Baljeet Sangha, FACHE (Host): Welcome to the Healthcare Executive Podcast from the American College of Healthcare Executives, providing you with insightful commentary and developments in the world of healthcare leadership. To learn more, visit ache.org.

My name is Baljeet Sangha, and I am super thrilled to be today's guest host. Thank you for joining us and listening today. So today, we're going to cover a topic that never gets old, navigating career advancement in our current and always evolving landscape. And with us to speak on it is a nationally recognized leader. And so, with us is Pierre Monice. He's the president, CEO, Holy Cross Health, Trinity Health in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. So, we're super lucky to have Pierre here with us and really excited to hear about his story. Pierre, how are you today?

Pierre Monice, FACHE: I'm super excited. Excited to be connecting with you and speaking to everyone, and excited to share.

Host: Fantastic. So just a basic origin story, a question, I mean, the work that we all do, the work that you do is super courageous. And every hero has their origin story in the work they do. So, how did you become involved in the healthcare management field?

Pierre Monice, FACHE: Yeah. No, a great question. I tell people I've had an unconventional way I kind of fell into healthcare. Although my family's been around healthcare my whole life, my father being a physician, I never really saw myself in healthcare. Even to this day, I can't stand blood or needles. So, it's kind of ironic that I work in a healthcare system.

But honestly, the short answer is through a series of mentors, I started my career as a church pastor. And as I was pastoring, I had individuals that worked alongside myself on the church board that was connected to healthcare. And I started being introduced to the administrative side of the healthcare world, and saw there was an opportunity. And I was able to relocate to Central Florida. And the local healthcare system, Advent Health, allowed me to join their Leadership Development Residency Fellowship Program, and that's kind of where it took off from there.

Host: Well, it's impressive starting up as a pastor and landing in healthcare administration. And then now, in the leadership role you hold, that's pretty impressive. You don't really hear that too often. And so, in that experience, what are some qualities or characteristics that you think were applicable from your time as a pastor into what you do now? There's a lot of inspiring, a lot of nurturing, a lot of coaching and encouragement. So, what do you think are some characteristics that really set you up for success in the role you do now?

Pierre Monice, FACHE: Yeah. No, it's very interesting. You know, you're right, it's not very common. But when you think about the skills that will allow you to be successful kind of in a servant-leadership role, and then even before going into healthcare, I spent some time as a high school teacher. And then, moving into healthcare, I think number one, you have to be a constant learner, right? Just because you know you're prepared for a lesson plan, just because you study, you know, a particular passage or area, you want to continue developing your knowledge base, because you're always a student.

In addition, when you're working with people, healthcare and leadership is a people business. You have to do more listening than speaking. Really understand what people are saying, but also what they're not saying. And then, most importantly, you always have to coach, inspire, and motivate. And I did those all throughout my career and even up until this day.

Host: Well, I mean, the coaching sounds like career and a life of service. And that lifelong learning is super critical, I think. Especially the fields that we're in, they're just so dynamic. Not just year to year, but day to day. You go to sleep with something at nighttime around what do you think you're going to plan and do for the organization or your community, and the next day, it could be completely turned on its head.

So, with that, I imagine that you're impacted and it's impacted your leadership style. So, how has your leadership style, I will say, changed? How has it evolved over the years and what have you done to really develop? It sounds like lifelong learning and that humility that you approach things with the right ratio, two ears to listen, one mouth speaks. So, it sounds like you're approaching it that way. So, tell us a little bit more about how you continue to refine that.

Pierre Monice, FACHE: Yeah. I love the constant pace of change in life, which is just natural. But from my leadership standpoint, as I've led in different environments, different sectors, I've had to personally overcome a lot of imposter syndrome. So, I never felt that I was the most knowledgeable person in the room. So, in a sense, it became my superpower. So, I was able to be very inquisitive naturally. And also, I was able to make sure I listened intently so that I could keep up of what's going on and then find some solutions that were typically non-traditional, because I was not the person in the room with 15, 20, 25 years of expertise.

