health Care as chief operating officer in 2001 and served as its President and CEO from 2002. After Advocate Health Care and Aurora Health Care merged in 2018 to form Advocate Aurora Health, he served as Co-CEO and, beginning in 2019, as President and CEO. When Advocate Aurora Health and Atrium Health combined to form Advocate Health in December 2022, he became Co-CEO, a role he held until May 2024. He received the Gail L. Warden Leadership Excellence Award in 2023 and the American College of Healthcare Executives Gold Medal Award in 2025.
The Gail L. Warden Leadership Excellence Award: Presented by the National Center for Healthcare Leadership (NCHL), the award honors Gail L. Warden, NCHL’s founding chair and President Emeritus of Henry Ford Health. It celebrates individuals who have driven meaningful, enduring improvements in health and healthcare through visionary leadership and a strong commitment to the wellbeing of their communities.
Conversations in Leadership: Conversations in Leadership is our series featuring candid perspectives from healthcare leaders, hosted by Bob Clarke, Chairman of Furst Group and NuBrick Partners. In a special edition of the series, Bob, who serves on the NCHL Board of Directors, connects with past recipients of the Gail L. Warden Leadership Excellence Award to reflect on the decisions, challenges, and lessons that define great leadership.
