In this episode of the Lead Up Podcast, host Mike Harbour sits down with Emily Craig, Vice President of Palliative Care at Constellation Health, to explore what it actually takes to build leaders in fast-growing, high-pressure healthcare environments. Drawing from her experience scaling a multi-state palliative care program, Emily shares how leadership—not strategy—is what ultimately determines whether priorities hold or begin to drift.
They discuss the common mistake of promoting strong clinicians into leadership roles without preparing them for the decision-making demands that come with it. Emily explains why hiring for character and connection matters more than technical skill, and how leaders can identify the qualities that truly translate into effective leadership under pressure.
The conversation also highlights how to develop leaders without compromising productivity, maintain culture across geographic scale, and build trust when you can’t be physically present. Emily emphasizes the importance of strong onboarding, consistent communication rhythms, and treating people with humanity—while still holding high standards.
One of the key takeaways: while skills can be taught, who someone is cannot—and that distinction shows up quickly in leadership and decision-making.
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