So, I would say my leadership style is always very inclusive. I'm very open to people with different education backgrounds, different life experiences, because that diversity of thought really, really helps make a well-rounded team and allows teams to be very innovative in how they come across solutions.

Host: Yeah. And I really appreciate that, and I really also appreciate you touching upon imposter syndrome. I think the career path stories in my mind are always fundamentally a little flawed, right? You telling a story around, you know, in a succinct way, because you don't have all day to tell the story about, you know, you graduate here, you got this job, you got this role, you got this next role, and then you're kind of in the role you're in now. But you kind of miss out on all the jobs you didn't get, all the letdowns that you've had, all the challenges and kind of maybe the self doubts that creep in when you got your fifth rejection letter and you're trying to move forward.

So, the imposter syndrome piece, I agree with you. I think over my own years as well, I initially thought it was more of a dirty word. But now, I do agree that it is a superpower. I think the imposter syndrome keeps one a little bit challenged, a little bit hungry in a way that you're not complacent. I think you read stories about great leaders, whether they're in civic duty volunteer service, whether they're professional athletes, in any industry that they're in, and a common element seems to be that there's a consistent hunger to improve and get better. And it sounds like the imposter syndrome really helps drive a little bit of that. It keeps you hungry and keeps you humble and chasing the challenge and the next area of growth. So, do you channel that in a way that Inspires and drives your regular work and your kind of day-to-day work.

Pierre Monice, FACHE: I mean, that's an interesting question because if I could be totally vulnerable, and we're friends so I could be vulnerable, I really believe that in every stage of life in your career, imposter syndrome allows itself to reset. And at least for me, it becomes just as daunting as the last time you felt imposter syndrome.

So, I remember coming out of college, applying to jobs. I mean, I went to seven, I think, eight different interviews and was not selected. I felt good about it. And then, I started questioning, "Am I in the right field?" And although I landed a job, eventually, I say, "You know what? Had I had given up, man, where would I have been? And then, the next stage of my journey, I'm promoted into a new opportunity, and imposter syndrome sets in again. And it's almost as if I forgot how it felt the first time. So for me, it's very humbling and I have to remind myself that, "You know what? It's part of the journey." And at the same time, I really like to tap into mentors, people who see things in me when I can't see it in myself. So, I tell people, always surround yourself with different mentors that could really speak value and life into you.

Host: I will match your vulnerability with my own. I completely agree. That's a great point. And I hadn't always thought about it that way. And you've given some structure to the nebulous idea of imposter syndrome, but I agree. I mean, when I got into grad school, you know, you do the introduction, and the first day, I was kind of like slinking down into my chair, like, "Oh gosh, I hope they don't realize they messed up." And someone walks in here and pulls me out of the room, like, "Actually, there has been a horrible mistake. You shouldn't be here."

But I agree, in my first analyst role, then your first leadership role, there is a reset. I completely agree that even in my current role, I walk in the first day and while there have been a lot of accomplishments and successes that we're able to contribute to with teams, you walk in and people may think or you may think that people think that you're expected to change the world in one day. And I think that's a lot of pressure that one puts on themselves and in a way that everyone always says, "Please don't do that." But I think you're spot on that it does reset.

So, it sounds like a countermeasure to that is surrounding yourself with strong group, a strong structure, strong mentors. And so, on that note, who do you credit for your own professional growth?

Pierre Monice, FACHE: Yeah, there are many people. But at the top of the list, I have to say my mother. Being an immigrant from Haiti, having a vision for the family, for herself, I saw firsthand how she took care of the family, took care of duties at home, was working, you know, corporate America. But everything she did, she modeled that. It's not just about your title or position, it's about how you serve. She spent years being a community leader, serving in food distribution, serving the church. And as she interacted with so many different types of people and I was around and witnessing it, I realized that, you know, at the end of the day, people are people, right? But you get the most out of people when you're able to serve them. And that's really been a mantra of my leadership where, "Hey, I may not have all the answers, I may not be the smartest in the room, but what I can do is I could help others reach where they're trying to go and I could serve them. And that definitely have been very powerful for me and also very fulfilling when I can help people along their leadership journey, I can help people in life day to day and add a little bit of value to them every single day.

