The Pulse of Modern Leadership: Adapting to a New Generation in Cardiovascular Care

What does it mean to lead in a cardiovascular world that’s shifting fast? This blog explores the pulse of modern leadership and what it takes to engage, inspire and retain the next generation of healthcare professionals.

To my fellow cardiovascular leaders, pull up a chair. Let’s have a real talk.

Not about reimbursement. Not about protocols. Not about what the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services is changing this week. Today, I want to talk about something that keeps tapping me on the shoulder lately – our teams. The people behind the protocols. And more specifically, how our leadership styles are holding up in a workforce that looks very different than it did even five years ago.

This shift didn’t happen overnight, but if you blinked, you may have missed it.

We’re welcoming an entirely new generation into our cath labs, echo departments, nuclear suites and cardiovascular service lines: bright, purpose-driven professionals who approach work, life and leadership through a very different lens. And while many of us have been running at full speed trying to stay on top of regulatory changes, tech upgrades and physician recruitment, we may have skipped one very important update:

Us.

So let’s dive in. What does it actually mean to lead now? And why does it matter more than ever?

A New Beat in the Workplace: What’s Changed (and Why It’s a Big Deal)

There’s a generational remix happening in healthcare right now, and if you’ve felt a shift in energy, expectations or engagement on your team, you’re not imagining it.

Millennials now make up over 35% of the healthcare workforce, with Gen Z rapidly entering the scene.¹ That means we’re managing up to five generations at once – each with unique communication styles, motivators and expectations. And here’s the thing:

What worked before is not always working now.

We’re seeing the rise of values like:

• Transparency over hierarchy.
• Flexibility over face time.
• Growth opportunities over rigid job ladders.
• Purpose over prestige.

This isn’t about coddling. It’s about understanding. Because just like we customize treatment plans for our patients, we need to evolve how we support and engage our teams.

Work-Life Harmony: It's not a Buzzword, It's a Boundary

Gone are the days of glorifying burnout. The younger generation isn't impressed by 60-hour weeks, skipped lunches or working through vacations.

They want to do meaningful work and then go home. Or log off. Or go hike, journal, FaceTime their grandma, whatever. And you know what? That boundary-setting is honestly healthy, necessary and refreshing.

Here’s what it looks like in practice:

• Creating coverage systems so no one feels guilty taking a day off.
• Offering flexible scheduling for roles that allow it.
• Normalizing breaks – not rewarding the person who never takes one.
• Investing in staffing models that prioritize well-being, not just volume.

Because here’s the truth: your most productive team isn’t the one that works the most hours. It’s the one that comes in focused, rested and wants to be there.

They Want Purpose, not Perks

This next generation isn’t driven by just salary, shift differential or paid time off accruals. They want to know: Am I making a difference? Does what I do every day actually matter?

And lucky for us, cardiovascular care is purpose-rich. But we have to help them see it.

In fact, over 40% of Gen Z and Millennial professionals say they’d leave their jobs within two years if the work lacks meaning or purpose.²

So how do we connect the dots?

• Share real patient stories in team huddles.
• Celebrate small wins with big meaning (like catching a critical finding early).
• Explain the “why” behind workflows or quality initiatives.
• Invite team members into conversations about mission and impact.

And it means shifting the conversation beyond just key performance indicators and financial performance toward the human impact we make every day. It doesn’t take a grand gesture. Sometimes just saying, “Here’s how what you did today made a difference,” is enough to light a fire that lasts for weeks.

Leadership Needs a Reboot: From Command to Collaboration

Most of us were trained in a model that said, “The leader knows the answers.” But today’s teams aren’t looking for commanders. They’re looking for collaborators, mentors and facilitators.

And while healthcare has always been a service profession, today’s professionals are asking deeper questions: “Can I serve without losing myself? Can I care deeply without burning out? Can I contribute meaningfully without being seen as a servant?”

That’s not entitlement. That’s evolution.Modern leadership means honoring the mission of service while building a culture of mutual respect, healthy boundaries and humanity.

