Editor’s note: Responses have been lightly edited for clarity and length.
Renier Brentjens, MD, PhD. Deputy Director at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center (Buffalo, N.Y.): This is an awfully difficult field to be in; the subject matter is very serious. But if you don’t enjoy and get excited by what you do, then you’re absolutely in the wrong business. Staying up till two o’clock in the morning working on a grant sucks, but it’s a lot less painful if you’re excited by and enjoy what you do.
Mark Evers, MD. Director of the UK Markey Cancer Center (Lexington, Ky.): I have received great advice from a number of outstanding mentors and colleagues over the years. For example, don’t be afraid to dream big and have a bold vision of where you want your organization to be in the future. However, an important caveat to this advice is that you must be able to effectively communicate that bold vision to others so that they are enthusiastic and buy in to achieving those goals, which oftentimes require considerable work and attention. Also, once you have achieved the goal, celebrate this achievement with your team, but then immediately identify the next big goal that you want your organization to accomplish.
Another great piece of advice is to surround yourself with talented, diverse and smarter people and then know when to get out of their way and not micromanage their every decision. It is also important to be respectful, listen to other viewpoints and ideas, and be willing to incorporate those ideas into the larger vision and direction. Finally, a good leader is one who leads by example and never asks others to do something that he or she would not do themselves.
John Montville. Executive Director of Oncology Service Line at Mercy Health—Lourdes Hospital (Paducah, Ky.): First, be a lifelong learner. Things are always changing, and the only way to stay ahead of the changes is to be constantly learning about advancements and new things coming down the road. And always gravitate to what is right — and that is usually as simple as asking yourself what is right; it is no more complicated than that.