Host: Yeah. Major plug and appreciation. A depth of just admiration to mothers everywhere. I am always amazed when, you know, I let alone can get to work and get out of work at a decent hour, but folks are doing that, mothers are doing that, parents are doing that, and they're going home and having their whole second responsibility of being caretakers to either little ones or loved ones or elder care. And so, it's really, really impressive. And it's almost like, "Wow, that's like the expert level of adulting has been unlocked in a way." And then, I definitely want to chase that myself and just like, "Can I get to that point one day?"

So, it's interesting about your mom, I have a similar story with my mother, you know, they immigrate here from North India, Punjab, and grew up in New Orleans, Louisiana, and then moved to California where I'm now. But one of the things that is interesting, so one of your mentors and your inspirations happens to be your mother, right? So, it happens to be someone that you see at all times of the day, whether it's out front in discussions, in front of the world and in a polished sense at home, and when you're just behind closed doors.

And so, one question I have is that as you navigate your own career and you continue to inspire as a leader, how do you balance the presence and how you present as a leader from what you present kind of front-facing on stage, on a podcast, in other interviews, and then the leader that you are actually behind closed doors when no one's looking. It's just you or it's just you and your team and your staff. And how do you reconcile that it's the same person? Because sometimes you hear that the way individual presents publicly may not be how they act professionally behind closed doors. And how do you approach that topic and seeming like you being inspiration from someone like your mother who, by all intents and purposes, as you described, is an amazing woman, has been able to navigate that? How are your thoughts on how we should think about that?

Pierre Monice, FACHE: Yeah, that's a really deep question. And I may not do it justice. But really when I think about that, for me personally, the people you surround yourself with matters. So as a leader, they often say leadership is lonely. And I find that very, very accurate at times.

So, it's important that the people you surround yourself with when you leave the office or when you kind of unplug for the weekend, or you surrounding yourself with people that really love you and care about you, people who would call you out and say, "You know what, Pierre? I don't think you're on the right track" or "Pierre, you need to do more of this and less of that."

So, I have been fortunate to have some friends that I've known, you know, ever since my college years or over 15, 20 years, family members who have really taken the time to pour into me and some mentors who started mentoring me back when I was in high school. So really, take an intentional effort to surround myself with people that care about me, because it's very easy to surround yourself by people in your profession, surround yourself by coworkers. And nothing's wrong with that, but will they truly be very, very honest with you? And will you be able to be your authentic self? So really, falling into that essence of love and people who care about you, I think goes a long way.

Host: Yeah. Surrounding yourself with people you need, not people that you want, like people that really need to be there to tell you what you need to know and have you grow as well. That's incredible.

So on that note, we've talked a little bit about the imposter syndrome. And that really is analogous or is synonymous with struggling with confidence. And we've also talked about kind of career path stories and how sometimes they're oversimplified and the listener may walk away thinking, "Oh, gosh, like that's great for that person. That's not my experience." So, early and mid careerists, particularly, and even as senior executive careerists sometimes struggle with confidence.

And so, with that being kind of the context, what are some moments where you've doubted yourself? Like, what tactics do you use to manage self-doubt and lead during those times of crisis or cultural change? You've talked a lot about surrounding yourself with a good structure or foundation, a tribe, if you will. So, can you elaborate a little bit more on that concept of what's helped when you've doubted yourself?

Pierre Monice, FACHE: Yeah. The times I've doubted myself the most have been the times when I was always so insular-focused where I would put my head down and do the proverbial get my work done, get my job done, day in and out. But then, just being a natural high performer, I wanted to take over the world and do it all myself, and I was never really happy with my progress.

