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This morning I had the privilege of attending the ACHE of North Texas Breakfast with the CEO event featuring Christina Mathis, MHA, CEO of Medical City Las Colinas. I attended as a representative of SBL Architecture, an ACHE North Texas sponsor, and for the networking opportunities that I believe are unmatched when it comes to meeting and learning from healthcare administrators.

Christina began what she jokingly referred to as her “TED Talk” with the theme Leadership Lessons – What’s Important to Me. She opened with a quote from Simon Sinek that struck a chord with me: “Leadership is not a license to do less. Leadership is a license to do more.” She explained how she strives to give 100 percent every day, setting the tone and modeling the behavior she wants to see in others.

Another favorite quote she shared was from Mark Twain: “Find a job you enjoy doing, and you will never have to work a day in your life.” For Christina, this is a daily reminder to stay connected to her “why.” She spoke about caring for the whole patient physically, mentally, and spiritually, while making sure that family and personal priorities remain non-negotiable.

One of her biggest leadership lessons is to never be the smartest person in the room and instead surround yourself with greatness. She shared her aspiration for Medical City Las Colinas, which is to be the happiest hospital in the world and the best place for colleagues to work, physicians to practice, and patients to receive care.

Her leadership mantra is to be the leader you wish you had. That means leading with authenticity, positivity, engagement, transparency, accountability, and a competitive spirit. It also means setting challenging goals, making work fun, and always believing in your team.

Christina also told the story of her career journey to Medical City Las Colinas and gave us insight into the numbers behind Medical City Healthcare’s DFW market and HCA nationwide. She wrapped up her talk by encouraging us to invest in ourselves, understand and evolve our leadership brand, and make time for self-reflection. She also reminded us to leverage the resources available in our market, including ACHE North Texas programming and the extensive data from the Dallas-Fort Worth Hospital Council. Finally, she emphasized the importance of expanding and nurturing our networks in what she considers the best healthcare market in the country.

Events like this are exactly why I value our involvement with ACHE of North Texas. The insight, inspiration, and connections are second to none, and I always leave energized about the work we do at SBL Architecture to support healthcare organizations in creating spaces that serve patients, staff, and communities.