That means:

• Getting out of the office and into the trenches.
• Asking for feedback (and actually acting on it).
• Letting go of control and embracing co-creation.

Practical ways to lead differently:

• Host a monthly “What’s Not Working” meeting.
• Rotate who leads team huddles to build engagement.
• Use tools like anonymous pulse surveys to check in on morale.
• Create shared leadership roles for projects or initiatives.

And don’t forget – your leadership style sets the tone. If you’re adaptable, curious and calm under pressure, your team learns they can be, too.

Mindset and culture are key, but modern leadership also means evolving the tools we use. If we’re still leading with yesterday’s technology, we’re sending the wrong message to tomorrow’s team.

Tech Isn’t Optional – It’s a Leadership Competency

Tech adoption in healthcare is rarely seamless. Electronic health record upgrades, software bugs, clunky workflows … it’s a lot. But we can’t afford to drag our feet anymore.

Digital transformation is here. And the teams coming in expect us to be ready.

Whether it’s artificial intelligence-supported imaging, telehealth integrations or even social media, our willingness to embrace new tools sends a clear message: We’re not stuck in the past.

A few ideas to lean in:

• Let a Gen Z team member lead an in-service on a new digital tool.
• Host a quarterly “What’s New in Cardiovascular Tech” lunch and learn session.
• Include tech-readiness as part of your strategic planning.
• Celebrate wins when automation improves workflow or patient experience.

And when in doubt? Ask your team what they need. The best solutions usually come from the people closest to the work.

Work-Life Integration: Building a Culture Where People Can Thrive

Here’s a radical idea: what if our teams didn’t have to choose between being exceptional professionals and fully alive humans?

Work-life integration is about recognizing that people don’t clock out their identity when they clock in. So let’s stop treating life as the enemy of work and build systems that honor both.

Some real-world ways to do this:

• Offer scheduling flexibility around school drop-offs or caregiving.
• Celebrate personal milestones, not just work anniversaries.
• Create space for storytelling and connection in team meetings.
• Encourage mental health days without guilt or explanation.

When people feel safe and seen, they show up with more creativity, empathy and resilience. And isn’t that what we want in cardiovascular care?

Invest in Growth or Risk Losing Them

This is big. The next generation of leaders is sitting in your department right now, but they’re watching. If they don’t see a path to grow, they’ll find it somewhere else.

Let’s give them a reason to stay:

• Host leadership shadow days to demystify the path forward.
• Offer micro-learning sessions during shift transitions.
• Encourage participation in research, pilots or innovation projects.
• Provide access to coaching, not just management training.
• Build a talent pipeline on purpose, not by accident.

Retention isn’t about keeping people forever. It’s about investing in them so deeply that even if they leave, they say, “That place made me better.”

Bottom Line: Adapt or Flatline

The science of cardiovascular care will always keep advancing. That’s a given. But the soul of it – how we lead, how we connect, how we support the people behind the care –that’s where the real evolution is needed.

We’re not just leading departments. We’re shaping cultures. Building legacies. Teaching the next generation what leadership looks like not just through words but actions.

Let’s raise the bar. Not by working harder but by leading smarter. With empathy, adaptability and yes – a little humor when the chaos hits.

The future of cardiovascular care is human. Let’s lead like it.

🎥 Want to dig deeper into this conversation? Watch the full webinar here for insights on navigating multi-generational teams in cardiovascular care.

Read a Trending Story about a session from CV Transforum Spring’25 to explore the dyad model in a multigenerational era – collaborative leadership to strengthen cardiovascular care.

📚 References:

1. American Hospital Association. Healthcare Workforce Scan. AHA.org. Published 2023. Accessed May 27, 2025. https://www.aha.org/workforce.

2. Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited. 2023 Gen Z and Millennial Survey: Waves of change: acknowledging progress, confronting setbacks. Published May 17, 2023. Accessed May 27, 2025. https://www2.deloitte.com/content/dam/Deloitte/global/Documents/deloitte-2023-genz-millennial-survey.pdf.

Illustration by: Lee Sauer