So, it wasn't until I started reaching out to peers and going out to lunch, or even going to networking events where I'm able to connect and rub shoulders with individuals in my field who are doing the same things or going through the same things I'm going through, and I'm realizing, "Wait a minute. I'm not alone," right? It's okay to finish the day of the week and not have my inbox down to that magic number. It's okay to finish a meeting where you felt you were so prepared, but you left with more questions than answers. And really, that sense of teamwork, even though you work for different organizations, that networking is key.

And that's why I love organizations like the American College of Healthcare Executives, where it's almost that inner family, that regardless of where you live or where you're from, that when you connect, you could say, "You know what? I know what it feels like to go through that." And then, you could uplift each other and share and learn from each other's experiences.

Host: You're absolutely right. I mean, there's that adage or the saying that misery loves company. But I think, in this case, it's not that misery loves company. It's a leader who's experiencing doubt or challenges, loves some affirmation, loves some support, that you're not alone. And it's true. Sometimes you're thinking, "Man, am I the only person that has this challenge?" And if so, is there something wrong with how I'm approaching it? Am I not cut out for the job? And when you have the vulnerability I think of-- a word is coming up again here for us-- but when you have that vulnerability to say, "Hey, I don't know the answer and I actually don't know where to go from here. Does anyone have the same challenges or how you've navigated it?", it certainly opens up a lot of doors. I think a lot of folks do reciprocate and share kind of where they are as well. So, there's a lot of power in what you described around just being open and thoughtful in your authentic self.

And the team and the community and the American College of Healthcare Executives certainly is comprised of thousands of individuals who every day are changing the world, changing their community, but working through and forging ahead through some challenges, doubts, maybe crisis of consciousness, but other than that, have the fortitude to move forward. So, that's incredible.

And speaking of ACHE and the American College of Healthcare Executives, I will always take every opportunity I can. Congratulations on winning the 2025 Hudgens Award. And so, for those that aren't familiar with it, the Robert S. Hudgens Memorial Award, awarded by the American College of Healthcare Executives, is for the Young Healthcare Executive of the year. And it honors outstanding achievement in the field of healthcare management. And this award is given to one exceptional healthcare executive who is younger than 40, and is board-certified with the American College of Healthcare Executives and has really just moved their community and moved their organizations in a way that is just really inspiring and takes a moment to honor. So again, Pierre, major congratulations. It is a strong group of those who've come before you. So, what does it mean to you to receive this honor?

Pierre Monice, FACHE: Well, first and foremost, truly humbling. You know, I'm in shock and in awe. But, graciously, I'm definitely very appreciative to my organization, Trinity Health, who's given me the opportunities to lead, and also allow me to grow within the organization, and all the organizations I've worked through, worked with and for over the years, even before being in healthcare, because I think life is a journey.

So, what it means to me, you know, at the end of the day is representation, right? I do believe there are many young careerists, people starting out in their careers who don't think that they have value, or that their voice matters. And take it from someone who's literally worked in three different industries or careers prior to healthcare. everyone has a seat, at a table because we all have life experiences that really, really can move the needle when it comes to healthcare, right? Healthcare is a people business. Leadership is a people business and our communities become stronger when we have representation around the table and when we're able to be vulnerable and push to see results.

Host: That's incredible. It is absolutely a people business. And, as we continue to talk, and as I've gotten to know you over the last year, you are one of the best people to do it. So, really appreciate that leadership that you provide and that inspiration to folks that are also following, right? They're going to be watching this particular conversation, kind of hearing what they can do and what they can learn from to really move ahead. And so, with that, how has the ACHE Membership and the board certification helped you in your career?

Pierre Monice, FACHE: Number one, I'm a self-prescribed nerd. I enjoy learning. So when you think about continuing education, healthcare continues to evolve. And American College of Healthcare Executives puts you at the cutting edge. So even going through the years and getting credits to enhance my learning, although I started in human resources, going for my certification and being very involved with ACHE, it allowed me to start learning and being exposed to different sectors of healthcare. And that's something that can't be overlooked. Because as you kind of climb the ranks of healthcare, you're not going to be asked to be an expert in every area, but you are going to be asked to be somewhat knowledgeable and know how to navigate different spaces.

So, American College healthcare executives really set me up for success in that realm and, at the same time, allowed me to grow my network in different areas. So now, I have a network of friends in human resources and marketing and finance across different organizations, different parts of the world and country. And I could always pick up the phone or send a message, say, "Hey, I have a question," or "How have you dealt with X, Y, and Z?" And that has been a great, great resource, having ACHE, and being part this community.

Host: Awesome. And I'm sure when they give you a call and you pick up that call and you're just, if not even more enthusiastic and effervescent to support them when they need. So, I think that's the beauty of that community, that the fabric continues to strengthen as more and more members join, right? As more and more members become board-certified. If anything, I like to say that folks like yourself and other leaders that have come before you and will come after us, continue to strengthen actually the value of the board certification and the college in a way that makes you want to keep coming back and keep visiting and making new friends. So, that's pretty incredible. That's pretty incredible.

So with that, very busy in your role, very busy in your service. How do you spend your downtime if you have downtime? What do you do to recharge?

Pierre Monice, FACHE: That could be a tricky one. ' I definitely need to do better. I do enjoy traveling. I enjoy international traveling, and really spending time with family and friends. I love the opportunity to put my phone down and disconnect. I enjoy just being able to be Pierre, right, and not talk about work, or not talk about the stresses of work or talk about the things that I really enjoy.

Whether it's fortunately or unfortunately, I'm training for my first marathon. So a group of friends and I, we're definitely spending time outside the office and running and trying to work on our health. And it's a whole process. My first marathon, I didn't realize how much time it takes, but it is been an exciting challenge and at the same time looking for ways and opportunities to run races all across the country and all across the world, and it's allowed me to really unplug and disconnect.

Host: Well, that's awesome. If you apply even half amount of the energy and the dedication you have to your day job and your craft, I have no doubt that you're going to be successfully crushing through those finish lines and imposing with some medals and your team. That's pretty incredible.

So, you touch upon family and friends, and I think a lot of folks do share that they want to spend time with their family and friends. But the reality is the jobs that we have chosen to devote ourselves to are not nine-to-five jobs, right? When you're in the business of ensuring other people, your community, patients, their lives are being treated with the care and respect and dignity that they reserve and they deserve, you find yourself that that doesn't happen nine-to-five. So, it happens, and people are needing help and support in the weeknights on weekends, on weekend nights, on holidays.

And so, what that means is then is it takes you away, right? From maybe your family, your friends, and others. And so, what advice would you have for healthcare leaders that are in this intersection where they're feeling like they may have to choose between committing to the role and the career and the responsibility that they have decided to devote their life to, and something else because there's only finite amount of time in the days and in the weeks, and it's a zero sum game. And sometimes that pulls away from family and friends. So, how do you reconcile that? How do you advise others to really manage that? And I know it changes through your career sometimes you're just, "All right, I got to buckle down and hustle" like you described earlier. And sometimes you might have some opportunities. So, how do you recommend we think about that?

Pierre Monice, FACHE: Yeah, that can be a tricky one. But from my personal experience and of watching others who have done a better job, you never regret putting family first. So, I tell people, family comes first. If you can, go to that ball game, go to that recital for your loved ones, be there for that birthday.

But at the same time, don't be afraid to delegate and empower those that work with you. And also, never be afraid to escalate and manage others, raise your hand and say, "Hey, I need some help." We often think that we have to bear everything on ourselves. And yeah, at least for me personally, I was pleasantly surprised the times I kind of hesitated to ask for help or I hesitated to delegate how much people were willing to say, "Hey, I was a step ahead of you. I was waiting for you to ask. I'm happy to do this," "Actually, this works so perfectly well. I want to learn more about this area" or I told a boss that, "Hey, I'm not sure I'm the right person for this, but hey, can I get some support?"

And what has allowed me to do then, create margin. We typically talk about margin financially, right? But I truly believe that we also must talk about margin in our personal lives. Do we have margin and make space for our loved ones, make space for ourself, our own mental health, and then make space so that we can be the best versions of ourselves as we try to make time away from work?

Host: Very well said, very well articulated, no margin, no mission. That makes complete sense. It's just as applicable in the professional setting as it is in the personal setting. And you're right. No one ever says, "Oh dang, I wish three years ago, I really had checked those 14 emails," or "I really just jumped on that Team's call." And instead you're like, "Oh, you know, I should have gone to my niece's recital or my nephew's baseball game" and, if you're involved, those kids will have long memories. They're going to remember, "Hey, you didn't come to this thing." And obviously, no malice in anyone's heart, but responsibilities. But you're absolutely right and well said around getting a gut reaction, a little bit of a gut check around what's really important right now and how do we do that.

And the beautiful part is what you also described earlier, you're surrounding yourself with teams, with an organization, with a group and a support structure, both at work and at home that when you need to pull away and devote to family, that your team members can also continue to make sure they're leading the way, just like the same way I'm sure that you do it for them if they need to take time away. So, that's pretty incredible.

 That said, Pierre, summarizing our entire conversation here so far, what skills do you think emerging leaders need to succeed in this environment and even tweaking that, not just emerging leaders, but leaders who want to continue to grow and move forward.

Pierre Monice, FACHE: I think, number one, I put in two buckets. you can never out-serve when it comes to leadership. So when you're able to. Serve others, whether it's taking five or 10 minutes, to help someone that's behind you kind of navigate careers, take time at a networking event to introduce yourself to someone that may be off at the side and are being really shy, whether it's an opportunity to reach out to a peer or coworker, an upline, and say, "I have some time. Is there anything I could take off your plate?" Those moments speaks volumes to the person that you interact with.

Then, in addition, don't be afraid to ask questions. Sometimes we hesitate because we don't want to be that person to bother someone, or we don't want to come across as not having all the answers. But in those moments, I realized, A, I've learned so much. But b, It's opened so many doors, and allowed me to understand better so then I could be a better contributor to the organization, but ultimately to my community.

Host: Those are great words, wise words. A lot of wisdom there. And I think, one of these things is that this topic, what we're talking about, is never going to get old. It's going to be something that we can talk about every week, every month, every year for years to come. But I really appreciate your perspective because we're all unique, we're all individual, have our own backstories of how we came to be. And each one of those unique experiences really drive the uniqueness of that insight and feedback. So, I really, really appreciate that.

I will say, and I hope our listeners, who are watching this or listening to this, really appreciate what I appreciate, your authenticity as a leader, your personality, you're very personable, the depth of humility and how you approach things really comes across. I value and appreciate every time we get a chance to interact. I'm glad we're able to have this conversation and really appreciate your time. It's been really, really enlightening for me just to get at least some additional structure on thoughts that I've had kind of rolling around in my head when I haven't had the benefit of talking out a bit more, but really, really appreciate your time.

Any final words, any parting words for our listeners and watchers before we part?

Pierre Monice, FACHE: Thank you for all the kind words. I'm humbled. You're too kind. Love the conversation. I tell people all the time, and I'm serious, I'm still learning and still trying to figure out what I want to be when I grow up, because life is all about learning. So for those listening, never stop learning, never stop reaching, never stop dreaming, because you never know who you're going to impact.

Host: Certainly, I'm sure our next Hudgens Award winner out there. Myself, being a recipient a couple of years ago, just continue to be inspired to just, "Man, I gotta do better." It's always great when you see someone who's like that person is deserving. I really need to up my game.

With that Pierre, thank you so much. And this has been the Healthcare Executive Podcast from ACHE. For more information, please visit healthcareexecutive.org. Thank you for listening.